Upamanyu Biswas
In the Amazon Prime series ‘Cross,’ Detective Alex Cross has his work cut out after the death of a BLM activist sparks a murder investigation hiding a bigger conspiracy. As the protagonist forges through the case, he learns the identity of the killer, who is dubbed the Fanboy Killer because of his fascination with infamous serial killers from history. Even though the detective manages to deduce the truth behind his machinations, capturing him proves to be a challenge as the Fanboy continues to slip through his clutches at every turn. To make matters worse, their battle of wits leaves Cross racing against time as a new victim’s life is put on the line.
Ed Ramsey AKA the Fanboy Killer is a Fictional Serial Killer With a Seductive Personality
The Fanboy Killer in ‘Cross’ is a fictional serial killer crafted by creator and showrunner Ben Watkins. His real identity is Ed Ramsey, a wealthy financier who is a backer of Elle Mounteiro’s charity foundation. Alex Cross meets Ramsey through Elle, who is his girlfriend, at one of her fundraising events in the early parts of the narrative. At the time, the detective remains oblivious to his insidious nature, which slowly comes to the fore as the show progresses. His personality mold is what makes him interesting as a murderer. In the show, the character is profiled as the type of serial killer who is closer to Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer who was active during the 1970s. He utilizes his charm to lure unsuspecting victims closer to him before trapping them in his net.
In many ways, the inspiration for the character came to Watkins while he was brainstorming the possibility of a serial killer with a unique drive and motivation. The creator insisted that he had to visit some “dark places” to build his profile, which he described as one of a “superfan.” In an interview, Watkins explained, “The Fanboy started with a question, ‘Who is sending fan letters to the Night Stalker?’ — because he was getting bags of fan mail — and if there is a ‘superfan’ amongst those fans, who would that be?” Thus, while trying to answer the question, the creator started to visualize a person who was fixated on paying respect to serial killers from the past. This laid the groundwork for the character to come to life.
The Fanboy Killer Revels in His Perceived Intelligence and Subtlety
A vital aspect of the Fanboy Killer is how he kills his victims. His work has a meticulous nature and an artistic sensibility, which helps him derive a different kind of pleasure from his heinous acts. The character is obsessed with serial killers from the past and often chooses his victims based on their physical appearance. The closer a person is to a particular serial killer from his special scrapbook, the better it is for him. He kidnaps those victims and slowly alters their appearance until they match the look of the serial killer he wants. When he kidnaps Shannon Witmer in the series, he wishes to turn her into the serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who was executed on October 9, 2002, after being sentenced to death for the murder of six people.
Ben Watkins wanted to avoid the typical depiction of a Hannibal Lecter type of serial killer, especially the one portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 thriller movie ‘The Silence of the Lambs.‘ He wanted the Fanboy to be covertly scary and not an exaggerated presence who is constantly dripping with malice. In some ways, Watkins also saw a connection between the protagonist, Alex Cross, and Ramsey. The two characters are intellectually savvy and use their smarts to get what they need, albeit in very different ways. In the case of the former, he uses his logical mindset to derive connections and find the truth lurking underneath crimes, while the latter uses his wits to manipulate people and turn them into his playthings. Despite their similarities, the serial killer is a fictional character who does not exist in reality.
Read More: Cross Ending, Explained: Does Alex Save Shannon? Is Ed Ramsey Caught?
