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"We're not really sisters, Jamie, but that doesn't mean I love you any less."
―Rachel Carruthers to Jamie Lloyd[src]

Rachel Carruthers, portrayed by Ellie Cornell, is the deuteragonist in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, and also appears in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Rachel was born in 1971 to Richard Carruthers and Darlene Carruthers in the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois. Rachel lived a normal, happy childhood, her life likely only disturbed by Michael Myers' murder spree in Haddonfield on Halloween 1978, when she was seven. It is known that Laurie Strode babysat Rachel several times when she was a little girl and that she and her parents often spent holidays with Rachel's grandmother in Cleveland. In December 1987, Laurie and her husband died in an automobile accident and left their daughter Jamie Lloyd with the Carruthers. Rachel also had a boyfriend named Brady. She was very concerned about her appearance and was, at times, selfish.[1]

Protecting Jamie[]

Rachelfindsjamie

Rachel sits with Jamie

On the morning of October 31, 1988, Jamie is sitting on the couch, staring at the rain outside. Rachel comes to sit by her, mentioning that it is 4 in the morning. Jamie says that she cannot sleep and Rachel questions if this is the fourth night in a row that she has had this issue, sarcastically asking if she is going for a record in the seven-year-old insomniac's Hall of Fame. Jamie turns her face slightly to look at Rachel, asking if she loves her. Rachel says that of course she does and Jamie expands by asking if she loves her like a sister. Rachel starts to answer, but Jamie interrupts her, asking if she loves her like a real sister. Breathing a sigh, Rachel tells her that they are not really sisters, but that this does not mean that she loves her any less. Unconvinced, Jamie says, "Sure it does", changing her position from staring outside to facing her foster sister. Rubbing Jamie's head, Rachel tells her that she knows she misses her parents and notes that it has not been that long since they passed. Jamie replies that it has been eleven months and Rachel mentions that her mother used to babysit her when she was Jamie's age, betting the latter did not know this.

Jamie tells Rachel that she is lucky and that she wishes her mother could do the same for her. Rachel instructs Jamie to follow her to bed and Jamie follows after her. Going to her bedroom, Rachel opens the door and has her hand on Jamie's shoulder as the latter walks in. Rachel gets on her knees and takes Jamie by the hands, tells Jamie to sleep tight and that they will have french toast for breakfast. Jamie nods her head and Rachel stands back up, closing the door. In the morning, the Carruthers are in the kitchen when the phone rings as Darlene is making breakfast. She answers the phone and directs Richard to get another tie after he gets the one he's wearing dirty. As Rachel opens a cabinet, Darlene tells her that is not the only thing she is eating. Rachel tells her that she is on a diet and asks her if she wants an oinker for a daughter. Darlene speaks to Susan's mother, asking him if Susan could bring her crutches before calling it a "stupid question" and instructing him to tell her that she hopes she feels better. Darlene hangs up and announces that Susan cannot babysit tonight because she broke her ankle the previous night at the ice rink. Darlene turns to Rachel and calls her name as she comes over to her sitting daughter. Rachel tells her please and pulls a top off a container.

Darlene tells her that she will have to watch Jamie tonight and Rachel says not tonight, telling her that she has that date with Brady and she knows how important that is. Darlene tells her that tonight is very important for her father and herself and Rachel turns to her as she asks if she can find somebody else. Darlene tells her it is too late and Rachel puts out her hand as she asks what she is supposed to tell Brady, sarcastically answering herself by apologizing to him for having to babysit her foster sister and telling him to go have fun by himself. Darlene tells her that it is not exactly the end of the world and Rachel says sure it is, adding that she thinks tonight Brady was ready to make a commitment. Out of Rachel's view, Jamie comes to the kitchen door and Rachel tells her mother that her future relationship, her engagement, and her children have all been whipped out because she has to babysit. Rachel, removing her hand to the side of her face, turns to her food and sarcastically says "Oh joy." Jamie then apologizes for ruining everything and says that Rachel could go out if she was not there before walking away.

Rachel places her hand over her face and Richard sarcastically tells her good job, adding that Jamie needs all the love they can give her and all Rachel can do is think about herself. Rachel then gets out of her seat and walks out of the room. Rachel walks to Jamie's room, knocking before calling her name. Jamie looks over to her and continues fiddling with her teddy bear. Rachel comes to sit down, apologizing and saying that she did not mean it like that. Rachel adds that she cannot go out with Brady tomorrow night and that it is no big deal. Jamie reminds her that she wanted to go out tonight, blaming herself for Rachel not being able to. Rachel smiles as she announces that tonight they are "going to do something better", revealing that they will go trick-or-treating. Jamie looks at her and tells her that she does not want to. A reassuring Rachel responds that it is Halloween and asks her if she wants to get dressed up "in a really scary costume and get some candy." Jamie continues to look away and Rachel stares at her with a smile. Rachel asks her if she wants to get ice cream after she picks her up from school today. Jamie looks at her and asks if it will be double scoops. Rachel nods her head as she repeats double scoops, and tells her that they will now get breakfast as she gets off the bed. A smiling Jamie follows her back to the kitchen.

