We all freaked ourselves out with this Urban Legend as kids. Turn down the lights and say 'Bloody Mary' three times... and she will appear.
You've probably grown out of that school fear now, right? Well, I hate to break it to you, but Bloody Mary is based on real life historical fact.
Mary Tudor was the sister of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the two daughters of Henry VIII. It was a turbulent time in Britain, with Catholics and Protestants violently opposed to each other.
Mary was a Catholic, and had so many Protestants put to death through vicious means such as burning at the stake that she earned the nickname 'Bloody Mary.'
You may have heard a variation in the Bloody Mary story: instead of just saying her name, you'd taunt her in the mirror, saying: I stole your baby bloody Mary.
As Queen, there was great pressure on Mary to produce an heir. However, she had a hard time conceiving - often a problem with the inbred bloodline of ancient royals - until she had what is now known as an ectopic pregnancy: a ghost baby.
Mary exhibited signs of pregnancy but bore no child. Her throne was given to her sister, Elizabeth, who put her to death.
Horror movies tend to shy away from the 'Mary Tudor was Bloody Mary' explanation, relying as it would on period costume and a British setting! For example, Urban Legend 3: Bloody Mary is about a prank gone wrong when 'Mary' accidentally dies.
Many stories exist as to the origins of Bloody Mary - such is the nature of folklore and Urban Legends - so I'd love to hear a different story if you guys know one!
