Marybeth Dunston

Marybeth Duston is the main protagonist of the Hatchet series as well as an anti-heroine of the film. She was also the only daughter of the man named Sampson Duston, who was killed by the bayou butcher Victor Crowley. Upon this, she decides to kill Victor Crowley once and for all. 
In the first film, she was portrayed by actress while in the later films, she was portrayed by , who also played Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Annie Brackett in Rob Zombie's Halloween and Halloween II, Wendy Alden in Shiver, and Darian Hallenbeck in The Last Boy Scout.
== History ==
===Hatchet===
Marybeth was the daughter of fisherman Sampson Dunston and the sister of his son Ainsley. Sampson was one of the three teenagers who bullied Victor Crowley and were responsible for setting Victor Crowley's house on fire. Victor's father, Thomas Crowley arrived at the burning house and started chopping at the door with a hatchet to save Victor, but accidentally hit his son in the face, killing him, as Victor was standing on the other side of the door trying to open to escape. Thomas eventually died of a broken heart.
One night, Sampson and Ainsley go out fishing at Honey Island Swamp and are brutally murdered by Victor Crowley's vengeful spirit. Unbeknownst to Marybeth, she chooses to sign up for a haunted swamp tour to investigate their disappearance, unlike the other participants, including Ben Schaefer and his best friend Marcus. She sits next to Ben, who tries to talk to her, but she prefers to stay quiet. The tour guide Shawn drives his "Scare Bus" towards Honey Island Swamp and along the way, they head to his "Scare Boat", where they hear Jack Cracker, one of the local alligator hunters of the swamp, warning them about the dangers of Victor Crowley, but Shawn decides to dismiss his warnings. He entertains the tourists by telling local ghost tales, including the mysterious tale of Victor Crowley as he drives the boat through the swamplands.
The boat hits a boulder, causing it to get stuck and it immediately starts raining around the swamp, allowing the boat to start sinking. One of the tourists, Jim Permatteo, tries to climb on a tree that leads all the way to the shore, but he falls and an alligator bites him in the leg, but luckily, Marybeth shoots the alligator with a gun, saving Jim's life. The group heads to shore and stops for the injured Jim to recover. The spot they stop at is a few feet away from the old Crowley house. Marybeth retells the Victor Crowley lore and confirms that the legend is real, therefore she brought a gun to defend herself, but the group doesn't believe her. As Marcus and Shawn start carrying Jim towards the Crowley house, they and the others hear an ominous cry from Victor Crowley; "Daaaadddyy!." This frightens them and leaves only Jim's wife Shannon able to carry her injured husband. 
As the couple approach the house, the hideous Victor Cowley reveals himself and brutally murders them by slicing Jim repeatedly with a hatchet in half and ripping Shannon's jaw with his bare hands, causing the others except Marybeth to flee in panic. Marybeth shoots Victor twice, causing him to fall to the ground despite not killing him. After reuniting with the remaining survivors, Marybeth and Ben reach the old Crowley house where they find the mutilated corpses of her brother and father, much to Marybeth's horror, but they also find a gasoline can, which they can use to defeat Victor. Once Victor tries to murder Ben with his hatchet, Marybeth grabs him by the hair, which allows Ben to pour gasoline on him and light him on fire. They succeeded until lightning strikes and the swamp begins to rain, so they choose to flee. They reach the Honey Island Swamp cemetery, but unfortunately, Victor returns and kills Marcus. As the two remaining survivors run, Victor grabs a gate pole, throws it into Ben's foot and starts chasing him and Marybeth. Luckily, they bend the pole until is pointed at Victor, impaling and supposedly killing him.
Believing that it's all over, they retrieve Sampson Dunston's boat and try row all the way home, but Victor pulls Marybeth underwater, and she is pulled back by what appears to be Ben but is actually a roaring Victor Crowley who tore Ben's arm off and attacks Marybeth. 
=== Hatchet II===
As Victor attacks Marybeth, she proceeds to poke his eyeball and escapes. She is rescued by Jack Cracker, the alligator hunter who warned the tourists about the dangers of Victor Crowley, and takes her to his cabin. After finding out her last name is Dunston, he realizes she is the daughter of Sampson Dunston, one of the three teenagers who bullied and set Victor Crowley's house on fire, which lead to his death. Infuriated, he forces her to leave and see Reverend Zombie for help. After she leaves, Jack is brutally murdered by Victor. 