At school, Jamie is mocked for not having a costume, being the niece of the boogeyman, and for having a deceased mother. The crying girl leans against a tree as Lindsey Wallace pulls her car up, with Rachel in the passenger seat. Rachel calls Jamie's name and Jamie turns to see her, Rachel smiling as she raises her hand. Jamie comes over to the car as Rachel opens the door on her side. Rachel, noticing Jamie's demeanor, asks if she is okay and Jamie does not answer as she enters the car. Jamie sits in the backseat and Rachel asks her if she remembers Lindsey. Lindsey greets her and Jamie responds meekly. Rachel asks Jamie if she is ready for some ice cream. Jamie turns to her and reveals that she wants go to trick-or-treating like the other kids. Confused, Rachel tells her that she thought she did not want to go trick-or-treating, and Jamie looks away. Lindsey interjects that the Discount Mart is having a sale on Halloween costumes. Rachel rejects this as she mentions that Brady is working there until 6 p.m. and a smiling Lindsey says that she knows, asking Rachel if she wants to talk to him. Rachel tells her that she does not want to look pushy and Lindsey replies that she will not. Rachel says she does not want to come on too strong, furthering that a guy hates a girl who comes on too strong, noting "fragile egos and all that." Lindsey says she will not come on too strong and Rachel says she does not want to seem desperate or anything, Lindsey retorting that Rachel is desperate. Lindsey tells her that she is just going to go in and buy a costume for Jamie and that it will be "perfectly legit." Rachel is still unconvinced and Lindsey asks her if she is going to drop the two at the Discount Mart or Dairy Queen. Rachel turns to Jamie and calls on her to make the decision. Jamie answers the Discount Mart and asks if they can get ice cream after, to which Rachel agrees.

Lindsey drops Jamie and Rachel off at the Discount Mart and tells Rachel to call her, the latter answering "Ok, bye." Rachel closes the door and she and Jamie enter the store. They are seen by Brady, who asks Rachel what she is doing there and that he thought he was supposed to pick her up. The smiling Rachel mentions that Jamie needs a Halloween costume. Brady asks Jamie if she does. He turns his head in the direction of the costume aisle, and tells Jamie to go down there and boasts that they have the best Halloween costumes in all of town. Jamie, holding Rachel's hand, pulls her as she tells her to come on, but Rachel tells her in a second and looks at Brady as she tells him that they need to talk. Brady smiles, putting down what he was holding, and asks her what it is about and Rachel answers it is about tonight as the two walk off together. Jamie walks to the aisle alone and steps over to the masks, looking at them before turning her attention to a rack of costumes. She goes through them one by one until seeing a red and white clown costume, which she pauses to stare at. She pulls the costume off the rack and shouts for Rachel, announcing that she has found the "perfect costume" and for her to come see it. Rachel and Brady kiss as Rachel wraps her arms around his back. She pulls away and Brady notices, asking what.

Rachel reveals that her parents' babysitter cancelled and Brady, not understanding the importance of this, says "So?" Rachel explains that she has to watch Jamie tonight and Brady looks away from her, breathing a large sigh as he frowns and asks her when she found this out as he looks at her again. Rachel answers this morning and he reacts by asking her why she did not tell him earlier, mentioning that it is now 5 p.m., the two staring at each other before Rachel calmly tells him not to get angry. Brady says that he is not and hesitates to answer as he looks over to Kelly, who briefly gazes at him. Brady asks if he can come over afterward while Jamie is sleeping, and Rachel answers that her parents are going to come home early. Brady again asks "So?" Rachel says that she does not know as she shakes her head and Brady nods his head as he says that he guess he will call her later, the latter walking away as Rachel watches him with a look of concern. Jamie goes to a mirror, placing the costume in front of her as she smiles. Michael grabs the white mask Jamie walked by earlier and Jamie continues staring in the mirror. Jamie sees something in the mirror that panics her and she moves back, turning to see Michael as the latter is covering his face with the mask he just stole. Jamie screams and Michael reaches for her as she moves back, smashing into the window and tipping Rachel off to her being in trouble. Michael retreats into a corner and Rachel rushes to the aisle. She finds Jamie sitting on the floor, Rachel asking her what happened. Jamie answers that it was the "nightmare man" and a confused Rachel asks "What?" Brady and Kelly Meeker come over as Jamie tells Rachel that he is coming to get her and Rachel tells her that she is okay, speculating that she probably saw a mask and was scared by it. Rachel tells her that at least she is not cut and Jamie looks at her with a scared expression. Rachel helps Jamie up as she tells her that they will go home and cleans her back off as the pair start to walk away, Michael observing them in a corner.

