Living well is normally the best form of revenge against somebody who has wronged you. Scream VI is not the case. This is a revenge story through and through, with a great cast and a greater gore factor. New York does have new rules with the in-movie tropes of how horror works. And yet everything we know has been thrown out the window with this great storytelling.
Why does revenge work so well in this sixth installment? The trope has worked well in previous films, so it would make sense firsthand if it would work once again. However, there is an art in repeating tropes for films. Horror is especially the case since that trope is expected in the horror genre with thriller and slasher films. The revenge story worked even better in Scream 6 than it has previously, and it is a scream. Warning: Spoilers for Scream 6.
Mirroring Scream 2
Fans of the franchise were quick to point out a familiar pattern with both Scream 6 and 2022’s Scream. They have noticed that the newer movies are linked with the beginning of the franchise. 2022’s Scream mirrored the initial plot of the first Scream movie of the franchise, with the setting taking place in Woodsboro and centered around a group of high schoolers. Of the friend group, two of them are Ghostface. While their intentions differ from that of Billy and Stu in the first film, Richie and Amber in the 2022 movie recreated the kitchen scene with the new and original “cast” of victims. They are trying to remake the events of the first Woodsboro murders for their movie.
With that running theory, then that means Scream 6 is mirroring Scream 2. Specifically, it reflected the revenge plot of the second film almost to a T. Richie’s family sought revenge against Sam for killing him. The same way that Billy’s mother, Nancy, wanted revenge on Sydney for killing her son. While Nancy posed as a journalist to get closer to Sydney, the killers in Scream 6 (revealed to be the Bailey family of Detective Wayne, Quinn, and Ethan) got even closer to Sam and her sister Tara. The sixth movie mirrored that of Scream 2 but elevated that desire for revenge, making the film gorier and scarier than before.
Higher Stakes of Getting Caught
Debating who the killer is would not be as much fun if the stakes were not higher. With its air of self-awareness, Scream 6 did not disappoint. Horror movie fan Mindy was quick to call out everyone in the friend group but specifically called attention to the three newest members. She points out the newest member, Ethan, as a suspect because he is the “nerdy” and quiet one of the group that no one would guess. She also says it is a strange coincidence that he just so happens to be her twin brother Chad’s roommate, claiming Ethan could have rigged the poll. Then she points out that Sam and Tara’s roommate Quinn has the movie trope of being more sexually active and that she has a good alibi of having a father as a police officer. Lastly, Mindy says to her girlfriend Anika to “never trust the love interest.”
The stakes of the killer getting caught and getting the killer wrong are much higher compared to previous films. When you suspect everyone, no one is safe. The revenge plot ties well with this concept. Everyone is so busy pointing fingers at one another that the killers can bypass too much suspicion with less than clear alibis. The killers can orchestrate their attacks and place the victims exactly where they want, like the Ghostface shrine or certain items (like Sam’s ID) placed at crime scenes. But this also means that their plans for revenge have more room for error because the stakes are higher. The timing of the attacks has to be spot on, and it is more difficult to predict the next move of the victims. The stakes make this movie all the more entertaining to watch as well.
The Three Ghostfaces
Scream 6 is the first movie in the franchise to introduce three Ghostface killers instead of two or even one. With the revenge plot of this film, it makes more sense for there to be three killers. It also brings out a shock factor, now knowing that the killers are family of Richie. Unlike Richie, his father, Wayne, more than likely performed most of the killings that took place on the screen. He was the mastermind behind it all and praised his eldest son’s raw talent in filmmaking, despite the way Richie intended to make his movie. Wayne could not have gotten his revenge alone, so having both Quinn and Ethan join him was a smart move on his part.
Although there are some questions as to how some of the killings are choreographed, there is some logic behind them. For example, it is heavily implied that Quinn was the one who tried to kill Gale in her apartment. For a woman her size, however, it would seem unrealistic that she could smoothly toss Gale’s boyfriend’s corpse through glass shelving. But with her father being a detective, she may have had some survival training. It also makes sense that Detective Wayne would kill in gorier and more intense ways, like in the convenience store when he used the shotgun. He would have not only knowledge of other weapons like firearms, but he would know how to use them effectively. As for Ethan, he was the most obvious yet effective killer in terms of information. Since he did not do many kills until the last section of the movie, it was his job to collect information and use it against the heroes. The revenge plot worked especially well because the three killers had their individual skills and tasks.
The plot of revenge is a pretty common trope in the Scream franchise. Billy wanted revenge on Sydney’s mother because his mother abandoned him. Nancy wanted revenge against Sydney for killing her son. Even Roman in the third film was a solo Ghostface killer on the thirst for revenge after his and Sydney’s mother denounced him for being a product of rape. Despite the trope’s many uses, the directors still find a way to make the trope feel more personal and original to the characters.