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Susan D. Snell, best known as Sue Snell is a supporting character of the Stephen King multiverse.

Serving as the deuteragonist of the novel Carrie, it's three film adaptations Carrie film, Carrie TV Film and Carrie 2013 remake, and the 1976 sequel The Rage: Carrie 2.

She is a student at Ewen High School in Chamberlain, Maine and the girlfriend of Tommy Ross. She was one of Chris Hargensen's best friends who joined in bullying Carrie White, especially during the shower incident. Sue later felt guilty about her part in the bullying and asked Tommy to take Carrie to the Prom in her place. She hoped that by doing this, she would be helping Carrie to know what it is like to be accepted and put her conscience at ease. Sue's plan failed in a way that not even she expected. She discovered that the school was burning and raced to see what had happened. Upon her race to the school, she got into a minor skidding accident in her mother's car, which may have caused a slight concussion. She then searched for Carrie and found her later lying on an empty parking lot, bleeding to death. Sue had somehow managed to "hold in" on Carrie's broadcast telepathy and invited the young girl into her mind to see that she was not involved in the Prom debacle, nor did she ever feel any animosity towards her. In 1986, Sue published a book recounting her part in The Black Prom. It is shown she has become a heartbroken woman because of these events.

Novel[]

According to the novel, Sue had been dating Tommy for 6 months and became his lover two months before the time when the novel supposedly took place.

A popular girl at Ewen High School, Sue began to feel guilty about making fun of Carrie as she was having her first period and proposed to Tommy, that he should take Carrie to the Prom instead of her. Although he was against the idea at first, Tommy mellowed to it later. Furthermore, on another note, Sue believed that Tommy had gotten her pregnant. But, for now, Sue chose to stay at home on Prom Night, though she was instinctively worried about it. However, several hours later, the town whistle began to blow and she happened to look out her window: Ewen High School was on fire. Sue rushed therefore to her mother's car and drove to the scene of the incident. When she arrived, the school exploded. Sue slammed on the brake, but hit her head on the steering wheel. When she exited the car, she saw a nearby gas station explode and flagged down a town sheriff. However, he took Sue and interrogated her. Sue knew that Carrie did all of this in revenge for the prank and that Tommy died in the school because of it. A while later, Sue finds the dying Carrie White lying in a lot with a burning car. She somehow felt Carrie's "telepathic broadcast" and invited her to enter her mind, and see that she never felt any hatred for Carrie nor had she taken part in her humiliation at the Prom. Carrie explored Sue's mind and saw that what she said was true. Carrie died after forgiving Sue but not before transmitting to her telepathically all of her miserable life where she also had to see how ugly she behaved at the shower incident and for a while, also having to experience what happens, when someone dies. After that, Sue began to either have her period or a miscarriage. She identified Carrie´s body for the authorities, who then took the body away. She testified later at The White Commission, who were trying to turn her into a scapegoat to no avail. Years later, Sue wrote "My Name is Sue Snell". Within the book, she talks about the events that led up to the The Black Prom from her perspective. She also defends Tommy and her own actions. It is implied, that all the events surrounding The Black Prom have broken Sue´s heart to the core. Sue only longs for peace after these events and also has begun embracing death driven by the experience she had, when she telepathically was linked to Carrie at the time of her death having to look, though only temporarily, what happens, when someone dies.

For her, it is as though she is condemned to follow her to her death, because of it.

1976 Film[]

IMG 0839

Sue acted similarly to her novel counterpart, albeit she did not appear to be concerned about asking Tommy Ross to take Carrie White to the Prom. Also, there was no mention of her pregnancy.

