Stock Characters in Slasher Horror

The ‘Wanderer’The one who disappears into the middle of virtually no where alone, usually to check

out what’s going on in the area when suspicious events occur or to find other locals for refuge.

Example: Kirk from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Kirk wanders off to ask a nearby house for gas, when he receives no answer he discovers that the door is unlocked and walks in. Upon walking in, Leatherface (the villain) kills him while the rest of the group remain unaware of his whereabouts.

Example: Ned from Friday 13th (1980) follows a mysterious dark figure into a cabin where he is then murdered. The rest of the group are unaware of his whereabouts.

The ‘Popular Girl’The final girl’s ‘best friend’, usually more sexually experienced (often with a boyfriend

in the plot), mean-spirited and wealthy. The popular girl is usually one of the last characters to die.

Example: Jenna from the following Friday 13th (2009)

Example: Helen from Iknow What You Did Last Summer (1997), one of the last characters to die. Overly dependent on a male accomplice and uses her looks and popularity to get by.

The ‘Final Girl’

The one girl who survives at the end having either killed and/or escaped from the killer. She is the last one remaining who is able to tell the story.

Example: Alice from Friday 13th is the last member of her group to be alive (unknowingly). She meets a woman named Mrs. Voorhees where shortly after she tries to kill Alice by coming at her with a knife and then chasing her, where Alice then decapitates the murderer.

Example: Nancy from Nightmare on Elm Street is the last teen alive to defeat Freddy Kreuger in her dreams.

The ‘Jock’The stereotypically handsome, athletic male who usually resides as a boyfriend or an

obnoxious friend. The Jock is useful for teasing audiences’ beliefs that the strong, alpha-male will survive due to their physical superiority. Usually one of the first to mid characters to die. Typically dating the popular girl character.

Example: Barry from I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) an arrogant womanizer, who dates the popular girl despite feeling no real affection for her. He fears being tied down young, and repeatedly cheats on her with other women. He was a star football player before his high school graduation.

Example: Blake from The House of Wax (2005) is a typically athletic jock character, focusing on sexual encounters with females.

The ‘Joker’Usually the dorky, practical joker, teases the final girl and typically makes a fool of himself. The Joker is very useful for setting up ‘false scare’ in horror.

Example: Dalton from House of Wax (2005) is the laughing stock of the group members. Dalton is a practical joker who likes to tease the other group members by suggesting false scare.

The ‘Useless Authority Figure’Often horror films will feature an ineffective, useless authority figure, most commonly a police officer, therapist, etc. Such presence provides a veneer of respectability to the slasher horror film, as well as engaging the audience in a sense of false hope and desperation.

Example: Sheriff Carver in Wrong Turn, is shot in the back of the head with a bow and arrow by ‘Three-fingers’ (character) before actually doing anything to resolve the crime. Example: John Saxon in

Nightmare on Elm Street