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Last One Standing: The Final Girl Trope in Halloween Movies

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at KU chapter.


Often in thrillers and horror movies, I find myself wondering, “Who will be the final girl?” So many films are leading up to that moment, that time when one of the last two characters dies, leaving one girl left to confront the killer. “Scream,” “Halloween,” “Alien.” These are just some of the many films that encompass the final girl trope, which is based in both equality and sexism, but has given the world many iconic female characters that paved the way for movies today. Spoilers for the movies “Scream,” “Alien,” “Happy Death Day,” and “Totally Killer.”

With all the tropes in the world that exist, it’s interesting that the final girl has come to such a forefront in horror and thrillers. The final girl has, in a way, rebranded the “damsel in distress.” Even though the final girl can be cheesy and overdone, it’s more fun, interesting, and badass than watching a woman constantly need to be saved by her male counterparts. While both tropes place women in a role of cliches and stereotypes, I think there is a lot more to love about final girls.

When looking at final girls in films, it’s interesting to note the commonalities they share. Oftentimes smarter, oftentimes less obvious as a victim, the difference in female characters in horror movies and who survives is sometimes glaringly evident. I’ve noticed that many female victims tend to be more vapid, more “girly,” and more weak. In “Scream,” Sidney Prescott and her friend, Tatum Riley, seemingly embody this idea. Tatum is blonde, extroverted, and a partier, while Sidney is brunette, quieter, and more focused on solving the mystery of the killer. Tatum obviously becomes the victim, while Sidney survives far past the end. 

Neve Campbell and Rose McGowan in Scream, photo taken from amber via Pinterest

Some movies don’t always use that formula, though, as another final girl film turns everybody into victims. In “Alien,” a group of astronauts find themselves battling a snakey, beetle-like, dinosaur-esque alien on a small spaceship. Each character is systematically killed off over the course of the movie, ending with Sigourney Weaver’s character, Ellen Ripley. Ripley’s character has gone down in cinema history as one of the most legendary icons of all time, birthing a plethora of subsequent “Alien” films. 

Sigourney Weaver in Alien, photo taken from Brandinh’s Gallery via Pinterest

The power of the final girl resonates in popular culture still and is especially relevant during the spooky season as so many Halloween movies we know and love are beloved due to their final girls. These girls give us someone to root for as we cuddle up with our candy corn and apple cider. Their classic outfits, drenched in blood by the end of the movie, give us the perfect Halloween costumes. 

In recent years, many films have emerged that flip the final girl trope on its head. In “Happy Death Day,” college student Tree Gelbman finds herself stuck in a loop where she is always murdered the night of her birthday, then wakes up the same morning without knowing who killed her. As a blonde, vapid, materialistic girl, Tree is the kind of character who would usually be the first victim of a killer. Yet, she finds herself as the pivotal protagonist, and by the end of the movie survives and catches her murderer.

Jessica Rothe in Happy Death Day, photo taken from John Maye via Pinterest

“Totally Killer” is one of those fun, cheesy Halloween movies that are perfect for October. When highschooler Jamie’s mother is killed by a famous serial killer who resurfaced after thirty-five years, she finds herself researching his original victims and what happened. In the midst of her investigation, she is plunged back into time with the killer and must help her highschool-aged mother protect herself from her future murderer. Jamie’s mother, Pam, was the sole survivor of the killer’s spree when three of her friends were murdered, finding herself as the “final girl.” However, the movie plays with this trope when her daughter rewrites history, leaving multiple girls alive and surprising the audience with this departure from cliche.

Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt in Totally Killer, photo taken from deni via Pinterest

Despite what you may think of this trope, it’s given us many of the movies we still rewatch and talk about to this day. Hopefully in the next few years, we see even more Halloween movies that play with this trope and give us more iconic films to watch every year.

Leilani Galles is a freshman at the University of Kansas. She likes to write about pop culture, news, and and food. In her free time, she enjoys reading fantasy and mystery books, walking with her dog, and analyzing TV with her friends and family. Her favorite TV show is One Tree Hill and her favorite artist is Ariana Grande.