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Def by Temptation (1990) movie poster

Timeline

Def by Temptation (1990) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1990 · 95 mins · English
JustWatch #8,902 4
Starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Kadeem Hardison, Bill Nunn, Minnie Gentry, Guy Davis, Melba Moore

A terrifying tale of vampires and lust, where an evil succubus stalks libidinous black men across New York City. To halt her, a minister‑in‑training, an aspiring actor, and a police officer who investigates supernatural crimes must band together and confront the deadly seductress.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Def by Temptation
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Def by Temptation (1990)

Where can you watch Def by Temptation? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, AMC+ and Philo: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Def by Temptation Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Def by Temptation (1990) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Joel's upbringing under his grandmother

    Joel is raised by his religious grandmother after both of his parents die in a car accident. He grows up with the expectation of following in his deceased father’s footsteps as a minister.

    When
    Childhood
    Where
    Grandmother's home
  2. K leaves faith for NYC to pursue acting

    Joel's childhood friend K abandons his religious upbringing and moves to New York City to pursue acting. He embraces the secular temptations of the city, stepping into a life far from his hometown.

    When
    Young adulthood
    Where
    New York City
  3. Joel plans a visit to New York

    Disillusioned with Christianity, Joel decides to travel to New York to visit K. The trip sets the central journey in motion as Joel steps into a world markedly different from his upbringing.

    When
    Day of departure
    Where
    New York City
  4. K's night with the Temptress and return

    K spends the night with the Temptress at the bar, drawn by her dangerous allure. He leaves before the danger fully closes in, returns home to help Joel settle in, and warns his friend about her true nature.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bar in NYC
  5. First victim: the bartender

    The Temptress's first victim is a womanizing bartender who sleeps with many women. After their encounter, the bartender dies, establishing the pattern of deadly consequences surrounding her.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bar
  6. Norman's death and his wife's revenge

    Her second victim is Norman, a married man she harms, leading to a death associated with AIDS-like injuries. Norman's wife later discovers his infidelity and kills him in retaliation.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Norman's home
  7. Jonathan's disappearance

    Her third victim is a gay man named Jonathan who disappears after meeting her. His disappearance adds to the growing pattern of men vanishing.

    When
    Night
    Where
    City
  8. Dougy begins supernatural investigation

    Dougy, a police officer who handles supernatural cases, notices the men vanish after leaving with the Temptress. He begins reviewing past cases to understand this new supernatural threat.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Police precinct / city
  9. Bar night confrontation and warnings

    The following night, Joel and K return to the bar. K goes to the bathroom while Joel meets the Temptress, who pretends not to know K. Dougy warns K that she emits strange vibes.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bar
  10. Morning revelation: no reflection

    The morning after, Joel plans a date with the Temptress, who arrives at his house still pretending she doesn't know K. K confronts her and notices she has no reflection in the mirror, confirming she is supernatural.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Joel's home
  11. Madam Sonya reveals the truth

    K and Dougy seek help from Madam Sonya, a fortune teller who reveals the Temptress is a succubus who murders unfaithful men. The Temptress then possesses Sonya and threatens them.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Fortune teller's shop
  12. Plans to warn Joel and seek protection

    K decides to warn Joel about the Temptress and the danger she poses. He asks Joel's grandmother to come to New York for protection while they prepare defenses.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Joel's apartment / NYC
  13. Blessed water plan at the bar

    K and Dougy go to the bar and instruct the bartender to add blessed holy water to the Temptress's drink. She reacts to the stunt, prompting a tense escape and a demon attack in the back streets.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Bar and street
  14. K pulled into the TV

    Back at K's place, the Temptress's power pulls K into a television, spraying blood and viscera as he disappears inside the screen.

    When
    Night
    Where
    K's apartment
  15. Joel defeats the Temptress; ending twist

    Joel confronts the Temptress at her house and is drugged, but awakens to a confrontation where he uses a cross to rebuke the demon and kill her. He and his grandmother survive the ordeal. The film ends with a dream sequence of Joel running through smoky New York streets, and a final twist reveals that K and Dougy have transformed into incubus beings.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Temptress's house

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:54

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Timeline questions answered

Def by Temptation Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Def by Temptation (1990): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why didn't K die when he was with the Temptress?

K survived because he left the Temptress's apartment before the sexual encounter could be completed. The summary shows that he 'spends the night with the Temptress' but 'leaves before the danger fully closes in', he left early enough to avoid the fatal outcome that claimed her other victims.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the bar scene, K is shown drawn to her dangerous allure but manages to walk away, setting up his survival.

  • k
  • succubus
  • survival
  • bar
  • temptress
Q2

Why does the succubus kill these specific men?

The succubus targets men who give in to lust and infidelity. Madam Sonya reveals she is a demon who 'murders unfaithful men', the bartender who sleeps with many women, Norman the married man who cheats on his wife, and Jonathan the gay man all represent different forms of sexual sin that draw the succubus to them.

Foreshadowing: The bar regulars already know her as a woman who 'brings many men home and then kills them,' establishing her pattern early.

  • succubus
  • demons
  • killing
  • motivation
  • unfaithful
Q3

How does Joel defeat the succubus?

Joel defeats the succubus by using a cross. After being drugged and dreaming of his deceased father, he wakes to confront the Temptress and uses the religious symbol to rebuke the demon, killing her. His grandmother is present alongside him during this confrontation, providing support.

Foreshadowing: Joel is a minister-in-training raised by his religious grandmother, establishing his connection to faith-based protection.

