Stereotypical Characters: The Jock

 

The Jock

Often male and playing the side character, the Jock has an important part to play in horror movies. He may not be the first to die but he's definitely in line to be one of the victims and his death is perhaps the most violent one of all.

Here are some more attributes about the Jock

1. He's always wearing a sports jacket

Whether or not you see him play any sports, he's in the school team, usually the football team. Whenever we see him hanging out with his friends, he's always wearing his school sports jacket.

2. Makes the rudest jokes

Playing sports is not all that he does. When hanging out with friends, he also cracks up sexist jokes that his girlfriend rolls his eyes at. The jokes are for us though. It's supposed to lighten the tone of the horror movie.

3. Thinks he can take on the villain

He knows he's strong. He plays sports, works out in the gym and has biceps to show off. When the threat comes along, he's the first one in line to suggest killing the villain with his bare hands.

The protagonist will tell him to back off but he isn't one to give up so easily. Even if he's scared, he's desperate to show how brave he is.

4. Is usually chewing gum

He's supposed to look obnoxious and so he's the one given a pack of gum to chew throughout the movie. And he will do it in the noisiest possible manner. The friends could be having a serious discussion but he's the one who's making smacking sounds as he chews gum.

5. Dates the popular girl in school

The Jock is lucky in the dating world. He has the school or college's prettiest girl going out with him. She too will make sure she's wearing the tiniest clothes and the most makeup. The Jock will use every opportunity to show PDA and gross out the other friends with their intimacy.

6. He's impulsive

As soon as the protagonist tells her friends who she suspects to be the masked killer, the Jock storms off to confront the suspect. As per horror movie rules, the first suspect is actually the innocent one and so all the Jock does is create a scene and make a fool of himself.

7. He's loaded

The protagonist rarely befriends the poor or the middle class and so they are friends with the Jock when there is no reason why they should be. Most of the times the protagonist and the Jock are shutting up each other but the protagonist retains that friendship because how else will they go investigating unless the Jock provides his luxury car?

Or take them on lavish trips and gourmet restaurants?

The Jock is never seen as someone who is struggling and depending on a sports scholarship to go to a good college. He probably doesn't need to work a day in his life.

8. Has the most violent death

He's the strongest in the group. He can tackle several men at once. He has abs and bulging biceps. If anyone can save the friends from the deranged killer, it has got to be him, right? He's physically strong.

But like in every horror movie, Jocks are depicted as physically strong but mentally weak. And so they end up putting themselves in harms way and in the killer's path.

Now the killer wants to send a message to the other friends that he cannot be stopped easily which is why he makes sure the Jock is gutted properly.

The Jock has the most goriest death in the movie and it is made sure that his sports jacket is thoroughly stained.

9. He doesn't perform well in studies

The Jock has been established as a capable athlete but in class he needs the help of nerds to cheat. He usually bullies a nerd to write papers for him which he can pass off as his own. That's the Jock for you. All brawn and no brains.

10. His murder scene usually includes a sports item

The Jock is about to be murdered but first we all need to see that he was actually very athletic. His death scene is probably longer than the others. He is first chased around. The Jock is a fast runner. He tries to grab something he can use as a weapon. It's a baseball bat. He tries to threaten the killer but he fails. There is so more more chasing before he is overpowered and meets his demise.

That's the end of the Jock. None of his friends will weep for him much but the school will remember him for his trophies.