Hockey Mask

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The hockey mask did not appear until *Friday the 13th Part III*. In that film, Jason (Richard Brooker) escapes to a nearby lake resort, Higgins Haven, to rest from his wounds. An unmasked Jason kills anyone who wanders into the barn where he is hiding. After killing the prankster Shelly, Jason takes Shelly's hockey mask and puts it on, rather than taking it specifically to hide his face. He then leaves the barn to kill the rest of the group. The mask is a stolen piece of sports equipment, not originally his own. It became the defining visual element of the character, replacing the burlap sack he wore in *Friday the 13th Part 2*.

In Their Own Story

In *Friday the 13th Part III*, Jason (Richard Brooker) hides in a barn at Higgins Haven. After killing a victim, he takes a hockey mask to conceal his disfigured face. He then leaves the barn to continue his killing spree. The mask becomes his permanent trademark, appearing in every subsequent film. It is a simple white plastic mask with three eye holes, later often shown blood-splattered.

Reader's Guide

The hockey mask first appears in *Friday the 13th Part III* (1982), when Jason takes it from a victim. It replaces the burlap sack he wore in *Friday the 13th Part 2*. The mask is a piece of sports equipment, not originally designed for concealment. It has become the most recognizable symbol of the *Friday the 13th* franchise. In later films, the mask's design varies slightly, but the white hockey mask remains constant. It is widely referenced in popular culture, parodied in television series, and featured in toy lines based on various versions of the character from the films.

Did You Know?

• The hockey mask did not appear until *Friday the 13th Part III* (1982).
• Jason takes the hockey mask from the victim Shelly after killing him, not specifically to hide his face.
• Before the mask, Jason wore a sack over his head in *Friday the 13th Part 2*.
• The hockey mask in *Part III* was a real goalie mask chosen by production; Tom Savini did not design it and was not involved in *Part III*'s makeup effects.
• Kane Hodder is the best known stuntman to portray Jason, playing the character in four consecutive films.

Origins and Evolution

Jason Voorhees first appeared in *Friday the 13th* (1980) as the young son of camp-cook-turned-killer Pamela Voorhees, portrayed by Ari Lehman. He was not originally intended to carry the series as the main antagonist. In *Friday the 13th Part 2* (1981), an adult Jason (Steven Dash and Warrington Gillette) returns to Crystal Lake, living as a hermit and wearing a sack over his head. The hockey mask did not appear until *Friday the 13th Part III* (1982), when Jason (Richard Brooker) takes it from a victim. Since *Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives* (1986), filmmakers have given Jason superhuman strength, regenerative powers, and near invulnerability.

The Iconic Mask and Design

The trademark hockey mask did not appear until *Friday the 13th Part III*. Tom Savini's initial design for the character has been the basis for many later incarnations. The mask is a white hockey mask, taken by Jason from a victim to hide his face. It has become a widely recognized image in popular culture, referenced in feature films, parodied in television series, and featured in toy lines based on various versions of the character from the *Friday the 13th* films.

Portrayal and Performance Controversy

Since Ari Lehman's portrayal, the character has been represented by numerous actors and stuntmen, sometimes by more than one at a time; this has caused some controversy as to who should receive credit for the portrayal. Kane Hodder is the best known of the stuntmen to portray Jason, having played the character in four consecutive films: *Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood* (1988), *Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan* (1989), *Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday* (1993), and *Jason X* (2001).

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Jason's hockey mask is a widely recognized image in popular culture. The character has been featured in various humor magazines, referenced in feature films, parodied in television series, and was the inspiration for a horror punk band. Several toy lines have been released based on various versions of the character from the *Friday the 13th* films. Jason has also appeared in novels, video games, and comic books.