Women in horror: 17 powerful women in Netflix horror shows and films

Women in horror: Nurse Ratched from Ratched

A prequel to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ratched is an origin story for one of the most terrifying villains in history: Nurse Ratched. Ryan Murphy’s horror series stars Sarah Paulson in the title role.

Interestingly, Ratched takes a more sympathetic approach to the character. She’s not quite as evil as in the movie, which makes me wonder if that will change as the series progresses. I mean, she’s definitely capable of doing bad things, lest we forget she lobotomized someone, but she’s not as cruel and horrifying as her movie and novel counterpart just yet.

Still, her arc in season 1 is about her trying to save her brother and getting involved in a queer relationship with Gwendolyn Briggs. At the end of the season, Ratched and her brother Edmund have become enemies, and she promises to hunt him down and kill him before he can find her.

Women in horror: Sarah Fier from Fear Street

Initially believed to be a villainous witch who cursed the town of Shadyside for centuries to come, Sarah Fier is revealed to be a bada** heroine in Fear Street Part 3: 1666. We find out that Sarah was framed by men in her town who accused her of witchcraft and started the rumor that she was the heart of Shadyside’s many problems over the years.

In reality, the Goode family were the ones worshipping the devil and causing years of murder and carnage. Sarah tried to stop Solomon Goode, losing her hand in the process and getting sentenced to hanging. To save her girlfriend Hannah, Sarah takes the blame but promises she will have vengeance on Solomon Goode before she dies, hence the beginning of Shadyside’s bloody saga.