Chaos Walking (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Noise is a phenomenon that plagues the planet New World after a civil war with the native aliens. Everyone who remained on the planet can perceive and hear each other's thoughts as audible sounds. This creates a world where privacy of mind does not exist, and people's inner thoughts are exposed to everyone around them.

• noise
• new world
• thoughts
• mind reading
• prentsitown

The women were not killed by the native aliens as Prentiss claimed. Instead, Prentiss and his own men murdered all the women in Prentisstown. This dark secret is revealed when Viola reads Todd's mother's diary, which exposes the truth about the genocide committed by the men of Prentisstown.

• women
• killed
• prentiss
• prentsitown
• genocide

Todd surrenders himself to Prentiss to protect Ben. When Prentiss catches up to Todd and Viola at the first colony ship remains, Todd chooses to give himself up in exchange for Ben's safety. Todd had secretly handed Ben a knife beforehand, preparing for the possibility that Prentiss would not honor any deal.

• todd
• surrender
• prentiss
• ben
• protection

Viola escapes when Davy, who was assigned to watch her, carelessly plays with one of her gadgets. This mistake accidentally activates one of her devices, enabling Viola to break free. She then steals a motorcycle and flees Prentisstown, with Todd later pursuing her on horseback.

• viola
• escape
• davy
• gadget
• motorcycle

Todd's mother's diary reveals the truth about the women's deaths. The diary shows that Prentiss and his men, not the native aliens, were responsible for killing all the women. This discovery enrages Todd and drives him to oppose Prentiss, as he realizes the entire narrative about the women was a lie used to control the population.

• diary
• mother
• truth
• prentiss
• women killed

Davy kills Cillian during the confrontation when Todd and Viola attempt to escape Prentisstown. The men of Prentisstown pursue them, believing Viola is a spy. When tensions escalate, Davy kills Cillian, which drives a permanent wedge between Todd and the men of Prentisstown and sets Todd firmly on the path to oppose them.

• davy
• cillian
• killed
• pursuit
• prentisstown

Todd uses the power of illusions, a capability unique to him. He conjures visual and auditory illusions of his mother and all the women who were killed, creating a powerful emotional attack on Prentiss. He accuses Prentiss of cowardice for hiding behind his men. While Prentiss is distracted by this confrontation, Viola takes action against him.

• todd
• prentiss
• illusion
• defeat
• confrontation

Viola kills Aaron to protect herself when he advances to harm her. During the showdown at the first colony ship remains, Aaron attempts to attack Viola. She defends herself by using one of her technological gadgets, which she had been carrying since her crash landing, to kill him.

• viola
• aaron
• killed
• self defense
• gadget

Ben is shot by Prentiss during the confrontation at the first colony ship remains. However, Todd had secretly given Ben a knife beforehand, anticipating the betrayal. After being shot, Ben is able to use the knife in the ensuing struggle. The exact outcome of Ben's survival is unclear from the summary, as Todd later wakes up aboard the Colony Ship's medical facility.

• ben
• prentiss
• shot
• knife
• survival

Prentiss lied about the native aliens killing the women to maintain control over the surviving men of Prentisstown. By blaming the aliens, he created a common enemy that unified the men under his leadership and justified his ruthless rule. The lie also covered up his own crime of committing genocide against the women.

• prentiss
• lie
• aliens
• control
• manipulation

The Colony Ship, which had been lost and out of contact, arrives in the sky above New World at the climax of the battle. This arrival marks a turning point, as it brings reinforcements and new colonists. The arrival forces Davy and the remaining Prentisstown men to flee, signaling a new beginning for Todd and Viola as they prepare to join the other colonists.

• colony ship
• arrival
• colonists
• new beginning
• reinforcements

Todd appears to have a unique ability with the Noise that others do not possess. At the climax, he demonstrates the power to create powerful visual and auditory illusions, conjuring images of his dead mother and the murdered women. This ability to project convincing illusions is what allows him to confront and ultimately defeat Prentiss.

• todd
• noise
• illusion
• unique ability
• different