Atlanta Murders

The Atlanta Murders, otherwise known as the 2018 Atlanta Ghostface Killings (or College Park, Atlanta, Georgia Murders), refers to a series of violent murders that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia in October and November of 2018, over the course of less than a week, during a six-day period, committed by 20-something year old adult/club promoter, Jamal Elliot, and his teenage lover, 17 year old Weaver High School student, Beth; whom both used the guise of Ghostface (set apart from the entity of the franchise, in the films) to carry out during the 8th anniversary week of the death of Deion Elliot in Halloween 2010, taking place in the city of College Park (which on the south-side of the city, borders Atlanta). The events of this killing spree would become its own murder spree and the first Ghostface killing spree to not be correlated to any of the past murder sprees in the films or their characters, respectively (so far, separating this event from the events of the film series and their continuities).

Brother Dearest: Jamal Elliot, "the tatted up thug" (according to Beth), and the mastermind of the operation.

The first Ghostface killing spree to be set in Atlanta (the fifth Ghostface killing spree out of seven overall, if counting the films, technically; as well as the second murder spree set in a real-world location following Hollywood, California in Scream 3) was spearheaded by an adult Jamal "Jay" Elliot, the (first) illegitimate son of Earl Elliot (and stepson of Sherry Elliot), and the older half brother of Deion and his surviving twin brother, Marcus Elliot, alongside with his secret girlfriend and partner, 17-year-old Beth, whom was a horror movie fanatic, as well as incoming high school senior at Weaver High School, which Marcus attended alongside her. He would then hook up and recruit her, when meeting her for the first time when getting his tattoos after hours at a tattoo parlor in Atlanta where Beth was employed, and whom by being convinced by her, ultimately decided to layout his plan with her to rollout a killing spree, sometime before or up until October 2018.

Driving Miss Sociopath: Beth, "the pretty little white girl" (her own words), who was the sociopathic and cunning horror movie fanatic and operations as the accomplice to Jay's plan.

Throughout the killings, by using the Father Death costume in which a young Deion had died in, both Jamal and Beth carried out the murders, using the traditional buck knife as well as new methods of killing their victims. Despite being the original mastermind, Jamal would later be overshadowed by his accomplice, due to Beth carrying out many of the murders, as well as their different motives and ultimately, both their falling out and Beth's betrayal. However, each were agreed in that they each sought out in their motives to call out the hypocrisy around Marcus (for his lie) and his friend group; due to Marcus's secret and main motive of Jamal having committed the spree, whom had stolen Deion's name and identity following abandoning Deion during his attack by 70-something Hook Man (real name Luther Thompson) and his ultimate death, as well as his mannerisms of being a football star. This was in regards, due to Marcus originally having dressed in Halloween 2010 as Father Death which he was shown trick or treating alone and picking up a TWINS (parody of TWIX) chocolate bar at then teenage girl Becky's house (whom had received a prank call just before with someone using the voice of Ghostface), while Deion was in his football gear and helmet, in which prior to Deion's death, the twins switched costumes with Marcus in order to boost Deion's confidence following his Halloween candy bag being chucked over the fence of an old war (Vietnam) veteran's junkyard shed (Luther) by Marcus's former bully, Tommy Jenkins.

The massacre was debated initially during the beginning, mainly profiled by the Atlanta Police Department, as an isolated incident in regards to both race and ethnicity, and the culture of the streets of Atlanta (and America, in a sense of urban areas/cities) as "drug dealers like masks just as much as psychopaths do", likening the crime in sprawls of metropolitan areas to just normalized crime and homicide; which also is regarded, socio-politically, to have been the first (and only) Ghostface spree to have taken place during a U.S Republican president's time in office, thus far. As of 2023, this is officially the only non-related Ghostface murder spree to not have had its story documented or incorporated into the Stab franchise; this is due to the fact that this murder spree occurred outside of Woodsboro, California, nor was it based off its' titular murders, as well as it not having involved Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, or Dewey Riley).

Background

Halloween 2010 (Pre to Post)

Prior to Deion's death, Jamal was the firstborn and oldest illegitimate son of Earl Elliot, a trucker, alongside Jay's unnamed/unseen mother, whom he had lived with supposedly in Kentucky (supposed birth state) and who growing up, would later resent his father for himself being the outcast son. This was is in turn, after then meeting with Deion for the first time at a football camp in Kentucky the summer either before or during Halloween 2010, per Earl's insistence at getting to know another and being therefore acknowledged and aware of the existence of his father's side family. However, Jamal's mother wasn't. Despite this, Jamal would get along well with Deion prior to his departure in the summer, whose meeting occurred and was unbeknownst to Earl's other son or Deion's twin brother, Marcus, as well to Sherry. Jamal would learn of them seemingly by either Deion or Earl, and who kept his meeting with Deion a secret until Earl would officially introduce them or Deion would announce. However, following the aftermath of what occurred on October 31, 2010, this never occurred. Jamal's biological mother was depressed in learning of Jamal's half side family being chosen by Earl over her or her son, causing her to commit suicide by locking herself in the garage and leaving the car running .

Afterwards, Earl would then take in Jamal to Atlanta, where he would then supposedly be introduced to his side family, and who upon arriving, immediately sensed and knew Marcus wasn't Deion, and who was aware of this but never said anything. This, alongside with his resentment to his father and his mother's death, pent up Jamal's anger and disapproval as he watched Marcus grow up and take Deion's name, identity, and his life path, without any regards. This then caused him to snap, and approaching the now 8 year anniversary of Deion's death, decided to commit the murder spree, which he had been plotting since his arrival to Atlanta and growing up. It's unsure whether he got the Father Death costume around the same time of high school dropout/co-worker Shane's stint of using the costume to rob pharmacies, but who most likely did and decided to approach on attacking around Marcus's senior year of high school, not long after meeting Beth.

Raising "Deion”

Either the summer before or during the first half of Marcus's senior year at Weaver High School (in between September 2018), Jamal would begin plotting his murder spree, which he had always wanted to carry out, but who had lacked the motivation ever since. He would carry out after having met with Beth, who was also an incoming high school senior at Weaver, who he would relay and later, begin a relationship with. He was a local customer at Beth's tattoo parlor in which she worked as a tattoo artist, which he frequently visited as he worked as a party promoter around Atlanta, which many students at Weaver attended throughout the city. Using the guise of the truth he uncovered about the significance of the Father Death costume from Halloween 2010 (unsure whether or not he knew of the costume swap; most likely did based off visual evidence/intuition), as well as his job to assume and carry out the murders. One night, Jamal would then reveal and confide in Beth about the events,(which Beth in her reveal noted was how she knew they were kindred spirits), and alongside with Beth's ulterior "wannabe killer in search of an origin story" motive was finally how Jamal and Beth became a Ghostface duo, as well as a secret couple (the second to do so in the franchise, after Jill and Charlie; the first to be an inappropriate one, due to Jamal being an adult and Beth a teenager).

Murders and story

Have a Terrific Day!🙃 :Tommy Jenkins would become the the first victim of the 2018 murders in a brutally yet surprising fashion by Ghostface in his official, official debut.

Hit 'Em Up

At Beth's insistence, Jamal would then carry out his first murder in the mid-morning hours of Monday, October 29th, 2018 by murdering Marcus's bully, a now teenager Tommy Jenkins, whom lured him to an abandoned warehouse posing as an old man requested via a ride-sharing company called Thumbs Up (like Uber) before sneaking into his car in the Ghostface costume, whom as Tommy denied the man service as he turned around after texting, slashing his throat and gagging a dying Tommy in a grocery store bag as Tommy bled and died out, inside his work car during the day. Tommy would soon be discovered not long after by the Atlanta P.D, who would then become the first victim in the anniversary murder spree.

Sometime before, Jamal would sneak Marcus in a "TWINS'' chocolate bar (hinting at his knowledge and Marcus's first clue) as well as a note that read "Trick or Treat" in capital letters to taunt Marcus as he arrived as "Deion" to school after jogging, who would find the clue not long after entering and the schools' metal detector at the doors noting the candy as it went off. Later on after classes and during his lunch break, Beth most likely slipped into his locker another one of Jamal's TWIN bars and a new note which read "Parking Garage. After school" whom Marcus would now look outwards as he does so, before running into Ghostface (either Beth or Jamal) who appears to him from the upper level of the parking garage as Marcus tries to find and chase after before he's then run into Avery Collins, which he suspects of playing with him when he approaches his car, whose alarm is going off, most likely due to Ghostface leaving before Marcus or anyone else arrived.

This leads for Avery's true colors to show as he and Marcus face off, with Avery being not so subliminally racist, such as taunting his socioeconomic status for not having a car (which is subliminally, racially motivated) and who then accuses Marcus of instigating it as Mrs. Pell, both Marcus’s and the new girl Liv Reynolds's homeroom teacher arrives at the lot, who gives him and Liv detention (Marcus having been almost given one hours prior, in the morning, for arriving to his homeroom late, defending himself with his football player card; where he'd then meet Liv) as Liv then denounces Avery, who happened to see and overhear what Avery said, by dumping Avery's football jersey on the ground.

