Emma Spool

Emma Spool is the true main antagonist of the 1983 film Psycho II. She is the sister of Norma Bates and aunt of Norman Bates, although deluded herself into thinking she was actually Norman's biological mother and murdered his father when he was an infant. She was involved in a killing spree after Norman's release from a mental institution in 1983, although Norman began believing he may have been responsible his sanity slipping once again.

Emma Spool is killed by Norman, and her body kept in his house like her late sister. In Psycho III she appears as a corpse.

She is played by Claudia Bryar.

Early Life
Emma Spool deluded herself into thinking her nephew Norman was actually her son and not her sister Norma's. She killed Norma's husband and abducted an infant Norman, but was later arrested and institutionalized.

Psycho II
In 1983 Mrs. Spool worked as a cook at a diner in Fairvale, California. After Norman was released from a mental institution which he was placed into after the events of the original film, Mrs. Spool urges the diner owner Ralph Statler to give Norman a job as a cook's helper. On Norman's first day he interacts with Mrs. Spool, unaware of who she truly is.

Mrs. Spool begins conducting a murder spree in order to "protect" Norman. She murders a sleazy man who had helped run Norman's Motel in his absence and whom Norman sacked for allowing drugs to be used on the premises. When a pair of teenagers entered Norman's basement to take drugs and have sex, Mrs. Spool stabbed to death the male teen whilst his girlfriend escaped and alerted authorities. During this time Norman was locked in the attic, and although the police didn't go any further due to another diner worker Mary Samuels giving him an alibi.

When Mary's mother Lila Loomis - the sister of Norman's murder victim Marion Crane - went to retrieve an outfit resembling Norman's mother in order to try and send him over the edge and have him locked up again, Mrs. Spool appeared and stabbed her in the mouth and through the head, killing her. When Norman and Mary found the corpse, Mary got mad and believed Norman killed her mother, but before she could kill him the police arrived and shot her dead. The police concluded Mary must have been responsible for the murder sprees, especially when it transpired her mother was trying to send Norman over the edge.

After it was over and Norman returned home, Mrs. Spool paid him a visit. She revealed to him she was actually his mother. Whilst drinking tea which Norman poisoned, she began feeling the effects just as Norman hit her over the head with a spade - killing her. Norman then carried her corpse up to Norma's bedroom, and used her as his replacement for "Mother" and began talking in Mother's voice again.

Psycho III
A month passes after her murder and Ralph Statler shows concern for her. Despite Norman's past nobody in the town suspects him of being responsible for her disappearance, although a reporter in town named Tracy Venable suspects Norman.

Norman continues interacting with Mrs. Spool's corpse and speaking in the "Mother" voice. Norman ends up causing a third killing spree in the town at his own hands.

Tracy begins digging and discovers Mrs. Spool was Norman's aunt, not his mother and that she was insane as well. She confronts Norman at his house where he is dressed in his mother's clothing. He begins pursuing Tracy with the intent to kill, but snaps out of it and instead stabs the corpse of Mrs. Spool, presumably eliminating her from his mind.

Norman is later taken away, and once again institutionalized with no hope of being released again, although he declares that he is "free".