As the original Final Girl, Alice (Adrienne King) easily ranks high on this list. In “Friday the 13th,” Alice goes against the typical virginal type. In fact, she’s having a fling with Steve Christy (Peter Brouwer), the guy in charge of reopening Camp Crystal Lake. It’s out of the norm, but that’s what makes her even more relatable.
There are moments that are questionable, though. For example, when she and Bill (Harry Crosby) notice everyone else is missing, she brews some tea and takes a nap instead of remaining vigilant and alert to her surroundings. No matter, she eventually rises to the occasion and goes head-to-head with Pamela Voorhees (Besty Palmer) in one of the best fights in the franchise. The choreography is a bit clumsy, often silly, but that’s the point. They’re just normal people duking it out. From brandishing a fire poker over Pamela’s back to butting her head with the end of a rifle, Alice uses whatever is handy to ward off her enemy.
Her winning moment happens just minutes later. Upon running out to the lake, she battles Pamela one last time. When you think Pamela might actually kill her, Alice swipes the machete and slices its rusty, dull blade into Pamela’s neck, completely severing the flesh and bone. Pamela topples to the ground. Alice might be a little meek and mild, but give her a weapon and she’ll do her best to take evil down.