In most horror movies, the last remaining character is the stereotypical "good girl" which has evolved into its very own trope, the "final girl." Horror movie fans have seen plenty of final girls over the years. Some final girls have gained popularity for putting up a great fight, while others are known for being part of a movie series.
Just being part of a popular horror franchise isn't enough to become a favorite final girl, they need to have had a character that defined the series. Some actresses have greatly impacted the horror movies they starred in, which is what made them some of the most loved final girls on Ranker.
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Tree Gelbman - Happy Death Day
Happy Death Day follows Tree Gelbman on her birthday as she's murdered by someone wearing a baby-face mask. After being murdered, Tree wakes up on the morning of her birthday and relives the day until her death. As she continues reliving the same day, Tree tries to figure out who killed her and prevent them from doing so.
Happy Death Day is a relatively new film, so it's impressive to see Tree ranked so highly by film fans on Ranker. However, the character's relative newness may have helped her as Tree is incredibly relatable to modern audiences. Many popular final girls are from older movies, and the characters likely don't resonate as much with young and new viewers as much as Tree. Not only that, Tree is funny, smart, and really took charge in preventing her own death.
Heather Langenkamp - Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Wes Craven's New Nightmare brought a twist to the Nightmare franchise, by acknowledging the previous additions in the series were actually movies. New Nightmare follows Heather, the actress who played Nancy in the film as she discovers that Freddy from the movies has come to life and is now targeting her and her son.
Many fans consider New Nightmare to be one of the best in the Nightmare series, aside from the first film of course. Even though New Nightmare wasn't a huge box office success, it's still memorable to fans. It was also interesting to see Heather Langenkamp portray herself in real life, but still have the beloved character Nancy still referenced heavily.
Gale Weathers - Scream
Scream follows a group of teens as a killer seems to be targeting their friend group. Other than the teens, there's a focus on two reporters, one of which is Gale Weathers, who is trying to get the scoop on the killer. Eager for a story, Gale puts herself in danger to get it.
Gale Weathers is one of the smartest Scream characters, despite starting out as a slightly annoying reporter. Gale was a unique character in the first Scream, due to being a massive risk-taker. As the series went on, she ended up becoming helpful and a close friend to Sidney. She's as important to the franchise as Sidney herself, which is why it's no surprise she's a loved character.
Erin Hanson - You're Next
You're Next follows a couple attending a family party at an estate. However, things at the party go south when they're all attacked by assassins. Erin, who attended with her fiancé, finds herself having to fight back and survive an attack intended for her fiancé's family.
Erin ended up being a great character in the film, which many viewers probably didn't expect going in. Erin seemed to be on top of the attack and always have the upper hand, even with all odds stacked against her. She took charge of the situation and fought the attackers with everything she had, which is likely what made her a fan-favorite final girl.
Maddie - Hush
Hush follows Maddie, a deaf woman living alone in the woods when she discovers she's being watched by a masked man. After her discovery, the man actively tries to kill her, and Maddie has to fight for her life and rely on other senses to survive.
Maddie differs from other final girls by being a deaf survivor. Her experience fighting for her life was unique given that she couldn't hear her attacker. Some fans consider Hush controversial, with the belief that it shows being deaf as a weakness, but the film is careful and deliberate in portraying Maddie as capable and not defined by her deafness (per IndieWire). It seems as a whole, Ranker fans enjoyed the unique perspective this film provides and Maddie's determination to survive.
Nancy Thompson - Nightmare On Elm Street
Nightmare on Elm Street follows a group of teens who discover Freddy Krueger, a burnt killer wearing a metal-clawed glove attacking them in their dreams. Nancy Thompson and her friends discover the only way to stay alive is to not fall asleep.
Nancy Thompson was young and innocent in the first Nightmare film, but she also returned in some future additions and proved herself to be experienced and knowledgable against Freddy Krueger. It's undeniable that all of the best films in the Nightmare franchise are the ones Nancy is in, likely because of her personal connection to the killer.
Grace Le Domas - Ready Or Not
Ready or Not follows Grace after her wedding ceremony when her new in-laws tell her about a family tradition in which they play a game of hide and seek after being wed. When Grace realizes their version of the game is much more deadly, she has to fight to survive.
Ready or Not is one of the best new horror movies of the last few years and Grace has easily become a character on par with older "finals girls." Grace fighting off killers while in a wedding dress makes the movie memorable and different from other slashers. Even with Grace having all odds stacked against her, she proved capable of fending for herself, leading her to become a modern favorite final girl.
Ellen Ripley - Alien
Alien follows a spacecraft crew after discovering that their ship has been invaded by a vicious alien that's set out to kill them. Together, the crew has to get the alien off their ship and attempt to return safely back to Earth.
Other than being known for horror, Alien is one of the best sci-fi thriller movies and has spawned many sequels. Ellen Ripley has become a standout character in the series, even appearing in many of the sequels. Alien has some of the most intense scenes in a horror movie, with Ripley often willing to risk her life to save others, making her an admirable character.
Sidney Prescott - Scream
Scream follows a group of teens being hunted by a mysterious killer called Ghostface. As the teens begin to realize the attacks are personal, they come to the conclusion that the masked killer might be one of them. As they struggle to survive, the group attempt to figure out who the killer is before it's too late.
Sidney Prescott had many action sequences in Scream, making her more than the stereotypical "final girl" who just runs and screams. As the Scream series went on, she became an experienced fighter as she found herself under attack plenty of times. She's even gone as far as to help others being targeted. To many fans, Sidney is as important to the Scream franchise as Ghostface himself.
Laurie Strode - Halloween
Halloween takes place on the famous holiday after Michael Myers, who has been institutionalized after killing his family as a child, escapes the institution with plans to hurt others. Laurie Strode finds herself being targeted by Michael while babysitting.
With Michael Myers being a masked killer, Laurie has become the face of the Halloween franchise. In the beginning, her story was subtle, and she was an ordinary teen who just wanted to hang with friends. Her character developed a lot throughout the films, deepening her connection to Michael. In many movies, Laurie is Michael's main target, which goes to show her importance to the franchise.