Pre-Assembly: Mr. Fitch and the soon-to-be Deadfast Club at detention, making the reference based off the 1985 film as Marcus and Liv walk in (Off-screen)

This then leads for detention to take place after school in the school library, where Mr. Fitch would indict Marcus and Liv, as well as Beth, Kym, Manny, and Amir Ayoub (Amir who he had seen as Marcus jogged to school; the others during lunch, as Kym and Marcus are from the same block) ironically as The Breakfast Club. Kym is startled and unsure of the reference, which Amir notes to them by looking up the film as Beth also chimes in, as she blends into the group. Beth would then begin a one-sided romance with Amir, which she used in order to deflect suspicion of her persona (seeing as she’s goth and a horror movie buff), but also to her advantage, play off her own knowledge, mainly from Marcus, Kym, and Liv. Sometime later, former high school dropout of Weaver, and drug dealer Shane (Jamal's co-worker/party promoter, used the alias Mr. Fade) then arrives unannounced to the detention after Mr. Fitch leaves, and during this time, Jamal (or Beth) texted Marcus to meet them at the locker room, just before Shane’s arrival, interrupting him and Liv flirting within the empty aisle at the library. Beth is smoking by the window, which she would leave open just as Shane arrived.

Suprise Attack: Marcus is attacked for the first time by Ghostface

This would be the signal as Beth released the others from detention and leaving her alone with Shane, as Marcus then arrived and was stunned by Jamal as Ghostface in the locker room, which had the showers running, and fogged his vision, who was lured by a text message inside the locker of the killer’s phone (perhaps Jamal’s second phone). At approximately either 2-3:46 PM, the locker phone leads to Marcus being distracted before Ghostface appears behind him and stuns him with his taser gun in his back, knocking Marcus on his back and who proceeds to stab him with a fake buck knife on his chest, which startles him before he then stuns Marcus again with another round of volts to his body, knocking him out. Afterwards, Jamal would likely let Beth know, who seemingly would then lead Liv, Kym, Manny, and Amir to find him and carry Marcus outside, as he awakes and tries to explain his confrontation with Ghostface, which none of them believe at first (due to his football player status, and being knocked out and found in the locker room), as Beth shrugs and sarcastically tells it off, perhaps as part of the both her and Jamal's plans.

Hello, Ghostface: Ghostface, making their introduction to Liv Reynolds, at her window ("The Deadfast Club")

Later that night, back at Liv’s house somewhere in the nicer suburbs of Atlanta, as she’s about to shower, after having been lectured for being in detention and asked to stay in track due to their moving/settling in at the request of Liv's police officer father, Officer Reynolds, who said it due to his fear of well-being (later sidelined and given exposition of), Ghostface (likely Jamal) then appears through her bathroom window after Liv wipes off the condensing water from the window, which startles her and which leads her to believe Marcus (posing as “Deion”) and his solo confrontation from earlier, as she heads over to his house, where she’s unofficially introduced to Jamal, who then gives her exposition about “Marcus” when she asks about “Deion” in a childhood photo at his apartment in College Park, which is how she’s the only one of the group whose’ able to discuss the subject with Marcus (subsequently before Marcus reveals himself in his true identity in the finale, due to the duo’s romantic relationship) .

Either Beth or Jamal would then taunt Marcus by officially calling him on the phone for the first time while he’s working out at the Weaver High School weight room gym at night, which comes not long after sitting out his football practice (due to his detention) and talking to his mother (Jamal’s step), Sherry Elliot, at the bleachers of his school’s football field. They would threaten him with exposing his secret and also killing his friends, referring to the group at detention, taunting him at the end with Liv's name. Marcus would then confront Amir Ayoub after hanging up on Ghostface, who was dressed in the titular costume and mask, who most likely only overheard some of the conversation, since when Marcus unmasks, he is unaware of what he’s referring to as Amir states how he came to pick up all of his music equipment which he hides from his parents after hearing nothing while in line at Shane’s party that night.

Murder Party: A Mr. Fade Production

"Drop dead, Avery"- Liv's infamous last words and unknowingly granting her admirer's fate moments later.

Marcus and Amir afterwards head out to Shane’s party being held at the Old Metro Station abandoned warehouse, not far from College Park or Atlanta, as they arrive. This would be the cue for Beth and Jamal to begin taunting Marcus, seeing as how Shane explains the costumes to Marcus at the front door as just a pop-up and generic Halloween costume, which he highly suspects and would confirm someone is in fact, targeting him. Marcus arrives, dressed in the costume, to the silent disco alone (after having told Amir to leave and threatened to snitch him out; thus why he was missing from the first meeting); he unmasks himself as most likely Jamal as Ghostface taunts him, seeing as how somewhere else in the dancefloor, Beth is making out with Shane, who has joined the party after having been at the door accepting payments. As Kym and Manny watch from above and leave, Jamal would then don the costume and sneak up into the metal balcony of the warehouse as well, out of sight, and target Avery Collins after his public yet unseen falling out with Liv down below (as Avery was humiliated by Liv as he talked down on her, before being slapped by Liv across the face as he tried to grab her hand and to falsely apologize, leading him to getting drunk and sometime in between the end of the meeting, made his way up to the balcony, where he'd then find Beth disposing of her costume, which would be the cue for both Beth below and Jamal as Ghostface as above to act; Jamal claiming Avery's death during his reveal was to show Marcus and his group that he meant business).

Deadly Dagger: Avery Collins "falls" victim as he is killed by Ghostface in another surprise manner, marking him as the second victim.

This occurred after Marcus was slashed by either Beth or Jamal moments later as he received a phone call on the dance floor, taunting him of exposing him and making him bear the truth, which he does so per the killer’s demands and then talks to The Breakfast Club (before Beth indicted them their official group name) outside the party in an abandoned city bus, which he reveals and gives the exposition (without ever revealing himself as Marcus; the only ones who knew being Beth and Jamal) to the crew, who don’t understand and don’t believe his warnings of there being a killer after them, due to each of their individual status quos, according to Manny, and of nobody knowing them at school, thus giving no reason to attack them. Afterwards, the informal meeting ends before Kym and Manny leave the bus, as well as Beth then, who did it in order to set up the plan in motion, which occurs at exactly 9:30 PM. This would give Jamal the signal, as Beth then is shown back at the silent party dance-floor, who throws away her party costume before being called by a now drunken Avery from above, as Beth acts unfazed with Avery’s attempt to hit on her, as she keeps him talking before Ghostface (Jamal) then grabs Avery from his back and his face, to silence him as Avery battles to be let go, before Ghostface drops him, putting back on Avery’s mask.

As Beth looks up to watch but who has to acts dumbfounded (due to being in public) as Avery’s phone drops from above and who watches as Avery in his full Ghostface costume is dropped and falls from the balcony and lands impaled, on a spike/metal pole, which causes him to bleed as he is and whose blood gushes Beth on the face, which she acts shocked as the other partygoers unmask to see a masked Avery struggle in his final moments as Beth then walks and unmasks Avery as he dies, causing panic and for the party to be died out. After the crowd disperses, Beth gathers the members of detention, out of costume and in their normal clothes as they try and take in what’s happened as Shane tells them to ditch and whom afterward, Beth would guide the detention crew to her workplace where she would officially indict them with their group name based off the The Breakfast Club, known as The Deadfast Club, after each of them received a text of Avery's body and a from Ghostface on cue when talking about the events not being connected and neither of them being involved (likely Jamal; a reference to the GIF text send to students in "Pilot" of Nina Patterson's death, similarly), as Beth then lays out the context of them being in a horror movie (meta-reference) to Kym's annoyance (as she refers to Beth throughout for her role, albeit correct, as villainous/goth characters, such as Edward Scissorhands in this instance), as Beth (falsely) warns the group of their status quo as stereotypes and lays out (subliminal to her identity) her horror movie knowledge, claiming how none of them survive, referring to herself, Amir (geek) and Manny (as the gay friend; which in turn, references the 2nd rule stated in Scream 4, tried to be used to be spared by Robbie Mercer), and claims how Liv will be fine when she worries, as she has "Final Girl" potential. When Marcus asks about himself and Kym, Beth tells them to not take this the wrong as she lays out the stereotype of Black people dying in first in horror, much to Kym's smugness at the fact (reversed in the finale).

Slit-Fry: Latavious is killed (off-screen) by Ghostface via slashed throat, his death a subtle nod to the traditional M.O.

