Sidney-Derek Relationship

The relationship of Scream protagonist, Sidney Prescott and her Windsor College fraternity boyfriend, Derek occurs Scream 2 (1997 film). It is re-addressed through symbolism in Scream 3 (2000 film) as an Easter egg.

Derek is a pre-med student, aspiring to be a doctor. He appears, and turns out to be the polar opposite of Sidney's previous boyfriend, a serial killer.

The fourth film no longer references Derek, indicating Sidney has moved on. She later does in fact move on, and by the fifth film, sometime in the 2010s decade, she gets married and has at least three children.

The nature of their relationship is tested throughout the second film, due to Sidney's fears stemming from her previous relationship with serial killer, Billy Loomis.

Background
After the events of Scream (1996 film), Sidney graduated from Woodsboro High in 1997 and began attending Windsor College where she meets the pre-medical student Derek. They grow a rapport and start dating

Randy Meeks appeared jealous of Derek's relationship with Sidney as the pairing moved to Ohio. When Derek gets his arm slit after the sorority party, she is protected by Officers Richards and Andrews. She urges Derek that the situation she is in is dangerous and she does not want to see him get hurt in any way. He insists on being there for her in a tough time, showing his feelings were honest.

During lunch-break, Derek serenades to her in front of many other students including their friends and sorority. Derek gives away his Greek letters showing a true commitment to her promises she will be safe and that he loves her. The necklace is for good luck. Derek and Sidney kiss in front of the many cheering students. When his fraternity brothers find out, the capture and "party" with him on the empty school theater stage. When Sidney finally find him, he is still on the stage-bound and tied up from their party with him. Sidney attempts to release him until the arrival of Ghostface, who turns out to be Mickey Altieri. Mickey leads Sidney to believe that he was his "partner" in the killings.

The commitment makes Derek angry and he curses him out, swearing that he would kill him, resulting in Mickey to shoot him in the heart. In his dying words, he tells Sidney "...I would never hurt you... Never..." then he dies. This deeply upsets Sidney, now knowing he was innocent.

After Derek dies, Sidney uses the necklace to whip Mickey and escape from his clutches, proving it became an effective resource for dodging a serial killer. In Scream 3, she still honours him and wears the necklace throughout the film, as a means of showing she has not mentally processed his death, as she still lives as a recluse.

However, she doesn't wear it at all in Scream 4 (2011), symbolically showing that she has moved on from her loss. By the fifth film, Sidney has settled down, got married and had three children.

Trivia

 * Derek is a Red Herring character in the sequel. However, in the script he was originally intended to be the killer.
 * Jerry O'Connell's brothers were considered for a role in Scream 3 (2000).
 * Despite their on-screen romance, Jerry O'Connell was actually dating co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar at the time, who portrayed Cici Cooper.