Jamieinstore

Rachel checks on Jamie

That night, the Carruthers are getting ready to leave as Jamie is cleaning a plate. Richard comes behind her to tell Jamie that he and Darlene are leaving, asking her where Rachel is. Jamie says that she does not know and Rachel answers as she reveals herself by the front door. Richard tells Jamie to come on and she takes his hand. Darlene asks Rachel how they look and the latter answers that they always look great before grabbing her mother's coat and helping her put it on. Darlene tells her the number to reach them is next to the phone and Rachel jokes that next to that is police, hospital, fire, and probably the National Guard. Rachel opens the front door. Richard tells them that he wants the two to have fun tonight and tells Rachel to make sure Jamie is in bed by 9:30. Rachel tells Richard that he is going to be late and that he does not want to blow his promotion. As the Carruthers walk down the staircase outside, Jamie tells them bye and Rachel closes the door. Jamie asks Rachel if she can go and get her costume on and Rachel consents, ordering her to hurry up.

Jamie goes upstairs and Rachel moves from the front door to the den to get on the phone, being watched by Michael through a window. Rachel asks if Brady is there and questions if he is not back home from work yet, questioning if they can tell him to drop by around 8 p.m. as she should be home by then. The other person agrees and Rachel says okay before disconnecting the call. Rachel shouts for Jamie to come on as she is going to miss all the good candy. Jamie hears her as she is sitting on her bed in her costume and puts her mask on. Rachel tells Jamie to come on as she removes herself from the couch. Jamie comes downstairs in her costume and opens the front door, telling Rachel to come on. As Rachel rushes to the door, Jamie says that she thought Rachel had said she was ready and the latter repeatedly insists that she is, closing the door behind them before the two go down the stairs. Michael enters the home and goes to Jamie's room, finding her shoebox of pictures of Laurie to confirm the girl's identity as his niece.

Rachel and Jamie trick-or-treating

Rachel and Jamie trick-or-treat.

Rachel and Jamie are trick-or-treating. After getting some candy, Jamie rushes down the house's steps before Rachel tells her to wait for her. Jamie tells her to come on and keeps running until she reaches the house next door. She knocks on the door and a woman opens the inner door of her home. Jamie tells her trick-or-treat and the woman compliments her costume before handing her some candy. Jamie and Rachel both say thank you, the former running off of the porch as the tired Rachel walks behind her and asks if she has had enough. Jamie declines, telling her that Halloween is great and asking if they can stay out all night. Rachel tells her to forget it and that they will be home by 8 p.m., Rachel taking Jamie's hand as the pair encounter some kids. One of them compliments Jamie's costume as being really cool and Jamie says "Really?" As Michael watches, the child asks Jamie if she wants to come with them and Jamie looks at Rachel, who smile as she grants approval. The group goes up to the house and says "trick-or-treat" as Kelly opens the door, Rachel's face changing from a welcoming smile to a look of discomfort upon seeing her.

Kelly greets Rachel and the latter says hi back to her. Kelly begins giving the children candy and Rachel notices Brady coming down the staircase in the foreground of her home, her look reverting to discomfort as Brady sees her as well and she starts to walk away. Brady calls for her and Rachel looks back, continuing to walk. Brady comes out of the house and calls her name again. He runs behind her and tells Rachel that he has an explanation, the latter saying that he does not owe her anything and that there is no explanation. Brady asks her if she can hold on a second and Rachel tells him to leave her alone and for them to forget it. Brady places his hand on her shoulders as he tells her that she does not understand, Rachel knocking them down. Brady notes that she blew off their date at the last minute and Rachel sarcastically asks if he hops onto the next best thing, adding that she thought he was different from other guys. Brady insists that he is but mentions that he got pissed off and Rachel says oh really before telling him that she will let him get back to "Little Ms. Hot Pants" and moves past him. Brady calls her name and Rachel calls out for Jamie as she walks away.

Rachel and Jamie reunited

Rachel and Jamie reunite after being separated.