  • joel
  • succubus
  • cross
  • defeat
  • grandmother
Q4

What happens to K and Dougy at the end of the movie?

The ending reveals that both K and Dougy have transformed into incubuses, the male counterpart to the succubus. The film shows them arriving at the bar in a limousine driven by K, implying they have become the very demons they were fighting. This twist suggests the succubus's power corrupted them, turning them into the evil they sought to destroy.

Foreshadowing: The Temptress's influence over men is established throughout, and K's close encounter with her hints at his potential corruption.

  • k
  • dougy
  • incubus
  • transformation
  • ending
Q5

Who are the Temptress's victims in the movie?

The Temptress claims three main victims: the womanizing bartender who dies after sleeping with her, Norman a married man whose infidelity leads to his death with AIDS-like injuries, and Jonathan a gay man who disappears after meeting her. All three represent men who give in to sexual temptation, which the succubus uses as the criteria for selecting her prey.

Foreshadowing: The bar regulars discuss her deadly reputation before any victim is shown, establishing the pattern.

  • temptress
  • victims
  • bartender
  • norman
  • jonathan
Q6

What happens to K at the end of the movie?

K is violently pulled into his own television by the Temptress's supernatural power. Blood and viscera burst from the screen as he screams, trapped inside the portal. However, the ending twist reveals he has transformed into an incubus, suggesting he didn't truly die but was instead transformed by the demon's power.

Foreshadowing: The Temptress's supernatural abilities are shown throughout, including her possession of Madam Sonya and her reaction to blessed water.

  • k
  • television
  • death
  • supernatural
  • incubus
Q7

How does Dougy know about supernatural cases?

Dougy is established as a police officer who 'handles supernatural cases.' He notices the pattern of men disappearing after leaving with the Temptress and begins reviewing past cases to understand this threat. His experience with the supernatural allows him to recognize the danger and seek help from Madam Sonya.

  • dougy
  • police
  • supernatural
  • investigation
Q8

Why does Joel travel to New York City?

Joel travels to New York because he is 'yearning for purpose' and has become 'disillusioned with Christianity.' He decides to visit his childhood friend K, who abandoned their religious upbringing to pursue acting in the city. The trip represents Joel's search for meaning outside of his planned path as a minister.

Foreshadowing: Joel was raised to follow in his deceased father's footsteps as a minister, making his departure from that path significant.

  • joel
  • new york
  • purpose
  • christianity
  • k
Q9

What happens when they try to use blessed water against the Temptress?

K and Dougy instruct the bartender to lace the Temptress's drink with blessed holy water. She reacts violently to the stunt, prompting K and Dougy to flee. Dougy is pursued and attacked by demons in the back streets. The plan partially works in that it reveals her true nature and weakens her temporarily, but it doesn't stop her.

Foreshadowing: Madam Sonya reveals the Temptress is a demon, making holy water a logical countermeasure.

  • blessed water
  • holy water
  • plan
  • demons
  • dougy
Q10

Why does the Temptress possess Madam Sonya?

The Temptress possesses Madam Sonya after the fortune teller reveals her true identity as a succubus to K and Dougy. By possessing Sonya, the Temptress turns the fortune teller into a vessel for her deadly power and uses her as a threat against the two men who are trying to stop her.

Foreshadowing: Madam Sonya's supernatural knowledge makes her a target for the demon's influence.

  • madam sonya
  • possession
  • fortune teller
  • succubus

Movie threads

More Movies Like Def by Temptation, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Def by Temptation tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Bleak Urban Horror movies like Def by Temptation

Gritty cityscapes where ancient evil preys on human weakness without hope. If you liked the dark, supernatural dread of Def by Temptation, explore this collection of movies that feature evil entities preying on humanity in an urban setting. These similar horror stories deliver high intensity, heavy emotional weight, and typically end with a sense of despair and futility.

  • sinister
  • unsettling
  • gritty
  • nightmarish
  • supernatural dread
  • urban decay
  • Tone: dark, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often begin with a supernatural intrusion into the mundane urban world, pitting ordinary people against an ancient, malevolent force. The narrative follows a linear investigation or series of encounters where human faith and reason prove insufficient, leading to a final confrontation where evil triumphs, leaving survivors broken or the threat unresolved.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together based on their shared dark tone, high intensity supernatural horror, and pessimistic worldview. They create a specific, heavy atmosphere of urban dread where the victory of evil is a central, unifying theme.

Demonic Temptation stories similar to Def by Temptation

Stories where seductive supernatural entities exploit lust and desire for damnation. Fans of Def by Temptation will find more chilling tales here where demonic entities like succubi and incubi use seduction as a weapon. These movies explore similar themes of sexual predation, the loss of faith, and the horrific consequences of giving in to supernatural temptation.

  • sinister seductive
  • anxious
  • demonic
  • unsettling
  • lustful
  • corrupting
  • Tone: dark, sinister
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a charismatic, evil presence targeting individuals through their deepest desires. The story follows the gradual corruption of victims, often juxtaposed with a futile attempt by others to investigate or intervene. The climax typically reveals the full horror of the entity's power, resulting in the damnation or destruction of the characters, solidifying a theme of inescapable evil.

Why they belong together: These films share a core focus on a specific type of supernatural antagonist and the thematic exploration of temptation. The similarity is driven by the sinister, seductive mood, the disturbing theme of sexual predation by a demonic force, and the heavy emotional weight of witnessing moral collapse.

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Def by Temptation (1990) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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