There’s a running joke in “Scream VI” about Tara (Jenna Ortega), Sam (Melissa Barrera), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad (Mason Gooding) being the “core four.” As the remaining survivors from the latest Woodsboro massacre, they’ve supported and comforted each other through trying times. So, their group should definitely have a nickname, right? Unfortunately, no one else agrees.
Chad tries his best to make “core four” happen anyway. He first suggests the moniker while the four have a sleepover to stand guard against Ghostface. “Up top!” he beams. “Down low…” He turns to his friends with his hand outstretched, and is immediately shut down. He tries again later, after Sam learns that she’s the prime suspect in the new killing spree. As he tells the group, they’ve each learned to cope in their own way. Making up a silly nickname is his method of dealing with things.
Throughout the film, “core four” becomes a chant for the group. In times of distress, or when they emerge victorious, the nickname becomes a refrain that signifies their will to survive and their commitment to one another. Sure, it’s a little corny, but I guarantee you’ll be saying it over and over again when the film is over.