Slit and Dip

Following Avery’s murder, the Club heads home as Beth and Jamal then target Kym as their next victim as she heads home into her apartment building in Atlanta approximately 23 minutes later at 9:53 PM (following the premiere episode, still the same day) as Kym heads home, having stopped by to rent Redbox movies, for research purposes and whom before going inside, is hit on by a young drug dealer, Latavious, in front of other apartment residents, whose offer to "Netflix and chill" is declined by Kym, as she heads inside to find her apartment empty and her mom having left a note, about her whereabouts (similar reference would be used by Judy Hicks almost 3 years later, with her son and her lemon squares) . Off-screen, and after the other residents left or headed inside, Latavious was killed by Jamal as Ghostface by slitting his throat while he was sat down at the outdoor couch. Beth would then as Ghostface, call Kym as she watched the 2007 remake of Halloween (based off John Carpenter's 1978 film of the same name, mentioned throughout the film franchise), who was critiquing the movie in a meta-reference to horror movie rules and whose texted by Manny prior to answering Ghostface who taunts her about being home alone and seeing her, and about playing a game. Kym arms herself with a knife as she heads outside, with Ghostface on the phone (Beth), to the front of her apartment before she then stumbles upon Latavious's corpse and narrowly misses her attack by Jamal as Ghostface, who disappears as Kym alerts the apartment as she yells and screams before Manny arrives as she's startled and who consoles her.

The Atlanta P.D later arrive to take Kym's account, which she finds is being overlooked as an officer claims they've got it in order reluctantly, much to Kym's annoyance. Manny talks with her as Jamal then arrives, as he then acts normally, as he tries to deflect suspicion of him as not having heard and how things happen (probably did so to defend Beth, per their plan, who as Ghostface left as soon as she failed to attack Kym, who had alerted her own building with her screams following finding LT's body; unstated, but more than likely he was close and calling from an undisclosed location nearby and who spied on Kym when he called her), and who tells Kym and Manny that he'll leave his mark before leaving, much to their confusion and subliminally hinting at his identity, as he and Beth would rollout more murders in the days that followed.

Devil's Night, 2018

The Group: The former detention crew now newly formed Deadfast Club following Avery's death the night prior (from left to right: Marcus Elliot, Amir Ayoub, Liv Reynolds, Kym, Manny, and Beth)

The next morning on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018, at an empty hallway inside Weaver High School, the Deadfast Club convenes (except for Liv, who's revealed to have been ordered to stay at home by her father following Avery's death; where she would use her time before disobeying her father by researching on her dad's College Park Police database laptop to trace the background reports and origins of Deion and Marcus and the events of Halloween 2010). At school, Beth leads the group as they discuss Kym's attack on her last night, which she states as a way to deflect off her suspicion, despite being the goth stereotype (few examples where it's correct), as well as to ignore Avery's death, which has a memorial sitting outside with flowers in remembrance. Marcus also leads as he tries to figure out why they would kill LT as Kym states how the killer was trying to kill her, and points out the killer's words of LT (and drug dealers exploiting the community they live in, generally) as Beth leads the conversation about them being caught in a horror movie and how it has rules, as do killers having codes. Manny laments not having arrived earlier, as Kym lets him down slowly and assures him that conflict isn't his strong suit (precursor to their fight).

The group begins to debate, as Marcus states how the killer is keeping good on their word, as Amir states they should call the cops, blatantly (and obviously) denied by Beth immediately, as she subverts, stating and covers by the stereotype in horror of cops being useless, which Kym agrees and states it works the same way in real life, regarding the context, as Kym gives the group the police's statement straight of drug dealers being killers (claiming they gave that by the time they arrived) as Marcus would then ask Beth hypothetically, how'd they survive if they're trapped in a horror movie. Kym interrupts before Beth could answer by stating by not listening to her (ironic, as Beth is the false protagonist/killer), and concluding with her research from last night, states how the type of horror movies Beth was referring to are "white people places making dumb white people mistakes". Kym and Beth face off each other as Beth claims, somewhat angry as to that's exactly what horror is, as Marcus tries to break their tension, traced to race culture. Kym denies as she states there are Black people in horror movies, to which Beth replies for her to name one besides Get Out from 2017, as Kym defies stating she doesn't have to and that they're (her, Marcus, and in general) making their own rules "just like Jordan Peele". Amir tells Kym not to spoil it as he hasn't seen it, to which Kym sarcastically does, based on the title and the context clues within and states how in that movie, the titular character Chris survives by going straight for the killers and suggests they do the same.

Beth subliminally claims she can't believe she's saying but who (to avoid suspicion) agrees with Kym, as she states to the group how in horror, generally nobody actually goes after the killer until almost everyone's almost dead, who states by doing this now, they flip the script and how Ghostface would never see it coming as Marcus then tells Beth, reminding her how none of them (except her being one of two) have any idea who the killer is. The bell rings, as the group would then disembark to class as Manny asks what the plan is, stating he doesn't plan on getting detention ever again as Marcus tells them to hold tight, until they at least figure out who's doing the attacks on them as Amir asks when they're doing that, as Marcus states after school and how they'll meet up and talk suspects, but how until the, for nobody to "stick their neck out" as they all do and Beth agrees as she then asks who's going to call the "Princess" (Liv) and let her know as Marcus then asks where she's at.

Sometime afterwards, Beth and Jamal would plot and change plans, seeing as Beth is working from the inside, to lure Shane as well as the club after hours at night to Weaver to attack, which meant hacking with the school's security access and metal detectors, most likely done by Beth. However, Marcus's unprecedent change in the football team as a QB from a running back (due to Avery's death) due to Coach Griffin's demands, changes the plan for the Club to meetup after school (as the coach uses Marcus's hard work and the football coach from San Diego going to see him for him to practice). This comes after an assembly in Avery's honor is held at the Weaver High School gymnasium for students, with the others in the club (minus Marcus) in attendance, where Mr. Fitch introduces Officer Reynolds to discuss Avery's death as a cautionary tale and to warn them of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, as mandated, as Kym joins Manny, Amir, and Beth as she shades the police as Reynolds well as proceeding to ask anyone at the party to get in contact with the police as part of an investigation of finding out who organized the party (and unstated, the killer due to Kym's attack), and if they know of any info of a former student at Weaver, now using the "Mr. Fade" alias.

Kym then supposedly puts the pieces together after Reynolds states this, as Beth talks down on the cops being useless as Kym tells them calmly in the bleachers amongst the other students that she doesn't know about what Beth said and as Kym states she figured out (incorrectly) who the "killer" is as the others look at her in confusion. After the assembly at a corner of the hallway as students leave the assembly, she states how it's Shane due to the invitations, Ghostface costumes, and accepting money at the front door, as Amir also realizes the connection with Shane. Manny asks why Shane would kill Avery, as Beth (to cover Jamal) claims how Avery used to buy from Shane all the time and links it to a deal gone bad. Manny then asks about the costumes and what they meant to Marcus as Amir then chimes in how it was perhaps a bad coincidence, as Manny states how that's a lot of "maybes" as Kym then states using the word, how they'd want to think about it until the killer shows up at one of their houses and tries to turn them inside out, as Kym then believes bottom line that Shane is Ghostface and that they need to do something about it before he does any of them and asks for them to vote. Amir then points out if they're going to wait for Marcus (going by "Deion" up until his reveal in the season finale) as Kym states they need to vote now with or without him and how obviously Manny votes for her plan (reversed in the following day) and how that leaves Amir and Beth, as Beth does so, due to her role, as Amir asks what exactly is her plan, which Kym states is to trap him so they can interrogate him. Amir states how Shane's a "total badass" and doubts the plan working as Beth states she may know a way (due to her relationship with him) and how all they have to do is trust her as Kym shrugs and looks at Beth smugly.

Beth would then lure and bait Shane, and which occurs at an undisclosed empty pharmacy with one pharmacist working the register, Shane guised as Ghostface holds his gun (a Wesson and Smith) to the pharmacist and hands him a list of medications he needs which the pharmacist complies to get as he sticks him up. The pharmacist places the bottles and drugs in a bag, and who's about to alert the authorities under the register with a button before Shane gun butts the pharmacist on his head and leaves through the backdoor before unmasking himself as he then texts Beth that he has her stuff and to pay him, complying and unaware of his trap by the real killer herself.

After school later at night, Marcus is shown guiding his football team at practice at the football field as they huddle, seeing as how Marcus is now the new quarterback and Hawkins has now replaced him on the football team in his old spot as the running back before the group then begins practice, which doesn't go well, much to Griffin's disappointment, leading it to end early. The same night, Amir and Beth are shown at his and his parent's undisclosed donut shop in Atlanta as Amir is seen taking $1,000 in cash out of the safe in the shop, which he's upset about as Beth convinces him (due to her and Jamal setting up the attack at Weaver) that they need it and that they're only borrowing the money and not taking it, in order to convince and ultimately lure Shane (Amir and the others unaware of her being a killer and their other plans). Amir reluctantly agrees as Beth then toys around with a shotgun that Amir's parents have at his shop and points it at him, to Amir's annoyance, as Beth then begins their flirtation (since meeting in the cafeteria and detention a day prior) by stating how even Luke Skywalker from Star Wars dipped his toe into the dark side once (one of various Star Wars references in the franchise). The hint goes over Amir's head as he does a Darth Vader impression and tells Beth how "the Force is strong with this one" (foreshadowing) as Beth tells him way to ruin the moment before walking off as they then head towards the school afterwards, seemingly awkward.

