Welcome to this week’s installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week, wherein we shine a spotlight on strong women who inspire us. Now, this not only includes fictional female characters in geeky media, but creators as well. These ladies are a prime example of female empowerment and how crucial it is for kids to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: The following post includes more spoilers for the Scream franchise than jumpscares from Ghostface!
Sidney Prescott
Fast Facts
Things were going great for Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). She was dating Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), had her best friend by her side and lived it up in Woodsboro, Califonia. That was until she came home to find her mom brutally murdered. Things went a bit downhill as she closed herself off from those around her. A year after the events of her mom’s murder, a string of murders has the town of Woodsboro on edge. When she starts getting mysterious calls from the killer, Sidney finds herself in the middle of the murders.
The real twist comes during a highschool party where Ghostface begins picking off Sidney’s friends one by one. It turns out; she has been his target all along. She also uncovers that her boyfriend Billy and his friend Stu (Matthew Lillard) have been behind the murders all along. After a long night attempting to escape them, Sidney finally comes out victorious with help from those who survived. But the horror doesn’t end there. Even when Sidney goes off to college, Ghostface continues to haunt her. This time in the form of Billy’s mom (Laurie Metcalf).
Again Sidney uses her wits to come out on top. But like a bad horror film, the scares don’t end there. Years after she leaves college, the mantle of Ghostface is taken up by two more people in hopes of hurting Sidney. First, her half brother Roman (Scott Foley) and then her niece Jill (Emma Roberts). Even though Sidney tries to keep herself as far from the horrors, she is constantly pulled back into it. But, regardless of who dons the mask, Sidney continues to power through this never-ending horror story.
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The Real Deal
Sidney Prescott is the real deal. Who else can say they have survived through four separate murdering sprees? The Scream franchise has continued over time to mock the tropes of its predecessors. But even through all of that, we still get a strong character in the form of Sidney. She has smart instincts that keep her alive against Ghostface. Instincts like blocking doors once she has entered a room and making sure the killer doesn’t come back for one more scare.
Sidney is a strong female character who will do anything to protect her friends. She doesn’t allow her past to define who she is. Even when she secludes herself from society at the beginning of Scream 3, she is still helping abuse survivors through a phone call service. Her compassion for others is what keeps her moving forward. Sidney follows in the footsteps of horror queens like Laurie Strode, outsmarting Ghostface and living to see another day.
Why She Matters
So, why does she matter? Sidney Prescott is a survivor. Over four films, she has come face to face with those who want to see her fall. But like a true queen of the horror franchise, she perseveres. She uses her instincts to make smart choices when faced with life and death situations. Sidney also doesn’t allow her horror filled past to weaken or define her. She sees each situation as a teachable lesson and continues to upgrade her skills. Sidney passes those lessons onto the rest of us. She teaches us about strength and resilience.
So be like Sidney, use your instincts to better the outcome of terrible situations and don’t let the terrible things in life define who you truly are.
This was originally published on 10/21/20
Who I Am: A nerd by the strictest definition. I enjoy diving straight into my favorite fandoms without a care in the world. I live on video/board games, fantasy movies and TV, and all things geeky.
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