History Film / Scream2

* YouBastard: This is the whole point of Ghostface's second kill, which not only implicates the InUniverse audience but also the actual audience. [[spoiler:Ghostface repeatedly stabs Maureen in front of the other ''Stab'' viewers and gets away it because said viewers were too caught up in the violence of the film and thought Ghostface's murder of Maureen was a publicity stunt.]]

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''Scream 2'' (1997) is the second film in the ''Film/{{Scream}}'' franchise.

Two years after the original killing spree in Woodsboro, a slasher movie named ''Stab'' has been released to cash in on the event's notoriety. Sidney, now a college student at Windsor College, is again targeted by a new Ghostface copycatting the original.

** In Randy's conversation with Dewey, Randy correctly guesses that [[spoiler:Derek]] is the RedHerring and that [[spoiler:Mickey]] is a good fit for the killer although he drops the latter guess because he and [[spoiler:Mickey]] are NotSoDifferent.

* MoralMypoia: [[spoiler: Debbie wants to kill Sidney for killing Billy. Despite the fact she only did so because he was a psychotic murderer out to get her, which he became because ''she'' abandoned him.]]

** Cotton is portrayed as a jerk for his outburst to Sidney in the library. However she had named him as her mother's killer - without definite evidence - and had him put in prison for a year. He's asking her to issue a formal statement so that the general public will ''stop'' treating him like he's a rapist and murderer - which they only think primarily because of Sidney's testimony.

* BigDamnHero: [[spoiler:Cotton.]]

* BystanderSyndrome: Ghostface manages to get away after killing [[spoiler:Maureen]] in the theater despite the fact there were many people around them.

* YouBastard: The whole point of the intro.

* AvengingTheVillain: [[spoiler: Mrs. Loomis]], for [[spoiler:her son Billy]].

** In the film class scene, [[spoiler: Mickey]] argues that violence in film inspires violence in real life; furthermore, [[spoiler:he]] contends that movie sequels can be superior to the original when Randy scoffs at the idea of someone making a real life sequel to the Stab movie. [[spoiler:Later, when revealed as the killer, Mickey tells Sidney that when he goes on trial, his defense would be to blame the movies.]]

** [[spoiler:Joel]] is one due to how he disappears right before Ghostface attacks [[spoiler:Randy]] in his van and how he decides to leave right after [[spoiler:Randy's death.]] Furthermore, when Dewey and Gale figure out Ghostface records the victims before killing them, the implication is that Ghostface has to be someone with access to a camera, which includes [[spoiler:Joel. Mickey, the actual killer, does carry a camcorder, but the film dedicates a lot more focus to Joel as Gale's new cameraman.]]
** Invoked by [[spoiler:Mrs. Loomis]] when [[spoiler:she]] suggests to Gale that [[spoiler:Sidney's father]], who is out of country, and [[spoiler:Dewey]], who seemingly showed up to Windsor college for no particular reason, are potential suspects.

** Debbie Salt's line about how the killer could be from Woodsboro. [[spoiler: She's right, even if the killer doesn't live there any more]].

** [[spoiler: Debbie Salt]] keeps away from the confrontation between Gale and Sidney at the start. [[spoiler: She doesn't want to risk Sidney recognizing her]].

** Joshua Jackson, star of ''Series/DawsonsCreek'' (written by Kevin Williamson) as one of the students in Randy's film class.

*** There's also a further reference to ''Film/FridayThe13th1980 that foreshadows the twist when the drunk sister talking to Cici says "killkillkilldiediedie" on the phone, mimicking Jason's leitmotif from the franchise. [[spoiler:And the killer is the grieving mother, like Pamela Voorhees in the first ''Film/FridayThe13th1980''.

** In Randy's conversation with Dewey, Randy correctly guesses that [[spoiler:Derek]] is the RedHerring and that [[spoiler:Mickey]] is a good fit for the killer although he drops the latter guess because he and [[spoiler:Mickey]] are NotSoDifferent. While he is wrong about [[spoiler:Hallie]] as a suspect, he correctly guesses that [[spoiler:one of the Ghostfaces is female as "[[{{Film/FridayThe13th1980}} Mrs. Voorhees]] was a terrific serial killer"; on that note, he unintentionally guesses that the new killer is the mother of one of the previous killers.]]

** Another one: After [[spoiler:Debbie Salt]] introduces [[spoiler:herself]] as the "one in the front row, asking all the questions" at Gale's seminar, Gale snidely remarks that she thought [[spoiler:Salt]] looked familiar. Later on when [[spoiler:Salt is revealed to be Billy's mother, Gale says that she's seen photos of Mrs. Loomis, but didn't recognize her.]]

** [[spoiler: Cotton's]] meeting with Sidney has [[spoiler:Cotton]] losing [[spoiler:his]] temper after Sidney rejects [[spoiler:his]] offer for fame and money. The film then does a close-up on [[spoiler:his]] shoes, which match the killer's, and later [[spoiler:he]] shows up with bloody hands. It also doesn't help that [[spoiler:Cotton]] has a grudge against Sidney for mistakenly identifying [[spoiler:him]] as her mother's killer.

