Halloween Ends: "A Capacity For Evil", And What It Means For The Franchise Future

Unsurprisingly, Halloween Ends opened the door for critics to jump on the recent installment without restraint. The usual complaints are that the movie rehashed past films or that the entry was unoriginal, except this time, the dispute is over how fans don’t like the unique direction taken.

In the newest Halloween movie, Michael Myers isn’t the killer he used to be. Age has finally caught up to him, and he's resigned to hibernating in the sewers. Basically, Myers is no longer the unstoppable force he once was. Hence why the mass murderer resorts to taking on a protégé: Corey Cunnigham. The move is uncharacteristic since he's never spared anyone except children, which is where the complaints originated. But, audiences fail to see the big picture.

When Corey first encounters Myers, the killer pulls him in close but refrains from anything else. He stares at the bullied young man long enough for his influence to sink in. The camera effect makes it apparent that Myers transfers something to Corey through that deathly gaze. His confused reaction to the ordeal was another indication. Corey also stabbed a homeless man to death on the way out. He could’ve subdued the guy or walked away, yet it was senseless murder, remorseless at that. In all accounts, out of character for him, no pun intended.

The Reason Corey Becomes A Serial Killer

What happens is Myers unlocks the capacity for evil in the young lad, pushing the seemingly docile Corey to do some horrific acts. Cunningham even becomes enthusiastic at one point, toying with potential victims as he plotted their murders. A stark change from the turn-the-other-cheek attitude he had when bullies confronted him. Corey never struck back before, even when they left him bleeding on the floor. Of course, that changed after his first encounter with Myers.

Suffice it to say, Michael Myers wasn’t the boogeyman, after all. He merely harnessed evil and inevitably came to enjoy it. Corey followed the same path in Halloween Ends, but unfortunately, he's not getting a second chance to put that vile spirit to work. His brief mentor made sure of that.

Speaking of a capacity for evil, it was a recurring theme throughout the movie and Corey Cunningham isn’t the only Halloween character who possesses the ability to cause harm for no other reason than sadistic pleasure. The teens who pick on him are just as despicable. They taunted and prodded Corey for his role in an accidental death when a normal human being would be sympathetic to the PTSD that he was likely suffering, regardless of his role in the tragic accident. It didn't just stop with one jab, either. They threw blame without knowing what transpired, making Corey relive that night over and over again.

Corey’s mother possessed very little compassion, too. Mrs. Cunningham kept a stranglehold over the wounded young man despite the whole town viewing him as a murderer. A kind, loving mother — the way she framed herself — could've eased up on her son, knowing he was under so much pressure. Except, the bitter old lady made Corey’s life even more difficult. Another instance of a Haddonfield resident proving evil is alive and not just in Michael Myers.

The town's other residents are just as bad, arguably evil in one sense. Haddonfield's radio host, for example, insulted both Corey and Allison, threatened to hurt the young man, and then made an unsolicited pass at Allison without a second thought. Now, Williy the kid may not seem that evil. But as yet another person familiar with the troubled pasts of Corey and Allison, then entirely ignoring those facts to crack jokes, puts his moral compass into question.

What this means for the future is that Halloween isn't over, after all. Evil doesn’t die with Michael Myers. It resides within everyone. Laurie Strode said it best, "Evil doesn't die, it just changes shape," as evidence to the fact that Myers was merely a manifestation for the corrupt emotion. All it takes is a push for a normal human to follow in his footsteps. And the reason why the franchise might not be drawing to a close.

A Successor To The Serial Killer Legend

Despite Myers dying in a pretty definitive way, the legend can live on. The intention was for Corey to become his successor, opening the door for a new killer. Sadly, he perished tragically in a predictable horror movie manner. But, that's not to say another person can't follow the same path.

Without speculating too much, the homeless man outside Myers’ hideout spoke of other people going in. He mentioned that they didn’t come back out, but he failed to account for the grate on the opposite side of the tunnel. That means another person besides Corey may have made it out alive.

Considering that Myers pulled these people in without murdering them, he probably intended to spread his evil. Then allowing them to leave ensures his legacy lives on in another. For all we know, a different successor escaped Myers's grasp and will become The Shape in a spin-off.

It’s early to begin speculating on what'll happen, but a new killer in a different town holds promise, nonetheless. Audiences probably need a break from Halloween movies for a while, and Jamie Lee Curtis might want to retire Laurie Strode. Of course, once a compelling enough script comes along, nothing is stopping another psychopath from donning the iconic Michael Myers mask.

Halloween Ends is currently in theaters and streaming on Peacock.