The Stranger (Billy Joel)

NAME/ORIGIN
Character name	The Stranger
Song/Album	"The Stranger"/The Stranger
Act	Billy Joel
Writer	Billy Joel
Release Date	1977
ABILITIES
Powers	-Is invisible (without his masks, aka "faces") "You never saw The Stranger" -Can make others unrecognizable to you "I came home to a woman who I did not recognize... I felt The Stranger"
Skills	Martial arts "I felt The Stranger kick me right between the eyes"
Attributes	- Is enigmatic "You may never understand how The Stranger is inspired" -Is somewhat a pyromaniac "You will never quench  the fire"
Vulnerabilities	Self-doubt, self-delusion
Formidability	Moderate
Attractiveness	-Highly persuasive "You'll give in to your desire once The Stranger comes along,"
Source	N/A
Goals	Reveal one's inner self through the use of masks
POSSESSIONS
Weapons	N/A
Amulets	-Masks, aka "faces," that Strangers and humans can wear "Some are satin, some are steel, some are silk, and some are leather/ They're the faces of a Stranger" These "faces" can become invisible: "We all have a face that we hide away"
Objects	N/A
Clothing	N/A, aside from the masks
Vehicles	N/A
Dwelling	see Notes
Milieu	see Notes
BIOGRAPHY
Gender	Male
Age	N/A
Physique	is formless
Ethnicity	N/A, is likely a spirit of some sort
Origin	is likely as old as humanity
Ancestry	is the progenitor of others (speculative)
Profession	N/A
Education	N/A
SES	N/A
Relationships	see Notes
Pets	N/A
PERSONALITY
Morality	Flexible: "He is not always evil"
Intro/extrovert	Extrovert
Intelligence	Variable: "He is not always wrong"
Emotions	unknown. Seems more concerned with others' emotions
Sanity	Sane
Enemies	N/A
Narrative Function	Catalyst
Other Notes	Each one of us has a Stranger within ("Did you ever let your lover see the Stranger in yourself?"). He seems oddly named, for he represents one's true self. However, to live in society, one must subvert one's own self to such a degree that that self becomes a "stranger" to each of us. Enter The Stranger (not just any Stranger but "the" primary one). This entity is free-standing, yet connects with the Stranger in each of us. To do this, The Stranger-- a formless, invisible entity-- wears masks it calls "faces" that allow us to see him. Then he offers us each a selection of these faces, and we take one we feel suits us, because it best fits (literally and figuratively) our own personal Stranger. We tend to only wear this mask-- the face of our true selves-- when we are alone. But when we surprise someone, we may catch them wearing their face, i.e. revealing their true selves. This happens in the song; a man comes home and sees his wife wearing her face. So he does not recognize her. He is so focused on this, The Stranger-- not wearing a face and therefore invisible-- kicks the man in the head without the man seeing the foot coming. Why was she doing this (being her true self)? Well, The Stranger had "come along," so she had to "give in to [her] desire." The man asks himself why he was surprised; after all, he has a secret face, so why shouldn't she? ("You've done it, why can't someone else?") Still, we tend to forget that others have Strangers inside as well, which is the "danger" that we "disregard" when we "fall in love." No matter how many secrets we "share," there are "some we never tell." Like our own Stranger.