The final girl trope is observed in many horror films, particularly slashers. It refers to the last female character left alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one to tell the story to others. In 1992, the term was coined by Carol J. Clover in her book: Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. However, final girls have existed long before the term, with many believing that it was Jamie Lee Curtis' breakthrough role in Halloween that birthed the final girl concept.
Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie) and Neve Campbell (Sidney) emerged as two of the most prominent and influential actresses in horror history. Older generations welcomed Curtis and Campbell's refreshing presence in Halloween and Scream respectively, but they have also been named "scream queens" by younger generations. Laurie Strode and Sidney Prescott appealed to modern horror audiences when Curtis reprised her role in Halloween (2018) and Halloween Kills (2021) and Campbell was announced to return as Sidney in the upcoming sequel, Scream 5 (2022). Audiences have compared Laurie and Sidney ever since Halloween and Scream topped the charts for best horror franchises. With that in mind, here is a breakdown of both Laurie and Sidney and why each of them is an admirable final girl.
Sidney Prescott as The "Comedy Relief" Final Girl
Ever since her first encounter with The Ghostface, it was obvious from Sidney's sarcasm that she would provide comedy relief for the gruesome franchise. In a chilling phone conversation, that unexpectedly became an iconic moment in cinematic horror, Ghostface asks: "Do you like scary movies?" to which Sidney replies: "What's the point? They're all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act, who's always running up the stairs -- when she should be running out the front door. It's insulting." From that moment onwards, audiences knew that she would shatter the aptly described "insulting" stereotype of female horror characters.
From the beginning, it is evident that Sidney is hyperaware of potential danger and plans accordingly to prevent it before it happens. This is most likely due to trauma from losing her mother to a grizzly murder. she barricades her bedroom door so that no one can enter without her permission.
Not only that, but the audience can infer from very early on that Sidney is not the type to drown in pity and sympathy or allow others to exploit her suffering. One of the most equally iconic and amusing moments in Scream is when she punches Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) who refuses to respect her boundaries after insisting on an interview about her deceased mother and the (supposedly) false imprisonment of Cotton Weary, whom Sidney apparently wrongly accused. Not only is Sidney mentally coping with devastating loss, but her trust is broken each time the identity of Ghostface is revealed, especially as Billy Loomis, her at-the-time boyfriend, was one of the first to don the costume. Despite betrayal, she remains persistent in her goal to rebuild her life.
One of her notable weaknesses is that she relies solely on self-sufficiency and refuses to show vulnerability or accept help from other people. This is often her downfall, since Gale Weathers and Dwight "Dewey" Riley (David Arquette) are both trustworthy companions that have collaboratively saved Sidney from several close calls. Regardless of whether she survived with or without aid, to have such an independent woman face a life-or-death situation and emerge enlightened by the sheer will to live is oddly inspirational.
Laurie Strode as The "No-Nonsense" Final Girl
Jamie Lee Curtis was only 19 when she landed the role of Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's Halloween, which he wrote with a small budget in mind and never expected mainstream success from. When the film became a worldwide phenomenon and a testament to Jamie Lee Curtis' performance as Laurie, who possessed such an unwavering will to survive that it surpassed even the determination of "The Boogeyman" -- Michael Myers.
Laurie presents herself with a girl-next-door innocence that makes her inconceivable as a murder target, but she came aware of a looming threat when a string of murders occurred in her neighborhood. When all the chips were down and she was the last girl standing, Laurie defended herself valiantly against the malevolent force of nature that is the immortal Michael Myers.
Laurie is a no-nonsense type of character that knows what she wants or needs and will do her utmost to get it. Like Sidney's memorable phone call, the scene from Halloween that will go down in history is when Laurie hides in the closet, only to be greeted by an aggressively relentless Michael, who begins breaking through the closet door, much to Laurie's dismay.
It is important to remember that Laurie was "offed" in Halloween: Resurrection. However, not only was her death scene tragic, but it was also impactful. When Laurie meets her end, Michael throws Laurie -- attached to a tether of rope -- over the Grace Andersen Sanitarium roof and drives his knife through her back. As she hangs there, dying, Laurie kisses Michael's mask and promises to see him in hell. To accept her death with such commendable fortitude and show courage in the face of defeat shows a stark contrast from Laurie's first cinematic incarnation, wherein she has the kind-hearted nature of someone who would never harm a fly, much less fight Michael.
Whether it be Sidney or Laurie, when the smoke clears, they both emerge (for the most part) unscathed and live to see another day. That steadfast self-preservation is the basis for which both of these final girls are so unquestionably "the best" in their own unique ways.