Second Victim

The Second (On-Screen) Victim refers to the second on-screen victim in each of the Scream films. Their reason for being targeted is usually stronger than the motive for killing the first on-screen victims (Steven Orth, Phil Stevens, Christine Hamilton, Marnie Cooper and Vince Schneider).

When Scream was a trilogy, they were often referred to as "the first kill" or simply the "opening kill" in a general sense, because they are the out-of-universe primary target, and sometimes intended first kill, through the camera lens of the audience watching.

A prime example of this is Casey Becker in the original film (who is technically the third murder victim of her massacre).

Primary Target Motive

 * Scream (1996 film): Casey Becker is targeted due to dumping Stu Macher for Steven Orth.
 * Scream 2 (1997 film, set in 1998): Maureen Evans is targeted due to sharing the same name as the first (off-screen) murder victim, Maureen Prescott.
 * It is likely she was intended to be the first kill, but Phil Stevens became an improvised first victim.
 * Scream 3 (2000): Cotton Weary is targeted for not giving up Sidney Prescott's whereabouts.
 * Scream 4 (2011): Jenny Randall is targeted due to the implication she shared a connection with Trevor Sheldon, possibly being the exact girl, or among the girls Jill Roberts identified as him cheating with.
 * Scream 5 (2022 film set in 2021): Judy Hicks is targeted as a diversion tactic, after Ghostface successfully lures Samantha Carpenter back to Woodsboro, so Amber Freeman can distract the Woodsboro Police to finish the job and kill Tara Carpenter (the opening victim attack, but not murder).