Refleksikolmannen

Refleksikolmannen is a fictional archetype found in Nordic speculative fiction and folklore-inspired media. The figure is described as a solitary man whose identity is defined by his reflections and by the surfaces he can inhabit.

Origin and meaning: The name is a compound of Norwegian refleks meaning reflex or reflection and mannen meaning the man, signaling an entity linked to reflection, memory, and perception. It emerged in contemporary narratives from a tradition of mirror mythology and the motif of the double.

In narrative role: The refleksikolmannen often appears through windows, water, or polished metal, visible only to certain observers or at specific times; he may guide protagonists, reveal hidden truths, or prompt moral choices; his power is usually limited to revealing what is true or reframing a character's memory.

In reception: Critics interpret the figure as commentary on surveillance, self-image, and the fragility of memory in the digital age; it has been used to explore the tension between inner self and outward appearance.

See also: Doppelgänger, Reflections, Mirror, Identity in literature.