Back at the school after hours, Kym and Manny are shown talking and setting up the makeshift gas in the chemistry lab, due to Manny being an honors chemistry student, as Kym doubts the plan working. The duo talk, as Manny is seen working on the project while Kym discusses "dream funerals" if they were to die, much to Manny's arrogance at Kym not focusing or his confusion of who thinks about that. Kym states herself and states how she has it all planned out, and who then makes many references to Black culture, such as wanting at her funeral the Harlem Boys Choir to sing "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men (unless they got the real group to sing; the song being from the 1992 film Boomerang) and for Michelle Obama (future president in Kym's words) to deliver her eulogy, and lastly for the Black Student Union to read "I Leave You Love" by American civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune, her final testament. Manny stops to listen to her before continuing to work on the project as he asks Kym to help him find the fog machine, which she reveals she had but didn't know their conversation would go this deep (ironic, since Manny doesn't reveal what he wants for his until after the events). After getting the fog machine, the two prepare and would then meet with Amir and Beth as they arrived and set the trap up for Shane, at an unstated room somewhere in the library and at the school.

In this unallocated time, Beth would then inform Jamal of where to go and what would happen before he put on his disguise of Ghostface. Jay would then arrive beforehand, with his friends as he seemingly is there to give Marcus a ride after practice with his friends from Atlanta (his friends being with in order for Jamal to avoid suspicion of being solo), much to Marcus's own annoyance and who claims how he doesn't have time to get contact high with Jay and the "Migos" referring to his crew, using his position as the QB he has to learn by tomorrow as a reason before Jamal would then hand the keys of his car to his homies and to go without him and that him and "little bro" (Marcus) had some work to do, as Jamal pats Marcus and both proceed to help Marcus practice at the now empty football field (Jamal did this perhaps to get alone and be closer to the school, before he donned the costume since yesterday).

The half-brothers talk as they play a game of catch with the football, as Jamal then reassures Marcus of nothing wrong with his game but it all in his head, referring to it being about Halloween tomorrow, referring to the upcoming 8 year anniversary of the one back in 2010, and then shading about Jay's inclusion. Marcus notices this tone change, as Jamal then talks down on Earl, their father, as Marcus defends him for being a trucker to take care of them, as Jay claims Earl "does a lot on that road" referring to his own identity (pre-reveal) as Marcus claims how they've never been tight and that they need to work on that and how now ain't the time, as Jay then states how its because of Marcus's tunnel vision, which angers him as both face off one another as Marcus is then distracted by Liv watches from the bleachers and who leaves Jamal as he goes to talk to Liv. The duo would then proceed to go to a diner (unspecified amount of time, but before the message was played back at Weaver and occurred as Shane was knocked out by trap) to talk after Liv's statement of "Marcus' being alive, which he denied and begged Liv, despite being shown police evidence and about the death of Tommy and Avery yesterday, using his own twin intuition of Liv's theory to be rest aside and left, wearing his own letterman jacket (reference to Cotton Weary being implicated for Maureen Prescott's murder by Billy and Stu by having worn a jacket, pre-Scream; similarly, Deion's death by Hook Man and his implication as a suspect for the murders and his death taking place before the murders, loosely).

Slash in Session

Jay would then to sneak into the school as Ghostface after Marcus and Liv left to go and set up the speakerphone with a pre-recorded message using the voice changer. Soon after the Club confronted and interrogated Shane, who fell for the trap, and where he was knocked out by the knockout gas at the empty room in the library after seeing the money on a projector, where he was tied to a chair and who was confronted. Shane is upset with Beth for lying which she admits as the group presses him on his identity, mainly by Kym and Beth (the latter so to avoid suspicion and implicate him as per her and Jamal's plan) as Manny empties his backpack to reveal the Ghostface mask falling out as Beth stands back to look slyly (despite no other phone or voice recorder falling) as Shane states how in regards to the costumes, that they were all the party and that they each have one.

Shane then figures out what's happening and reveals himself as Mr. Fade but that he isn't a killer, referring to and claiming Avery's death as an accident as Beth denies, as Kym states what about the costumes and why he's messing with Marcus like that, much to Shane's confusion, who states goes with the whole anonymity thing as she asks where he got them, as Shane claims he's got hookups everywhere and that one of his boys got it for him, albeit he doesn't know which one (Jamal). Beth then asks him, facing forward, if he really expects them to believe that, as Shane agrees and claims he's not a "lying bitch" like her, referring to his betrayal by her and how for all he knows one of them sent him the "creepy ass text", referring to the one they got about Avery's death. Kym asks which as Shane tells her to check his phone inside his pocket which she takes out and does so as the Club looks at it and reveals his innocence. At this time, the cue would be given (seemingly by Beth) as Jamal as Ghostface plays the message over the speakerphone to the Club: "Attention, Weaver High Students. Slash is now in session. And it's time for one of you to die". Shane smiles smugly as he's proven innocent.

Back outside an unspecified street off distance to the diner where Marcus and Liv where at (in Atlanta), Marcus is shown walking to a bus stop to get home, as Liv catches up to him behind him, who offers Marcus a ride. He declines and tells her how she's done enough as Liv claims she was just trying to help, which Marcus insists she can help him by letting it go, referring to their discussion at the diner. Liv points out Marcus's selfishness as she states how it's about all of them before they're both interrupted by a patrol car who quietly turns on its sirens and lights, as it's revealed to be Officer Reynolds, Liv's father, who seemingly (according to Beth) was following her (due to a GPS tracker in her car, given exposition the next day by Liv) and who then reprimands her in front of Marcus, before she then walks off and heads to her car to leave for home. Marcus then turns around to wait for the bus (or walk home) before Reynolds then detains him for a little chat. Reynolds then runs Marcus's information and who came back clean as Marcus then asks if that means he can go, as Reynolds then tells Marcus about dating his daughter, and to give him his word on that and he'll be let go, referring to him and Liv talking at the diner, which Marcus states wasn't a date (half-decent, as referred to by Liv the next day), and how he can't make any promises he can't keep (his identity). Reynolds reads Marcus's subliminal hint, and deems him a good kid, and how he's going to let him off with a warning as he then tells him to stay away from Liv, if he knows what's good for him (would explain more in depth 2 days later) as Marcus then walks up and leaves from the bench at the bus stop where he was held, as Reynolds heads into his trooper car and watches Marcus go by.

Meanwhile, at the library back at Weaver, either Amir himself or the other club members (most likely Beth, due to her and Amir's faux-romance, which was unbeknownst to him; did in order to signal Jamal as Ghostface to get ready) told Amir to call Marcus as he does so, and lets Marcus in on the situation and where they're at, despite Marcus being upset they voted without him, before Marcus tells him to hang on and tells them how he's on his way, as Marcus hangs up and jogs the empty streets towards Weaver, like he did the day prior. Amir then lets the others know, just a few feet away from a tied Shane, as Kym remarks she doesn't plan on being there when Marcus does eventually show up. Beth then spews her knowledge and tells Kym it's a rookie mistake and how in horror, the last thing they'd want is for them to head off by oneself when the killer is in their midst (irony) and also gives word by word, reciting and stating it's as stupid as saying "I'll be right back", and how either way Kym's dead meat. Kym, referring to Beth as Cruella, reminds Beth she's not in one of her "damn horror movies" and how anybody that wants to roll with her is welcome, and how she has Mace and that she's doing whatever it takes to survive, even if that means vacating, as Manny and Shane agree with Kym, as Shane asks them to untie him, as Kym then asks Amir who states he's with Beth, and they'll be right behind her and Manny as soon as they untie Shane, as Kym (foreshadowing) claims it's his funeral before leaving alongside Manny, as Amir then worried (due moreso to his parents) if he is and who asks Beth, as she (obviously) tells him to relax and how he mad the right call and that all they have to do is wait for either Kym or Manny to scream (perhaps a signal for Beth herself by Jamal, seeing as she's Ghostface) to seemingly bounce, much to Amir's confusion as Beth tells him probably because Ghostface "stuck a knife in them". Amir claims that's messed up as Beth proceeds to untie Shane, as Shane comments it is and refers to Beth as also being that, and as he gets up, tells Amir to follow his lead out the door, and reveals himself to be strapped with his gun from earlier after Beth tells him that's not a good idea (this would be a clue given from Beth to Jamal to be aware of).

At the hallways, Kym and Manny find a door of the school to exit, which Kym celebrates to early before it's revealed that Jamal as Ghostface (due to knowing of Manny's role as an office aide, which he tells Kym as he panics and of the keys) locked the exits of the building, seemingly rendering them trapped. Manny is then having a panic/asthma attack (due to his worst fear than being at school is dying there, due to his orientation) as he then leads Kym to his locker to gets his inhaler, which sees a Ghostface mask and robe inside as Kym states she's going to do him a solid and pretend that's not "suspicious as hell" (despite there not being neither a second phone or a voice changer; an homage to Sidney finding Angelina Tyler drop her stuff in Scream 3, inversely as just like Kym, both open stuff, albeit the differences of the people in each. Like Manny, Angelina didn't have a voice changer) before leaving with him as Manny guides her with the directions as Manny gets under control, and Kym then leaves him in a empty room and claims she'll be right back, much to Manny's annoyance of stating it.