Marybeth returns to downtown New Orleans and meets Reverend Zombie. Zombie informs her that he owned the boat from the massacre the night before and he had a small business going on with the tour guide Shawn. As he explains Victor Crowley's backstory in more detail, he confirms that her father Sampson was one of the three kids who bullied and were responsible for Victor's tragic death. Marybeth seems skeptical about Zombie's claim but swears vengeance on Victor Crowley for the deaths of her father and brother. 
At Marybeth's house, she is greeted by her uncle Bob, and they discuss Sampson's involvement in the death of Victor Crowley. Bob denies it and warns her to stay away from Reverend Zombie whose real name is Clive Washington. Bob also tells her Victor Crowley is not real when in fact he is. Marybeth pleads with her uncle to go to the swamp with her to prove Victor Crowley’s existence. Bob decides to get to the bottom of it. 
Marybeth returns to Zombie’s shop. Now with a whole bunch of hunters that Zombie wanted along on the expedition, Zombie offers $500 to each person there to retrieve his lost boat. A hunter named Trent questions what they’re hunting. When Zombie answers, half the hunters walk out including Trent at first. Zombie is able to persuade Trent to reluctantly go through with the hunt for Victor Crowley. Marybeth’s uncle Bob then arrives and Reverend Zombie assumes he’s Marybeth’s uncle. Bob’s only there to look after Marybeth, not to get to know Reverend Zombie. Bob takes the seat next to Marybeth. Marybeth apologizes for breaking her promise not to have anything to do with Zombie. Bob just says he’ll go with her if it’s what she needs. He forbids her from leaving his sight or his side and the two of them leave when he says so. This now leaves Marybeth, Bob, Reverend Zombie, Zombie's right hand man Justin, Trent, Vernon, John, Avery, Cleatus, Chad, and Layton heading out to the forbidden swamp. 
On the boat ride to the swamp, Marybeth is worried that everyone on the boat to the swamp is at risk without realizing it. They find the sign that belonged to the boat from the previous night floating out of the water. Marybeth ends up walking into Vernon who introduces himself and starts hitting on her until Bob slaps his hand. 
The group makes it to shore at dusk. They start looking for the Crowley house with Marybeth leading the way. Cleatus asks if they spit up into groups but Marybeth thinks that would be a mistake. Zombie agrees, saying they’ll have more ground to cover. They decide to split into groups. Marybeth ends up with Bob, Trent, Justin, and Reverend Zombie. The remaining individuals go off in pairs. 
Marybeth finds the shed and leads her group into the shed where she found her family’s corpses. Their remains are now gone. Bob makes an effort to comfort her and suggests that she was only afraid and that it was not the same shed. Marybeth insists she saw them right there and then decides to search the house. 
Bob eventually starts losing his patience and offers to take her back to the house during the day and bring the sheriff with them. The five of them start hearing Victor Crowley crying for his daddy. Marybeth says to shut the door immediately. Justin and Marybeth do so. Trent and Justin then proceed to place a bookshelf in front of the door.
After the five in the house hear John and Vernon firing shots, Justin asks Marybeth if Shawn is dead. She confirms that Shawn is. Marybeth believed that Zombie would have informed Justin, given that everything Marybeth had told Zombie was true.
Trent believes that there's more than one way in the house they're in. Bob offers to investigate and instructs Marybeth to conceal herself. She refuses at first, but Justin pulls her into a room. Justin inquires about her reason for returning there if she knows that Shaun is dead. She wants Crowley to die now that her family is gone. She believes that Crowley can die since he is capable of feeling pain. Justin tells Marybeth that Trent and her uncle are being set up by Zombie for Crowley to have his revenge on so Crowley will supposedly find peace and the curse will be lifted. Marybeth goes to warn her uncle.
