The Women of Crystal Lake

So today is a special day. Not only is it Women’s History Month, but it’s also Friday the 13th and with me being a big geek for the Friday the 13th film series I thought I’d hit two birds with one rock for the occasion and pay tribute to some of greatest and most important female characters of the Friday the 13th film series.

Pamela Voorhees

Originally portrayed by the legendary Betsy Palmer, Pamela Voorhees is the mass murdering femme fatale who kicked off the entire story behind Crystal Lake. She worked in the cafeteria of Camp Crystal Lake in 1957 when her son, Jason drowned due to the negligence of his counselors. Pamela’s first act of vengeance for her son’s drowning was killing two counselors at the camp one year later. 22 years later on Friday the 13th in June of 1980, Pamela went on full length killing spree out of a crazed desire to see the camp not be reopened. She met a bloody end when one of the would be counselors, Alice Hardy decapitated her in self defense, setting in motion the events of her son Jason’s return and bloody journey. Pamela’s charisma was captured by the captivatingly unhinged performance of the late great Betsy Palmer.

Alice Hardy

Portrayed by Adrienne King, Alice Hardy is the first definitive final girl of the Friday the 13th storyline. Alice was one of the original counselors who sought to reopen Camp Crystal Lake when Pamela Voorhees went on her 1980 murder spree. The level headed Alice was the last would be counselor who was left standing after all of her friends were murdered by Pamela Voorhees. She decapitated Pamela in self defense and became the first final girl of the Friday the 13th storyline. In the aftermath of the 1980 killing spree, Alice would also become the first victim of Jason Voorhees himself when he tracked her down and murdered her in retaliation for killing his vengeful mother. The innocence, yet will to fight that was Alice Hardy was captured in the believably frightened performance of Adrienne King.

Ginny Fields

Portrayed by Amy Steel, Ginny Fields is the first final girl to survive the wrath of Jason Voorhees. Ginny was originally one of the would be head counselors at the newly reopened Camp Crystal Lake when Jason Voorhees began his first murder spree in Friday the 13th part 2. The key to Ginny’s survival was her open mindedness. Ginny was the only character that readily questioned the possibility that Jason did exist and that his legend was true. So when she was sought after by Jason in the final act of the film she used her knowledge of the myth to overpower Jason with the help of her boyfriend, head counselor, Paul Holt. Ginny’s wit and resourcefulness was anchored by the solid performance of Amy Steel.

Tina Shepard

Portrayed by the late Lar Park Lincoln, Tina She is the first super being that Jason Voorhees faced off against. Tina Shepard carried the power of telekinesis and when her mother, along with her swindling Doctor, Christopher Crews take her on a trip to Crystal Lake under the guise of helping her get over her father’s death, which was caused by Tina herself, she encounters Jason along with a group of unfortunate party goers and must learn to control her powers and use them as a weapon to defend herself if she is to survive Jason’s latest killing spree. Tina also sticks out as one of the only final girls who had a history with Jason linked to her past pre-dating the present killing spree at the time. The late great Lar Park Lincoln captivates as Tina in the seventh installment of Friday the 13th, The New Blood.

Rowan Lafontaine

Portrayed by Lexa Doig, Rowan Lafontaine was the first Friday the 13th final girl of the new millennium. Rowan made her debut in what was the first Friday the 13th film of the 21st century, Jason X. Rowan was a project leader at a research facility dedicated to the detainment of Jason Voorhees in the year 2010. After failing to heed Rowan’s warnings her peers were killed by Jason as Rowan cryogenically froze him. Unfortunately Jason was able to wound and trap Rowan in cryostasis with him where they both would remain frozen for 445 years. Rowan and Jason’s bodies were eventually discovered in what was left of a dying earth by professor Braithewaith Lowe and his group of students on board the ship Grendel, where they were both reanimated from their stasis and back among the living.

As Rowan awakens to the culture shock of having been frozen for nearly 450 years, Jason also reawakens and begins a new killing spree in the future with Rowan as the only source expert with advanced knowledge on how to apprehend him. Lexa Doig does a great job at showing Rowan as a capable mind of a weapon against Jason even when she’s out of her element. Her adapt to survive attitude is what makes her one of Jason’s most formidable enemies.

So many great queens from the Friday the 13th franchise. Comment your favorite ones down below and happy Friday the 13th.