Meanwhile, at an undisclosed storage room somewhere in the school, Beth (playing along, due to her and Jamal's plan, seemingly; due to preying on Amir's fears, seeing as he's the only member in the club fond of her) and Amir are shown hiding in a storage closet, much to Amir's confusion, referring to Beth as the horror movie expert, in regards to why, as Beth (subliminally, due to her identity) answers and claims how in horror, it's a classic hiding place and who answers 80-20 in regards to safety and how it almost always works and how it goes horribly wrong when it doesn't, much to Amir's questioning and disbelief. Amir gasps and Beth holds his mouth as Jamal as Ghostface is shown appearing and passing by their closet, who manages to hear his gasp and who stands still, before walking away. Amir then sighs and whispers to Beth that was close, who shushes him again just as Ghostface then reappears, now looking and trying to peer inside the closet through it's door blinds as both Amir and Beth fall silent before Jamal then leaves. Beth sighs (falsely) and who reassures him how they're safe as Amir asks her how she knew he'd come back as Beth states how it's due to the rule in horror of the killer always coming back (did this to divert attention and defend Jamal; moreso a reference to both Randy's final rule stated in the original Scream after unmasking their said killer and taking them down, supposedly, before their "one last scare"; inversed for Beth until season finale, who's statement of being safe to Amir, unbeknownst of her identity, is a reference to Kieran Wilcox's statement and subsequent reveal as the killer in "When A Stranger Calls").

Amir asks Beth if they can go, as Beth uses this moment to flirt with Amir, and grow his attachment to her, as stating if that's what he really wants, as Amir catches the hint and states he doesn't know what he wants, and shoots his shot, by stating Beth smells like Skittles and smoke (due to her being a cigarette smoker), and how it's intoxicating, as Beth then hits back asking him to taste the rainbow (per the Skittles slogan) and dares him to kiss her as Amir states how Shane was right and that she's crazy as they both lean in for their first kiss, before seemingly a broom falls as Amir leans to Beth, which makes sound, and interrupts them as Beth states how they have to go or else they're going to be gutted, referring to Ghostface as part of her plan, with or without Jay's knowledge of her side fling; making her betrayal to Jamal not only by partnership but relationship; much to Amir's disappointment at his missed shot as he whispers "Damn it" to himself as Beth leaves, and who would soon follow behind her before they were briefly "separated".

Tag, You're Next

Kym arrives to the supposedly empty main office at Weaver, alone, as she heads to retrieve the keys per Manny's directions, who finds the master keys missing before she says "Damn" to herself aloud, causing for her voice to be broadcast over the school microphone, who is startled as she hears her voice in the feedback and realizes she's been lured. She also finds the tape recorder with the prerecorded message playing from earlier, before Jamal as Ghostface turns around from the wheeled chair, which slightly creaks as it does (either the principal's or office staff; whose encounter alone with Kym at the office is a nod to Principal Arthur Himbry's death in the first Scream, which occurs after school hours similarly, albeit early on, at Woodsboro High School; Weaver's name is a subtle nod to the school).

Kym hears this and also turns back and who both face another, as Jamal as Ghostface has the knife held up, before then jumping up with the knife hand, heading to attack her as Kym runs to the side office from where she entered, screaming and grunts as she then takes her Mace out and sprays it on Jamal, whose seemingly taken aback and pretends to be hurt for a second to cover both his eyes, before revealing it to not have worked, much to Kym's annoyance and states "Double damn" before running away as a chase ensues between her and Ghostface behind her. Kym is shown to have exited the office and is running down the empty school hallways, with Jamal as Ghostface swinging the knife and who's getting closer behind Kym as he tries to slash her through her back, before Kym then acts quickly and turns to a side of the hallway to a door, which is open (unsure if this was coincidence or she knew the room was open; logically would've been attacked and only had a chance to see if it did or didn't work) which she swings and temporarily knocks Jamal in, as he stumbles and falls down, having been hit on the side, as Kym yells for the killer to "stay down, bitch" as Jamal as Ghostface sits up and immediately resumes to pursue Kym and to now to sneak up on her, whose heading to a locked gated hallway upon where she stumbles. Meanwhile, Marcus arrives after jogging to the school and yells for Kym to open up from the outside through a locked door (unclear whether he saw the chase or most likely saw either Kym or a figure pass by) before he then runs and looks for another way in.

Kym, meanwhile, arrives to a locked gated hallway, much to her desperation, before Jamal as Ghostface arrives and announces his entrance as he jingles the keys (homage to original Scream), as Kym previously had took off her jacket and who had tries to crawl unsuccessfully under the gate, only fitting her leg, as Kym then stands up and confronts Ghostface (Jamal) as he sinisterly walks up to her and admits she's scared, who then shouts to him about it, repeating what she said, which alerts Marcus outside of her location, who then quickly reacts, and grabs a rock and smashes the school window to get in through the hallway where he and the Club had convened just earlier in the morning. Just then as Kym watches fearfully, Shane arrives behind Jamal as Ghostface, who holds the knife steadily and ready, and whose gun is heard clicking, before Jamal turns around and Shane headbutts him with his gun on his head, seemingly knocking him down as Kym runs up to them as Jamal falls down. Kym then stands with Shane as they look down at Ghostface (unbeknownst to either of it being Jamal) as Kym then clamoring, tells Shane to shoot the killer.

Shane claims he will, but instead holds the gun at hand and stumbles, much to Kym's despair as she notices his inability to shoot and pleads with him to not be getting "cold feet", and asks what he's going to do, as Kym taunts him saying she thought he was hard, much to Shane's annoyance, who tells her to shut up. Kym then rambles how if he calls the police, they'll only put him in the system, and fearfully states that his face is white and that he'll be out trying to kill them in no time (ironically correct; due to fact that many Ghostface killers in the films have been white males). This doesn't do anything to ease Shane's tension, and unbeknownst to either him or Kym, Jamal as Ghostface slowly re-awakes as both Shane and Kym face off at each other before Kym then angrily heads toward Shane and is about to grab from his hand the gun and states she'll shoot him herself. This is when Jamal as Ghostface strikes, as he takes the buck knife and quickly slashes and wounds Kym's shoulder/upper arm. Shane is taken aback by this, who is quickly distracted, even as a wounded Kym is fine after taken aback (due to the slash being quick and not attacked further) argues with Shane to shoot Ghostface, as Jamal then unlocks the other side of the locked hallway gate with the office keys and who extends his arms in victory as Shane grunts and holds him at gun-point, yet fails to shoot, even as Kym arrives next to Shane and tries to pull the gun away so she can, before Shane finally admits he can't and each see it's too late as Ghostface has disappeared on the other side of the hallway.

Hide and Seek

Eye to Eye: Marcus's close encounter with Ghostface.

Marcus has found himself inside after breaking through the window, and is by the main entrance of the school by the disarmed security panels and by the hallway where the Club first convened in the morning. He then heads towards a locked school door from a side of the hallways after hearing one open, before being briefly startled by Jamal as Ghostface, albeit unbeknownst to him, who would make the two finger sign of pointing at his mask's eyes and back to Marcus as a clue before disappearing. Understanding the clue (which he would later use to identify Jay as the killer) and upset the killer got away, Marcus slams the door and looks on outside, before his name is yelled at and is then found by Kym, as they convene in the hall they met in the morning. Kym asks where the killer went, who perhaps saw and heard Marcus's entrance, as Shane approaches alongside Kym awkwardly yet with a smug face. Marcus tells them how they got away, which Kym says is thanks to Shane's "bitch ass, Mr. Fade", using his alias, much to Marcus's stern surprise of it being him. Shane agrees and claims, however, that he ain't no killer, in which his inability to kill Ghostface at gunpoint would make him a coward, or "Chicken".

Manny then arrives (in red herring trope, immediately after and in fast manner, jogging) as he then asks aloud and notices Kym's slashed arm and bleeding wound which he tends to before finally, Amir arrives and asks whose bleeding as he heads running towards them and asks Kym if she's OK. Uninterested, Kym alleviates both of their concerns and asks Amir about Beth's whereabouts as Amir states he doesn't know and they got separated not long after their hiding in the storage closet (due to her and Jay's Ghostface duo; seeing as Jamal as Ghostface after having escaped from Kym and Shane, as well as taunting Marcus from the outside, would inform Beth, when she got "separated" from Amir, briefly in a short window of time, of Shane's inability to kill him, which would then lead for her alone to make him her next target). Kym scoffs, and claims how that's convenient, and how right when the killer was after only her, he and "Morticia" make a run for it before Beth then arrives, claiming her arrival in one piece and how they should quit worrying about her (subliminally to hide her identity) and who tells Kym how she takes her reference as a compliment and thanks her (reference to The Addams Family; ironically, Jenna Ortega, the actress who portrays Tara from the fifth film, will also portray Morticia's titular daughter, Wednesday, in a 2022 Netflix series of the same name).