Marybeth finds Bob and warns him about the trap saying Zombie's trying to get him killed. Bob hears Victor Crowley killing Justin in the room Marybeth just left. Bob tries to open the door, but Justin has already trapped himself in the room with Victor Crowley unintentionally. Bob's intention to shoot the door down is thwarted by Victor Crowley who breaks through and tackles him to the floor. Crowley stumbles for a moment when Marybeth hits him in the head with Justin's shotgun. After pulling out her pistol, Crowley knocks it out of her hands and throws her against the wall nearby. Marybeth slowly gets back on her feet after Trent and Crowley take their fight to the kitchen. She tries to lift Bob up to his feet, but Zombie grabs her and drags her outside against her will. Bob slowly stands back up and pursues Zombie.
After Crowley has killed Trent and Zombie has locked Bob in the house, Crowley goes after Bob. Marybeth is forced to watch Crowley tear Bob apart as she tries to escape Zombie's grasp. Zombie then declares Victor Crowley gone and declares the swamp his. Marybeth on her knees blames Zombie for the murders of all the people who came with her and Zombie. She swears to report Zombie to the police and will inform everyone. Zombie gets ready to blow her head off. Marybeth then reveals that Bob was actually her father's best friend and her real uncle has been dead since she was twelve. Thus, Victor Crowley remains present and suddenly appears in front of Zombie, much to his horror.
After Crowley has skinned Zombie alive, Marybeth strikes Crowley in the head with his own hatchet knocking Crowley flat on his back. She continues to smash Crowley's head to a bloody pulp while screaming at her highest volume. Crowley's left hand begins to twitch, but Marybeth returns and blows off Crowley's remaining head with Zombie's shotgun.
=== Hatchet III ===
Marybeth keeps shooting Victor Crowley's head until her shotgun shells run out. She is now soaked in Crowley's blood. Marybeth falls to her knees a couple of feet from the fallen Victor Crowley. Crowley sits up while Marybeth stands back up after a few seconds. Walking through the woods, she discovers the chainsaw that Crowley used to kill John and Vernon. After pulling the cord, Crowley appears and grabs her by the throat, lifting her off her feet. Crowley is forced to drop her after Marybeth punches her entire arm through his battered face. Crowley is sawed in half by the chainsaw's revving blade after falling backwards, and Marybeth gets splashed with Crowley's blood. Marybeth then exits the swamp, and takes Victor Crowley's scalp and a shotgun she discovered in the vicinity of John and Vernon's bodies.
Marybeth walks into a police station covered in blood, carrying the shotgun and Crowley’s scalp, saying, 'I killed Victor Crowley'. She is then detained by the police, given a shower, and a clean set of clothes to wear. Sheriff Louis Fowler questions Marybeth’s story. She retorts that she's not making it up as crazy as it may sound. Despite being certain of Victor Crowley's identity, Fowler finds her story suspicious and unbelievable. Fowler hears Hamilton on the other end of his radio stating that they have covered a forty-yard area of Honey Island Swamp and found four dead bodies, all without faces. Fowler informs Hamilton that he’s going out there to Honey Island Swamp. Before he departs, Fowler instructs Deputy Winslow to send the fire and emergency services to Honey Island Swamp as soon as possible. Winslow approaches Marybeth in her cell and she orders him away.
While Marybeth is asleep, Amanda Perlman, the former wife of Sheriff Fowler, comes to see her for an interview. Amanda keeps clearing her throat until Marybeth sits up and gives Amanda her unwavering attention. Amanda explains her identity and the purpose of her visit. Marybeth quickly gets to the point and inquires about Amanda's needs. Amanda is attempting to demonstrate that Victor Crowley exists, and Marybeth is in danger of being imprisoned due to the police's discovery at Honey Island Swamp. Marybeth is interested in hiring a lawyer over having an interview with a reporter. Amanda reminisces about Sampson and Ainsley's past before their murder. Marybeth is given the choice by Amanda to either prove the existence of Victor Crowley or potentially die by lethal injection. Marybeth just says to do it. Amanda is now pointing out that Sampson hasn't come to see Marybeth. Marybeth affirms that Victor Crowley has already killed Sampson. Amanda is interested in knowing what happened, as she believes she can assist Marybeth.
Marybeth is now reluctantly giving Amanda her full cooperation. Marybeth informs Amanda about her encounter with Crowley in the early morning hours. Taking Crowley's head didn't stop him, but sawing him in half did. Marybeth fails to grasp how Crowley can come back after being split into two. Marybeth is reminded by Amanda that Victor Crowley is a repeater that is impossible to kill because he has already been killed.