Rachel turns a corner and calls for Jamie. She stops in place and looks around. Michael watches her from inside a home as she continues calling for her foster sister. Elsewhere, Jamie walks by herself and hears the rustling of a bush, asking if it is Rachel. Rachel calls for Jamie again as she walks forward and hears a noise, turning back quickly and then breathing a sigh. Rachel looks behind a house as she calls for the girl again and then notices Michael standing in a haze of smoke. Rachel rushes to a fence and scales it, purposefully falling off and hitting the ground. She frantically runs from the fence as she says "Oh god" and continues running around. Rachel spots her and grabs her as she crouches down, asking Jamie where she has been and telling her to never go out on her own again at night. Jamie is silent and Rachel hugs her. A police car pulls up to the pair and Samuel Loomis and Sheriff Ben Meeker come out. The two express relief and Rachel asks what is going on. Loomis encourages the pair to get in the car. Jamie and Rachel sit in the backseat as what appears to be three Michaels appear around the car, though this is revealed to be a prank by some teenagers to scare the sheriff during the curfew.

Rachel comforting Jamie at the Meeker house

Rachel comforts Jamie as they take refuge at the home of Sheriff Ben Meeker

Rachel breathes as sigh of relief and comforts the crying Jamie by telling her its okay. Meeker drives the group back to the police station and finds the corpses of his police force, all of whom had been slaughtered by Michael in his absence. Some Haddonfield citizens led by Earl Ford assemble at the station to find out why Meeker put out a curfew and Loomis reveals that Michael has returned to Haddonfield, the group going off to stop him personally. Meeker takes Loomis, Jamie, and Rachel back to his home, where Brady and Kelly rush to give off the impression that they were just sitting together. Rachel shares an intense stare with Brady as Meeker instructs Rachel to take Jamie upstairs to the first door on the right. Rachel silently complies and the pair go upstairs, sitting together in the bedroom. Brady comes in and asks Rachel if they are okay. Rachel replies that they have been better and Brady asks what is going on. Rachel responds "Michael Myers" and Brady expresses confusion as to who that is. Rachel explains that he killed people ten years ago on Halloween and is Jamie's uncle, the latter lamenting that the kids at school were right as she cries. Jamie cries as Rachel gently holds her by the side of the her hair. Brady tells them that he is going to be outside upstairs in the attic and leaves, Rachel momentarily looking back at the door after he goes.

Jamie lays on the bed, asking Rachel if they can go home soon. Rachel tells her real soon as she runs her hand through her hair and posits for her to go to sleep. After Jamie goes to sleep, Rachel kisses her and gets up from the bed, keeping a watchful gaze on the sleeping Jamie before she leaves the room. Rachel slowly goes downstairs as she places her hand on the handrail and approaches Deputy Logan, who asks her if everything is alright. Rachel informs him that Jamie is sleeping and asks when they can go home. Logan tells her that the state police will be there soon and it will not be long after that, cautioning her not to worry. Rachel says she is trying and Logan repeats that it will not be long. Rachel walks away and stands by Kelly as Loomis comes out of a door and asks her if Jamie is alright. Rachel says that she is fine and Loomis says good as they continue walking in their respective directions.

In the kitchen, Kelly is looking for something but cannot locate it. Rachel, holding the item, asks her if she is looking for it. Kelly takes it and starts using it as Rachel stares at her from behind, Kelly turning back to look at Rachel and then claiming that she did not know she and Brady had anything. Rachel tells her that she knew but just did not care and Kelly remarks that Brady is not married and that she has a right to do what is best for her. Rachel asks her if she means what she does best and Kelly stops fiddling with the item to look back at Rachel, advising her to wise up to what men want or Brady will not be the last man she loses to another woman. Rachel remains silent as Kelly turns back to what she was doing, Rachel coming over to her and grabbing a coffee cup. She calmly tells Kelly to have some coffee as she spills it on the latter's shirt and walks away. Rachel comes to the room Meeker is receiving transmissions from and asks him what is going on out there. Meeker orders Rachel to stay by the radio as the state troopers will give word on when they are en route and for her to tell Deputy Logan when they are coming.

Rachel says okay and Meeker asks her if she understands, Rachel nodding as Meeker leaves and she assumes his position. Jamie wakes up and realizes that Rachel is gone, calling her name. Rachel sits by herself in the dark room, looking around. Michael enters the house and kills Kelly and Deputy Logan. A state trooper radios that they should have cars dispatched in five minutes and Rachel leans up to respond. She says this is great and they will be waiting, adding that her message is over and out as she removes herself from the room. Rachel calls out for Deputy Logan, but does not receive a response. She looks around until she sees his corpse by a lit candle and then sees Kelly's body hanging from the wall, letting out a scream as she covers her face. A frantic Rachel rushes up the staircase as she calls Jamie's name, falling at one point before picking herself back up. Rachel opens the door to the bedroom Jamie was sleeping in, and discovers the girl is no longer there as she says "Oh god."