Angrily yet calmly, Marcus tells the Club how he had told them not to make a move without him and asks what happened, as an also calmly angry Kym states how her plan worked, referring to the lure and bait of Shane, and also about Ghostface (Jamal) which she and Shane had dead in their sights when they were in the cornered hallway, until Shane couldn't man up and pull the trigger, subliminally referring to his cowardice, which the Club picks up on. Moving past the point, Kym then tells Marcus how it was too bad he wasn't here and does so, as if suspecting him (perhaps per Jamal and Beth's plans to make the Club doubt Marcus further), which Marcus acknowledges and apologizes as he states he'll fix the matter at hand. This annoys Kym as she's over the edge, who goes off on him and claims a pep talk won't work out and how this isn't a football game but real life and asks rightfully upset to Marcus how they're going to find the man behind the mask now. Marcus then repeats his promise again to Kym, who upset, leaves with Manny and calls for him to help her find a way out of the damn school as the duo then leave.

Leaving Marcus with no words, Shane then offers his company to Beth to walk her home before she declines, and who decides (in a ploy and due to her plans as her own killer) to go with Amir, as she taunts him by saying how at least she knows he's not "a pussy". Upset and feeling betrayed, Shane gives an angry and smug look at Amir, with who he bumps somewhat roughly on his shoulder, as he walks off, as the duo and Shane would leave the school and leave Marcus to his thoughts, with Shane seemingly heading home. It's revealed that during this timeframe at night following the faux-showdown, Amir and Beth reunited at his family's donut shop and returned the money as per her own plans, Beth (as the killer) would lead Amir in to a will they-won't they fling, who drops hints and who is leading their flirtation; projecting doubt and making Amir, in her own sociopathy, feel as if he's not enough for her love, despite Amir's love struggles with her and somewhat clear view of their different cliques and being attracted to her. Meanwhile, Kym and Manny are shown back at Manny's house and the friend duo sharing a moment, which would be deterred the next day, due to Beth as Ghostface, as well as Marcus and Liv igniting their romance after Marcus left the school outside in an unspecified alleyway in a neighborhood street in Atlanta to meet with her.

Sometime after Beth went with and left Amir's donut shop in Atlanta, she would then don the Ghostface costume for the second time since killing Latavious and failing to attack Kym, and trade with Jamal, who supposedly had then headed home and let her take care of Shane as the fourth victim, seeing as Shane's death would mean the role and alias of Mr. Fade, (which perhaps/most likely Jay coined used as a double to hide his identity while as a club promoter to deflect on Shane), would come back to him again. It's plausible, that due to Beth not shown having a car (although perhaps can drive due to her age, unstated), borrowed or got a ride from Jamal's car (or other) and knew due to her personal connection to the victim (or snooping on police records from Liv or school, unstated), arrived at Shane's apartment, unstated whether she had waited for Shane or was there after he arrived. Beth as Ghostface would then seemingly use Shane's distraction and nerves from some delinquents having egged the window of his apartment and luring him out to begin her attack on him by calling him, and who spray-painted in white spray paint, the word in capital letters "COWARD" above the door of his building (however it's more likely Jamal could've helped Beth in spray painting due to the height difference in each; or perhaps did so herself, unclear).

Shane would head outside after talking to his bed-ridden ill grandmother, which is revealed the reason why he's a drug dealer and party promoter, as well as having dropped out of Weaver and robbing pharmacies using the Ghostface costume and his own (faux) alias of Mr. Fade around both Atlanta and College Park, is in order to fend and take care of her. Before leaving the apartment, Shane utters the infamous and final last words to his grandmother "I'll be right back", and who finds himself examining the egging from down below at an empty alleyway before receiving a call from Beth as Ghostface, unbeknownst to him of it being her. Shane answers the phone call, as the infamous voice pretends to call and poses as a potential client who's looking to score. Shane would for a second, without regard, think of it as a legit deal and starts asking the client what he wants, listing a variety of drugs he has (Oxycodone and Vicodin) before Beth as Ghostface declines and claims they're looking for something a little bit harder and that he has it, running through his veins. Administering the threat, Shane then while on the phone, pulls out his Wesson and Smith short handgun and who then sees the spray painted "COWARD" on the door and warns Ghostface on the phone that he isn't playing. Beth as Ghostface corrects him (using the voice changer) and how Shane doesn't know the game but they're playing "Chicken" and how he already blinked, referring to his failure to shoot Jamal as Ghostface back at Weaver, taunting him with this.

Shane states, in a foreshadowing bid, how he did but now has his eyes wide open and that it's not going to happen again as Beth as Ghostface states they'll see about that. She then tells him over the phone how they're now playing a new game, "Hide and Seek" and to come and find them. As acting on her own cue, Beth then drops an orange brick from where she's located above Shane's apartment building roof, aiming and accurately then hiding his head which takes Shane aback and gives her only a brief window of time to carry out her next part of her plan, which is to trap Shane via his apartment building's faulty fire escape ladder, as Shane would unfortunately follow in her lead to his trap (this is a nod to horror movies in general, but in the franchise, of how Ghostface taunts their targets by telling them of their secrets and weaknesses).

Headlock: Shane's death as the fourth victim , as well his death via a syringe injected in his eye, makes him the first in the franchise to be killed in this fashion.

Fading "Mr. Fade"

After being hit with the brick, Shane's head begins to bleed from the impact and which most likely disoriented him. Trying to locate the killer from above, which instinctively knows where the attack came from, Shane hangs up his phone and with his gun in hand, heads towards his apartments escape ladder, and tries to pull it down so he can climb it. However, this fails and before Shane can realize, he is then fallen into another trap, in which this time he is conscious for and taken aback from. Shane falls back down on his back to the concrete ground and the last step from the ladder trapping his body in a upright position, seeing as he's trapped from the neck down, rendering his lower and upper body unable to move. After falling, Shane realizes he dropped his gun, which he tries to reach as he looks above to see Beth as Ghostface begin to descend and climb down the ladder.

In fear, Shane jerks his body and tries reaching for the gun before Beth then reaches down and pushes the gun away as Shane then, in a final plea for his life, begs for the killer to release them from the trap. However, it's finally when Beth as Ghostface pulls out a syringe of liquid drugs that Shane registers his fate and realizes too late. He clamors and tells the killer to not do this, and how he has stuff, referring to his drug inventory, before Beth as Ghostface continues to ignore her fling (unbeknownst to Shane it's her) and opens his eyelid from one of his eyes before approaching the syringe on his eye, and doing so, slowly and brutally injects it into the pupil and releases. Shane screams in agony, but before he can react, begins to die quickly as the liquid drugs are squeezed out entirely, as it enters through Shane's brain, causing him to convulse and overdose, as he spasms and foams at the mouth, with some blood from his internal eye slowly leaking out before officially dying (becoming the first and only Ghostface victim to be killed in this manner, thus far), as Beth watches on who would leave not long after.

Halloween, 2018

Self-Care

The next morning, now Halloween and the eight year anniversary of Deion's death, Marcus awakes after having a dream turned nightmare of going home and having spent the night with Liv, before waking and finding her stabbed to death, who is ambushed by Ghostface when he runs for help, who he unmasks as his long-lost twin (reference to Sidney's nightmare from Scream 3). Marcus wakes up and gets ready for school, before though, he and his mom welcome the twin's father, Earl Elliot, who returned in order to celebrate the anniversary and commemorate his dead son, who works out as a trucker, thus explaining his absence from his family (Neil Prescott reference) due to his career. However, his oldest son and half-brother of the Elliot twins, Jamal, isn't pleased as he gives him a cold shoulder when Earl approaches him to embrace, and who talks down on him, before he leaves after venting, with Marcus following behind him, as Sherry comforts Earl, who's upset and confused.

Downstairs, Marcus confronts Jamal on why he had to be disrespectful to their father, as Jamal tells him for the reason of him not enjoying having to do the anniversary memorial for Deion every year, and how not even the food they set for him on the table is gonna bring him back (Day of the Dead). Marcus insists it hurts the family and helps, but Jamal detracts as he drives away before Marcus is then called by Ghostface (Jamal wouldn't be the caller, as Shane's death was at Beth's hand, and how he would've known as he would've heard the driving if Jamal as Ghostface called).