On the other end of Winslow's radio, Deputy Hamilton is heard panicking. Marybeth is astonished, but this only confirms to Amanda that Victor Crowley is still out there. Hamilton on the other end gets his head sliced in half by Crowley. Amanda suggests that giving Victor Crowley his father's remains is the true way to lift the curse. Marybeth, being Sampson's sole living relative, is the only one who can end the curse by giving Crowley his father's ashes, as she also states. With hesitation, Winslow unlocks Marybeth's cell and takes her and Amanda for a trip.
Marybeth begs Winslow to release her from the handcuffs in his car, but he refuses. Amanda's intention is to travel to Ozona to meet Abbott McMullen and collect the remains of Thomas Crowley. Winslow makes an effort to contact Sheriff Fowler to let him know what's happening, but Amanda says it's not yet time. Marybeth wants to know what they’ll be doing in Ozona. According to Amanda, Thomas Crowley is present and his ashes are being taken.
Amanda attempts to reach McMullen, causing Winslow to stop, seemingly knowing all about McMullen. Marybeth insults Winslow soon, causing Winslow to almost get out of the car. Amanda gives a description of Abbot McMullen, who is Thomas Crowley's great nephew, and is one of the Crowleys' only living relatives. McMullen has the urn of Thomas Crowley as well. To end Victor Crowley's curse, Marybeth, Sampson's sole living relative, must give Victor Crowley his father's ashes. Winslow begins to drive towards McMullen's house reluctantly.
Amanda and Winslow go into McMullen's house upon their arrival, while Marybeth is left in the car. In the end, Amanda and Winslow leave with the remains of Thomas Crowley.
For the third night in a row, Marybeth is being transported back to Honey Island Swamp.
The three of them first get into the first boat they come across. After discovering that Amanda and Winslow are close to where they need to be, they abandon the boat and proceed on foot. Marybeth's safety is assured by Winslow, but she spits in his face.
Amanda begins calling for her ex-husband when they arrive at Crowley's home, but they discover a group of corpses that have been dismembered and Crowley's house has been destroyed. Amanda initiates calling Victor Crowley's name.
Upon Victor Crowley's arrival, Amanda starts to push Marybeth to give him the ashes. Marybeth gradually drops the urn to the ground, allowing Crowley to take it and gives an apology for what her father did to him. Crowley takes a hard look at the urn and says only 'Daddy'. Crowley's roar triggers Winslow to fire his pistol into Crowley's chest, but Crowley gets up and kills Winslow by ripping his chest open. Amanda rolls the urn to Marybeth and attempts to use a pistol on the ground, but Crowley intervenes and pulls Amanda back up to her feet before ripping her head off. Crowley knocks down Marybeth by throwing Amanda's head at hers. Marybeth, who has the urn restored, is impaled on a tree branch by Crowley. Crowley spots a machete nearby the tree and takes it to kill Marybeth. The ashes are spread all over Victor Crowley as she smashes the urn over his head. Crowley steps back, drops the machete, and finally starts to melt before slipping to his knees. After breaking off the tree branch, Marybeth falls to the ground. She uses one of the SWAT team's weapons to blow away Victor Crowley's remains. As she observes helicopters searching for survivors, she starts to breathe heavily. Marybeth takes one more deep breath.
=== Victor Crowley ===
It's revealed in the movie Victor Crowley, she actually survived her impalement at the hands of Victor Crowley. She finds that Victor Crowley has returned. It ends with her grabbing a shotgun saying "I've been waiting for you, motherfucker" during the mid credits scene.
==Personality==
Although Marybeth was a quiet and shy girl, she was also very hot-tempered and foul-mouthed. She even gets angry this far when she saw the corpses of her family, knowing that it was Victor's doing. Marybeth wanted to bring her family’s remains home to bury them which brings her out to Honey Island Swamp three nights in a row.
== Gallery ==
File:Marybeth Hatchet.png|Marybeth Dunston as seen in Hatchet (2006)
== External Link ==
* Marybeth Dunston - Hatchet Wiki
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