Okay, this is honestly more of a PE discussion, I guess. Because I'm not sure myself, but here we go.
What is the Work?[]
See No Evil is a 2006 slasher film about a group of juvenile delinquents tasked with cleaning out an abandoned hotel to make a homeless shelter. Unfortunately for the group, a beastly serial killer named Jacob Goodnight is living inside. One by one, the group are all slaughtered by Jacob, until the final girl kills him in a seemingly conclusive fashion. But, Jacob survives and in a sequel, goes on a killing spree at the hospital he was delivered to. The sequel's not really that important, as Margaret isn't a big part of it, but I will be mentioning it a bit.
Who is She?[]
As you might've guessed by the name, Margaret Goodnight is the mother of the main antagonist, Jacob Goodnight. And a bad mother at that. Little is known of her past, but it appears that she became very devoted to Christianity for some unspecified reason. In flashbacks she doesn't appear to have a husband or boyfriend, but she must've had someone, because she gave birth. Anyways, Margaret was a terrible mother and forced her extreme religious beliefs on her son. She would show him pornographic magazines and tell him that the girls in the photos were sinful and deserved to be punished. Obviously, Jacob found the girls attractive, and would try to pleasure himself. Being a religious nut, Margaret would punish Jacob for this behavior through verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. (Locking him in a cage, washing his head/face under the shower, whipping him, etc.) In one particular incident during Jacob's teen years, Margaret tied up a teenage girl who Jacob had brought home. She ripped the girl's eye out and told forced Jacob to look at it and see the evil.
What Has She Done?[]
Aside from child abuse, Margaret is technically a serial killer and torturer. As I said up there, she tore out a teenage girl's eye while the girl was still alive. But, let's get to the movie events.
See No Evil[]
In the present, police officers Frank and Blaine respond to a call about screams coming from an abandoned house. The officers enter the house with their guns drawn and slowly proceed into the house. They find a girl with her eyes missing on the floor, but Blaine is attacked by Jacob wielding an axe. After killing Blaine, Jacob chops off one of Frank's arms. Luckily, the officer is able to shoot Jacob, but not fatally as revealed later. Frank calls for back-up and the police discover seven more bodies around the house, all with their eyes missing.
Four years later, Frank is escorting a group of juvenile delinquents to an abandoned hotel. They are tasked with cleaning the place up to turn the place into a homeless shelter. There, they meet the owner Margaret Gayne, who if you haven't guessed by now is actually Margaret Goodnight.
-Many gory kills later-
Margaret reveals herself as Jacob's mother and orders her son to kill Kira. However, Jacob refuses to, so Margaret grabs the gun and tries to shoot her herself. Jacob intervenes and accidentally ends up throwing his mother into a wall of nails.
Jacob Goodnight[]
I just feel it's worth mentioning that Jacob is essentially doing what his mother taught him to do. This includes ripping out eyes. So, yes, Margaret can be held responsible for a lot of what Jacob's done. Especially since Jacob is her main tool for killing.
Just in case you're wondering what he's done.
Jacob Goodnight
Heinous Standards[]
- Jacob Goodnight: While her son is arguably worse, Jacob is tragic because his mother forced him to be what he is. Her abuse turned him into a monster, and in the sequel he is pretty much embraced his mother's religious views, claiming that he sees the sin. Though, despite that, in the sequel, he does show some restraint after killing a girl in the bathroom. He fights with himself, but is unable to get over his mother. Speaking of which, Jacob is remorseful about killing his mother, which shows that despite all she put him through, he does still care.
- The Protagonists: Of course, I can't not mention that the main protagonists in See No Evil are juvenile delinquents who have committed crimes. But, their crimes don't compare. I mean shoplifting, aggravated assault, breaking and entering, drug-dealing, selling stolen property, etc. Obviously none of that compares to serial homicide, torture, mutilation, child abuse, etc.
Why She Doesn't Qualify?[]
So, at this point, you're probably wondering how she could have any redeeming qualities. Well, here's the thing, Margaret's reason for creating the Blackwell Hotel massacre, was so she could get revenge on Frank for shooting her son, claiming that the delinquents were just a bonus.
Verdict[]
I'm not sure. Being honest here, I'd say she is worse than Margaret White. White at least has an excuse for being the way she is. We are never really given that with Goodnight. However, the fact that she wanted to get revenge on Frank for hurting her son, seems to suggest that somewhere in her cold black heart, she did have a tiny bit of care for Jacob. So, should she stay Pure Evil or be removed? I'll let you decide.
Little Note[]
I just recently watched the sequel, however I haven't watched See No Evil in a while. So, if there's anything I forgot, please do bring it up.