Shocking Scream Theory Completely Changes 1 Main Character’s Legacy

The Scream saga has made way for various theories about the Ghostface killers and the real masterminds behind the murders, but one, in particular, would completely change the legacy of one beloved main character. Back in 1996, master of horror Wes Craven brought Scream, a slasher movie through which he revitalized the genre in the 1990s. Scream was unlike any other slasher movie at the time, as it satirized the clichés of the genre and had a unique meta humor. The success of Scream led to a franchise with six movies (and a seventh in development) and a TV show, making it a favorite among horror fans.

Scream also gave the horror genre one of its most memorable Final Girls in Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who confronted the first Ghostface killers who targeted her and her friends as part of personal revenge against her. Each Scream movie so far has had different Ghostface killers, and though Scream 3 had a major twist with the reveal of the real person who kicked off the Ghostface murders, a theory completely changes this by suggesting one of the people closest to Sidney started everything, but it got out of their hands pretty quickly.

Scream Theory Suggests Gale Weathers Planned The Original Woodsboro Murders

Gale’s plan didn’t go exactly as she expected, though.

Scream saw Sidney dealing with the first anniversary of the brutal murder of her mother, Maureen, for which her lover, Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), was sent to prison. Sidney started to be stalked and attacked by a killer wearing a Ghostface costume, who also targeted her friends. Helping Sidney through all this was Dewey Riley, the brother of her best friend, Tatum (Rose McGowan), who was also Deputy Sheriff at the time. Gale Weathers, an investigative journalist, also ended up getting involved in the murders, and along with Sidney’s best friend, Randy (Jamie Kennedy), Sidney, Dewey, and Gale became the survivors of the first Woodsboro murders.

The two people behind the Ghostface masks were Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), and his friend Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), who were also responsible for Maureen’s murder as she was having an affair with Billy’s father, which caused his mother to leave them. However, a detailed theory posted on Reddit suggests that the real mastermind behind the Woodsboro murders in Scream was none other than Gale, who made a sinister deal with Billy and Stu: she would help them get Sidney if they helped her become famous.

The author of the theory points out some moments throughout Scream that could be interpreted as Gale knowing a lot more than she pretended to. While some of these moments are, arguably, a big stretch, Gale did seem to always arrive at the scene too quickly, and showing up at Stu’s party under the excuse of “you never know when or where a story will break” did seem a bit suspicious. In addition to this, Gale was never in real danger throughout Scream, and the only reason why she was so angry when confronting Stu and Billy was because her plan didn’t go exactly as she had in mind.

Furthermore, Gale didn’t kill Stu, it was Sidney, who did the dirty work for her, and she now had nothing to worry about as she got what she wanted: recognition, book sales, and being the hero who saved Cotton Weary. Gale, then, took advantage of Billy’s anger and the fact that Stu would follow Billy in whatever he did, but her plan ended up triggering something much bigger.

How Scream’s Gale Theory Could Still Work With The Sequels (Including Scream 3)

Scream 3 completely changed what was established about the Woodsboro murders.

This Scream theory about Gale planning the Woodsboro murders for her benefit only applies to the first movie, but it still works even after the sequels. Even if her plan got out of hand by the end of Scream, Gale got what she wanted, which, understandably, brought her trouble with Sidney and Dewey as she capitalized on the tragedy of the murders. However, Gale would never have counted on copycat killers and others wanting revenge for what she started, beginning with Mrs. Loomis in Scream 2.

Gale’s plan went as far as to trigger more Ghostface murders through the years, and in an almost karmic way, she ended up involved in all of them simply because she’s one of the survivors of the first murders. Scream 3 brought a massive twist to the franchise as the killer, Roman Bridger (Scott Foley), was not only revealed to be Sidney’s half-brother but also the one who pushed Billy and Stu to kill his and Sidney’s mother after she rejected him.

The Gale theory works even after Scream 3 as Roman was the one behind Maureen’s murder, and Gale already knew Billy and Stu killed Maureen when she presented them with the plan for the Woodsboro murders, so their plans don’t overlap at all – however, Roman’s reveal implies that, with or without Gale’s influence, Billy and Stu would have done what they did, anyway.

Scream 7 Is The Perfect Chance To Confirm This Theory

Gale’s involvement would be the perfect final twist.

The Scream franchise was brought back to life with 2022’s Scream, the first installment in a reboot trilogy. Scream 2022 brought Sidney, Dewey, and Gale back and introduced a new generation of characters, and Gale is the only one of the survivors of the first movie who returned in Scream 6. After some major obstacles, Scream 7 is now officially in development with Neve Campbell back as Sidney, so it’s expected that Gale will also return for the final chapter in the Scream saga.

Although plot details of Scream 7 are currently unknown, Sidney’s return makes way for various interesting stories, and if Gale also comes back, the theory of her planning the original Woodsboro murders could be confirmed. Gale being the one behind Billy and Stu’s murder spree would be the biggest plot twist in the whole saga and would bring her story full circle. This doesn’t mean that Gale has to be the next Ghostface, but it could be a major reveal that adds an extra layer of conflict to the movie and Gale’s dynamic with Sidney.

How This Theory Changes Gale Weathers’ Scream Legacy

Gale’s story wouldn’t be the same.

Of course, this theory completely changes Gale’s legacy in the Scream franchise. From the beginning, Gale showed how selfish and self-centered she could be, but with time, she learned to care about others, as she did with Sidney and Dewey. If the theory is true, then this would have been more out of guilt than a genuine change of perspective, as Gale would have felt bad for triggering other murders that ended up affecting her, Sidney, Dewey, and many others. The theory would also make Gale one of the most dangerous characters in the whole franchise, as it shows how far she would go for fame and recognition.

While it’s unlikely that Gale Weathers would be revealed as the mastermind behind Scream’s Woodsboro murders, it would certainly make for a massive plot twist that would completely change the franchise and everything fans knew about it and its main characters, but it can’t be denied that Gale’s most questionable actions support the theory to a degree.