User:HeatherChandlerAlmighty/sandbox

= In Defense of Heather Chandler =

A Summary of the Almighty Queen of Red
Heather Chandler from the cult classic Heathers is often viewed as either the villain or an anti-hero of the dark comedy. Of course, Veronica Sawyer is the hero of the story, but it’s not like Chandler isn’t as well - remember, she does help Veronica stop JD in the end along with Kurt Kelly and Ram Sweeney (in Heathers: the Musical). Chandler, Kurt, and Ram warn Veronica of JD’s sneaking into the Sawyer house. So really, the dead people are the true heroes. That’s the one thing we can thank JD for.

She’s A Victim
Heather was the first death in Heathers, but remained a prominent character throughout the entirety of the musical. She, alongside Kurt Kelly and Ram Sweeney, are killed by Jason Dean (JD) and their deaths are staged as suicide. Heather’s suicide is seen as cool, and Martha Dunnstock attempts suicide in an effort to escape her reality and be like the cool kids. After accidentally killing Heather Chandler with drain cleaner, Veronica forges a suicide note with the help of JD. When the school reads the suicide note, they cancel school and love Heather even more than when she was alive.

She’s A Hero
After dying, Heather, Kurt, and Ram all help Veronica stop JD from blowing up the school. In the song “Yo Girl”, the dead trio warn Veronica of JD’s sneaking in through her bedroom window. They even give her the idea of faking her own suicide in order to get JD out of her house- which ultimately also freaks her mom out, but not every plan is a total winner. JD tells everyone that Veronica has hung herself, which allows her to avoid attending the pep rally and shoot him in the stomach so he doesn’t blow up the school. In the end, JD blows himself up, sacrificing himself for the safety of the school.

She’s More Iconic Than Anyone Else
Probably the most quoted line of the entire musical and movie is Heather Chandler’s line, “F*ck me gently with a chainsaw.” Her frequent use of “shut up, Heather” is also quite iconic, as she tells Heather Duke and Heather McNamara this about every other minute when she is alive. Other honorable mentions are “Grow up Heather, Bulimia is SO ‘87”, “Ugh… such a pillowcase”, and “Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?”*

So yeah, Heather Chandler is a victim, a hero, and an icon. She may not be the greatest role model, but she is definitely not a villain.

* ___________________________

I feel obligated to mention that Kim Walker, the actress who played Heather Chandler in the 1989 movie, died 12 years later in 2001 from a brain tumor at the age of 32.