Ever since Freddy Vs. Jason in 2003, horror fans the world over have pitted their favourite horror movie icons against each other in a bloody duel where winner kills all. Fan fiction has given us Michael Myers Vs. Leatherface, Ash Vs. Michael Myers and Freddy Vs. Pinhead. So today I’m entering the debate. I’m taking two ultimate juggernauts and pitting them against each other, movie for movie, kill for kill to see who, in a battle to the final death, would stand victorious.
In this corner, with the highest body count in horror history stands a goalie with an axe to grind. Also a machete, a weed whacker, a long sharp pole… ugh who are we kidding? He can kill you with just his hands. Ladies and gentlemen, The Crystal Lake Killer himself, Jason Voorhees!
And in this corner, stands a new recruit to the horror genre. His first film back in 2006 saw him kill off the reigning King Of Horror in the first ten minutes. Weapon of choice? Anything he can get his hands on. Ladies and gentlemen, from the murky bayou of Louisiana, Victor Crowley!
So, let’s get ready to rumble…
These two share a lot in common. Firstly, in their respected back stories, both characters are horribly deformed and a treated poorly by their young peers. Jason was mocked and teased by other campers and it has been hinted at that they pushed him into the water, despite knowing that he couldn’t swim, which in turn resulted in his death. Victor was hidden away from the world by his father who knew that the town’s children wouldn’t understand. Curiosity got the better of the children and they began to treat Victor like he was some sideshow attraction, ultimately being responsible for his death.
Secondly, both characters seem to have an unusually strong relationship with their respected parent. In the case of Crowley, his father took great care of him, protecting him from all the dangers of the big wide world. Mr. Crowley sadly passed away of a broken heart ten years after Victor died. Jason is, in every way, a mama’s boy. In fact, if it wasn’t for his mother’s devotion and love to seek revenge against the camp counsellors that let him drown, Jason wouldn’t be embarking on this slasher-fest. It was witnessing the death of his mother that pushed him over the edge.
Thirdly, there’s something disturbingly heroic about both characters. Their tragic lives and deaths have audience the world over rooting for them, willing them on, begging them to kill the stupid and often uninteresting characters that find themselves lurking around their respected killing grounds. We cheer when Jason slams a sleeping bag against a tree. We applaud when Victor disembowels someone with his bare hands. We want to see these ‘tragic monsters’ succeed in their quest.
I’m going to be brutally honest with you. I’m not a fan of either one of these characters. The lack of believability in Jason’s back story causes me to question everything I witness him doing. With every sequel there has been more added to his story which, in turn, has created doubt. Tell me how it is physically possible for a child to drown in 1957 only to come back as a child in 1980 to witness his mother’s passing. And if that wasn’t totally unbelievable, how about the fact that one year later, he’s suddenly a full grown man? See what I mean by doubt. It seems that Jason, however, is easily beatable if you pretend to be his mother (or in the case of Freddy Krueger playing “Mommy”, Jason also gets mighty pissed off if you trick him) but seldom many people try it. The ones that have, Ginny in Part 2 for example, lived.
As for Victor, I just see him as Jason Voorhees wannabe. To me, they are the same character it’s just that Victor doesn’t feel compelled to wear a hockey mask to hide his disfigured looks. Hell, they’ve even been played by the same man! (Kane Hodder) Victor, like Jason, lives in a shack next to a body of water. Victor, like Jason, was tormented by children when he was a child. Victor, like Jason, kills unmercifully using whatever he can get his hands on, or in some case, just like Jason, with nothing but his bare hands.
Taking all that into consideration, both Jason and Victor have stamped themselves into the horror genre history books for all time. So the question remains. If these two found themselves face to face, who would win?
Jason first made an appearance in 1981 and has reeked havoc for thirty plus years. Victor started in 2006 and is fast closing in on his ten year anniversary (well, he will reach it in four years). Jason’s body count is second to none. The closest competitor to him is Michael Myers of Halloween fame. Victor is racking up a score himself, but he’s got a long way to go (another eight sequels plus remake plus a fight against another super villain of horror) to even remotely get close enough to knocking Voorhees off his thrown.
Let’s look at the stats.
Height: Jason is anywhere between 6’1 and 6’6 depending on who’s playing him. Victor is 6’3 and a half. (Seeing as Kane has been both, I’ll use his height and size for Jason as well)
Weapon of Choice: Everyone associates Jason with the infamous machete but did you know that more often then not, he never starts out with it. The machete was first used in the original movie by Bill (Harry Crosby) and has since evolved to become Jason’s weapon of choice. Although, I would like to see the stats on how many he’s killed with the machete because I believe the number to be quiet low. Victor, like Jason, doesn’t seem to have a weapon of choice however being in a movie named Hatchet, I think it’s safe to assume he has a thing for hatchets.
Body Count: Now this is where the facts get a little misty. Jason (not including his mother’s handiwork in Part One or the copy cat of Part 5 or the remake): 147. If I were to include the remake and the copycat killer the body count becomes: 182. Either way, you really don’t want to piss this goalie off. As for Victor: 30 so far. Please remember that these numbers are susceptible to change and may not actually be accurate.
Sequels: Jason: 10 Victor: 1 (plus more in the works)
On paper, the battle is over. Jason wins in a landslide victory. But as we learned from Freddy Vs. Jason, being strong on paper doesn’t always mean strong on the battle field. Yes, Jason is physically uber strong, but so is Victor Crowley. Both are made of brawn, both are unnerved by what has come before and most importantly, both seem to be unkillable. (Fun Fact: Both have taken on Robert Englund - Jason took him on as Freddy, and Victor took him on as Samson)
I even took to Twitter asking the question of who would win out of these two. The overwhelming response favoured Jason with a friend of mine saying “You simply can’t beat experience.”
The only conclusion I can make regarding this battle; it’s going to be one hell of a bloodbath.
So, Jason Voorhees Vs. Victor Crowley. Place your bets
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