Stereotypical Characters in Horror Movies: The Nerd

 

Horror and especially slasher movies rely on characters acting in a specific manner to take the story forward. Stories need characters to adhere to a stereotype so that there can be drama as well as a way to increase the body count.

The Nerd is next in the list of characters that play an integral part in horror movies. Here are some of the qualities they possess:

1. They are the Quiet Ones

The Nerd is barely focused on in the beginning of the movie. They are quiet and keep to themselves. Whatever dialogue they are given in the beginning is a string of stutters.

2. They are often bullied

The popular kids love to slap the thick books off their arms. Water is dropped on them, their pants are pulled, and they are mocked at every turn.

Usually these popular kids who act as complete bullies are the ones targeted by the serial killer.

3. Know everything about technology

Don't fall for the baggy clothes and greasy hair. They wear glasses and either bury their noses in books or computers. Because of their get up, they are believed to be experts in technology. And wouldn't you know it, right when a character wants some information, the nerd reveals they can hack too.

There's nothing the Nerd doesn't know about fancy gadgets and hacking.

4. They wear glasses

It beats repeating that nerds in horror movies wear glasses. This is to show that they spend all their time in front of the screen learning new things or spending time in libraries and reading the thickest books.

So of course they wear glasses and since contact lenses can dry your eyes out, they don't really want to wear them.

Also LASIK has side effects. No, it's better to wear glasses.

5. Has a hidden crush on the popular girl

The popular girl may or may not be part of the friends group that is being targeted.

Now that the nerd is part of the friends group who are about to be killed off, the nerd reveals a crush they had on a popular girl this whole time but was never brave enough to disclose.

His new friends may decide to help him if he or the popular girl survives in the end.

6. Helps the friends figure out the killer's intentions or origins

The Nerd is knowledgeable about everything. They know the history of the town, mythology, and every folklore in every country of the world. They are the ones who agree to help the targets even though they were not treated nicely by them.

There is a whole scene granted just to the Nerds who give long speeches about why the killer may be targeting them. He also offers solutions.

7. The Nerd is usually broke

They may know how to hack every site in the world but they have morals which do not allow them to steal money. They have parents who are unavailable and a house that is small, shabby, and leaky.

The Nerd has it tough but still manages to acquire the most expensive gadgets to help his friends.

8. Loves Video games

They are heavily into fantasy and enjoy playing video games. They will make it a point to mention it several times that they are into some fantasy game and there will be one scene where they are actually playing that game.

In the end, as it turns out, their crush loves nerdy games too!

9. Is Jumpy

The Nerd is used to being bullied and so he gets startled at the smallest noise. Most of the build-up towards the climax includes him being watched or stalked by the killer because the Nerd has important information about him.

The Nerd can go to the police or alert people around him but no one will believe him until the popular friends back him up.

10. Usually gets to live

The Nerd is on the killer's target list because they are the ones who gave away all the information about the villain. And so, the killer stalks them, ends up at their homes or in the library they are studying in and attacks them. Their attack scene is placed right before the killer goes after the "final" girl and so they are either killed off brutally or shown falling somewhere.

And then, they miraculously survive.

They end up coming over to the final girl, bandages and all so that they can be best friends now. The final girl doesn't exactly get to be the final girl in this case.