Lori Spengler (Ruby Modine) was the hidden main villainess of the 2017 film Happy Death Day. She was a nurse at Bayfield University Hospital and the roommate of Theresa "Tree" Gelbman—the film's protagonist.
Introduction[]
Lori's introductory appearance had her attempting to give Tree a cupcake with a candle for her birthday, only for the latter to rudely throw it away after blowing out said candle. Furthermore, the film's progression saw the protagonist being trapped in a time loop which repeated itself every time she was murdered by a masked assailant known as the Babyface Killer; she had to relive the day after each death until she found out who the assailant in question was.
When a frantic Tree came to Lori during one such loop about what was happening to her, the latter tried to reassure the former that nobody was trying to kill her in spite of the opposite being true. After several failed attempts to unmask the Babyface Killer, Tree came to believe that serial killer John Tombs (who was being detained at the aforementioned hospital) was the culprit and killed him when he tried to escape.
Reveal/Death[]
However, after a romantic evening with her new boyfriend Carter Davis, Tree was shocked to wake up to find herself reliving the day once more after dying for the ninth time (she had committed suicide in one loop in order to save Carter's life). As she went to her dorm room to pack her things and flee, Lori once again presented her with the cupcake, which led to Tree realizing that her roommate was her would-be killer the whole time; said cupcake was poisoned, and the protagonist died in her sleep after eating it (this being the first timeline where she actually ate the poisoned food). Furthermore, Tree also realized that when her first attempt on her life failed, the psychotic Lori set John free and dressed up as the Babyface Killer during her other attempts to kill her—knowing that everyone else would assume he was the guilty party.
After initially feigning innocence, Lori cemented her reveal by grabbing Tree by her hair and throwing her into a door, causing the latter to sink to the floor of the room in pain. When asked about her motive, Lori revealed that she was sexually attracted to Gregory Butler, a physician at the hospital and also one of Tree's professors. Earlier in the film, it was shown that Tree had been having an affair with Gregory; armed with that knowledge, Lori had plotted to kill her so that she could take her roommate's place as his mistress. Following her confession, which Tree dismissed as a stupid motive for wanting to kill her, the two college girls began to fight each other, with Lori covering Tree's mouth when Danielle Bouseman (the president of their sorority) came to their door asking about the noise. The protagonist took advantage of the distraction to shove the cupcake into Lori's mouth, and a terrified Lori tried desperately to remove the poison from her mouth, but only had enough time to notice Tree giving Lori her well-earned comeuppance for her petty evilness by kicking her, sending her unhinged roommate crashing through a window behind her and falling to her death below.
Victims[]
- Theresa "Tree" Gelbman (stabbed to death with a knife, stabbed with a broken bong, drowned in a fountain, struck in the head with a baseball bat, blown up in a car explosion, and killed via poisoned cupcake; revived by time loops)
- Nick Simms (stabbed to death; revived by time loop)
- Dr. Gregory Butler (stabbed in the back with a knife; revived by time loop)
- Becky Shepard (indirectly; accidentally struck in the head with a baseball bat by Tree who mistook her for Lori; revived by time loop)
- Officer Santora (struck by a car; revived by time loop)
- Unnamed security guard (indirectly; killed by John Tombs after he is released by Lori; revived by time loop)
- Deena (indirectly; killed by John Tombs after he is released by Lori; revived by time loop)
- Carter Davis (indirectly; killed by John Tombs after he is released by Lori; revived by time loop)
Trivia[]
- According to director Christopher Landon, an unused draft had Lori and Dr. Butler conspiring to kill Tree.
- An alternate ending (the intended original one) saw Tree being hospitalized after her ordeal with Lori, only to be murdered permanently by a vengeful Stephanie Butler, who wanted the protagonist dead after finding out about her affair with her husband.
Quotes[]
- "You stupid little whore. (Tree: "I know I've been a bad roommate, but... isn't this a bit much? WHAT THE HELL?") Oh, I don't know! Maybe because you wouldn't stop sleeping with him! (Tree: "But— Gregory?") But he just kept choosing you over me. I guess all he wanted was a cheap slut like you! (Tree: "Wait... you've been killing me over some stupid guy?") Oh, that's not the only reason. You're a dumb bitch too!" (Lori revealing her motives for trying to kill Tree)
- "What I really wanna know is... how did you figure it out? (Tree: "Because you've killed me before!") Then I guess I'm just gonna have to do it again." (Lori's final statements before Tree begins their fight)
Gallery[]
