The following contains spoilers for Pearl, currently in theaters.

Some of the most iconic horror villains come from the slasher subgenre. Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger are just a few of the most memorable characters to be seen on the big screen, and all of them are slashers. Along with them came another iconic archetype -- the final girl. While not restricted to slashers, the final girl is often associated with slasher films, and she has changed over the years.

On top of these changes, there have also been a few women who are slashers. Joining them now is Pearl (Mia Goth), the titular character from the X prequel, directed by Ti West. She is the killer in X and Pearl, dying in the former at the hands of Maxine, X's final girl. With Pearl comes another complex woman in horror, but instead of joining the ranks of final girls, she is one of the rare female slashers.

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As mentioned above, the slasher subgenre popularized the final girl trope. A complicated archetype, there have been arguments for and against the final girl in regard to how empowering it is for women. Women are not a monolith, so -- of course -- there would be multiple takeaways from this trope, with some finding it to be sexist, as many final girls, especially in the early days, adapted more masculine traits and often survived thanks to the aid of a man -- like the truck driver in Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Dr. Loomis in Halloween. This was discussed in the book that coined the term final girl, Men, Women and Chainsaws by Carol J. Clover, which also addressed how the final girls' more promiscuous friends were often punished for "sinful" behavior, even if this was not the intention of the filmmakers.

On the other hand, the final girl is ultimately a survivor, and as time has gone on, they have gained more agency. No longer is their goal just to survive; it is also to defeat the big bad. Explorations of the final girls' trauma have also become more of a norm, from the original A Nightmare on Elm Street to the rebootquels of Halloween. With this in mind, the final girl takes up more space and her story can address difficult issues real women face -- specifically trauma -- while also being a fun genre flick.

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As for the villains of these slasher films, they are often male. However, focusing on the female slasher, they are few and far between. There are other female villains in horror, like Jennifer Check, Margaret White, Samara, Rose Armitage, ect., but they do not fall into that traditional slasher role. Meanwhile, the ones that do, like Mrs. Voorhees, Mrs. Loomis and Tiffany Valentine, are still iconic but are originally set on this path because of the men in their lives. Pearl, though, breaks the mold.

What Does Pearl Bring to the Slasher Genre?

Mia Goth smiling in Pearl.
Mia Goth smiling in Pearl.

Pearl is a complicated slasher in X, as she does kill Maxine's friends for their beauty and sexual liberation; however, this is coming from a place of wanting to be like them, as opposed to looking down on them for being "promiscuous." Furthermore, she sees herself as Maxine, longing for the characteristics that would once condemn many women in horror to death. With Maxine's survival, this also flips the script, as a female character who would have likely been killed in past slasher films becomes the final girl and receives a sequel dedicated to her, not her tormentor.

Moving on to Pearl, this movie gives the titular killer an origin story. While men do play a role in Pearl breaking bad, there's more to it than just that. Her mother emotionally abused her for years, and her one dream -- to become famous enough to leave her difficult life -- is torn from her. She also feels obligated to stay because of her father's illness. Even her romantic relationships push her to a breaking point, with her marrying Howard as a means of getting out of her family's farm, only to learn he has no desire for the life she wants.

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With so many layers to her, Pearl becomes a relatable character -- not just a voiceless slasher behind a mask. There is nothing wrong with the Jasons and Michaels of the horror world, as they had their own origin stories, as well, but Pearl is painfully human throughout her two films. This creates an interesting combination of empathy and fear, as one can feel bad for the pain she goes through but can also be terrified that someone as average as Pearl could commit horrific murders like this.

Then there is the unapologetic femininity of the character. Throughout the film, Pearl longs to be a dancer and experience the finer things in life. She also desires sexual freedom, and when she delivers her last kill of the film, it is when she is in her red dress and big bow. Past slashers are often coded as masculine or viewers are led to believe they are men until the twist reveals its someone's mother. Tiffany is, of course, another slasher that bucks this trend, but she is in the minority. Seeing a character like Pearl join her, though, marks a larger trend in giving more feminine characters agency in slasher films, even if they are the villains.

The discussion around gender and the slasher subgenre will continue to be complicated, especially as more women are put in the role of villain, not just final girl. Pearl exemplifies that, as she is not someone one should emulate, just like one should not aspire to be a Freddy or a Leatherface. However, horror fans love their slasher villains, and it's about time they get more iconic female slashers, like Pearl.

See Pearl steal the show in Pearl, now in theaters.