Welcome to Day 3 of Spooky Season!! A while back, I started a series ranking the final words of the victims of the Friday The 13th films. Now that I was on Part 4, The Final Chapter, I decided I wanted to rank the deaths themselves instead of just the final words. I made my ranking choices based on originality, execution, special effects, shock value, and memorability. I hope you enjoy and let me know your favorite death scene from Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter! (MAJOR SPOILERS!!!)

14. Tracy Jarvis

During a horrendous storm, the matriarch of the Jarvis clan, Tracy Jarvis (Joan Freeman) came home to an empty house. She searched all over the house for her 2 children and their dog with no such luck. She stepped outside to find them, and that’s where she ran into Jason Voorhees (Ted White). Now, I seriously debated on whether to even include Mrs. Jarvis in this list, because there isn’t even a death scene to talk about. The set-up was pretty decent, but I can’t comment on execution or special effects, so this choice is dead last.

13. Sara Parkington

All Sara (Barbara Howard) wanted was the chance to hook up with Dapper Doug (Peter Barton) on a getaway with their friends. Their romance blossomed to the point where they shared a moment in the shower together. Head over heels in love, Sara left the room to get ready for what would’ve been their first intimate night together. When she returned, she saw that Doug had been brutally murdered. As she tried to flee the house, she tried to open the locked door and call out for her best friend. Suddenly an axe burst through the door and hit her smack-dab in the chest. This death was honestly pretty forgetful, in method and execution. I feel like Jason ran out of ideas and this point and was just like, “F**k it, I’ll just use an axe on this one.”

12. The Hitchhiker

As the main characters were driving to the house at the lake, they came across a lone hitchhiker (Bonnie Hellman), hoping to score a ride with them. As they passed by her, they gave her a few taunting words and she was left alone. With no ride, she sat on the side of the road and started to enjoy a nice banana. She unfortunately didn’t get to finish her snack as Jason (Tom Savini) walked up behind her and stabbed her through the throat. It was a pretty ok setup, but it kind of lost me with the banana. The camera was so focused on her squishing the banana that I barely even pay attention to the death itself. That’s more of a problem with my attention span, but this death scene is still pretty low compared to others.

11. Jason Voorhees

With his body count almost completed, Jason Voorhees just had 2 victims left: Trish (Kimberly Beck) and Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman). He chased Trish all over the place, from her house to the partiers’ house and back. As she fought for her life, Tommy was away preparing for a good distraction. He shaved his head and made himself look like Jason when he was a young boy. The distraction worked as Trish got a good hit at his head. It was Tommy who delivered the “final blow” to his face. Jason fell and his head slid down the machete. If this REALLY was the final blow, this death would’ve been much higher on the list. However, Tommy found out he was still alive and gave off-screen hit after off-screen hit, really taking away from that epic machete slide.

10. Terri Moore

Terri Moore (Carey More) and her twin sister, Tina (Camilla More) joined the group of young adults at their house party. There was drinking, dancing, and it was all good and fun for a while. When she was finally ready to go home, she tried to get Tina to go with her. Tina went off to sleep with one of the partiers, Jimmy (Crispin Glover), so Terri decided to leave on her own. She was so close to leaving, but Jason impaled her before she could get on her bike. This one had a lot of potential. With the lightning, we got to witness the death scene by their shadows, which was fresh and unique. However, it lost its impact when we see her body pinned to the house. For me, it took away from that great shadow shot.

9. Samantha Lane

Samantha Lane (Judie Aronson) just wanted a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Paul (Clyde Hayes). However, one of the other partygoers, Tina started to flirt with Paul. When Tina and Paul started to dance, Samantha rightfully got upset and stormed out. She decided to take a stroll and swim out to a raft in the middle of the lake. Thinking that Paul followed her, she called out to him, but it was Jason who jumped out of the water and answered her. He stuck a spear through the raft and her stomach. This is one of the most iconic scenes in the franchise, no doubt. However, someone pointed out a long time ago that the raft was popped by the spear yet it stayed afloat. I can’t help but think of it every time I watch the scene. Plus, I don’t know if her facial expressions are a plus or a minus in this case.

8. Rob Dier

After tragically losing his sister at the hands of Jason Voorhees, Rob Dier (Erich Anderson) was determined to hunt him down and kill him. He knew exactly where he would be and who he’d be after. He was a good tracker and he came prepared. While investigating the partygoers’ house with Trish Jarvis, they discovered the many bodies that Jason left behind. While in the basement, Rob tried to retrieve his knife, but that’s when Jason went in for the kill. Now, I know a lot of people found this scene really corny and hilarious because as Jason is stabbing him, Rob is crying out, “He’s killing me! He’s killing me!” But I think it’s kind of sweet that his last words were also telling Trish to run. It was a very sweet thing.

