Deliver Us From Evil (2014) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Jimmy Tratner was possessed by a demonic force. The possession caused him to attack Sarchie during the domestic disturbance call, as evidenced by his disturbed behavior, bloodied fingernails, and violent struggle with the detectives. This was one of the earliest signs of the supernatural evil spreading from the Iraq incident.

Foreshadowing: The possession traces back to the 2010 Iraq cave exploration where Jimmy and Santino encountered the demonic entity.

• jimmy tratner
• possession
• attack
• sarchie
• demonic

In 2010, soldiers led by Lt. Griggs discovered an underground cave in Iraq containing a river of human skulls and a demonic inscription. Two soldiers, Jimmy Tratner and Mike Santino, explored deeper and became exposed to the evil entity. This same entity later manifested in New York in 2013, possessing Jimmy and ultimately targeting Sarchie's family through Santino's paintings.

Foreshadowing: The Latin inscription in the cave hinted at a portal to Hell that would later be activated through Santino's artwork.

• iraq
• cave
• demon
• connection
• santino
• jimmy

Jane was possessed by the same demonic force that had taken hold of Jimmy Tratner. The possession caused her to attack her own child, exhibiting disturbing behavior like clawing at the ground and reciting The Doors lyrics. Father Mendoza immediately recognized the signs of possession when he saw the case file, explaining why the supernatural element was present in an otherwise inexplicable crime.

Foreshadowing: Jane's possession was part of the same wave of demonic activity spreading from the original cave entity.

• jane
• possession
• zoo
• lion pit
• mother

The Latin inscription in the cave was a summoning or binding inscription related to demonic forces. It hinted at the dark destiny that would befall the soldiers who explored deeper. The inscription was later linked to Santino's paintings, which served as portals to Hell that the demonic entity could use to manifest and spread its influence in the human world.

Foreshadowing: The inscription's presence foreshadowed that Santino would later recreate similar demonic portals through his art.

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• inscription
• cave
• demons
• santino
• painting

Mike Santino was a painter who had been exposed to the demonic entity during the 2010 Iraq cave exploration. He became its primary vessel and conduit on Earth, creating paintings that functioned as portals to Hell. The demonic force used Santino to spread possession to others like Jimmy Tratner and Jane, ultimately attempting to use Sarchie's family as a gateway for greater evil.

Foreshadowing: Sarchie discovered the sinister inscription linked to Santino's paintings, revealing their true purpose as demonic portals.

• mike santino
• painter
• portals
• hell
• demonic

Butler was killed during the climactic confrontation at Santino's residence because Jimmy Tratner, who was possessed, attacked the detectives. During the violent struggle with the possessed Jimmy, Butler sustained fatal wounds. His death added to the stakes of the final exorcism and motivated Sarchie to fully commit to defeating the demonic force.

Foreshadowing: The possession of Jimmy made him dangerous and unpredictable, leading to the deadly confrontation.

• butler
• death
• jimmy
• possession
• confrontation

The demonic entity targeted Sarchie's family, specifically his wife Jen and daughter Christina, because Sarchie was actively investigating and threatening its plans. The evil sought to use his family as leverage and as a powerful gateway to manifest more fully in the world. Christina's room was haunted as part of this targeting, and Santino ultimately kidnapped them to complete the demonic ritual.

Foreshadowing: The escalating supernatural disturbances in Sarchie's home were early warnings of the planned family abduction.

• sarchie family
• jen
• christina
• kidnap
• targeted

Lt. Griggs, who had led the 2010 Iraq expedition, was killed by the same demonic force that had been released in the cave. Griggs had a dark history with Jimmy and Santino, Griggs had orchestrated a violent incident that led to their dishonorable discharge from the military. The demon used Griggs' guilt and vulnerability to kill him, hiding his body in the basement of a house that became haunted as a result.

Foreshadowing: The discovery of Griggs' corpse connected the present supernatural events directly to the original Iraq incident.

• lt griggs
• death
• basement
• iraq
• veterans

Santino's paintings contained the same Latin inscriptions from the Iraq cave, which functioned as demonic summoning portals. These paintings allowed the evil entity to manifest and spread its influence beyond the original cave. The demonic force could travel through these portals to possess people in New York, making the paintings the primary mechanism for the supernatural outbreak.

Foreshadowing: Sarchie's discovery of the sinister inscription linked to Santino's work revealed their true demonic purpose.

• paintings
• portals
• hell
• santino
• inscription
• demonic

After experiencing the supernatural horrors firsthand and losing his partner Butler, Sarchie chose to leave the NYPD. The events had shown him that evil existed in a more tangible, supernatural form, and he felt compelled to fight it directly. Joining forces with Father Mendoza, who had the religious knowledge and experience to combat such forces, represented Sarchie's new purpose in life.

Foreshadowing: Butler's death and the successful exorcism marked the turning point that led Sarchie to abandon his old life.

• sarchie
• mendoza
• police
• joined
• fight evil