I suspect that Laurie Strode knew more than she led on about Michael and later Corey. The film and even the novelization don’t support what I believe however there are clues that give credibility to my theory.
My theory is that Laurie knew that Michael Myers was living in that storm drain and also that he was very weak. Her saying “I have chased you, I have tried to contain you” to Michael during their fight scene is telling. The novelization reveals that Laurie started searching for Michael after he disappeared in 2018.
Also, many have commented that Laurie’s worldview in Ends doesn’t make sense compared to her hyper vigilance isn 2018 and Kills. Why would she be paranoid for 40 years with Michael locked away and then start living normally when Michael is on the loose? The answer is that even an imprisoned but healthy Michael is potentially more dangerous than a weak, dying Michael living in a storm drain.
In Laurie’s mind this is much better because she can more easily keep tabs on Michael when he is nearby in a drain than locked away where she doesn’t have access to him.
As for Corey, Laurie began tracking his every move and investigating him since he noticed “Michael in his eyes” and this was immediately after Cunningham’s first interaction with Michael. After Corey returned to the storm drain to bring Michael a kill(Doug Mulaney) he heads over to see Allyson and then Laurie arrives home to see them going upstairs and watches them(Michael is also watching Laurie). Since Laurie wasn’t home, where was she? Possibly out spying on Corey and Allyson at the Allen house and then the diner. If she kept following Corey she would have seen him return to the Storm Drain and how he lured Doug Mulaney into that drain. Did Michael follow Corey or Laurie to her house is a question I don’t have an answer to.
Laurie was also tracking Corey and Allyson when they were on the rooftop of WURG, the radio station. If she was tracking Corey earlier she might have the Corey/Michael team up kill of Dr Mathis and Deb. She even knew where to find Corey when he was in the Allen house on Halloween morning.
Laurie in Ends seems to embrace the idea that evil will always exist, doesn’t trust law enforcement or Smith’s Grove to handle Michael as they both have failed her multiple times. She feels safest when Michael is at arms reach and can be contained by her personally. I think she was fine letting him live out his days in exile until he caused Corey to become a threat to Allyson.
