The Final Girl is horror’s answer to the action hero, but just with more trauma, better instincts, and, let’s face it, far superior scream control. She’s the last woman standing, the one who makes it through the carnage, the stabbings, the creepy phone calls, and whatever the hell that thing was in the basement.
While some get all the glory (*ahem*, Laurie Strode), there’s a whole bloody sorority of badass women who fought, fled, and occasionally chainsawed their way into horror legend.
And here are my personal favorites.
Ellen Ripley - Alien Franchise
Space horror yo! Ripley is the gold standard. She faced down a slobbering alien killing machine in her underwear and lived to sass corporate overlords another day. She didn’t just survive; she dominated. Alien is a classic film with a classic final girl.
Laurie Strode - Halloween Franchise
The OG. The babysitter. The one who said, “Not today, William Shatner mask.” Laurie’s survival instincts are so sharp, you’d think she was the slasher. And while she’s had her ups and downs across sequels and reboots, her throne remains unshaken. Mostly because she keeps stabbing everyone who tries to take it. Fuck you, Michael Myers.
Nancy Thompson - NOES Franchise
Nancy is what happens when you mix teen angst with booby traps and REM sleep survival tactics. She turned trauma into tactical warfare and made Freddy Krueger look like a crispy chump. Also, shout-out to her hair. That volume held up through so much stress.
Sidney Prescott - Scream Franchise
Sidney earns a place in everyone's list I think. She’s smart, sarcastic, and very, very tired of your horror movie rules. By the fourth film, she’s basically a slasher veteran with PTSD and a publishing deal. And she still keeps winning. What will Scream 7 bring for Sidney?
Ginny Field - Friday the 13th Franchise
The one who used psychology to outwit Jason Voorhees. That’s right - she wore a filthy sweater and pretended to be his mom. Bold move, Ginny. Deserves more credit for surviving both a machete fight and Jason’s childhood trauma.
Kirsty Cotton - Hellraiser Franchise
Some girls have to escape masked killers. Kirsty had to outmaneuver Cenobites, solve a haunted Rubik’s Cube, and deal with her undead uncle wearing her dad’s skin. She deserves a hug and, frankly, a restraining order against anything with pins or leather.
Erin Harson - You're Next
The Final Girl if the Final Girl also happened to be a survivalist with murder skills that would make Rambo say “yikes.” Erin doesn’t just run, she fights back, sets traps, and absolutely wrecks the home invaders. She’s the reason you never mess with someone raised in an Australian survival commune. Like, ever.
Sarah Carter - The Descent
Surviving underground mutant cave monsters is impressive. Doing it while grieving your family, suffering from claustrophobia, and being betrayed by your best friend? That’s Final Girl material carved from stone. Or stalagmites. Either way, it's hardcore.
Sally Hardesty - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
She screamed, she ran, and she jumped through every window in Texas, and she still made it out covered in blood and absolutely losing her mind. Sally wasn’t the strongest or most prepared, but she had raw survival instinct while wearing bell-bottoms, and that’s iconic. TCM also have one of the best horror trailers of all time.
Tree Gelbman - Happy Death Day
Imagine being murdered repeatedly in a Groundhog Day loop until you figure out who’s killing you. Tree goes from hot-mess sorority girl to time-loop ninja and ends up being kind of amazing. Plus, she’s the only Final Girl who learns quantum physics to survive. Scream queens, but make it STEM.
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