** [[spoiler:Joel]] is one due to how [[spoiler:he]] disappears right before Ghostface attacks [[spoiler:Randy]] in [[spoiler:his]] van and how [[spoiler:he]] decides to leave right after [[spoiler:Randy's death.]] Furthermore, when Dewey and Gale figure out Ghostface records [[spoiler:his]] victims before killing them, the implication is that Ghostface has to be someone with access to a camera, which includes [[spoiler:Joel. Mickey, the actual killer, does carry a camcorder, but the film dedicates a lot more focus to Joel as Gale's new cameraman.]]

** After the opening murders, [[spoiler:Mickey's]] knuckles are bruised, which are best seen when [[spoiler:Mickey]] takes out [[spoiler:his]] camcorder to record Randy.

* SlashersPreferBlondes: In this case, only one blonde victim, but Cici still counts.

* ObviousVillainSecretVillain: [[spoiler:Subverted. The movie provides the PageQuote, but it comes from a dummy or early script (depending on who you listen to) where Hallie and Derek (and Cotton) were the killers. In the movie itself, Mickey wants Sidney to believe that Derek is the obvious killer working with a secret accomplice, but he isn't.]]

** What's more is that the girl Cici talks to on the phone is voiced by Creator/SelmaBlair - Creator/SarahMichelleGellar's co-star in ''Film/CruelIntentions'' (though that film was released about two years after ''Scream 2'').

** Deconstructed and subverted in the case of [[spoiler:Derek. After the events of the [[Film/Scream1996 first movie]], Sidney suspects her current boyfriend, Derek, of being a killer just like her previous boyfriend, Billy. This leads to relationship problems between Derek and her, and Sidney suspects Derek for most of the movie up until Mickey, one of the actual killers, murders Derek. It turns out that Derek was GoodAllAlong.]]
** Defied by [[spoiler:Joel. At first, he is enthusiastic about his role as Gale's new cameraman, but after learning how his predecessor died by Ghostface's hands, he decides to quit his job until the killers are apprehended.]]
** Subverted by [[spoiler:Debbie Salt. At a first glance, her job as a news reporter makes her a substitute for Gale Weathers; however, her killer reveal states that the news reporter bit was merely a cover story. In practice, Debbie is more similar to her son, Billy, due to their murderous motives.]]

* EarAche: [[spoiler: Mrs. Loomis stabs Phil Stevens through the ear, making him the first of the Windsor College victims.]]

* BigBadDuumvirate: Played with in this film. Due to the events of the [[Film/Scream1996 previous film]], [[spoiler:Dewey tells Sidney there is a possibility that there may be multiple killers involved in the latest murder spree. Dewey continues to follow this mindset throughout the film, so much that when Ghostface gives Derek an injury, Dewey is still suspicious since the injury wasn't anything major and it doesn't rule out the possibility that Derek had a partner give him said injury. The film also doesn't bother hiding the fact that there are two killers; for example, when Cici talks with Ghostface on the phone, [[MeaningfulBackgroundEvent the other Ghostface appears behind her while sneaking into the sorority house]]. Likewise, Ghostface later attacks Sidney in the car while another Ghostface chases Gale and Dewey on the college campus.]] In this film, [[spoiler:Mickey and Mrs. Loomis are the killers.]] Seeing as how [[spoiler:Mrs. Loomis]] actually had a reason behind all the killings, and [[spoiler:she]] mentions leading [[spoiler:Mickey]] on and giving [[spoiler:him]] pointers, [[spoiler:Mickey]] could be considered TheDragon to [[spoiler:her]] BigBad.

* BlackBestFriend: Hallie for Sidney.

** In the film class scene, [[spoiler: Mickey]] argues that violence in film inspires violence in real life; furthermore, [[spoiler:he]] contends that movie sequels can be superior to the original when Randy scoffs at the idea of someone making a real life sequel to the Stab movie. Later, when revealed as the killer, [[spoiler:Mickey]] tells Sidney that when [[spoiler:he]] goes on trial, [[spoiler:his]] defense would be to blame the movies.

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Done, and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]]. Two, in fact ''before'' the opening credits. [[spoiler:The second is a woman.]]

** What's more is that the girl Cici talks to on the phone is voiced by Creator/SelmaBlair - Creator/SarahMichelleGellar's co-star in ''Film/CruelIntentions''.

** Subverted by [[spoiler:Debbie Salt. At a first glance, her job as a news reporter makes her a substitute for Gale Weather; however, her killer reveal states that the news reporter bit was merely a cover story. In practice, Debbie is more similar to her son, Billy, due to their murderous motives.]]

** Deconstructed and subverted in the case of [[spoiler:Derek. After the events of the [[Film/Scream1996 first movie, Sidney suspects her current boyfriend, Derek, of being a killer just like her previous boyfriend, Billy. This leads to relationship problems between Derek and her, and Sidney suspects Derek for most of the movie up until Mickey, one of the actual killers, murders Derek. It turns out that Derek was GoodAllAlong.]]

* Subverted by [[spoiler:Debbie Salt. At a first glance, her job as a news reporter makes her a substitute for Gale Weather; however, her killer reveal states that the news reporter bit was merely a cover story. In practice, Debbie is more similar to her son, Billy, due to their murderous motives.]]