Sue lived with her father, mother and sister and was a popular student at Bates High School. She was friends with Chris Hargensen and dated the popular athlete Tommy Ross. Once after P.E. class, Sue and her schoolmates witnessed as Carrie White, an outcast student and daughter of a delusional and religious mother, had her first period in the shower, ignorant of what was actually happening to her. Sue, Chris, Norma Watson and the other girls coldly mocked the horrified Carrie, throwing tampons on her. Sue was stopped as their teacher Miss Collins arrived, and told her about what was happening. When Sue later arrived home, Carrie's mother was there preaching over her mother. Sue and the other girls were later confronted by Miss Collins who told them they would be punished for what they did to Carrie. The girls were then forced into extreme physical exercise, until Chris defied the teacher and called her schoolmates to join her. Feeling guilty and regretful for her actions towards Carrie, Sue only told Chris to "Shut Up". Sue later had the idea of making things better for Carrie by persuading Tommy into taking her to the prom instead. Tommy agreed, and the two were interrogated by Miss Collins on their true intentions. Sue, however, was unaware of Chris's plans for that same night, after Chris was expelled from the Prom. Sue left home to see sneak and see how things were going at the Prom, and found out that Carrie and Tommy were elected Queen and King of the Prom, and rejoiced. Sue then noticed the ropes armed around the stage, and spotted Chris and Billy hidden below Carrie and Tommy, ready to humiliate her in front of everyone. Miss Collins assumed Sue went there to ruin Carrie's perfect moment and ignoring the girl's warnings about Chris and Billy Nolan, Miss Collins expelled Sue out of the Gym. Outside, Sue desperately screamed to be allowed inside, until Freddy DeLois and Kenny Garson appeared trying to squirm their ways out and were suffocated as Carrie, enraged, forced the two, suffocating them between doors. Sue tried to get in and witnessed the massacre happening there. Afraid of Carrie and of the events, she went away from there.

Traumatized over the deaths of Tommy, her friends, schoolmates and teachers, Sue became haunted by nightmares of Carrie.

Trivia[]

  • The infamous ending scene of Sue's nightmare where Carrie White pulls her from underground was filmed backwards to be given a more dream-like tone.
  • The scene has inspired scenes in several subsequent horror films and classics such as Alice Hardy's nightmare in Friday the 13th.
  • Sue can barely be seen in the background trying to get in between the doors as Carrie washes Norma Watson away.
  • In the original ending of the film, Sue was supposed to follow Carrie up to her house, where she finds Margaret White dead, confronted by her and witness the house's destruction. This would be the only direct dialogue between the two characters in the 1976 film. The idea was later used in the 2013 remake.
  • A scene of Sue and Tommy Ross making love, taken from the novel, is also in the original script.
  • In the film and sequel, Sue's character is different from that of her counterpart in the novel in that:
    • Sue does not become pregnant with Tommy's child, which excludes the whole abortion plot completely.
    • She has a sister, where as in the novel she appears to be an only child.
    • The Black Prom leaves Sue traumatized, where as in the novel she becomes indifferent over her losses at The Black Prom.
    • Sue sneaks into the Prom, differing from the novel where she stays at home until she hears the sirens outside, as Carrie destroys the town. Sue discovers what actually happened after her mind is bonded to Carrie's through her telepathy.
  • In the original script of The Rage: Carrie 2, Sue manages to get inside the Party and is burned to death by Rachel Lang.
  • While filming Carrie, actress Amy Irving was with her female castmates, were she was asked out by director Steven Spielberg, with whom she eventually married and had children.
  • Amy Irving portrayed Gillian Bellaver, a girl with psychic powers in The Fury, which was also directed by Brian De Palma.
  • Amy Irving asked Brian De Palma for his blessing before she went back to the role of Sue Snell for the sequel.
  • Amy Irving's real mother Priscilla Pointer portrayed Eleanor Snell in the film. A picture of the two can be seen in Sue's office in the sequel.
  • When filming the ending scene in which Mrs. Snell attempts to calm down her horrified daughter, Amy's intense acting caused Priscilla to call her "Amy" by accident.
  • Amy Irving and Sissy Spacek also starred in the 2002 film, Tuck Everlasting.

