Equinox (1970) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The cross is his primary protection against the demon Asmodeus. Earlier in the story, the cross successfully repelled Asmodeus when he tried to assault Susan. When David loses the cross in the hospital, it triggers panic because he associates its loss with vulnerability to the supernatural forces that destroyed his friends.

Foreshadowing: The cross's protective power was established early when it repelled Asmodeus during his assault on Susan.

• cross
• protection
• demon
• Asmodeus
• David Fielding

The book contains the magical rituals and arcane knowledge that Dr. Watermann used to summon demons. Asmodeus, who is himself a demon, needs the book to maintain his power or continue his operations in the human world. He explicitly sends monsters to retrieve it after Jim and David possess it.

Foreshadowing: Watermann's notes describe the book as a 'veritable bible of evil' containing the rituals that summoned the demons.

• ancient book
• rituals
• summoning
• Watermann
• demon magic

Watermann appears from hiding and tries to grab the book back from the group. During the chase, David tackles him, causing Watermann to strike his own head against a hard surface. He dies from this injury, but his body then vanishes in a supernatural fashion, hinting at demonic intervention.

Foreshadowing: Watermann's experiments with demon summoning had already gone catastrophically wrong, releasing a tentacled creature that destroyed his cabin.

• Watermann death
• book chase
• supernatural vanishing

Susan loses her protective cross during the struggle with Asmodeus. Once the cross is gone, the demon gains the ability to possess her. She then turns on Vicki, attacking her while possessed. The possession is only temporarily reversed when David uses a mystical symbol from the book.

Foreshadowing: The cross previously repelled Asmodeus when he tried to assault Susan, establishing its protective power.

• Susan possession
• cross
• demon possession
• Vicki attack

Asmodeus murders Jim directly, then uses his shape-shifting ability to disguise himself as Jim. This allows him to deceive David and get close to the book. David eventually realizes the impostor is not the real Jim when he notices inconsistencies in his behavior.

Foreshadowing: Asmodeus was already disguised as a forest ranger earlier, establishing his shape-shifting ability.

• Jim death
• Asmodeus impersonation
• shape-shifting demon

David and Susan flee to a cemetery and take shelter behind a large stone cross atop a grave. Asmodeus, in his winged demon form, flies directly into the cross and dies upon contact with the holy symbol. However, the cemetery erupts in flames from this confrontation, and Susan is destroyed in the fire.

Foreshadowing: The cross was established as a powerful protective symbol that repels demons throughout the film.

• cemetery
• stone cross
• demon death
• fire
• Susan dies

After the cemetery confrontation, a giant shadowy figure appears and prophesies that David will be dead in one year and one day. This establishes the fatalistic timeline that drives the film's frame narrative, as the entire opening and ending take place precisely at that deadline.

Foreshadowing: The prophecy occurs immediately after the cemetery massacre, sealing David's fate before he even leaves the scene.

• prophecy
• death date
• one year one day
• fate
• dark prophecy

One year and one day after the initial events, an evil-faced, reanimated Susan arrives at the mental hospital to kill David. This confirms that the demonic forces are not satisfied with the earlier casualties and indicates the cycle of supernatural vengeance is continuing, fulfilling the prophecy's grim promise.

Foreshadowing: The prophecy of David's death in one year and one day directly sets up this final confrontation.

• reanimated Susan
• final showdown
• prophecy fulfillment
• hospital

David survives the supernatural massacre but suffers severe psychological trauma from witnessing the deaths of all three of his friends, the demonic attacks, and the fulfillment of the prophecy. The combined physical injuries and mental breakdown lead to his institutionalization.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with David in a catatonic state, establishing his psychological state before the flashbacks reveal what happened.

• David trauma
• mental hospital
• psychological breakdown
• institutionalization

Vicki is killed by the demon as part of Asmodeus's systematic elimination of the group. After Jim's death and the impersonation attempt fails, Asmodeus kills Vicki to further isolate David and Susan, then focuses on killing them as well. The violence appears designed to destroy everyone who witnessed the demonic activities.

Foreshadowing: Asmodeus sends monsters specifically to retrieve the book from Jim and David, eliminating anyone who stands in the way.

• Vicki death
• demon violence
• group elimination