Ashley Johnson (Generation Hope)

**Ashley Johnson** (Marissa McBride) is the main villainess from *Toxic Mom Uses Kid for Money, What Happens Next is Shocking*, a short film released by **Generation Hope** (release date October 2, 2021). She is the divorced mother of main protagonist Blake Johnson.

## Introduction

The film established Ashley as a self-obsessed woman whose only drive was to obtain immense attention and followers on social media, and the introduction showed Ashley ordering Blake to take pictures or her with her phone. Blake stated that he was busy on a school project, which focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19 to children, adding that it was worth 80% of his grade. In response, Ashley dismissed COVID-19 as a "fairy tale" and claimed that people were faking it for attention, and later tore up Blake's assignment, while laughing wickedly at her son's heartbreak.

The callous villainess continued mocking Blake by stating that his only talent was to hold his mother's phone and take photos of her, with Blake glumly acquiescing before they were interrupted by the appearance of Liam Johnson, Ashley's ex-husband and Blake's father. Ashley turned down Liam's request to present gifts for Blake's birthday (which Ashley forgot), and their confrontation revealed that while Ashley had sole custody, it was due to the villainess deceiving the judge and falsely portraying Liam as an abusive father. Blake appeared and accepted his father's gifts: a birthday cake and a dog, with Blake expressing happiness before Ashley insulted the father-son bond and ejected Liam under the threat of calling the police on him.

## Climax & Arrest

Blake enjoyed playing with his dog, which he named Sprinkles; however, Ashley was immensely dismayed with Sprinkles being in Blake's life, as it was getting in the way of her social media obsession. Three weeks passed, and Ashley was driving Blake to get a toy for Sprinkles, while only giving him three minutes to do so. After Blake left, Ashley voiced her hatred of her son, and even turned around to berate Sprinkles, even resorting to saying that she felt that all dogs were "disgusting and should die."

Ashley later noticed that her friend, Jessica, was getting massive attention on social media, with the villainess stating that all Jessica did was cry with her son. She attempted to devise ways to get Blake to cry, and at that moment, the evil Ashley attacked Sprinkles to the point where he was near death. Once Blake noticed Sprinkles was unconscious, he panicked, while Ashley showed her apathy as she put on her makeup and prepared to play her latest video. In her video, the villainess feigned tears regarding Sprinkles' well being, falsely claiming that Sprinkles was "like a son to her" before telling her viewers to like her videos and subscribe to her page, while ordering Blake to cry on camera.

After Ashley was done, the arrogant villainess mocked Blake's pleas for Sprinkles and refused to take him to the vet, adding that vets charge thousands to heal dogs and revealing her plans to buy a Gucci purse instead of care for Sprinkles. At that moment, a police officer appeared and informed Ashley that she was under arrest for animal cruelty and her mistreatment of Blake, and after the villainess denied everything, Liam appeared and revealed that he placed a hidden camera on Sprinkles, which recorded Ashley's evil actions. The closing narration revealed that Sprinkles was saved in time, and regarding Ashley, she was convicted of her crimes and sentenced to two years in jail.