10 Horror Movie Characters Punished For Their Faith

Faith and trust are often rewarded in the most brutal of ways.

by Andrew Pollard
Saint Maud
A24
"Well, I guess it would be nice, if I could touch your body..."

No, not that sort of Faith.

While George Michael's 1987 toe-tapper is off the table, the centre of attention here today is very much all about faith. Specifically, it's about faith in the world of horror movies and the subsequent fallout that faith can bring for those who find themselves opting to back a particular horse or cause in such pictures.

Of course, faith comes in various different shapes and forms. For some, faith is represented by their religious beliefs. For others, faith is more about having trust in other people. And for some, faith can be more about having a strong belief in yourself and your own ability to succeed in whatever you choose to put your mind to.

In its simplest form, faith is about unquestionable belief and trust; it's just in who, what or where that unquestionable belief and trust is placed.

Taking those differing definitions of faith into account, then, here are ten horror movie characters whose faith, trust, confidence or outright cocksure arrogance ultimately resulted in their own downfall.

10. Abin Cooper - Red State

Saint Maud
Lionsgate

Played by the phenomenal, dearly missed Michael Parks, Red State's Pastor Abin Cooper used his faith to rule with an iron fist.

Living his live by the good book to extreme measures, this cult leader - himself largely based on Fred Phelps and his hatred-fuelled Westboro Baptist Church - uses his twisted faith to commit atrocities.

Thankfully, Cooper's own arrogance and strict faith is what is ultimately his undoing. Believing that the Rapture is being ushered in during a final act shootout between this cult and the law, Abin stops what he's doing and prepares to ascend to the skies. Things didn't quite work out how this demented fella had imagined, though, and Red State saw him eventually get his comeuppance.

By the end of Kevin Smith's 2011 movie - Smith's first foray into horror - Pastor Cooper is locked up in prison, having been headbutted by John Goodman's Special Agent Keenan after this faux Rapture.

As for that Rapture? It was nothing of the sort, instead being a prank played be trumpet-playing college kids pissed off with Cooper and his nuts antics.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.