Murders

Primary target:

Marcus Elliot (Survived)

Victims

• Tommy Jenkins † (Killed by Jamal)
• Avery Collins † (Killed by Jamal)
• Latavious † (Killed by Jamal)
• Shane † (Killed by Beth)
• Hook Man † (Killed by Jamal)
• Manny † (Killed by Beth)
• Amir Ayoub † (Killed by Beth)
• B. Westbrook † (Killed by Beth)

Survivors

• Kym (Survived)
• Officer Reynolds (Survived)
• Liv Reynolds (Survived)
• Hawkins (unharmed)

Perpetrators

• Jamal Elliot† (Killed by Beth, slowly died in Marcus's arms)
• Beth † (Killed/shot by Kym, knocked down prior to death by Marcus and Liv)

Trivia

• This is thus far, the only Ghostface murder spree to take place in the TV series.
  • It is also the only murder spree to be set apart from the second Lakewood Murders and its town, killer, events (main or separate; See Shallow Grove Island) and characters from both Season 1 and 2. It also takes place almost 2-3 years after its events.
    • The murders on Halloween night, 2018, as shown in "The Man Behind the Mask", are preceded to the date, taking place in the following:
      • 3 years after Halloween 2015 (in Season 1 between two episodes: "The Dance" and "Revelations")
      • 2 years after Halloween 2016 (in Season 2, as special episodes, in between two episodes: "Halloween" and "Halloween II").
• The second Ghostface spree to have only eight victims, after Windsor College in Scream 2.
• The only Ghostface spree out of seven to have had exclusively male victims, and no female victims, thus far.
• The only Ghostface murder spree (unstated if related to the films), to have took place in Atlanta, Georgia (and the Southern United States, in general).
  • This is the first Ghostface murder spree since Scream 2 and Scream 3, to feature more diversity, as well as Black characters and reverse the stereotypes in each, respectively.
  • As well as the first and only Ghostface murder spree in the franchise, thus far, (in-universe and reality) to have occurred during a U.S Republican president's time in office, thus referring to minimally abundant socio-political comments (in regards to race, ethnicity, orientation and socioeconomic class).
• This is officially the second Ghostface murder spree to have taken place in a real-world location and city in the Scream franchise, preceded by the Los Angeles Ghostface Killings/Hollywood Murders on February 1-5th, 2000 (18 years prior to the 2018 murders) in Scream 3.
  • It's succeeded 5 years later to the exact date in its events (minus 2 days) by the New York Murders in New York City, occurring on Sunday, October 29th- Wednesday, November 1st, in Scream VI.
• This murder spree is among the most recent in-universe, having occurred 7 years since the Second Woodsboro Murders (2011), before then being succeeded 4 years later by the Third Woodsboro Murders (2022; originally 2021, see Continuity Errors).
  • Beth and Jamal Elliot are the second among the most violent Ghostface duos and couples, preceded by Jill Roberts and Charlie Walker in Scream 4, and are succeeded by Amber Freeman and Richie Kirsch in Scream (2022).
• Chronologically, the events of this murder spree, make it the fifth Ghostface killing spree out of (seven) to take place in the Scream franchise.
  • It is after The Second Woodsboro Murders (2011), the second murder spree to have taken place in the anniversary within a decade after a previous one, falling two decades after the Windsor College Murders in Scream 2, which occurred in June of 1998. It is also the first murder spree to take place in the anniversary of the first copycat spree.
    • Similarly, each's murder sprees and their final confrontations with each one's respective Ghostface killers took place within an educational institution and during the night (the 1998 murders at Windsor College, mainly the college's theatre and auditorium, while the 2018 murders final showdown was also after hours at Weaver High School, and in the library.
    • The parallel being in the 2018 murders, the events that started in the library are reminiscent of when Sidney was in the college library and taunted by Ghostface via online message while using the computer.)
• Jamal and Beth as a male to female Ghostface duo pays homage to the first duo, and two male-female duos in the quadrilogy films of the franchise (despite loosely referenced, but overall excluding the supposedly solo killer Roman Bridger and the theory of Angelina Tyler from Scream 3 being his accomplice; despite preceding, applies to the first inappropriate Ghostface couple/duo of Amber Freeman and Richie Kirsch of Scream (2022), as well):
  • Billy Loomis and Stu Macher in Scream (revenge motive and fanatic accomplice).
  • Mickey Altieri and Nancy Loomis in Scream 2 (revenge and ulterior motive duo; somewhat also due to the age difference duo, although lessened/non-romantic)
  • Jill Roberts and Charlie Walker in Scream 4 (secret Ghostface duo/couple).
• Both Beth and Jamal also reverse/parallel each of the motives, roles, genders of both male to female killer duos in the films, alike, such as:
  • Jamal, the mastermind, who had the revenge motive which parallels that of Mickey's mastermind: Nancy (preceded by Billy, whose motive was due to his mother abandoning him, causing him to commit murder; applied similarly to Jay's abandonment of him and his mother by Earl in favor of Marcus's), and whose motive also rooted anger and jealousy also is slightly congruent with that of Charlie's leader: Jill (Jamal, who despite being composed, overall also has his own psychological problems and insanity, apparent to both the female killers he parallels, revenge wise; as well as the male killers in keeping a low profile and being sleek prior to each's reveal, although Jamal isn't as detached in his motive, due to being the mastermind, fanatic wise, unlike the men; but who overall was sadistic in seeing the reaction of his motive to his target, loosely similar).
    • However, unlike the female killer masterminds who had betrayed their male accomplices (in the films), Jamal does not betray his female accomplice, a reverse on the tradition, but who's flipped the table on and betrayed by her, in keeping with tradition, with the only roles/genders in each reversed (excluding Billy, which he homages).
    • While unstated and unclear, Jamal's plan of getting away was in part, foiled, due to his accomplices' betrayal, as due to avoiding suspicion by Kym, Beth had Jamal implicated before his official reveal (an homage to Sidney sending Billy to jail in the first film, similarly, but in the case how both are killers) and who had tipped the cops off to him, but before he could even be apprehended, Beth betrays him, in fear of him selling her out so he wouldn't be charged more for his crimes.
    • This makes Jamal, thus far, the only Ghostface killer/mastermind, to have been betrayed, had their reveal exposed before to his main target (albeit faked out after his betrayal, who was made to be and was a victim to lure Marcus, yet was able to reveal himself in true fashion, albeit already suspected, to and by Marcus only; this is an homage to Roman's reveal to Sidney alone after his fake-out death in the third film, loosely); and whose getaway plan or any other future plan in its details were made unclear and foiled beforehand, which in turn and retrospect, follows after:
      • Mickey by Nancy in Scream 2 (reversed, since Mickey, the accomplice, did want to get caught, and how it may perhaps apply to Jamal differently yet loosely congruent as well, seeing as Beth feared he would sell them out, which if likely, in which it implies; but more-so due to in the second film, Nancy having plotted out her plan and revenge after the betrayal, unlike Mickey, thus betraying him; reversed but applied similarly in Jamal's case with Beth) and which is perhaps (if proven canon; thus only a theory) more so a nod to the second killer theory in Scream 3 (See Above).
  • Beth, the accomplice, fanatic, narcissist and the operations of the duo, who had her own clear (yet lacking) motive, who parallels that to both Nancy and Jill's partners: Mickey (whom as the crazy accomplice, was preceded by Stu, as Mickey's own motive is somewhat clear, like Beth's; unlike Mickey or Stu, Beth had been plotting to betray Jamal as the accomplice regardless of his plan due to hers and who blindsided him in this aspect, whereas the male accomplices didn't and were betrayed) and Charlie (whose motive is somewhat lacking, also somewhat like Beth's; who was preceded by Stu, in the aspect, that he was peer pressured to murder by Billy, similar to Charlie due to his infatuation with Jill, neither having clear motives themselves, sort of like Beth with hers), whose clarity and lack thereof in each's motive parallels that of Beth's.
    • Unlike the male accomplices who didn't betray their female masterminds but were betrayed by them (in the films), Beth, in fact, does betray her mastermind, an inverse and in keeping with the tradition, with only the roles reversed in each (Beth's own psychological problems homage that of the female masterminds, whose role she reversed, but also homages that to her own role as the accomplice of Stu, Mickey and Charlie, alike).
      • This also makes Beth, thus far, the only Ghostface killer and accomplice (mastermind, self-entitled) to betray the mastermind (male) and the only female on top of it (loosely referenced in Scream (2022) with the duo of Amber and Richie, due to the roles of mastermind and the accomplice unclear/shared in each).
  • The relationship between Jamal Elliot and Beth as a Ghostface duo and one's infidelity (Beth) to another (Jamal) is preceded by that of Jill Roberts and Charlie Walker in Scream 4 (2011).
    • Jill having her secret boyfriend be her partner in the duo, Charlie, while still talking with her ex, Trevor Sheldon, is reversed by Beth talking and hooking up with Amir Ayoub whilst having her secret boyfriend, Jamal.
      • Ironic, considering Trevor cheated on Jill and her as well with Charlie, it's noted how Trevor cheated first and it was implied to have been with Jenny Randall in the original script for the fourth film (removed due to easily implicating Jill as a suspect). This parallels Beth in how she had a fling with Amir, Shane, and Avery Collins in the third season, which is equal to Jill toying around with Trevor on reconciling their relationship and with Charlie himself being betrayed by her in the finale.
      • Jill had cheated and had two men at her disposal (ex-boyfriend and boyfriend/Ghostface), as compared to Beth having had three (Amir fling, Shane past hookup, and Jamal as boyfriend/Ghostface).
