A Jeff The Killer (2011) rewrite by JZoidberg. It won 3rd place in the community challenge for the new Jeff the Killer story to be featured on the Creepypasta Fandom wiki (with Jeff The Killer Rewrite (My Liu) in 2nd place and Jeff the Killer (2015) in 1st place).
The rewrite is told from the perspective of James Lamb, a detective, regarding his experience in the Jeffrey Keaton homicides.
The story can be read here
.
This work contains examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: Subverted. Initially, it seems that Liu squared up to the bullies instead of Jeff as he recalls stabbing Randy in the stomach, but James knows that his story seems believable up until that point.
- Adaptational Explanation: Liu gets sent to jail due to Randy's mother Tabitha's influence, unlike the original where Liu goes to jail without any form of due process.
- Adaptational Heroism: Jeff doesn't kill his parents after running from home (despite getting much harsher treatment from them than his original counterpart did) and he's on good terms with Liu despite what he's become, whereas the original tale has Jeff target Liu. Others note that Jeff may have his own "sense of justice" from the kills he has done, as his only victims either were his bullies or connected to then, and his story makes him more of a Tragic Villain.
- Adaptation Name Change: The titular Jeff is named Jeffrey H. Keaton instead of Jeffrey Woods. The surname change also extends to his brother, now Liu Keaton. Interestingly enough, the "Keaton" part seems to be derived from Jeff Keaton from Jeff The Killer Audio Saga (also an alternate retelling of Jeff The Killer 2011) by Mr. Betty Krueger.
- Adapted Out: The neighbors that invite Jeff's family to the birthday party are absent. The site of the fateful incident where Jeff gets burned alive happens in his own home instead.
- Bad Liar: Liu, in contrast to James, cannot lie convincingly.
- Character Catchphrase: Of the times that Jeff has been spotted, he's been heard saying "Go to sleep" before fleeing. Theories of how his catchphrase came to be and said phrase being thrown around for fun annoys James to no end.
- Connected All Along: Jeff's victim Tabitha Cromwell turns out to be the mother of Randy, who was killed because she had Liu jailed for defending himself from Randy.
- Desecrating the Dead: Jeff mutilated Tabitha Cromwell after killing her.
- Exhausted Eyebags: Randy has dark rings under his eyes when James comes to talk to him about Jeff.
- It's Personal: Jeff's murder of Tabitha Cromwell, once it's known that she's Randy's mother who got Liu wrongfully jailed.
- Man on Fire: Randy, Keith and Troy bring gasoline and matches to Jeff's house and set him on fire.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Randy admits that he, Troy, and Keith burned Jeff, and were greatly disturbed by the results.
- Named by the Adaptation: Randy is given the full name of Randall Cromwell.
- Past Experience Nightmare: Randy of Jeff attacking
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Randy's rich family allow him to get away with his crimes.
- Spared By Adaptation:
- Jeff does not kill his family in this version.
- While Jeff does kill Troy, he does not kill either Randy or Keith.
- Tragic Villain: It's when James sees [Liu's card to Jeff] that he realizes that Jeff was a victim of circumstance who never got the help he needed.
