The Finale Contingency

/finaálee kəntínjənsee/ n. 1. A term used to describe the stipulations for the finale and ending of a horror movie. 2. All or most of these requirements must be met:

1. At least one hero, male and/or female, must survive the finale of the story
2. Whichever hero survives must know, not think, that they have beaten the adversary
3. Any killer must die, be captured, be turned, or be beaten in some way (not physically)
4. Any supernatural evil must be banished or eluded
5. Any creature must be disposed of, eluded, and/or transfigured back to natural form by way of spell, incantation, potion, or banishment of curse
6. Any infection/outbreak must be contained or escaped.
7. Any curse must be broken or eluded. Some curses cannot be broken and/or eluded. In these cases, the curse must appear to have dispelled just before final culmination…usually resulting in a sequel
8. Any nightmare sequences must be resolved and/or woken up from
9. An explanation or inference of motive must be stated, either directly or indirectly
10. Any residual conflicts must be resolved or indefinitely prolonged…unless a lead-in is obvious