Halloween.

The word evokes a plethora of images and memories. When you hear it, you may picture the sight of dead leaves swirling in the wind, hollowed-out pumpkins with glowing grins, or the sugar-fueled thrill of trick-or-treating as someone (or something) you aren't. For most people, those warm childhood memories come to mind. but for others (myself included), you may picture the ghostly face of a Captain Kirk mask painted gray, donned by a towering figure in a jumpsuit, knife in hand, while John Carpenter's simple yet haunting theme forces its way into your brain. The man behind the mask, Michael Myers, has made himself known in the horror genre thanks to the impact of the original 1978 film and numerous sequels (I won't focus on those here), and he's done it all without saying one word. Here are 6 reasons why I consider him the scariest horror character of all time.

(Looks like Captain Kirk is pursuing a new hobby.)

1. He's a veteran of the genre.

It's been nearly 40 years since Carpenter's Halloween premiered in 1978, and it has the honor of being one of the original slasher films. At the time, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger were names that meant nothing to filmgoers. 4 years before Halloween, people were terrorized by Leatherface, a member of the sadistic Sawyer family in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I'm not including him because he was merely a puppet of the family's bidding. Michael Myers works for no one.

2. Actions speak louder than words.

Villains like Freddy Krueger tend to cheapen the fear (especially in the later sequels) with corny one-liners and an established voice that leaves nothing for the imagination, but it works for him because that's part of the fun of the Nightmare series. Child's Play's Chucky wouldn't be the same if he didn't have the personality and charm (voiced by the amazing Brad Dourif, who is a seasoned horror actor and even makes an appearance in Halloween). Sure, the silence thing could be said about Jason, but he scared his way into our hearts a few years after Michael. The fact that Myers never speaks adds mystery and eeriness to his character, because as a first-time viewer, you have no idea why he's taking down one stupid teenager after another, or what his ultimate intent is. You know when in horror movies the victim screams "What do you want!?" and sometimes the antagonist replies? Michael won't, so don't waste your breath.

3. Slow and steady.

When I first saw Halloween at the ripe age of 13, one gripe I had was how Michael Myers walked after his victims. Upon further viewings, I realized how much creepier it is that he doesn't run frantically after Laurie Strode (played by the scream queen herself, Jamie Lee Curtis). Michael is in no hurry to get you, and he wants to make that perfectly clear. No matter how fast you run, he will find you, while in the meantime keeping his heart rate at a normal pace.

4. It's realistic (he's a human being... sort of).

Halloween could actually happen. We are arguably the scariest creatures on the planet. We have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. We can choose to make the lives of others a living hell. Our worst nightmares exist and walk among us. In the original Halloween, Michael Myers is merely a human being, but the tortures of his past shaped him into a monster. Unlike other horror characters that come out at night, Michael Myers stalks his victims during the middle of day while they're at school, walking down the street, or even worse, while they're home alone. The reason I'm not including the sequels in this article is due to the fact that he becomes more and more supernatural as the series goes on. Under the mask and jumpsuit, he's just a human lacking the ability to function in society and unable to tell that voice in his head "no" when it says "Hey Mike, stab that dude up against the wall and then pretend to be him by wearing a sheet and putting his glasses on. It'll be funny! His girl will never see it coming!"

5. A worthy back story.

The opening to Halloween is a classic. It starts immediately with Michael. It's a quick beginning and could have used some more insight to his family life (Rob Zombie would later take it upon himself to attempt that in the rehash of the film), but we are instantly shown that Myers has violent tendencies and was therefor hospitalized. There's substance there, enough so that when we find out he escaped years later, we already know it's about to get dangerous. Dr. Loomis (portrayed by the great Donald Pleasance) provides notes on Michael's behavior during his stay at the institution. With more back story, we have a better understanding of Michael, which makes his character more interesting and gives the viewer an incentive to delve further into the story.

6. Low budget? No problem!

The budget Carpenter was faced with didn't allow insane special effects or grotesque makeup. Michael's attire is simply an everyday jumpsuit that a mechanic may wear. The mask itself isn't anything particularly horrifying. It's simple and easy to replicate, but it's the stoic and emotionless expression, pitchblack eyeholes, and familiar features that turn sinster under the pale light that make it deceivingly unnerving.

Michael Myers is to Halloween as Santa Claus is to Christmas, and the former can actually exist. John Carpenter's horror classic should be watched every year this time of the season (as the name implies), and it features a villain that is so complex in its simplicity, so mysterious in its shadowy silence, and downright terrifying in its intentions.

Happy Halloween!