Rachel goes down the staircase again and bumps into Brady, who is coming back from seeing the corpses. Brady asks her what is going on and Rachel says that she has to find Jamie before she tries going back up the staircase, only for Brady to grab her by the arm and pull her as he says they have to get out of the house now. Rachel says not without Jamie and Brady points out Deputy Logan's corpse, asking Rachel if she thinks Jamie stands a chance. Rachel says that she is not dead and Brady tries to open the door, asking her if she has another key. Rachel says that she does not know as she throws her hands up and Brady moves to the side of her as he shoots the door's lock, Rachel covering her ears. The metal burns Brady's hand who remarks that it is metal and Rachel asks what this means, Brady replying that they are trapped in the house and the two race up the staircase. Rachel and Brady stop when they see Jamie stumbling around and Rachel says the child's name in relief.

The crying Jamie says Rachel's name as the latter goes to her and they embrace. Brady calls Rachel's name as he spots Michael standing by the fireplace and Rachel turns to look, calling Brady's name as she holds onto Jamie. Brady instructs her to stay back and Rachel calls his name again as he points his gun at Michael, the latter coming up the staircase. Brady realizes the gun is jammed and Rachel tells him to come with them. Brady shouts for her to go and Jamie grabs Rachel as she tries to get her to leave, Rachel calling Brady's name again. Brady instructs her to get up there as he fiddles with his gun and Rachel tries to get him to come with them once more, to no avail. Rachel holds Jamie from behind as Michael turns to Brady, who finishes getting ammo in the gun, but misses Michael as the latter is already by him when he fires. Michael throws Brady against a wall and Jamie tells Rachel to come on as the horrified teenager resists. Brady hits Michael with his gun before the latter catches the gun, hits Brady in the face with it, and removes his weapon from him.

Rachel and Jamie on the rooftop

Rachel and Jamie on the rooftop of the Meeker house as they try to avoid Michael.

As Rachel screams Brady's name, Jamie tells her to come on and the two move away. Michael kills Brady, and Rachel and Jamie reach the attic. Rachel shouts for Michael to leave them alone and Jamie runs ahead of Rachel to the top. Rachel calls her name and the former starts throwing items from the attic to the staircase to block Michael's path. Jamie and Rachel move forward into the attic, hearing Michael coming for them. Rachel turns Jamie and tells her to go as they run to the attic's window. Jamie puts her hand on the window and Rachel places her hands against the walls. Jamie calls Rachel's name. Rachel orders Jamie to get down and she complies, Rachel throwing pieces of luggage to fully break the window. Rachel tells Jamie to get on her back and the pair exit through the window. Now on the rooftop, they climb further up until Rachel almost reaches the top, Jamie looking back. As Rachel grasps the top part, one of the tiles causes her to slip and sends the pair spiraling downward. Rachel catches a stick poking out of the roof with one hand and Jamie with the other, instructing her to grab on. Jamie climbs onto Rachel's back again and the two venture to the rooftop again, making it this time. Jamie turns back and sees Michael now on the roof, Jamie letting out a scream. Rachel grabs a hold of her and slides the pair to the side of the roof as Michael approaches. Rachel tells Jamie that she wants her to get down to the chimney, Jamie stating that she cannot and the frustrated Rachel telling her to try.

Rachel Carruthers falls

Rachel falls from the rooftop.

Rachel begins letting Jamie down with a wire. Jamie notices Michael coming behind her and screams Rachel's name to tip her off. As Michael strikes Rachel, the latter reacts and loses her grip on the wire carrying Jamie, the latter lightly grazing the chimney. Rachel manages to avoid being hit by Michael and falls close to Jamie, telling her that she is going to lower her down as she ties her with wire. Rachel lowers Jamie, who holds onto the wire and turns her head to the side. Rachel insists that she has her in an attempt to calm the girl, but the former has to dodge another attack from Michael that causes her to lose her grip of Jamie, and send her falling. Jamie screams as she descends until she is caught by the wire. Rachel is sent off the rooftop when dodging Michael's strikes and falls to the ground. Jamie is able to get herself out of the wire and rushes to Rachel's body, crying for her to come alive. She tells Rachel not to be dead and that she cannot be dead. Jamie tells her to come alive again as she lowers her head into Rachel's shoulder and cries over her seeming death. Michael descends from the roof and Jamie turns her head to see him, turning back between Michael and Rachel's body as she stands back up and screams.

