Horror movies have seen a lot of protagonists but not nearly as many survivors. Characters in horror movies are strong not only because they have to be but because their survival depends on it. The characters that are fortunate enough to survive have strengths in multiple departments.
Horror movie survivors follow the beat of their own drum. Their survival hinges on the fact that they are different and are able to think outside of the box. These characters do not confuse confidence with ego and don't believe their intelligence makes them better, and because of these traits, they are able to live to see a new day. From the newer additions to horror like Chris Washington to the classic icons like Laurie Strode, only a few horror movie survivors can consider themselves the best.
10 Grace Le Domas Justifiably Watched Her Tormentors' Demise
Ready Or Not
The Le Domas family of Ready Or Not had an evil secret: they would sometimes hunt down the newest member of the family in order to continue a contract made to Le Bail by their ancestors. This hunt was hidden within a game of hide-and-seek which was, unfortunately, the card Grace had pulled.
Grace was betrayed by her husband and the family she thought would be her own. While she was outnumbered, Grace's will to live and her growing hate for the people around her made her a strong fighter against the odds. In the end, Grace got the last laugh as the family failed to kill her, which meant their contract had been broken, and her tormentors paid the ultimate price.
9 Cole Johnson Went From Being Bullied To Being A Sole Survivor
The Babysitter
The Netflix original The Babysitter showed Cole Johnson with his fun and understanding babysitter, Bee, who later turns out to be a part of an evil cult. Cole's blood is imperative to their rituals, so when he learns of this, of course, he flees.
Cole was a victim of bullying throughout his youth, so seeing him take out each cult member felt just. Also, Cole proved himself to be a selfless and caring individual, denying Bee's invitation to a life where it is just them against the world. Cole's values continue in the sequel Killer Queen, and even Bee has a small redemption arc to boot.
8 Zoey Davis Carved Her Own Path And Beat The Game
Escape Room
When given the opportunity to win a cash prize for playing in an escape room, Zoey Davis and many others could not pass up the chance. Unfortunately, the escape rooms proved to be deadly and killed multiple participants in the Escape Room series.
Zoey was one of the few characters to survive, and it was due to her brains and perseverance. Zoey separates from the group and carves her own path to freedom and, along with Logan, is the person to inevitably kill the creator of the horrific games she and the others experienced. Zoey comes back for the Tournament of Champions but is still just as smart and capable of surviving.
7 Mike Enslin Tried Everything To Leave The Apartment His Way
1408
In 1408, skeptic, Mike Enslin, had found himself in the Dolphin Hotel and faced the realization that the supernatural exists. In the theatrical release, Mike survives the horrors of the hotel but not without lasting effects.
Mike was a character that tried everything he could to escape the room. From scaling the building to climbing in the vents. Mike's resilience was challenged time and time again, and when the room offered him death, he refused. While the theatrical release is the only ending Mike survives, it shows that this version of Mike was stronger than others.
6 Laurie Strode Has Been Tormented By Michael Myers Since 1978
Halloween Franchise
Laurie Strode from the Halloween franchise has been through a lot, to say the least. Despite the difference in canons in the Halloween franchise, every version of Laurie Strode has been tormented by the elusive Micheal Myers and is definitely one of the best horror movie survivors ever.
Jamie Lee Curtis' dedication to the character plus the Scream Queen quality of Laurie puts the character in a league of her own. Continuously, in the most recent entries of Halloween, Laurie single-handedly defeats Michael and ends his reign of terror once and for all. One thing's for sure: everyone in Haddonfield should be glad she survived him.
5 Danny Torrance's Horrific Past Proved To Be Helpful In The Future
The Shining
The Overlook Hotel housed spirits of all kinds in The Shining, and a few of them succeeded in corrupting Jack Torrance. Jack Torrance threatened the life of his wife, Wendy, and son, Danny.
Fortunately, both Wendy and Danny escaped from Jack's wrath, but the shining within Danny never left him. Danny grew up and learned how to effectively use his shine with the help of Dick Hallorann's spirit. Even though Danny did not survive Doctor Sleep, his experience at the Overlook, while terrible, was able to help another person with the shine.
4 Sidney Prescott Live A Good Life In Spite Of Her Past
The Scream Franchise
Wes Craven's Scream series introduced audiences to one of the most iconic final girls in horror, Sidney Prescott. Sidney's unfortunate ability to attract killers her way, paired with her ability to actively outsmart those killers, makes for an entertaining story.
Sidney is also one of the best horror movie survivors due to the fact that, in each movie, she grows more cautious but not completely paranoid. Sidney was seen in Scream (2022) as someone able to make a family and be an active participant in her family's life while still exhibiting caution. Sidney's happiness is not defined by the surrounding murders, and she has learned how to deal with it and live her life to the fullest.
3 Chris Washington's Intelligence And Choice Of Friends Helped Him Get Out
Get Out
Jordan Peele's Get Out was a phenomenal movie with an equally phenomenal protagonist. Chris Washington was put in an impossible situation that included subtle racism paired with overt evil, but he was strong enough to survive.
The Armitage family's agenda was all around diabolical with the manipulations as well as the forced hypnosis, there was a lot Chris was up against. However, Chris' adaptability and quick-wittedness help him both escape and defeat the Armitages. On top of that, Chris' choice of friends also proved to be a smart decision, with Rod Williams coming to the rescue as well.
2 Nancy Thompson's Inner Strength Proved A Worthy Adversary
Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise
While her story ended in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Nancy Thompson's fighter-like spirit is one of the best. Nancy's confidence in herself defeated Freddy in the original Nightmare film and inspired the other kids in Dream Warriors.
Continuously, Nancy is a resilient and smart individual. When everyone around her tried claiming she was crazy, that didn't stop her from concocting a plan to stop Freddy. Her stubbornness and intelligence helped her set traps against the dream demon, and while his reign of terror continued, she proved herself as an actual threat to Freddy Krueger.
1 Andy Barclay Continues To Fight Chucky In His Adulthood
Child's Play Franchise
Andy Barclay was only six years old when he was gifted Charles "Chucky" Lee Ray as a Good Guy doll in Child's Play. This resulted in multiple deaths surrounding Andy and forced him to become paranoid when it came to Good Guy dolls altogether
Andy grew up fighting Chucky, and the fight is far from over. Andy has been fighting Chucky's evil since 1988 and is now a grown man helping other kids take him down. All in all, Andy Barclay's formative years and adulthood have unfortunately been taken over by the threat of Chucky, but because of this has made him one of the best horror movie survivors to date.