Jada Pinkett Smith Broke The Final Girl Mold

The ‘90s were quite the time for horror movies, especially where Scream Queens and Final Girls were concerned. In that decade alone, we were introduced to franchises like Scream and memorable characters like Kyle (Christine Elise), Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar). But there are lesser-discussed horror gems, with one, in particular, being Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, the film that also gave us Jeryline (Jada Pinkett Smith), one of the few notable Black final girls in horror history. 

There’s nothing wrong with a final girl being flawed in her decision-making because that’s human. But Jeryline doesn’t fall into the vulnerable or damsel in distress trappings. Still, it’s incredibly refreshing to see an unapologetic final girl who is Black, not hyperfeminine, and cares about her cute cat.

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight follows a man named Frank Brayker (William Sadler) and a group of boarding house residents who team up to prevent the apocalypse and keep an ancient key away from a powerful demon named the Collector (Billy Zane). It’s not only a fun time with tremendous practical effects, but it’s also part of the Black horror canon. And rather than have Jeryline be a forgettable final girl, she’s allowed to shine in a film that actually came out before Scream. 

Jada Pinkett Smith should be one of horror’s most unforgettable final girls.

Jeryline’s character is introduced as a convict on work release who does her best and tries to keep to herself. However, she is thrust into a chaotic situation involving demons, an ancient key, and the prevention of the apocalypse. Instead of backing down, though, she decides to aid Brayker and her fellow survivors.

Jeryline’s immediate unlikelihood as a final girl is part of what makes her so notable to the genre at large. Due to the common assumption that Black characters don’t last long in horror, not to mention the so few Black final girls there are, her survival might have been a surprise to people in ’95.

Even then, her character doesn’t immediately become a plucky heroine who sheds her personality in favor of anyone. Jeryline is strong-willed and courageous. She is a person who thinks on her feet and isn’t afraid to take action when necessary. As the events play out in Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, Jeryline is the one person who is able to resist the Collector’s manipulation tactics.

Jeryline isn’t tempted by a fantasy or written to be gullible. She’s fully capable of seeing right through what’s happening and is allowed to be a smart final girl by remembering Brayker’s explanation of the origins of the key and the blood inside it.

After a string of white women characters were cemented as iconic final girls in the genre classics, Jeryline breaks the mold. It certainly helps that Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight‘s director, Ernest Dickerson, is Black and a horror fan. His lived experiences and understanding of Black representation in the genre lend to why he made sure Jeryline survived til the end. Dickerson’s clear direction for Jeryline is incredibly satisfying, especially since she defeats the Collector by herself. 

Jeryline doesn’t need saving. 

Jada Pinkett Smith’s performance as Jeryline also lends to why she’s beloved by fans. Her performance is full of badassery, and she comes off as a real person. She’s initially just as scared as everyone else is about the demons and the apocalypse. It’s not disparaging of any final girls that came before or after her, but she’s not depicted as a woman who is nearly invincible or an experienced fighter. Most of her strength comes from what she’s endured as a Black woman in the world. 

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight isn’t a perfect film, and some scenes are very of the time, but it’s a blast that critics didn’t initially appreciate. The film absolutely deserves a seat at the table alongside Black horror gems like Ganja & Hess (1971), Candyman (1992), Tales from the Hood (1995), Get Out (2017), Us (2019), and more.

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight succeeds visually and boldly has a Black woman be its final girl. There’s very little that could overshadow those celebratory aspects, and Jeryline deserves her status as one of the few Black final girls across all subgenres. If you want to see more diverse final girls who are triumphant all on their own, Jeryline and Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight will scratch that itch for you.

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight is available on on Starz and VOD.