VERSUS: 5 Dream Showdowns Between Horror Icons

Jack Torrance vs. Norman Bates

Jack Torrance

5’10”

165 lbs.

Weapon of Choice: Ax

Strengths: Heart, Determination, Intimidation

Weaknesses: Cardio, Hot-Headed, Declining Age

Norman Bates

5’8”

135 lbs.

Weapon of Choice: Steak Knife

Strengths: Intelligence, Adaptable

Weaknesses: Timid, False Confidence, Emotionally Unstable, Mommy Issues

This is a cake setup, when you think about it. Let’s just say that Jack Torrance didn’t freeze his tail off at the Overlook. Let’s say he survived the night, and polished off poor Wendy and the innocent shiner, Danny in the morning. All that blood and carnage brings a little clarity to Jack, and he knows it’s time to pound the pavement before law enforcement finds a way to access the hotel. So, he finds himself on the road, countless miles having passed between the remains of his family and the hands responsible for such a bloodbath. But he’s getting tired, and he needs a place to lay his weary head. A place like the motel just up the road, the Bates Motel. Little does Jack know he’s got one of his kind – the homicidal lunatic – waiting, prepared to gaze through that peep hole…

This one comes down to smarts, as a straight forward physical confrontation would likely be more comical than anything else. Jack Torrance isn’t kicking anyone’s ass, and Norman Bates is tucking tail to bolt as far and fast from a fight as possible. So who’s the cleverer of the two? Norman would benefit from knowing the terrain, and he’s a… chameleon, so to speak.

It’s all so tough to call.

But, I’m going to say that Jack snaps, begins tormenting Norman all the while in pursuit with a large, blunt object. But that blunt object does little for the man, once he runs into the cunning Norma Bates, who catches the mad man unsuspecting, driving a nice sharp blade right through his eye socket. Norma/Norman walks away from this one still prepared to spy on future travelers.

CONTINUE THE FANTASY MATCHUPS ON THE NEXT PAGE!