October is here once again, and for many movie lovers that means only one thing: horror. Classically, the female characters in this genre are helpless victims or damsels in distress. Yet after decades of uninspiring portrayals, recent attempts at more complex representation are a welcome change. Women in horror can now be messy, unhinged, and villains in their own right.

This brings to mind a viral tweet from 2020 depicting the female leads of several films including The Witch, Midsommar, The Invisible Man, Gone Girl and Ready or Not (spoilers ahead for some of these!). Despite their varying states of disarray – some of them are covered in blood – they smirk triumphantly at us as the movie comes to a close. It is simply captioned ‘the “good for her” cinematic universe’. This can describe a subgenre of horror characterised by female characters going ‘off the rails’ and committing gruesome acts, usually in response to trauma or abuse. These characters gain our admiration, and we deem their revenge justifiable and even enjoyable. The more unrealistic and melodramatic, the greater the escapism.

For instance, the protagonist of The Invisible Man was subject to an abusive relationship and eventually triumphs by killing her ex. As a viewer, it’s hard not to be on her side, not to get some satisfaction from his punishment and smile with her as she is finally able to walk away freely at the end. We think “good for her!” and choose to ignore the severity of her crime.

The crucial idea is that the woman ends up in a better place than she started in, and we cheer her on whatever her means. That’s why I would argue that Gone Girl doesn’t actually fall into this category. While Amy is certainly mistreated - her “cool girl” monologue is perhaps one of the most iconic in recent film history – her retaliation is less satisfying and more ... psychopathic. Her coldness is unlikeable. When compared to Mia Goth’s singing-and-dancing, pitchfork-wielding Pearl, for example, her insanity makes her much easier to root for. Perhaps she’s just more fun to watch.

The crucial idea is that the woman ends up in a better place than she started in

The same goes for Teeth, a horror comedy about a high schooler who has teeth in her vagina. This film actually offers important social commentary on sexual assault, and the protagonist uses her monstrous power to protect herself in a scene that somehow has us feeling no sympathy for a character whose genitals are bitten off.

While the concept of the morally grey but justified hero isn’t new, these movies allow indulgence of a specific fantasy that has been felt by most women at some point in their lives. Not quite murder, but the more general idea of throwing caution to the wind and blowing up at those who have traumatised us in a way that we simply cannot in real life.

They feed us delicious stories of women rising above injustice and taking back what’s theirs in the most unapologetic way. And it is horror after all, so if she has to get her hands dirty to do this, then so be it. Good for her.