After Jamie flees, she encounters Loomis, who takes her to a schoolhouse. There, Michael throws him through a glass door and Jamie runs away, falling down a flight of stairs. Just as Michael grabs his niece by the leg, Rachel appears with a fire extinguisher and uses it on Michael, distracting him long enough for her to grab Jamie. Just as Earl Ford and the other Haddonfield citizens looking for Michael pull up to the school, Rachel carries Jamie and they exit through the front entrance. One of the men asks what is going on as they heard the alarm and Rachel tells them that he is inside. As the men contemplate going inside to confront Michael, Rachel asserts that they have to get out of Haddonfield and the state police should handle Michael as they are on their way. The citizens agree, with Al lifting Jamie from Rachel and the latter going to sit in the passenger seat of the car. Jamie sits on Rachel as the group drives off, and Rachel alternates between looking at her and the road.

Over the radio, Earl announces that he has Rachel and her sister in his truck as Rachel turns to look at him, adding that he is taking them out of town and that the state police are on their way. Earl tells Rachel that the calvary has arrived as the state troopers drive past them and that they will be okay. Michael appears on the back of the truck and knocks the men off. He smashes his hand through the driver's window to get Earl's throat and Jamie lets out a scream, Rachel joining her soon after once Michael finishes killing him. Jamie is knocked down as Rachel tries to take control of the car and pushes Earl's corpse out. Rachel takes control of the car and presses the gas petal. Michael reaches for her as she drives and is able to grab ahold of her shirt, pulling it as the screaming Rachel shifts the car back-and-forth and successfully gets Michael off of her. She continues steering, but cannot shake Michael off. Jamie bumps against the floor of the passenger seat and Rachel calls her name in concern.

Michael again sticks his hand through the driver's window and grabs Rachel by the shirt, Rachel screaming as she tries resisting him with her hand. Michael slams his head against the front window and Rachel shouts, hitting the brakes and sending Michael flying off the car and onto the pavement. As Michael stands back up, Rachel calls for him to die and drives the car into him. Michael appears dead, and the state troopers rush to their aid. Rachel breathes heavy sighs as she looks over to Jamie, telling the latter that she wants her to remain in the truck. Rachel leaves the truck and runs to Meeker's vehicle, telling him that they killed Michael and Meeker instructs her to calm down before asking if she is alright. Rachel nods her head as he asks her where Jamie is. Jamie, disobeying Rachel's order, goes up to Michael's body. She looks at his hand before grabbing it, staring at his mask and then back at his hand before Meeker calls her name. Rachel tells Jamie not to touch him and she releases Michael's hand. Michael grips his knife and Jamie stands back up, moving away from him as he rises. Meeker tells Jamie to get down and Jamie runs toward them as Michael stands up. Meeker shoots him and he is joined by the state troopers in shooting Michael repeatedly until the latter falls down a mine shaft to his seeming death.

Meeker, Jamie, and Rachel return to the Carruthers house, where they are greeted by Darlene and Richard. Darlene announces that she will take Jamie upstairs and has Richard stay with Rachel, Richard caressing his daughter by the hair as she stares away and breathes heavily. As Darlene draws Jamie a bath, the latter retrieves a pair of scissors. Jamie slips her mask on and walks down the hallway until she goes into the bathroom and Darlene sees her, the latter letting out a scream as Jamie stabs her. Loomis is alerted by the shout and heads to the staircase, looking up to see a blood-stained Jamie holding up a pair of scissors. Jamie lowers the scissors as Loomis raises his gun to shoot her, only to have Meeker stop him and grab it from him. Meeker points the gun at her and Jamie stands calmly as Meeker and Loomis are joined by Richard and Rachel.[1] Jamie is then sent to the Haddonfield Children's Clinic.[2]

Aftermath[]

Vistingjamie

Rachel visiting Jamie at the clinic

Even though Jamie had stabbed her mother, Rachel didn't stop loving Jamie and visited her daily, sometimes taking her friends Tina Williams and Samantha Thomas along with her. The day before Halloween, Jamie had a nightmare of her attack on her foster mother and Michael returning. Worried about her sister, Rachel visited her early in the morning the next day and stood by her bedside. They were soon joined by Tina and Max and even though she knew the clinic didn't allow animals, she let them come inside as Tina had brought Rachel's gift with her. While Tina talked with Jamie, Rachel was preparing to show Jamie her Halloween costume. Jamie was overjoyed to see her princess costume and the girls talked about how Jamie's friend Billy Hill was going to enjoy seeing how pretty Jamie was going to look. They were interrupted by Dr. Loomis and Rachel was about to leave, telling Jamie that she was going to be away for two days and that their parents send their love. As soon as Rachel was about to leave, someone had thrown a rock through Jamie's window with a note that said "The evil child must die!". Rachel made sure Jamie was calmed down before she left with Loomis to discuss what happened. She told Loomis that she felt guilty for leaving her sister alone for two days in which Loomis told her that she was deep down scared that what happened last year may happen again. Rachel tried to deny it but deep down knew it was true.[2]

