Stephanie Butler (Happy Death Day 2U)

Stephanie Butler (Laura Clifton) was a hidden villainess from the 2019 film Happy Death Day 2U, the sequel to 2017's Happy Death Day.

1st Film (Original Self)[]

Residing in the home dimension of Theresa "Tree" Gelbman (the main protagonist of both films), Stephanie Butler is the wife of Dr. Gregory Butler, a hospital physician as well as a professor at Bayfield University. Furthermore, Gregory was revealed to be an adulterer, as he was having an affair with Tree. Making a brief appearance, she was introduced to Tree by Dr. Butler after she nearly caught the two kissing, with lingering looks from Stephanie seemingly implying she was aware of (or at least had suspicions of) her husband's infidelity.

1st Film's Original Ending[]

Heel Stephanie Butler — Stephanie in her disguise

The original ending to the first film saw Stephanie appearing as its surprise final villainess and killing Tree for good following her ordeal with Lori. In the scene, Tree was visited by her father and Carter in a hospital before being informed by her doctor that she was to stay off pain medication for her well-being. After the doctor left, a villainous masked nurse entered and prepared a fatal dose of medication for Tree, who reminded her of her doctor's orders.

In response, the "nurse" removed her mask and revealed herself as Stephanie, who succumbed to her murderous thirst for vengeance after learning about Gregory's affair. From there, she waited for an opportunity to murder Tree herself, which she did by injecting the medication; as the unforgiving criminal did so, she expressed her pain stemming from the discovery of Tree's illicit relationship with her husband before ruthlessly asking if she believed she would get away with it. Seconds later, Tree's heart rate briefly spiked before it flatlined, signaling her death. This ending was shown in test screenings for the first film, and was received negatively by their audiences, prompting the first film's writers to come up with the theatrical version of Stephanie.

2nd Film (Alternate Self)[]

Evil Stephanie Butler — Stephanie's evil alternate self in *Happy Death Day 2U*

The 2019 sequel had Tree going through her time loops once again; this time, the protagonist found herself in an alternate dimension, with one of the many differences being that she and Gregory never met, and that Lori Spengler (whose original self in Tree's dimension was unmasked as the first Babyface Killer) was his mistress. Stephanie's alternate self made her debut in Happy Death Day 2U by arguing with her husband's alternate self, and after Tree learned about the alternate Lori's affair with him, she suspected that Stephanie knew about it.

In the film's climax, Tree went to the Bayfield University Hospital to save Lori, with the former's efforts beginning when she took a security guard's gun and shot serial killer John Tombs to death as he prepared to stab the latter. After that, the pair were suddenly confronted by the second Babyface Killer, who was unveiled as none other than Gregory; he wanted his illicit lover dead due to his wife finding out about their relationship, and had released John in order to frame him. However, in a surprising twist, Stephanie revealed herself as her husband's accomplice by (non-fatally) shooting Lori in her abdomen and coldly lambasting her for the affair. While Gregory was engaged in a brief brawl with Tree, the villainess ordered him to murder her. Once her sociopathic husband gained the upper hand, his vengeful co-conspirator offered him Tree's gun and asked him if he wanted to "do the honors." Gregory seemingly accepted her offer, only for him to fatally shoot Stephanie in her chest instead, after which he voiced his desire to divorce her.

Quotes[]

"(Tree: "Excuse me; what are you doing?") It's for the pain. (Tree: "The doctor said no pain medication.") Not your pain, Theresa. Mine. Did you really think you'd get away with screwing my husband?" (Stephanie snarling at Tree as she poisoned her in Happy Death Day's original ending)
"You really think I was gonna let a little whore like that ruin my life?" (Stephanie after shooting Lori and revealing herself as Gregory's accomplice in Happy Death Day 2U)