The Final Girl: The Tragedy of Female Power in Horror
By Diana Campos
Ever since I was a little girl, horror films have been a constant part of my media consumption, and they still follow me into adulthood. Scary movies were interactive for me; it was like dancing with adrenaline, with the predictable film formula. They shaped not only my tastes but also gave me a lasting impression of films and theories, and they gave other viewers the same impression. Throughout history, horror films have served as an exploration of our deepest fears and boundaries, both on a personal and cultural level. These sorts of films serve as a medium for exploring collective fears and societal boundaries. As cultures evolve, Horror films reflect these changes, particularly since the emergence of the Slasher and Terror film subgenres. The character of the Final Girl had become prominent, as almost every horror movie culminates in her showdown with the villain, face-to-face. This has me diving into the phenomenon that is the Final Girl and begs the question: Is she a symbol and staple of female empowerment, or another victim of regressive attitudes to only be traumatized and terrorized for viewer consumption?
Graphic by Naliyah Grant
The theory of the “Final Girl” was developed by academic Carol J. Clover in her work Men, Women, and Chainsaws, which analyzes early examples and the complexities of this trope in the cinematic Horror genre. Clover’s theory is grounded in the reversal of the traditional male-centered identification process, shifting from a sadistic-voyeuristic perspective to a masochistic-voyeuristic one. This shift occurs as audience identification transitions to the Final Girl character by the film’s conclusion. The Final Girl’s defeat of the male antagonist functions as a symbolic emasculation, facilitating the transition from sadistic to masochistic identification.
In the end, our final girl has to confront the brutalizing antagonist after being transformed by loss and devastation.. This trope of women in Horror and Slasher films is also described as “free of impure thoughts and actions”, and were made to be the ones to kill the killer as their main prerogative for survival. Their cinematic world portrays them as socially awkward girls who "don't fit in" with the other girls who are into illicit activities. There is a purpose to this kind of writing: to illustrate that they are clear-headed and ready to make their grand escape, or to engage in the biggest battle for their lives against the scary killer. They have the makings to be a survivor, even in the midst of being an object of gaze. What’s really scary is that these are rules and patterns that even apply to our real world; break these rules and you’re doomed.
The Final Girl is typically portrayed as a young, often adolescent, socially marginalized character who initially appears timid. She stands out from her other female counterparts, who are “dirty” and "provocative" in nature compared to our Final Girl. Because they engage in illicit behaviors, they are the first to be taken out, revealing that if you don’t play by the rules of society, you will be dealt with and removed, so to speak. We see this explicitly in Scream (1996), where characters would tell our main girl, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), that her mother was “fast,” thus alluding to her being at fault for her own murder. Yet, I see the Final Girl play out as an empty promise of sorts. If we do everything “right,” it ensures your survival is guaranteed. There is no achievement involved in becoming the Final Girl, only attrition and unjust societal bias. It’s a system made in Slasher films to outlive those who are not as righteous or “morally superior” as our Final Girl. The trope in earlier works suggests that survival is not an achievement but rather a consequence of not conforming to moral expectations, reflecting broader societal biases. In reality, however, adherence to such norms does not guarantee safety or survival. “That's why she always outsmarted the killer in the big chase scene at the end. Only virgins can do that, don't you know the rules?” (Scream, 1996).
Another clear example of our final girls is in the film House at the End of the Street (2012). It features two potential Final Girls: Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother, Sarah (Elisabeth Shue). Although the film is not among the highest-rated horror titles, the foundational aspects of Clover’s argument remain relevant. The horror and slasher elements are introduced gradually, with suspense primarily developed through flashbacks. Ultimately, both protagonists confront the antagonist; Elissa shoots the killer, and Sarah subsequently delivers the final blow to save her daughter. Her traumatizer sexualizes Elissa throughout her battle, but I would like to say that, since films like this one, current analysis of these films indicates that the conventions of the horror and slasher genres have evolved since Clover’s study was first developed and published.
A critical question arises: Does the Final Girl need to endure significant trauma to be perceived as empowered, or just a straight-up voyerist interpretation? Our Final Girl, through the viewer’s lens at first, is innocent and pure of any wrongdoing. She’s vigilant and curious, has the true makings of a survivor. Throughout her gruesome tale, she sheds her “child-like” demeanor through her battle for her life. She runs and fights like hell or comes out swinging. Witnessing death has made her transform into a woman, changed forever. The character transforms due to the confrontation with violence, emerging with both physical and emotional scars. Only logically is she the survivor type character, after all. She fights and survives to the bitter end, making sure all that she endured wasn’t done to cause injustice to her story. The early writings of our Final Girl were defined by their victimization. In contrast, newer modern takes represent her as far more complex and stronger in tackling trauma and the societal fears she was facing before and after facing her tyrannical killer antagonist. Because really, do we need to feed off their trauma so much in the realm of Horror just to understand their fears, loss, power, and determination in the battle for their life?
In my view, Final Girls do not exist because they are attractive or virgins, nor do they require special survival skills or gifts to survive in their respective films. Final Girls should be relatable to both male and female audiences. She provides a lens to all viewers that she is a survivor not only of a killer, but of the traumas she endures before, during, and after. Our Final Girl doesn’t have to conform to the tropes of earlier films; only that she has to be a well-rounded, vivid, and complex character. The Final Girl is evolutionary and can be a genuinely brilliant and powerful character when used not for stereotypes and gaze, but for the representation of cunningness and strength throughout the long history of this trope. I personally can see this as an awakening topic for future filmmakers in the Horror/Slasher arena of cinema, hopeful to see the Final Girl evolve.