Callfromloomis

On the phone with Loomis

She and Tina soon left the clinic and went home. Tina had to get the costumes first so she continued on her way leaving Rachel and Max to go home. Rachel needed to get ready for her upcoming trip with her parents and went to take a shower. Unknown to her Michael Myers had indeed returned and was stalking her. Rachel then received a phone call from Loomis telling her to check up on Max. When she arrived in the kitchen, she discovered that Max was missing. Worried about what was happening, Loomis told her to go to the neighbors and call the cops. Deputies Nick Ross and Tom Farrah arrived, checked the house and told Rachel that nothing seemed wrong. When Rachel questioned them about Max, the dog appeared running towards her. Feeling embarrassed, Rachel apologized and let the cops go on their way. She called Jamie to tell her that everything was fine and that she loved her.[2]

Rachel Carruthers's death

Rachel's death

Rachel Carruthers's corpse

Rachel's corpse in Michael Myers' home attic

Rachel went into her room to get some clothes when she heard Max barking yet again, she checked up on him and then heard a glass breaking. She went into a room where she found glass on the floor that belonged to a picture frame that contained a picture of Jamie. It had been cracked and it looked like blood was on the photo. When Rachel turned around she saw Michael standing above her and he stabbed her in the chest with a pair of scissors. Michael then carried Rachel's body back to his home and left it on a chair in the attic, she is discovered by Jamie, later at night along with the bodies of Tina's boyfriend Mike and Max.[2]

Personality[]

Rachel was a nice and friendly girl. She could be self-conscious, as evidenced by her not wanting to appear too assertive in her interactions with Brady and going on a diet so that she would not become an "oinker". For the most part, Rachel was respectful to adults and figures of authority, as she complied without question when ordered around by Sheriff Meeker and other Haddonfield policemen. And while she may have voiced disagreement with the decisions of her parents, she would never go against their orders. She could be resourceful, as demonstrated during her encounter with Michael.[1]

Though she loved Jamie, she was adamant to insist that they were not real sisters and her relationship with the latter could fall under strain such as when she was forced to cancel her plans to babysit her. Nonetheless, Rachel proved her deep concern for Jamie throughout their skirmish with Michael, as Rachel multiple times obstructed Michael's attempts to end Jamie's life with no regard for her own well-being. Rachel was shown to demonstrate great fear when not seeing Jamie and the possibility of something bad happening to Jamie coming into her mind, such as when the two were separated after Jamie went off with other children while Rachel was talking to Brady or when Rachel looked around for her in the Meeker house while Brady tried to convince her to leave without Jamie due to his conviction that Jamie had already been murdered. In the former incident, Rachel ordered Jamie to never go off on her own again, evidencing Rachel's desire to keep a watchful eye on her.[1]

Rachel forgave Jamie for stabbing her mother and further demonstrated her commitment to Jamie through her visits to her at the Haddonfield Children's Clinic after Jamie stabbed her mother. As she had done the year before, Rachel tried to cheer Jamie up through showing a positive attitude when around her, as she smiled at Jamie after the two woke up. She became accepting of Jamie's inability to speak, Rachel talking to her with non-verbal replies even when the pair addressed each other over the phone. Rachel also took issue with Haddonfield residents who blamed Jamie for the 1988 Halloween murder spree of her uncle, asserting that it was not her fault. The fact that Rachel, who lost her boyfriend and saw her mother nearly killed as a direct result of Jamie's relation to Michael, could accept Jamie showed how deep Rachel's commitment to her went.[2]

Rachel placed great value in her romance with Brady. She believed that the pair would have a future together, as evidenced by her telling her parents they would not have grandchildren due to her having to watch Jamie. She saw him as different from other guys and second-guessed herself when it came to her interactions with him. Rachel disliked when Brady was upset and even instructed him not to be when she told him about their plans being canceled due to her babysitting Jamie. She was devastated by Brady's interest in Kelly as it all but confirmed that while she may have considered their relationship important to the point of having years long plans, he could easily throw it away through his pursuit of someone else. She retained strong feelings of concern for him as a person, as she pleaded for him to come with her and Jamie while he tried to hold off Michael to allow the pair to leave the Meeker residence. This act of sacrifice on Brady's part demonstrated that he did care about Rachel, and evidenced that they had a mutual love for each other only hampered by adolescent angst.[1]

She developed a disliking of Kelly Meeker for what she saw as the latter's attempts to steal boys away from other girls. Rachel still treated her amicably, as evidenced by Rachel not being bothered by her coming to see if Jamie was okay after the latter screamed and broke a mirror, and allowing Jamie to come to the Meeker home while trick-or-treating, which by happenstance caused Rachel to notice Brady in the background and realize that he was cheating on her with Kelly. When Rachel confronted Kelly over her flirtations with Brady, and Kelly noted that Brady was not married, it served to demonstrate a difference in ideals between the two girls, with Rachel believing that a romantic couple should be allowed exclusivity regardless of martial status while Kelly saw marriage as the only perimeter to respect someone else's relationship.[1]

