Character Relationship Map: Twisted

Characters

• Helen Giles (played by Lois Smith) — protagonist

  A sensible woman who meets Susan Collins at a discount market and agrees to babysit her and her brother Mark during their parents' party. After the parents leave, Mark terrorizes Helen and Susan with...

• Mark Collins (played by Christian Slater) — protagonist

  The technically skilled but restless and cunning teenage son of Evelyn and Phillip Collins, and Susan's brother. Left at home with Helen, he uses electronic tricks to terrorize her and Susan. After Wi...

• Evelyn Collins (played by Tandy Cronyn) — supporting

  Mark and Susan's mother and Phillip's wife, Evelyn returns to find the house in shambles after the party. Unaware that Mark lies dead upstairs, she blames Helen for the disorder and tries to have her...

• Phillip Collins (played by Dan Ziskie) — supporting

  Mark and Susan's father and Evelyn's husband, Phillip returns to the house after the party and finds it in shambles. He has looked in the children's rooms, presumably finding Mark's body, then offers...

• Williams (played by Karl Taylor) — minor

  A school jock who comes to the Collins home seeking revenge on Mark, who had burned him earlier in science class. His visit escalates the danger in the house, and Mark kills him with a fencing sword....

• Susan Collins (played by Brooke Tracy) — supporting

  The young daughter of Evelyn and Phillip and Mark's sister, Susan meets Helen at a discount market, where Helen takes a liking to her and agrees to babysit. At home, she is terrorized alongside Helen...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Helen Giles → Susan Collins (Professional Babysitter) — Helen takes responsibility for looking after Susan during the parents' absence.

  Helen meets Susan at the discount market, likes her, and offers to babysit after the Collins parents need a new babysitter.

• Mark Collins → Susan Collins (Family Brother) — Mark is Susan's teenage brother.

  The plot explicitly identifies Susan as Mark's sister.

• Evelyn Collins → Mark Collins (Family Mother) — Evelyn is Mark's mother.

  Mark is described as the Collins couple's teenage son, and Evelyn reacts to the aftermath when she returns home.

• Phillip Collins → Mark Collins (Family Father) — Phillip is Mark's father.

  Mark is identified as Phillip and Evelyn Collins's teenage son, and Phillip later looks in the children's rooms after returning home.

• Evelyn Collins → Phillip Collins (Family Spouse) — Evelyn and Phillip are the married parents of Mark and Susan.

  The plot identifies Evelyn and Phillip Collins as a married couple who leave their children with Helen.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Phillip Collins → Helen Giles (Alliance Reluctant Protector) — Phillip moderates Evelyn's accusation and delays immediate legal action against Helen.

  Phillip refuses to have Helen arrested immediately and instead offers her a ride home, while suggesting that they clean up the house.

• Evelyn Collins → Helen Giles (Conflict Accuser) — Evelyn treats Helen as responsible for the household disaster.

  When Evelyn returns to the wrecked house, she blames Helen and tries to have her arrested.

• Mark Collins → Williams (Conflict Enemy) — Their prior school-related injury develops into a lethal confrontation.

  Williams comes to the Collins home for revenge because Mark previously burned him in science class, and Mark kills him with a fencing sword.

• Mark Collins → Helen Giles (Conflict Psychological Tormentor) — Mark deliberately uses technical deception to frighten Helen.

  After the parents leave, Mark psychologically terrorizes Helen with electronic tricks.

Story Analysis

A babysitting assignment becomes a cycle of technological terror, violence, concealment, and inherited destructive behavior.

Plot Progression

1. Death on the Front Steps — Phillip and Evelyn discover their maid dead and realize they need a new babysitter. Helen meets Susan at a discount market and accepts the job.
2. A House Under Control — The Collins parents leave Helen with Mark and Susan. Mark's technical ability and electronic tricks transform an ordinary babysitting assignment into psychological terror.
3. Revenge Arrives Armed — Williams enters the Collins home seeking revenge for the earlier science-class injury. Mark answers the confrontation with a fencing sword and kills him.
4. The Fatal Defense — Mark's harassment continues while the parents remain away. Helen finally defends herself and knocks Mark onto his spiked German helmet, killing him.
5. A New Listener — The parents return to the ruined house, and Evelyn blames Helen while Phillip delays immediate arrest. Susan secretly adopts Mark's glasses and music, suggesting the cycle continues.