WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Fear Street Part 1: 1994, now streaming on Netflix.
Fear Street Part 1: 1994 paints the macabre town of Shadyside as the epicenter for evil right off the bat, opening with a killer known as Skull Mask murdering a teen, Heather (Maya Hawke), in a mall. It's a recurring event with Shadyside known for ordinary citizens turning into psycho slashers for no reason at all.
These killers are revealed to be part of a witch's curse, so let's dissect who this demonic overlord is and how she picks the next target to possess.
Who is the Witch?
This is Sarah Fier, burned at the stake in 1666. However, as Deena's brother, Josh, reveals from his research, she may have left piece of her hand in the land, thus allowing her spirit to take hold of innocent citizens so she could use them as her avatars for killing sprees.
These possessed folks become the slashers in Sarah's ultimate revenge scheme, with Ruby Lane in the '60s, the axe-man at Camp Nightwing in the '70s and so on. Sarah chooses a new target every decade -- with Sam's fate decided, not by the witch, but by Deena after a romance gone bad.
What Happened With Sam and Deena?
Deena's pissed that Sam left to move to Sunnyvale, their rival town; a pretty upper class spot. Sam had no choice as her mom took her in a divorce, but while she was willing to make her relationship with Deena work, Deena broke it off.
Deena, thinking she'd end up a deadbeat drunk herself, like her dad, was jealous that Sam got out. It's a bad breakup which spills over at a vigil both towns share for Heather. Deena sees Sam with her new beau, Peter, angry that Sam chose to go back to guys over her.
What Leads to Sam Being Cursed By the Witch?
Tensions flare at the vigil as both high schools hate each other. Peter and the Sunnyvale Devils get into a fight with the Shadyside Witches, causing an abrupt end to the ceremony. But as the Witches head off in their bus, Peter and some of his football players mask up to chase the bus.
An incensed Deena spots Sam in the passenger seat and teams up with Kate to throw the cooler with Gatorade out the back. However, Kate notices Deena's nose bleeding, and as Deena reacts, the cooler slips out of her hand, hits Peter's car and causes it to swerve off the road. It crashes into the forest, with Deena and Kate desperate to get to the injured.
How Does Sam Get Marked By the Witch?
As Sam exits the vehicle on her hands and knees, her nose is bleeding. Her hand, cut and dripping as well, then presses into the ground. At this point, she starts to get visions and hear voices, seeing Sarah Fier's death and forming a blood connection with the witch. When Kate and Deena come over to tend to her, Sam then spits up blood on Simon's shirt, which means he can be tracked by the witch too.
When they return to the site later on, the supernatural expert, Josh, is proven right again as they find a chain attached to Sarah's bones. Sam disturbed her gravesite, with blood not just leaking onto Simon, but Deena's shoes as well.
It's why a revived Skull Mask visited them, even after a bullet was put in his head in the opening act. The teens eventually sanitize themselves but while Skull Mask and the other slashers ignore them, the killers have a permanent link to Sam, sniffing her out around the town for the witch.
Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak, Fear Street stars Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Darrell Britt-Gibson, Ashley Zukerman, Fred Hechinger, Julia Rehwald, Jeremy Ford and Gillian Jacobs. Part One: 1994 is now streaming on Netflix, followed by Part Two: 1978 on July 9 and Part Three: 1666 on July 16.