Two months after the gruesome massacre that shocked Crystal Lake, Alice, portrayed by Adrienne King, awakens from a haunting nightmare about the decapitation of Mrs. Voorhees. Desperate for a sense of normalcy, she engages in a conversation with her mother over the phone. However, her moment of solace is abruptly shattered when she discovers the terrifying severed head of Mrs. Voorhees in her fridge, just before an unknown assailant plunges an ice pick into her head, sealing her tragic fate.
Fast forward five years, a group of spirited young adults arrives at Crystal Lake, eager to partake in a counselor training program that has been established near the now-infamous Camp Crystal Lake. Among them, we meet Jeff and Sandra—played by Bill Randolph and Marta Kober—who during their journey to the facility encounter Crazy Ralph, portrayed by Walt Gorney, the town's drunken sage. His ominous warning to the counselors to turn back stems from the haunting events that transpired five years earlier when the previous group chose to ignore his dire advice.
At camp, Paul, played by John Furey, assumes the role of group leader, emphasizing the seriousness of their responsibilities while suggesting that bears are the true danger lurking in the woods. Ginny, played by Amy Steel, a familiar face from Paul's past, arrives in her dilapidated Volkswagen, much to the mixed emotions of the group.
As night falls, tales abound around the campfire. Paul recounts the tragic story of Jason Voorhees, who met his demise in the very same lake that bounds their training facility. He shares the chilling legend of how his mother became the infamous murderer of "Camp Blood." The saga deepens with the shock of Alice's mysterious disappearance, leaving some of the locals convinced that Jason is still alive, violently safeguarding the region around Crystal Lake. Amidst the eerie fascination with the legend, a prank played by Ted, portrayed by Stuart Charno, wearing a mask and brandishing a spear, momentarily breaks the tension, though Paul insists that Jason is indeed dead.
However, a shadow looms unseen, and the tensions rise as Crazy Ralph meets a chilling end, his life snuffed out by an unseen force. The following day, Jeff and Sandra, feeling the thrill of rebellion, venture out to Camp Crystal Lake, only to be caught by a local policeman and swiftly returned to camp. Their escapade takes a dark turn as the policeman, after being made aware of suspicious activity, finds himself overwhelmed by an unseen figure that brutally ends his life with a claw hammer.
As the counselors undergo various team-building exercises, the majority decide to revel at a nearby bar, leaving behind Jeff, Sandra, and a few others. Teri, played by Kirsten Baker, seeking adventure, dives into the lake for a swim, only to be caught in a perilous game with Scott. When Scott finds himself in a deadly trap, Teri's lighthearted venture swiftly turns to horror as she discovers his lifeless body, leading to her untimely end.
Meanwhile, as Ginny and Paul attempt to dismiss the legends about Jason, Ginny's imagination spirals, crafting a narrative of a vengeful Jason who witnessed his mother's horrific murder, now tormenting others unaware of life and death. While the others indulge in raucous festivities, Ginny’s consciousness returns to the camp, only for her to encounter horror that defies imagination.
Trapped in an eerie cabin, a unnerving series of events unfold—Mark meets his grisly fate as he is attacked from behind, his wheelchair and body tumbling down the rain-soaked stairs, while the unsuspecting Vicki discovers Jeff and Sandra's gruesome demise, both pierced through the bed in an act of overwhelming violence. As the bloodshed intensifies, Ginny finds herself drawn into a catastrophic encounter with the masked killer.
In the midst of the chaos, Ginny stumbles into the assailant's lair, where an altar adorned with Pamela Voorhees' mummified head amplifies the horror, leading her to the horrifying realization that the murderer is none other than Jason, who has emerged from the depths to avenge his mother’s death. In a desperate gambit, Ginny dons Mrs. Voorhees' sweater, attempting to manipulate Jason through deception.
A climactic struggle ensues as Paul returns to aid Ginny. Just as the two think they have defeated Jason, a final encounter occurs—Ginny and Paul, still grappling with the nightmare, escape only to face the shocking return of Jason, who viciously yanks Ginny from safety through a window.
As dawn breaks, Ginny awakens in an ambulance, her mind a blank slate regarding the fate of Paul. The story leaves with an ominous closing shot, focusing on the still-intact head of Mrs. Voorhees, a foreboding reminder that Jason's terror remains unbounded, casting a lasting shadow over Crystal Lake, as the screen fades to black.
