Quiz: We Bet You Can’t Name These Classic Slashers By the Side Character

You know the villains, and you know the Final Girls. Horror movies are packed with some great protagonists, storylines, and action. However, how well can you name the slashers from the other characters? If we gave you the name of just one of the side characters, could you name the movie? We’re going to put your horror movie knowledge to the test.

So, did you score 8/8? This is a great time of the year to revisit the horror movies and see where the side characters pop up and what happens to them. Sure, the majority of them end up dying, but they’re important to the main character as they fight for survival. Whether you’re getting to the end of your Summerween movie fest or you’re preparing for the fall, this is a great place to start with horror movies.

Side Characters Do More Than Just Die in Slasher Movies

Sure, the main reason to have side characters in slasher movies is to help build up the body count. We want to get to know people and then see how they meet their end. Do they end up breaking all the rules of surviving a horror movie, or are they just too arrogant (or intoxicated) when it comes to facing the killer?

At the same time, they do more than just die. In many cases, the side characters are there to support the Final Girl. They offer some emotional support when it comes to a killer coming after them, or they set up the rules of survival. Look at Randy in Scream. He’s very much a side character who we come to adore throughout the first movie because of the way he sets the rules, and then we hurt when he’s killed off in a subsequent movie—and we just hope that it’s not true.

This also creates a character that everyone can relate to. Not all will relate to the Final Girl. There are jocks and skeptics watching these movies, and they need a character that connects to them. Of course, they also see that the majority of the characters end up dying, so maybe it helps them understand the best way to survive a slasher.

At the heart of it, the side character is there for growth and connection. They’re there to add some humor, while also making you root for the various victims of the serial killers in these movies.

Do you love to put your knowledge to the test? We love to test you, which is why we have daily quizzes on the Mental Floss quiz page. “We’ll be right back” with more!

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