| “ | Animatronics need to be taught a lesson. | „ |
| ~ Mr. Renner siccing the Fazbear Fan Club after Robbie. |
Mr. Renner is a minor antagonist in the Five Nights at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex anthology novel series, serving as the main antagonist of "Animatronic Apocalypse".
He is the ambiguously-human former principal of Durham Elementary. Through unknown means, Renner manages to brainwash the members of the Fazbear Fan Club into following his instructions and preparing for the Animatronic Apocalypse, the club's Dungeons and Dragons-styled game.
Appearance[]
Mr. Renner is said to be a tall and stocky man with a dark mustache and graying black hair. He wears a brown suit and tie and a white shirt.
History[]
A year before the events of the story, the Fazbear Fan Club invented a board game called Animatronic Apocalypse, which is based on and includes Fazbear Entertainment characters. One of the players was one Robbie Wilson, who was really lucky while playing the game and decided to leave the club early. While he was gone, it was announced that Jason, the club's president, was leaving town, and that Mr. Renner (despite never being interested in the club's affairs) was asking for new candidates for the role. The role of president was eventually won by a girl called Zebrina Zee, who would then make several announcements that were out-of-character for her, one of those being that everyone who reveals things about the club to people outside it will be kicked out. Robbie was the only one who didn't like those new changes, which shocked him and made him grow suspicious, especially since he was the only club member to not be present for the announcement of the new president.
Later on, Mr. Renner speaks to the school about making a "Faculty Preparedness Initiative" that would raise funds to fight back against the animatronic apocalypse, which weirded out Robbie due to the principal treating it like real life and not a game, and the entire school being excited about it. He complained to his father about it, who promised to speak with the school faculty about it. The next day, people learn that Mr. Renner is leaving the school. Robbie sees that, after school, all the club members went to speak to Renner in the park. He told them to eat the dirt in the park as it would give them "immunity against the animatronic toxins", and they all did so. Later on, Robbie talks to his friend Johnny and sees his fingertips are red, and Johnny explains that Mr. Renner told the club to poke needles under their nails for protection.
The following day, Robbie sees that everyone in the class was eating live beetles, and later learns that it's "protection" against the "toxins". After hearing that the club will have another meeting in the park, he goes to investigate, and sees that all the members have been buried under the dirt, with only their faces visible. He manages to get one of his friends, Nathan, to wake up and free himself, and the two free due to another student yelling at them to get out. They go to the police, but when they arrive, all the kids are gone from the park. According to Nathan, Mr. Renner had the kids bury themselves due to the dirt's healing properties.
After hearing that many of the kids called in sick and didn't go to school, Robbie goes to Mr. Renner's house to investigate. After entering it, he saw all the club members in the dining area with Renner at the head of the table, wearing a Freddy Fazbear mask. He claims that Robbie is the first animatronic, and that he must be taught "a lesson". While fighting for his life against all the kids, who were beating him up, Robbie grabs a fire poker and stabs Mr. Renner with it, causing all the children to run out of the house and him to bleed a black liquid. He stumbles down the hallway and Robbie follows him to make sure he's okay. Mr. Renner charges at the boy and tries to kill him, crushing his bone, and he is killed in self-defense after being stabbed in the eye.
The police shows up to the house, and Robbie says he thinks Mr. Renner is dead. The cops enter the house, and after leaving it claim that, unless he bleeds motor oil, he is alive. Things eventually go back to normal and Animatronic Apocalypse becomes a normal board game enjoyed by the Fazbear Fan Club, although Mr. Renner is missing.
Trivia[]
- Mr. Renner is apparently interested in horse races.
- Given how he bleeds a black liquid at the end of the story, it's possible that Mr. Renner is in fact Eleanor, or at least connected to her. However, the black liquid is later identified to be motor oil, so while Renner is likely not a human and most likely an animatronic, it's unknown if he truly does have any connections to Eleanor.
- It's possible Mr. Renner was either brainwashed just like the kids or was turned evil through some other unknown circumstances, as it's stated that, before the events of the story, he was never interested in the Fazbear Fan Club.
- Due to his obsession with Freddy's and outright wearing a Freddy mask at the end of the story, it's speculated by fans that Mr. Renner is actually the Freddy mask bully that helped Michael Afton prank and accidentally kill his brother, having been consumed by the agony of the event, explaining his paranormal behavior and black "blood" at the end of the story. This theory grew in popularity after the heavy implications the Bonnie mask bully is Cassie's father, implying the series is bringing back Mike's friends to give them proper endings.