7. Ted Cooper

Ted (Lawrence Monoson) joined his friends on their vacation with the hopes of sleeping with any girl he could find. When beautiful twins Tina and Terri joined the group, old Teddy Bear thought his luck would change. Using his catchphrase and his personality, he managed to lose both of his chances. All by  himself, Teddy came across an old projector and amused himself with the silent pictures. When the film was over, Teddy was by the screen asking if his best friend Jimmy was in the room. With his back to the screen, he was unaware Jason was behind it with a knife. Jason stabbed through the screen AND Teddy’s head. I don’t know what it is about this death that stuck out for me. It could’ve been the clean cut down the screen as he fell. Or it could’ve been his attempting to breathe as he was dying that stuck with me. Either way, a pretty well executed death in my opinion.

6. Nurse Robbie Morgan

After Jason was assumed dead and taken to the morgue, he was watched over by coroner, Axel Burns (Bruce Mahler) and his love interest, Nurse Robbie Morgan (Lisa Freeman). After having her wits scared out of her by Jason’s movement, Robbie stormed out to continue her work. After Jason rose again, she was one of the first people he went after. Thinking he was Axel, Robbie turned to yell at him again when she was suddenly strangled by Jason. It wasn’t enough that she was choked, he pinned her against the wall and gutted her. It was a very gruesome and gnarly moment.

5. Jimmy Mortimer

After going through a horrible break-up and constantly being labeled a Dead-F**k by his best friend, Ted, Jimmy Mortimer spent most of his vacation time moping around and looking for some sort of rebound. He ended up getting what he came for when beautiful outsider, Tina came onto him. They had an almost perfect night, and Jimmy more than proved that he wasn’t a Dead-F**k. In order to celebrate, Jimmy went into the kitchen to open up a bottle of wine, but he couldn’t find the corkscrew to open it. Jason was more than happy to help him find the corkscrew by driving it into his hand. Then to top it off, Jimmy took a cleaver to the face. This was a great execution and it had some good special effects! I love the reverse effect and the quick cut-away, I thought it was all well-done.

4. Paul Guthrie

Paul was excited to spend his vacation at the lake with his girlfriend, Samantha. After another woman, Tina started flirting with him and asked to dance with him, he saw how much it was bothering Samantha. Not long after Samantha stormed out of the house, Paul felt guilty and went to look for her. When he saw her in the raft in the middle of the lake, he swam out to her to make up with her. When he discovered her body, he freaked out and tried swimming back. He almost made it to the pier, but Jason was waiting under it with a spear gun. He stabbed Paul in the groin and lifted him up with it before shooting it through him. A very original and gruesome kill. It earned extra points for me because Clyde Hayes had a very good agonized scream that really added to the moment!

3. Tina Moore

Tina and her sister, Terri decided to join a group of friends on their vacation to their house on the lake. While Terri wasn’t really enjoying the party and decided to leave, Tina was having the time of her life, choosing the man she wanted to spend the night with. After 2 of the men didn’t work out, she set her eyes on Jimmy. After a night of passionate love-making, Tina was waiting in the room for Jimmy to return for round 2. As she was waiting, she looked out the window to see her sister, Terri never left the party. As she was looking outside for her, Jason crashed through the window, grabbed her, and threw her outside onto the car. The slow-motion death was what really did it for me. It was almost picture worthy. Also, it was very original as Jason let gravity do most of the damage.

2. Doug Bell

Doug Bell and his friends went to Camp Crystal Lake to hang out and party. The one he was really looking forward to getting to know better was his friend, Sara. After Sara let out some almost obvious signals that she was ready to sleep with him, Doug was excited about having the night of his life. They shared a passionate make-out session in a shower, and when Sara left to get ready for their night, Doug was on Cloud 9. He gleefully sang in the shower and when the lights went off, he thought someone was messing with him. After a typical “don’t drop the soap” joke, Jason crashed through the shower and crushed Doug’s head. Although the special effects didn’t really hold up, this is certainly one of the most memorable deaths. It is also one of the few horror movie deaths that still make me squirm.

1. Axel Burns

Axel Burns was a sex obsessed coroner who was unfortunate enough to cross paths with Jason Voorhees. After Jason was assumed dead and brought to the morgue, he was stowed away and Axel thought he was going to have a magical night with his love interest, Nurse Robbie Morgan. After Jason scared her away, Axel was alone with his exercise videos. With his back to Jason, Axel gave him the opportunity slit his throat with a saw and twist his head all the way around. It is not only one of my favorite deaths in the film, it’s definitely a top contender for my favorite death scene in the entire franchise. I love a good throat slit in horror and this was one of the best. The special effects and shock value were killer! There was no doubt in my mind that this one would be my number 1 choice!