The Final Girl is just as popular as the staple killer when it comes to the horror-slasher genre. For decades, fans have rooted for Laurie Strode, Sidney Prescott, and Nancy Thompson as they face off against Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and Ghostface. When Scream released, the franchise introduced a lineup of new characters to the horror genre including twins Mindy and Chad Meeks (niece and nephew to legacy character, Randy Meeks), Amber Freeman, Richie Kirsch, Tara Carpenter, and Scream’s new protagonist, Sam Carpenter. Nevertheless, one character stands out among the lot, even more than Sam herself–her younger half-sister, Tara Carpenter. This Gen-Z teenager quickly shows fans that she is much more than a clueless character waiting to fall victim to Ghostface in the film’s opening–Here is how Tara Carpenter stole the show.

She Survives the Opening Scene

     Paramount Pictures

An iconic aspect of the Scream franchise is its opening scene–tense, bone-chilling, and always original. Drew Barrymore established the tradition when her character, Casey Becker, was killed off less than thirteen minutes into Scream, and since, any character introduced in a Scream opening meets their eventual demise after a game of cat and mouse with Ghostface. In Scream (2022), Tara manages to do something never before done by another character - survive her opening scene. Tara uses every available resource at her disposal (her Stab knowledge, her phone, a knife, her hands and feet) to fight back, and despite sustaining several wounds - she holds out long enough for the paramedics to arrive and tend to her injuries. But what truly makes Tara shine is her tenacity – Tara is intelligent, brave, and a fighter. Even had she died in her opening scene, Tara would go down as one of Scream’s strongest heroines.

She is Quick on Her Feet

Not only did Tara’s mental aptitude allow her to fend off Ghostface long enough to be saved by the authorities, she manages to survive every attack after. Even with a broken leg, injured arm, and multiple stab wounds, Tara fights for her life when caught all alone by Ghostface inside Woodsboro Hospital. In Tara’s final battle against Ghostface/Amber, she again uses every available resource to fight off the killer and give Sam, Sidney, and Gale the opportunity to retaliate.

She Defeats Ghostface

         Paramount Pictures

Tara not only survives every encounter against Ghostface/Amber - she ultimately defeats Amber herself. With a clever line referencing her earlier commentary about The Babadook being her favorite horror flick, Tara fatally shoots Amber, and saves the day, paying homage to Sidney Prescott by shooting the killer in the head, similarly to Sidney is most Scream sequels. Additionally, while Sidney has been preyed upon countless times by different incarnations of Ghostface, she’s rarely had to defeat Ghostface while recovering from severe bodily injuries. Tara is undoubtedly a force not to be reckoned with.

Best Character Development

When she’s first introduced, Tara seems like a pretty normal teenager with an interest in the elevated-horror genre over classic slasher films. After surviving her first attack, Tara shows a more vulnerable side, specifically when pertaining to her half-sister, Sam. Tara harbors some resentment towards Sam for abandoning the family when she was a teenager, and then revealing a big family secret immediately after Tara’s life-to-death encounter with Ghostface. Nevertheless, Tara’s maturity comes to surface when she forgives Sam soon after and then fearlessly battles Amber to defend her half-sister from certain death. From beginning to end, Tara continues to grow as a character, making her top-tier Final Girl material.

Jenna Ortega’s Acting

     Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Any horror Final Girl is only as memorable as the actor portraying them - Jenna Ortega delivers the performance of a lifetime as Tara Carpenter. In Tara’s opening scene, audiences are introduced to a teenager whose naivety fuels her flirtation with a charming stranger over the phone–and her sudden shift to horror when realizing the twisted game she’s been lured into. Seeing Tara attacked by Ghostface is heart-wrenching because audiences are invested in her well-being; she is someone who has won over loyal Scream fans in the ten minutes she’s been onscreen. As the film unfolds, Tara’s struggle becomes increasingly relatable as she reconnects with her estranged sister while dealing with Ghostface’s continual attacks.

Jenna Ortega exhibits an emotional range that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats whenever she’s onscreen. Only nineteen-years-old, Ortega has a lengthy horror repertoire under her belt. From The Babysitter: Killer Queen, You, Insidious: Chapter 2, Studio 666, X, and most recently, Wednesday, Jenna Ortega has established herself as a Scream Queen of this era, and is a worthy fit to take the mantle from Neve Campbell as the secondary Final Girl of the Scream franchise.