Dark Night of the Scarecrow 2

Bubba was killed because Otis Hazelrigg, a postal worker who was jealous of Bubba's friendship with Marylee, quickly blamed him for the dog attack. Without investigating, Hazelrigg formed a lynch mob with Skeeter Norris and the Hocker cousins. The mob tracked Bubba down (hidden as a scarecrow by his mother) and shot him dead. The town later learned Marylee survived because Bubba actually saved her from the dog, making his murder a tragic injustice.

Earlier, the film establishes that some townspeople were uneasy about Bubba and Marylee's friendship, setting the stage for the mob's willingness to believe the false accusation.

Marylee survived because Bubba actually rescued her from the vicious dog attack. Despite being blamed for the attack, Bubba intervened and saved her life before the dog could harm her further. This detail only emerged after Bubba was killed, making his murder even more tragic since he was innocent and heroic.

The friendship between Bubba and Marylee is shown as genuine and caring throughout the early part of the film, suggesting Bubba would protect her.

Harliss Hocker died when he investigated strange noises in his barn and discovered the scarecrow was missing. As he climbed into the loft, he was knocked into a wood chipper that started on its own. The machine was tampered with, either its fuel or controls were manipulated, allowing Bubba's vengeful spirit to kill him through the mechanical trap.

The scarecrow reappears in Harliss's field earlier that same day, signaling the supernatural revenge has begun.

Bubba's spirit uses the scarecrow because his mother originally disguised him as one to hide him from the lynch mob. That scarecrow became his burial garment when he was killed. The spirit possesses this inanimate object to return and enact revenge on those who murdered him, while also protecting Marylee who was the reason he was killed.

Mrs. Ritter disguises Bubba as a scarecrow in the field early in the film, and the same scarecrow later reappears, establishing the supernatural connection.

Otis Hazelrigg meets a violent end in the final pumpkin patch scene. Pursuing Marylee while intoxicated, he encounters a plowing machine that seemingly moves on its own to chase him. He then crashes into the scarecrow, now possessed by Bubba's spirit and gripping the pitchfork that was placed in Bubba's dead hands. The scarecrow impales Hazelrigg, killing him as revenge for orchestrating Bubba's murder.

The pitchfork was planted by Hazelrigg after Bubba's death to make it look like Bubba attacked the mob, creating the weapon that would later be used against him.

Philby Hocker dies when he is chased and takes shelter in a grain silo. The conveyor system is switched on while he's inside, causing grain to flood into the silo. Philby becomes trapped and suffocates as the grain cascades down around him, another supernatural death orchestrated by Bubba's vengeful spirit.

Philby was one of the original lynch mob members who participated in Bubba's killing, making him a target for revenge.

Mrs. Ritter hides Bubba as a scarecrow to protect him from the lynch mob that was coming for him. She disguises him in the field hoping the mob won't recognize him. However, bloodhounds track him down anyway, and the mob shoots him dead despite his mother trying to shield him.

Mrs. Ritter's desperate attempt to save her son establishes her grief and sets up the central injustice of the film.

Skeeter Norris is killed when he and Hazelrigg dig up Bubba's grave to prove Bubba's body is missing. When Skeeter opens the coffin and sees Bubba's corpse inside (proving the body wasn't stolen), Hazelrigg panics and attacks him with a shovel. Hazelrigg then seals Skeeter inside the grave, killing him to cover up the truth.

Hazelrigg had been manipulating Skeeter throughout the film, suggesting he would sacrifice him to protect himself.

Yes, at the end Bubba's spirit is shown protecting Marylee. After Hazelrigg is killed, Marylee hides in the pumpkin patch. The scarecrow (possessed by Bubba's spirit) appears watching over her and lowers its head to present her with a flower. Marylee thanks Bubba and whispers about planning a new game together, indicating his spirit remains protective rather than malevolent.

The film establishes early on that Bubba and Marylee shared a special bond through their hiding games, making this ending a fulfillment of that connection.

Hazelrigg escaped justice because he perjured himself during the trial, lying about Bubba's actions. He also planted a pitchfork in Bubba's hands to make it appear as if Bubba attacked the mob first. With no witnesses to contradict his false testimony and insufficient physical evidence, the vigilantes were released. This failure of the justice system drives the supernatural revenge plot.

The film shows Hazelrigg placing the pitchfork immediately after Bubba's death, establishing his willingness to frame the innocent man.