1988 Episode[]

1999 Sequel[]

IMG 0865

Sue Snell was again portrayed by Amy Irving in the 1999 sequel.

In the following years, as The Black Prom and Carrie's "supposed" vengeful role in it became an urban legend, Sue admitted herself in the Arkham Institue due to her intense trauma, and at some point discovered about the existence of telekinesis, the power of one to move objects with it's mind, which for years she did not believe there was. After discharge, and still haunted by memories of the past, Sue became a school counselor at the reformed Bates High School. After a girl known as Lisa Parker committed suicide on campus, Sue confronted her only friend Rachel Lang, a withdrawn outcast, who told her and Sheriff Kelton that Lisa went out with Eric Stark that weekend. After the constant visits of girls crying after being dumped by boys, Sue insisted to Sheriff Kelton that it should be investigated, since Eric having sex with Lisa was Statutory Rape. Kelton, however, asked if Sue was not actually still trying to save a girl who died years before, and Sue remembered the incident in the shower. Sue confronted Rachel and offered her help and confidence. Rachel initially agreed, and Sue told her that 23 years before, she tried to help someone, and it backfired horribly. Rachel's schizophrenic mother Barbara happened to be at the Arkham asylum Sue had been, and asked Rachel about her fear of becoming what her mother was, which was "perfectly normal" on her age. As Sue talked, however, Rachel felt disturbed and caused Sue's mug to fall from her table, causing Sue to suspect Rachel was a carrier of telekinesis. Sue then called Rachel in, and attempted to make her speak out about her inner gift. Rachel then tried to leave, reluctant, and Sue forced her to stay, insisting that they should talk. Stressed out, Rachel caused Sue's snow globe to explode on her table, and left. Sue, horrified to what Rachel was able to do, remembered the massacre she witnessed. Sue later visited Barbara at Arkham and asked if Barbara had ever seen objects moving by themselves as Rachel grew up. Barbara told her about how terrifying children can be, and revealed that Rachel's real father was Ralph White, Carrie's father, a secret she kept after the events of the Prom Night. Sue then approached Rachel and took her to the remains of the old campus, and told her what happened there. Sue then told Rachel about her real father, her half-sister Carrie White, and the gift they share, much for Rachel's revolt. Sue also told her about a princeton lab that studied psychic abilities, where she could find help. Rachel, however, did not believe in anything and left. Sue's last attempt to help Rachel was to sneak in Arkham and take Barbara out, so they could find Rachel and tell her the truth. Sue was then told discovered Rachel left school with the popular student Monica Jones, which Sue estranged. Sue rushed to Mark Bing's house where a Party was happening, and heard screams from outside.

She rushed to the locked front door calling out for Rachel, and as she tried to look inside, Sue was instantly killed when a fire poker hurtled through the door and her head.

2002 Film[]

IMG 20150322 074631

Sue Snell 2002

Inthis version Sue was portrayed by Kandyse McClure, whose characterization sported a hair style similar to that of Amy Irving's version.

As this version more closely follows the novel's plot (and rather loosely follows the original film's), Sue possessed most of the character traits shared by her two other counterparts, but here, she additionally assisted Carrie with putting on her makeup so that she could go to the prom in a proper manner.The other two incarnations did not do this.

After the Ewen Senior prom incident, Sue observed Carrie during the rampage and followed her. She found Carrie at home in a bathtub full of red, bloody water with her mother dead nearby, so she pulled the girl out and managed to revive her after Carrie's mother attempted to drown her previously and then hid her.

After testifying that she found Carrie dead and left her alone, both Sue and Carrie visited Mrs. White's grave at night so they wouldn't be seen and later left Chamberlain. Sue then took Carrie to Florida where she could help others who possessed powers similar to hers.

This was the basis for a potential television series that would have picked up where the film left off. The series was never produced. Therefore, it is unknown what happened to Carrie and Sue after they left Chamberlain.

