The Marras are evil female human-like creatures that reside in the Huldrawood. They haunt the streets and houses of Trolberg at night, looking for timid people to scare and give them nightmares or from out of their fears.
They are exclusive to the animated series and its novelization; they do not appear in any of the graphic novels.
Contents
Nature
The exact nature of Marra is not quite clear, and there is contradicting information. According to a library book that Hilda, Frida and David read in Chapter 6: The Nightmare Spirit, the Marra are nightmare spirits; a description that is also used in Hilda's Book of Beasts and Spirits. However, when they're not using their powers, they look just like human teenage girls, usually during the day. One of them, Kelly, is even seen living in a normal house with her (seemingly non-Marra) mother. She also mentioned Frida would make a good Marra. This suggests the Marra are humans with special powers, and it's possible for regular humans to be turned into Marra by getting recruited. According to Hilda's book of Beasts and Spirits, Marra are always looking for new recruits to turn into Marra.
Appearance and powers
Marras are often seen as regular teenage girls. However, they have unusual traits, such as glowing green eyes and the ability to float around. They can also teleport short distances or squeeze through tiny holes, like key locks for example, by turning into green wisps.
Weaknesses
Marra have a weakness towards leather belts. A human can ward off a Marra by securing themself to the bed with a belt, and a belt can be used to capture and trap a Marra.
Behavior
Marras are active during both the day and the night. During they day, they mostly like to hang out, act laid-back and mysterious, as seen by David's Marra. However, for Marras such as Kelly, they also enjoy to do things normal teenagers do, such as watch television.
During the night, they visit humans sleeping in their rooms by turning into light green wisps and entering through the keyhole. They then use their ability to create nightmares for people out of their fears.
After successfully having scared a victim, they regroup with their fellow Marra in the middle of the Huldrawood. Here, they share with each other the nightmares they gave their victims, and use their powers to shape the flames of a green campfire into visuals of these nightmares. When they are done telling, these visuals are absorbed by all Marra present. Presumably, this is how they feed.
When disturbed, they turn into light green wisps and escape, as well as blow out the fire.
According to Alfur, the Marra have no paperwork on file with the elves, therefore being unable to actually see them.
Appearances
- Animated series
- Chapter 6: The Nightmare Spirit (debut)
- Chapter 9: The Ghost (mentioned)
- Chapter 12: The Nisse
- Chapter 13: The Black Hound
- Novelization
Known Marras
- David's Marra
- Kelly (animated series only)
- The Marra with black hair with a white hairclip in it
- The Marra with straight brown hair in a ponytail with bangs over her eyes
- The Marra with curly brown hair wearing glasses
- The Marra with orange hair and bangs covering her right eye
- The Marra with hair up in a bun
Trivia
- It is possible that the Marra may be an all-female species, because there are no male Marra seen in the TV series.
- The Marra are absent from season 2.
