Children of the Corn (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Burt and Vicky drive to Gatlin to report the tragic incident to the authorities. After accidentally running over a young boy whose throat has been slit, they place his body in their trunk and seek out the nearest town hoping to find help and do the right thing.

Foreshadowing: Their decision to go to Gatlin is foreshadowed by the disturbing corn husk crucifix found in the boy's suitcase, hinting at the dark cult activity in the area.

• gatlin
• nebraska
• police
• report accident
• cult town

He Who Walks Behind the Rows is an ancient malevolent entity worshipped by the cult of children in Gatlin. The entity is said to dwell within the cornfields surrounding the town and demands ritual sacrifices to ensure a plentiful harvest. It is the force behind the children's murderous rampage.

• cult entity
• cornfield demon
• supernatural
• he who walks behind the rows
• child cult

Burt and Vicky become targets because they are outsiders who stumble upon the cult's activities. When they arrive in Gatlin looking for help, they discover the children's secret, making them liabilities. The cult kills all adults and outsiders who learn about their existence or interfere with their rituals.

Foreshadowing: The cult's hostility toward outsiders is established early when the town appears deserted despite being populated by children.

• outsiders
• killed by cult
• adults murdered
• isaac cult leader
• gatlin children

After being captured by the cult's leader Isaac, Vicky is ultimately crucified among the corn stalks in a nightmarish tribute to He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Burt witnesses her crucifixion before succumbing to his own fatal injuries.

• vicky captured
• isaac leader
• crucified
• corn stalks
• sacrifice ritual

Burt is brutally attacked by cult members and left for dead among the corn stalks. However, he manages to escape momentarily and witnesses Vicky and others crucified. Eventually, he confronts He Who Walks Behind the Rows itself, and his life slips away as he becomes another victim of the malevolent entity.

• burt death
• cornfield attack
• he who walks behind the rows
• victim murdered

After Burt and Vicky's deaths, Isaac announces that the cult's sacrificial age limit will be lowered from 19 to 18. This change represents an escalation in the cult's horrific practices, expanding the pool of potential victims and consolidating Isaac's authority as the leader.

• sacrifice age
• isaac leader
• cult rules
• escalation
• victim age limit

Malachi is the young boy whose throat was slit and whom Burt and Vicky accidentally ran over on the highway. Despite appearing dead, he somehow survives or returns. At the film's conclusion, Malachi leads a procession of young victims toward their doom, becoming a central figure in the cult's rituals.

Foreshadowing: Malachi's survival is foreshadowed by the mysterious circumstances of his initial appearance on the road with a slit throat.

• malachi
• boy on road
• procession
• cult leader child
• young victims

Ruth is Malachi's pregnant girlfriend who stands helplessly at the edges of the cult's ritual, raising her voice in desperate protest against the atrocities unfolding around her. Though she witnesses the horrific events, the fate of her and her unborn baby remains bleak and uncertain in the cult's grip.

• ruth pregnant
• malachi girlfriend
• witness cult
• unborn baby
• cult victim

The corn husk crucifix is found in the suitcase of the boy Burt and Vicky hit on the road. This disturbing object foreshadows the dark cult activity in Gatlin, serving as a symbol of the children's worship of He Who Walks Behind the Rows and their ritualistic sacrifices.

Foreshadowing: The corn husk crucifix directly foreshadows the crucifixion of Vicky and other victims in the cornfields.

• corn husk
• crucifix symbol
• cult symbol
• ritual object
• foreshadowing

Gatlin appears deserted because the adult residents have already been eliminated by the cult. The children have taken over the town, hiding or disposing of all adults and outsiders. This emptiness creates an eerie atmosphere as Burt and Vicky explore, unaware of the deadly threat lurking among them.

• gatlin empty
• deserted town
• adults killed
• hidden children
• cult town