The term “Final Girl” has just recently gained its popularity in the cinema world, but the girls have been claiming the title for decades. Wikipedia defines the trope as “the last girl or woman alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story.”
Below I have listed five of my favorite uses of the term. Go get inspired!
- dani ardor – “midsommar”
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Florence Pugh’s iconic frown is just as satisfying as her sly and fairly unsettling smirk at the end of “Midsommar.” You think you’re insecure about your relationship delusions? Dani decided to sacrifice her lazy boyfriend.
Ultimately, Dani dealt with a great deal of unfair sacrifices: mental sacrifices, physical sacrifices and the sacrifice of dating a man who resembles Chris Pratt.
Her title of Final Girl is decorated gloriously with flowers and tears and the knowledge that she is free from one-sided love. Poor girl could have just opened her journal (but that would probably feel less rewarding).
- carrie white – “carrie”
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Carrie is concrete bloody proof that the ladies have been “getting angry” since cinema began.
Carrie faces bullying and taunting from both her mother and entire school as a result of her “different” behavior; there seems to be nobody she can please. She never ends up trying to achieve such a fate, either.
Upon winning prom queen, a bucket of blood is dumped onto Carrie by a few of her classmates. She whips out her telekinesis and returns the favor of vicious apathy to her classmates. All of those who laughed at her now lack such an opportunity because newly-crowned Carrie ended the film with the recollection of her power.
Carrie, they could never make me hate you.
- Amy dunne – “Gone girl”
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Understandable from the fairly aggressive stare pictured above, Amy Dunne’s power and horrifying ability to manipulate is inescapable. It is almost admirable (just don’t repeat that out loud).
Amy’s unconventional means of fixing her relationship are very controversial in the film world; “Amy Dunne did nothing wrong” is a slogan I have heard quite a few times.
She does fake her own disappearance and is not a great person, in Ben Affleck’s defense. In Rosamund Pike’s defense, Amy ends the film back on top with her husband wrapped around her finger. While her actions are not morally sound, she is on my list for her feminine intelligence and “girlboss-ery.”
- sidney prescott – “scream”
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Sidney Prescott remains an iconic Final Girl because she strongly maintained the title through the many, many Scream films. “Not in my movie.”
Yeah queen. Not in all six of them.
In a franchise stuffed with the classic scares and blood and significant number of characters introduced to simply be killed off, Sidney always makes it through. She flawlessly silences each moment where you think Ghostface will win and for her level of unexpected resilience she will forever be an iconic Final Girl.
- grace le domas – “ready or not”
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One day, Grace Le Domas will rise to the fame she deserves alongside the flames of her in-laws home. Just take a listen to the “I am a strong and powerful women” remix to a classic wedding song.
Watch her spark that cigarette. Empathize with the confused male police officer upon hearing Grace’s final words.
Grace’s wedding night spent with her husbands rich (and equally unsettling) family quickly turns horrifying when she discovers they are all hunting her in a sinister game of hide-and-seek. Just like our previous gals, of course Grace wins.
She earned her place on this list following her verbalized divorce desires to her husband right before he explodes. She also returned the ring before doing so. The newlywed took “till death do us part” very literally.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I hope that these powerful stories did not resonate with you.
The Final Girl trope grants power and perseverance, which every women has inside of her, regardless of their horror film history.