Rachel would first encounter Michael ten years after his original murder spree as he began killing people in the Meeker house. Rachel knew him to be a threat to Jamie-based on knowing about the 1978 murders, and appealed to his humanity by begging for him to leave her and Jamie alone as the duo fled the house. Fully consumed with grief and anger over the death of Brady, and his continued attempts to kill Jamie, Rachel expressed a want for Michael to die when she ran him over, Rachel's relationship with Jamie contrasted the one the latter had with Michael as a person not blood related to Jamie that was protecting her from a blood relative who wanted her dead specifically because they were related. Dr. Loomis observed that Rachel was afraid that she would see a repeat of Michael's massacre the following Halloween during a conversation between the pair, and her feelings of discomfort were validated by her murder later that day.[1]

Although she did not spend much time with Dr. Loomis during Michael's 1988 spree, she was respectful toward him and they became closer over the following year, with Rachel even specifically confiding to him of the guilt she felt for leaving Jamie. Loomis, knowing that she valued her stepsister's safety, tried to assure her that Jamie would be okay in her absence. A concerned Loomis, adhering to warnings from Jamie, called Rachel to see if she was okay and was visibly panicked when it appeared Michael was there with her, Rachel obeying his orders to leave the home. When Rachel confirmed that she had found her dog and incorrectly asserted that Michael was not in the house, Loomis trusted her judgement and the pair would ultimately never speak again as Rachel was murdered a short time later. Loomis and Rachel shared a concern for Jamie, a desire to protect her at any cost from her uncle, and an understanding that she was not herself when stabbing her stepmother.

Rachel shared many traits in common with Jamie's late mother Laurie. Both were teenagers when they encountered Michael and protected a child that they were babysitting from him, inflicting harm on Michael in the process. The two also knew a girl who was their age with a father as the town's sheriff and discovered her corpse after she was killed by Michael, along with the bodies of his other victims. The pair were among the survivors of his respective killing sprees and also have some familial relation to Jamie, with the former being her stepsister and Laurie being her mother.[1]

Notes and trivia[]

  • Ellie Cornell and Danielle Harris did all of their own stunt work during the rooftop scene of Halloween 4. Cornell said that "it was really fun" and it took place on her last day of shooting.
  • Along with Laurie Strode and Frank Hawkins, Rachel is one of three characters to run over Michael.
  • Along with Laurie Strode and Kara Strode, Rachel is one of three main protagonists in this timeline to be depicted with two living parents. She is also the only one whose parents are neither killed by Michael (like Kara's) nor given ambiguous fates (like Laurie's).
  • In both Halloween 4 and Halloween 5, Rachel is first seen with Jamie. She first appears sitting with Jamie as the latter looks out a window in the fourth film, and by her bedside in the fifth.
  • Along with Dr. Loomis, Jamie, and Meeker, Rachel is one of four characters to survive Michael's massacre in the Meeker home. All of them either left before Michael started killing (as was the case with Loomis and Meeker) or fled before he could get to them (in the case of Rachel and Jamie).
  • Rachel and Jamie are separated from each other twice in Halloween 4, adding to the film's suspense. The first time is when they are trick-or-treating and Jamie keeps walking while Rachel is confronted by Brady. The second time is when Rachel leaves the bedroom Jamie is sleeping in and Jamie leaves the room later to find her after she wakes up and does not see her there. In both instances, the pair embrace each other when reunited.
  • Originally, Michael was to shove the scissors down Rachel's throat but the actress, Ellie Cornell, felt it was too gruesome an end for her character, so it was changed.
  • Halloween 4 director Dwight H. Little said that, had he and Alan B. McElroy returned for Halloween 5, they would have continued to focus on the relationship between Jamie and Rachel, as Little believed this relationship was the core of Halloween 4.
  • Moustapha Akkad has said that one of his biggest regrets about Halloween 5 was killing off Rachel Carruthers. In retrospect, he would have kept her alive, but she was killed in an attempt to show that no one, not even Rachel, was safe from Michael.
  • Rachel is the first character in the franchise, and the first of two in the 4-6 Timeline, to be killed by Michael in a sequel after surviving their first appearance in a previous installment. The other is Jamie, who dies in the sixth film.
  • Rachel is one of the few victims Michael has killed in broad daylight.
  • Michael and Rachel are the only characters to have scenes in the Carruthers house in both Halloween 4 and Halloween 5.

Appearances[]

References[]

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