2012 Musical[]

2013 Film[]

Inthis movie Sue (Gabriella Wilde) plays a similar role to her previous incarnations, but seems to gradually care more deeply for Carrie than her earlier movie counterpart.

IMG 20150322 075603

Sue Snell 2013

Sue is first seen in the swimming pool, playing water volleyball with the rest of her class. When Carrie got the chance to play, she accidentally hit Sue in the head and she just laughed it off. At the shower, Sue participated in the tampon-throwing incident, but she hesitated and stopped. When Miss Desjardin slapped the hysterical Carrie, Sue approached her and told her that Carrie probably didn't know what was happening to her.

Sue felt guilty of what she did and asked Tommy to take Carrie to prom. While she herself seemed reluctant, she was willing to let Carrie find happiness. While preparing the gym for prom, Sue felt sick and vomited in the toilet, implying that she was pregnant with Tommy's baby.

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Sue Snell in 'Carrie' 2013 with Tommy

On prom night, Sue stayed home with her family. While showering, she received a text from Chris saying: "Your girl looks good, but not for long." This alerted Sue and she rushed to the gym where she noticed the bucket to be dropped on Carrie.Sue tried to warn Miss Desjardin, but she was forcefully thrown out of the gym. She therefore had to watch the prank, how it killed Tommy and how Carrie exploded.

After the disaster at the prom, Sue went to Carrie's house where she saw her holding the lifeless corpse of her mother. Carrie thought about killing her, but realized that Sue was really sorry for what happened and also found out she was pregnant with a girl, so she pushed Sue out of the house as a rain of stones destroy Carrie's house.

Sue was shocked about the death of Carrie and about her pregnancy, because not even she suspected, that she was pregnant from the start, but was also happy at the same time about it. Sue is later seen at a courtroom, where she tried to defend her testimony of the Black Prom. She blames this tragedy on everyone (including herself), stating that Carrie wasn't a monster, but the constant torment she suffered day after day finally pushed her too far: as Sue puts it "We pushed her and you can only push someone so far before they break". Then, the scene cuts to a cemetery, where Sue is seen carrying a white rose.

This scene plays out similarly to the 1976 film's ending. Sue placed the white rose on Carrie's gravestone, vandalized with the words "Carrie White burns in HELL!" After Sue leaves, the gravestone cracks and breaks, while Carrie's scream is heard in the background implying she might have survived. It is also implied, that Sue will go out of this relatively unscathed.

ALTERNATIVE ENDING

In the Blu-ray ending, Sue also places a rose in Carrie´s vandalized grave and then she is shown in the hospital giving birth to her baby but instead, a hand (possibly Carrie's) comes out of her vagina and starts attacking her. It turns out, that it was just a dream leaving Sue screaming, while her mother comforts her.

At 1:39:59 in this alternate ending, there is a 'hidden' frame with Carrie, still in her prom dress, covered in blood, holding Sue's baby.

2024 Comedy[]

Gallery[]

Sue Snell (1976)[]

Sue Snell (1999)[]

Trivia[]

  • Sue is the only character to appear and survive in every version of the story. Though she does end up dying in the 1976 film's sequel.
  • The dream sequence involving Sue was shot with Amy Irving walking backwards, away from the plot, where Carrie's house was supposed to be. If one watches the screen during the first moments of the sequence, one can see a red car moving slowly in reverse. A few seconds later another car is seen moving backwards much closer to the viewer and faster.
  • The cross-style For Sale sign in the above sequence had the words, "Carrie White Burns In Hell" scrawled on its front meaning, apparently, that not even until death was Carrie able to find peace.
  • In the 2013 remake, Sue starts to treat Carrie as a friend when she asked her boyfriend, Tommy Ross to take Carrie to Prom, and also when Carrie tells Sue that her baby will be a girl, saving Sue from dying in the house and when Sue places a white rose on Carrie's grave.
  • It is also possible, that she completely ceases to see The Mortimer Snerds as friends, for what they did during The Black Prom in the 2013 remake.

Appearances[]

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