    • Albeit Charlie, unlike Beth, didn't cheat with his own supposed love interest, Kirby Reed, when he kissed her before his ultimate reveal to her.
      • It's unclear whether or not Jill, like Jamal to Beth, was aware of Charlie and Kirby's flirting but who perhaps overlooked it, in turn due to her scheme; while Beth did on Jamal with Amir, yet it's reversed in this scenario seeing as both Beth and Jill betrayed their partners, Jamal and Charlie, anyways, due to how they were the "masterminds", albeit falsely for Beth who's motive wasn't definitive while Jill's was.
      • Making thus far, each female to male duo in the tetralogy films (excluding the first and third film; as well as the first two seasons of the TV series, and the fifth film's duo), to have each female betray their male partner after each of their reveals, as the masterminds to accomplice (reversed for Beth as the only female killer who was an accomplice to betray the male killer, who was a mastermind);
      • Which is an inverse, seeing as this is loosely similar to Kieran having dated Emma Duval in the first two seasons, albeit unstated if this was done (unlike the previous duos) purposefully with the knowledge of Kieran's leader/mastermind, Piper Shaw, who was Emma's (unbeknownst to her till the Season 1 finale) secret older half-sister/attempted killer; perhaps did know, but who perhaps was unaware if this was part of both their plan or of Kieran's ulterior plan prior to her death)
• Despite being separate from the Scream films and it's universe and continuities, some of the murders and aspects of the murder spree in Season 3 are reminiscent and resemble to that of the film franchise (an homage, but perhaps hinting that the events of this season could technically take place in the shared universe), seeing as their kills and donning the Ghostface M.O and weapon in their murder spree are reminiscent to that of the films (perhaps coincidences).
  • Liv being scared by Ghostface at her window as she heads into the shower in the premiere episode is reminiscent of the opening scene of Casey Becker (based on the first film character) also heading to shower in Stab.
  • Becky being called by an unknown character using the Ghostface voice is a nod to the homage opening scenes in the film franchise.
  • Kym being called by Ghostface before almost being attacked is an homage to Sidney's attack in the first Scream.
    • Later, Kym's subsequent attack by Ghostface after jingling the door keys to Kym who was trying to escape the school's locked hallway is an homage to Ghostface jingling the car keys to Sidney, halfway before the ending, also in Scream (also used as an homage, reversely, with the faux-attack of Audrey Jensen in the Season 2 premiere episode. "I Know What You Did Last Summer").
    • Kym having a note prior to her first attack of her mom being gone is similar to that of Sidney's father, Neil Prescott, and his absence (used somewhat similarly for Marcus, Manny, Shane, and Amir's parents and for Liv's mother, as well as for the first two seasons characters such as Emma's dad, Kevin Duval).
      • Recently, it's loosely reformatted for the note that Wes Hicks is left by his mother, Judy Hicks (reversed since Wes and his mother saw each other prior to both of their deaths) in Scream (2022).
      • Wes's attempt to survive Ghostface by trying to grab the mace on top of his door-side table while being ambushed at the front door of his house, is similar to Kym's use of the mace, which was proven unsuccessful, since the killers are in a mask (Wes was unable to use this, but due to Kym's use of it, would've also proven uneventful, regardless).
  • Marcus's nightmare of Ghostface being his long lost twin brother is a nod to Sidney's nightmare in Scream 3 (furthermore also referenced to and by Emma Duval's nightmares in "Betrayed" and "Happy Birthday to Me", from Season 1-2).
  • The scene of Avery's death being having been reacted slowly at first (before then causing a public meltdown) after his reveal, is an homage to Maureen Evans's death in Scream 2.
    • Was used similarly for the death reveal of Jake Fitzgerald's after his actual death in the premiere episode of Season 2, in "Happy Birthday to Me")
  • The Deadfast Club meeting at Beth's tattoo parlor to discuss the whodunit is an homage to the video store scene led by Randy Meeks in Scream.
    • The attack at the empty high school on October 30th, with the voice recorder playing a pre-recorded message, is a reference to the abandoned bowling alley in Lakewood and it's events, both having their killers lurking and targeting each different group, in Season 1 in "In The Trenches".
  • Beth and Jamal are the first Ghostface duo whose age difference made them the first inappropriate couple of Ghostface killers in the franchise and the first biracial duo as such in the TV series, as well; whom are succeeded by Amber and Richie in the fifth film, who are honorable in the films, in this title.
    • Jay and Beth would then reverses the original concept of the scrapped Ghostface duo of Hallie and Derek Feldman in Scream 2 by becoming them, in regards and the swap of their genders and roles in each (Jamal as the first African American killer; Beth as the obsessed horror film fan, reversing the original roles thought of for Hallie and Derek, as well the genders in each).
    • Technically, as killers in an inappropriate relationship, regardless, where preceded by Piper Shaw and Kieran Wilcox's relationship (as the Lakewood Slasher) in both Season 1-2, making them the second duo to do so (with the genders reversed in each).
  • Jamal's character as an illegitimate child (not born to a killer) and avenging serial killer, and the older half-brother to Marcus (although his family lineage isn't hidden) is a nod to Roman Bridger (Sidney's older half-brother) in Scream 3. Both were the only killers (male) to have not been born to killers, but became ones due to their upbringings. His revenge motive leaning in seeking revenge for a departed (in the first's case, abandoned by the second) family member is parallel to mother and son, Billy and Nancy Loomis, in the first two films.
    • Jamal and Marcus's same sex as half-sibling roles, were similarly used by Piper Shaw as Emma's older half sister in Season 1, and were eventually succeeded by Samantha Carpenter as the older half-sister to Tara Carpenter in Scream (2022), who unlike the aforementioned killers, reversed her role to assume a killer identity (due to her killer parent's identity), thus was not the killer targeting Tara's friend group, which she was intended to be framed by the actual killers Amber and Richie.
      • Unlike Roman, Piper, or Jamal; seeing as the aforementioned characters all have younger half-siblings who they target (and their younger half-siblings friend groups, as well), excluding Samantha entirely due to the fact she not only knew Tara's friend group by association but watched them (excluding Liv and Amber) grow up as she was their babysitter (only loosely similar to Jamal as a killer, due to him being a well known dealer/club promoter, thus was in close association via Marcus and of his friends before they became a club, excluding only Liv, regardless, who despite this and alongside taunting and facing Marcus as Ghostface, never actually killed him, seeing as he cared for him, despite also hating him as well).
  • Beth's role as the false protagonist/killer, albeit secret and a horror movie enthusiast, is a nod to Stu Macher, Mickey Altieri, Jill Roberts, Charlie Walker, Richie Kirsch, Amber Freeman, and Quinn Bailey in the films.
    • Overtly, her being a public horror movie buff (on top of it, a goth) whose role is deemed innocent (but isn't), also is attributed to actual non-killers Randy Meeks, Kirby Reed, and Mindy-Meeks Martin in the films; and is preceded by Noah Foster, Riley Marra, Audrey Jensen, and Gustavo Acosta in the TV series.
      • Beth also recites one the infamous rules in the franchise, mainly as a reference for the rookie mistake of characters in horror (satire) going off alone with a killer in their midst, as stupid as saying "I'll be right back", the third and final rule given by Randy in the first film. She also points out Randy's rule of the killer always coming back, which is ironically reversed and used after her reveal and her attempt for one last scare, referenced by Randy since the first.
  • The confrontation between Marcus and Avery (before his death) at the parking garage and Marcus seeing Ghostface there is an homage to the parking garage scene with Rebecca Walters in Scream 4.
  • Avery's death by falling is a reference to both Cici Cooper, Tyson Fox, and Rebecca Walter's deaths.
    • Avery's lifeless body hanging after technically having been trapped and killed via impalement, looking on, and after dropping his phone, as he bleeds out, is an homage to the death of Sarah Darling (albeit alone) in Scream 3.
  • Manny's death via fire is an homage to that of Tom Prinze's death in Scream 3.
    • Manny is also the first character in the franchise to have asthma, which he would then be succeeded by Tara Carpenter as the first in the films, respectively (and female).
  • Shane and then Jamal being tied up in a chair is an homage to Steven Orth.
    • Despite Jamal actually tied up and a victim, in an inverse, is yet a reverse and homage, which parallels that of Charlie Walker being tied up in a chair also for a ploy/lure in Scream 4.
  • Amir's death is a reference to Steven Orth in the original film and OIivia Morris's death in Scream 4.
    • Furthermore, Amir unmasking Ghostface just as he died is an homage to Casey Becker (and her subsequent death) in the original Scream.
    • This traditional death was also referenced with the death of Will Belmont and Clark Hudson in Season 1, and by Jake Fitzgerald, Quinn Maddox, and Billie Fields in Season 2, albeit without the unmasking of each's killer, respectively.
  • Officer B. Westbrook's death is an homage to both Phil Stevens and Anthony Perkins, and loosely Deion Elliot's death (by Hook Man) in this season.
  • In the end, the 3 remaining Deadfast Club members being Marcus, Kym, and Liv is a reference to Sidney, Gale, and Dewey as the original trio in the first four films, as well as the reverse of the first 3 Black victims in Scream 2, which included Phil, Maureen Evans, and Hallie McDaniel, which the survivors succeed.
    • The club's remaining survivors having an informal fourth survivor (Hawkins) is also a reference spread throughout the films, starting with Neil Prescott in the first film, Joel in Scream 2, Mark Kincaid in Scream 3, Judy Hicks in Scream 4, and Frances in Scream (2022).