Upamanyu Biswas
While petty feuds, jealousy, and a masked serial killer serve as the central driving force of Netflix’s ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen,‘ the movie has its fair share of uplifting moments, including a budding romance between Lori Granger and Tyler. As the latter is in a relationship with Tiffany, Lori’s mortal rival, the exchanges between the pair are predicated on awkward ground. Yet, it is also undeniable that they share a palpable sense of chemistry and tension, which brings them closer throughout the narrative. However, Tiffany’s overbearing presence often dents proceedings, compelling them to seek one another out through clandestine means. This attracts its own set of challenges as the final parts of the movie focus on Lori having to avoid the serial killer as he threatens to put an end to her night in a gruesome fashion. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Masked Assailant Dashes Any Hopes of a Lori and Tyler Ship
At the start of the movie, the likelihood of a Lori and Tyler relationship seems bleak because of the latter’s ongoing relationship with Tiffany, the popular girl with a mean personality. However, as the narrative progresses, Lori gets an opportunity to grow closer to Tyler, albeit away from Tiffany’s prying eyes. Through these exchanges, it becomes evident that they are both attracted to one another. This finally comes to fruition during prom night, when all the high schoolers get dressed for a night of competition and merriment. After reigning himself in for the majority of the story, Tyler makes a move on Lori in the event, causing huge ripple effects for the others. In particular, Tiffany is disgusted by the fact that her boyfriend dumps her to sidle up to her main rival.
The newfound closeness between Tyler and Lori on prom night feels like a culmination of the brewing feelings between the pair throughout the narrative. However, it opens the door for more calamity in other aspects of the story. For instance, Lori’s relationship with her best friend, Megan, is affected by her loyalty towards Tyler. Later, he decides to take her to another room where they can have some private time. During the scene, Tyler tries to initiate sex with Lori, showing his true colors and the ulterior motives he had been hiding all along. While Lori is unresponsive towards his advances and outright rejects them, he remains persistent and asks her for more. At that moment, the masked assailant comes out of the shadows and kills Tyler, bringing an abrupt and gruesome end to any future of a Lori and Tyler ship.
In some ways, Tyler’s brutal death fits in aptly with the other deaths. After seeing his true intentions for Lori, on a surface level, it appears that she is better off without him. Tyler only cared about Lori because he thought she would be an easy person to seduce and extract sexual favors from. To that end, she may have turned into a victim of his playboy tendencies and someone who is not necessarily the good boy he purports himself to be. This is particularly evident when he belittles Megan in front of her, someone Lori deeply cares about despite some minor differences occasionally. However, it is also likely that he may have misjudged the moment between them when trying to initiate sex. Regardless, his brutal murder makes all the possibilities moot, destroying any chances of a relationship between the two.
Tyler Grows Weary of Tiffany’s Controlling Personality
Although the discussion surrounding Tyler and Lori’s death is the most important, it is also worth noting how it came about in the first place. As depicted in the narrative, Tyler only started growing weary of Tiffany because of how she kept him constantly on a leash. For Tiffany, dating Tyler was less of a romantic fling and more of a status thing. Nothing denoted her superiority over the other girls in school more than dating the most attractive and popular “jock” in Shadyside. To that end, he was merely a plaything to her and akin to a shiny mantelpiece object she liked to flaunt in front of her cohort of girlfriends. Thus, he grew weary of being treated like an object and wished to break free from the shackles of Tiffany’s control.
Later in the story, when Tyler breaks up with Tiffany, the latter is more concerned that he is planning to get together with Lori rather than from the act of breaking up itself. She is least bothered by cutting all ties to him romantically, likely because she barely had any feelings for him in the first place. He was just a thing of convenience that got her what she wanted: a seat at the popular table and worshippers. On the other hand, Lori’s feelings for Tyler are more genuine and less of a ploy. As such, he likely sees her as an antidote to Tiffany’s poisonous attitude and also a way to experience something more wholesome. Of course, by the end, it all turns into a horrific scene when the assailant murders him. Still, it leaves room for an interesting discussion on his short-lived affair with Lori.
