Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) boasts one of the vital iconic twist-filled endings in film historical past, with the Ghostface identification reveal and last twists launching one of many horror’s best franchises. The Kevin Williamson-created Scream film franchise continues to be remembered for its wild third acts, which all started with the twists and turns confronted by Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) when the knife-donning masked Ghostface killer carried out an assault at a highschool home occasion. Scream’s intelligent ending is crammed with satire aimed toward horror films and cultural commentary, with the unmasking of Ghostface and Sidney’s destiny nonetheless being unmatched a long time later.
After being taunted by the killer and seeing a number of others die by Ghostface’s knife, Sidney finds herself face-to-face with Ghostface in Scream’s ending. With many gathered for a celebration at Stu’s home, Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley stand guard on the dwelling in case the killer strikes once more, which seems to be the case when Ghostface assaults a number of party-goers. After Sidney and her boyfriend Billy lastly sleep collectively, Billy is seemingly stabbed by Ghostface, however a sinister twist reveals her prior suspicions had been appropriate. Scream (1996)’s thrilling and satisfying ending reveals Ghostface’s surprising identification and motivations for the massacres, with only some survivors remaining alongside Sidney as daybreak lastly breaks.
Shortly after Sidney watches Ghostface stab Billy, her boyfriend reveals that the wound is faux, merely utilizing faux blood and cornstarch to evade suspicion. Billy reveals his true position as Ghostface, with Stu Macher having been his confederate your complete time. The 2 Ghostfaces then launch into their well-known monologue confessing their crimes and motivations for the murders, together with the truth that they had been those who killed Sidney’s mom Maureen Prescott a yr prior. Finally, Billy and Stu had been two sadistic people who, after killing Maureen, determined to proceed taking their revenge plots additional by attacking their classmates. Whereas Billy was primarily motivated by his anger at being deserted, Stu’s purpose for serving to Billy kill folks was the sadistic thrill.
Contemplating the pair had already framed Cotton Weary for Maureen’s homicide, Billy Loomis and Stu Macher discovered one other particular person to border for his or her new killings. The teenagers had deliberate to border Sidney’s father Neil Prescott for the crimes, suggesting he would have “snapped” on the anniversary of Maureen’s demise and gone on his personal killing spree. With Neil tied up and Sidney being their subsequent goal, Billy and Stu enact the following part of their plan by stabbing one another with a purpose to seem because the “sole survivors” and canopy up their identities as Ghostface. By the tip of the evening, there was no rhyme or purpose to who Billy and Stu killed, because the movie-inspired killers merely wished to be the one survivors to return within the “sequel.”
Nonetheless, whereas Billy and Stu are stabbing each other a bit too deeply, Gale Weathers arrives and Sidney is ready to escape. Sidney then kills Stu by dropping a TV on his head, with an incapacitated Billy quickly awakening earlier than Sidney fatally shoots him. After each Ghostfaces are useless, Scream’s ending sees Sidney get assist as Gale Weathers reviews on the fateful evening, revealing Billy and Stu because the Ghostface killers whereas explaining their twisted “motivations” within the 1996 Woodsboro bloodbath.
One of many greatest twists in Scream’s ending entails the reveal that Cotton Weary was framed for Maureen’s homicide by Billy and Stu. In actuality, Billy and Stu had killed her the yr earlier than after discovering that she had been having an affair with Billy’s father. The affair prompted Billy’s mom to desert their household, leaving him indignant and out for revenge. Billy blamed Sidney’s mom – however seemingly not his father – for ruining his household and forcing his personal mom to go away him, main him to kill Maureen. Much like the Ghostface murders in 1996, Stu had no motivation to assist Billy kill Maureen apart from his twisted curiosity in homicide and want to associate with Billy’s concepts.
Although Stu Macher has a TV smashed on his head and is electrocuted by the gadget, many theories have speculated that Matthew Lillard’s character survives Scream’s ending. These theories had been later supported by reviews of an early draft of Scream 3 that included Stu’s return in addition to a principle posed by the character Mindy in Scream 6, although the 2023 sequel and Kevin Williamson himself affirm that Stu Macher is useless. Whereas it’s nonetheless potential that Lillard may reprise his position as Stu Macher’s ghost in future Scream films, just like Skeet Ulrich reprising his position because the deceased Billy Loomis, it’s extremely unlikely that Stu survived his TV-smashing demise within the unique movie’s ending.
Solely a choose few outstanding characters really survive Scream’s ending, together with the film’s iconic Ultimate Woman, Sidney Prescott. Whereas every character receives near-fatal wounds, the final word survivors in Scream are Sidney, Randy Meeks, Gale Weathers, Dewey Riley, and Neil Prescott. The remaining characters of observe are killed by Scream‘s Ghostfaces Billy and Stu, which incorporates Tatum Riley, Casey Becker, Steve Orth, Kenny, and Principal Himbry. After all, Billy and Stu themselves are then killed by Sidney. Moreover, some minor characters akin to Cotton Weary, Dewey and Tatum’s mother and father, and Sheriff Burke additionally handle to outlive Ghostface’s unique Woodsboro bloodbath.