It’s all about perspective and a judge is free to wield a machete as he wishes in accordance with the law, explains THR.

With that, the rights to Friday the 13th and Jason Voorhees are in the midst a legal battle, which could end ugly for fans of the character and franchise.

The article at THR breaks down the filings and what each side is alleging, which is based around the idea of “work for hire” and where the concept for the film and character were created. Victor Miller, the original film’s scriptwriter, claims he wasn’t employed when he wrote the movie and thus is looking to terminate a grant of rights and reclaim ownership. In the 1970s, the U.S. Congress amended copyright law to allow this and Miller is looking to do exactly that.

While the full implications aren’t explained, the website theorizes this Friday the 13th horror story: The franchise is ripped apart. In the United States, new films in the canon are made but without the “Jason” character. Outside the country, other Friday the 13th sequels come — these with “Jason” — but are banned domestically.

If that sounds odd, it’s all possible thanks to the 1976 Copyright Act and what happens soon in a Connecticut federal court. Click the aforementioned links for all the legal mumbo-jumbo.