Horror Fans Debate Which Surviving Film Characters Would Be The Most Traumatised

It goes without saying that horror movies aren't for everyone. Some of us find them thrilling, while others simply don't like being scared s***less.

Whether or not you're a fan, the films can leave us frightened to walk to the toilet in the dark or stick our feet out of the bottom of the duvet.

But what about the poor old characters that avoid a grisly death in these flicks? Surely they would be left unimaginably traumatised by the ordeal they've been through.

Over on Reddit, people have been discussing which survivor would be the most damaged of the lot - which wouldn't be a particularly tasteful debate if these people were real, but they're not.

Nordisk Film

The question was posed in the horror subreddit along with the explanation: "It's always funny how a lot of horror movies end on a high note as if the characters aren't going to need some serious weapons-grade level therapy after being chased by supernatural killers, possessed by demonic entities, forced to face the darkest corners of human depravity.

"What character survived their movie but is definitely mentally ruined because of it?"

So, where to start?

One person said: "The guy who managed to escape the forest in The Ritual like he survived his friends being butchered by a Norse monster and then getting caught by cultists... On top of trying to get over the trauma of his friend dying. Guy went through a lot."

Another said: "Sidney Prescott [Scream]. 7 different people (and counting) finding a motive to want to kill you has to take a toll!"

Dimension Films

While another suggested: "Barbara from the original Night of the Living Dead. Spends the entire movie catatonic, then is pulled out of the house and into an army of flesh-eating ghouls by her undead brother at the very end. Lol.

"Would also say that Tommy Jarvis from the Friday the 13th films is a candidate as well."

Some solid selections, I'm sure you'll agree - but another horror fan put forward a contender which is hard to dispute.

They said: "I don't know if it counts as 'the most traumatized', but I would put the survivor of the first Human Centipede in the top ten most traumatized."

Bounty Films

If you've seen that movie, I see absolutely no reason why you would waver on whether that character should be a candidate for 'most traumatised'. The premise alone leaves a mark on you, let alone living it.

"Stan from IT," another user pointed out.

"He was just a kid, and he literally kills himself to avoid going back to Derry. Every kid from IT had severe trauma, though."

"Haha IT is one of the only times we actually get to see people's post-horror trauma really play out," another fan quipped.

Dani in Midsommar, Danny from The Shining and the father in The Mist were also popular nominees for the undesirable award of 'most traumatised horror film character'.

Topics: TV and Film, Horror, Community, Reddit

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey