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Timeline

Evil Dead (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 91 min · English
JustWatch #110 5
Directed by
Fede Alvarez
Starring
Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore
Budget
$17M

While vacationing in a remote cabin, five friends accidentally summon malevolent demons after discovering a mysterious book. A terrifying force is unleashed, and the group finds themselves battling for their lives against a growing number of demonic entities emerging from the surrounding forest. They must confront the supernatural evil and fight to survive the night.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (16)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Evil Dead
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Evil Dead (2013)

Where can you watch Evil Dead? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on HBO Max, Netflix and Netflix Standard: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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16 events in order · contains spoilers

Evil Dead Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Evil Dead (2013) 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. Opening in the Woods

    The film begins with a young woman wandering through the woods, her clothes stained with blood. The atmosphere is tense as an ominous figure stealthily approaches her, creating an immediate sense of dread.

    Where
    Woods
  2. Ambush and Capture

    The young woman is caught off guard by the sinister figure, who covers her head with a bag. Accompanied by an accomplice, they violently strike her with an axe, rendering her unconscious in a shocking act of brutality.

  3. Awakening in a Cellar

    Upon regaining consciousness, the woman finds herself in a dim cellar alongside another woman who speaks only in Welsh. The chilling scene reveals burn victims in the background, intensifying the horror of her predicament.

    Where
    Cellar
  4. The Father's Revelation

    Her father unexpectedly appears, and a dark conversation ensues. When she inquires about her mother, he reveals that she killed her, triggering a terrifying response from the old woman who demands her death.

  5. Desperate Pleas and Tragic End

    In a heart-wrenching moment, the father begins pouring gasoline over her as she pleads for her life. Just before igniting the flames, her eyes turn yellow, leading to a shocking climax as he pulls the trigger, leaving her life in ruins.

  6. David and Friends Arrive

    Fast forward, we meet David and his friends as they arrive at a secluded cabin. They are there to support Mia, David's sister, who is struggling with her addiction, highlighting the group's camaraderie and concern.

    Where
    Cabin in the Woods
  7. Mia's Detox Struggles

    Mia, now determined to overcome her drug addiction, expresses discomfort about lingering smells in the cabin. She takes a drastic step by disposing of a bag of drugs into a nearby well, hoping for a clean start.

    Where
    Near a Well
  8. Nightmares Emerge

    As night falls, Mia's withdrawal symptoms manifest in terrifying screams, indicating her struggle is becoming more than she can handle. Her friends grow concerned as the atmosphere shifts from supportive to unsettling.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Cabin
  9. Discovery of the Bloodied Cellar

    The group's dog, Grandpa, uncovers a bloodied cellar, leading to a series of horrific events. This discovery sets off a chain reaction of terror as they delve deeper into the dark secrets hidden within the cabin.

    Where
    Bloodied Cellar
  10. The Evil Book

    The group stumbles upon an ominous book wrapped with warnings to avoid it. Despite the threatening aura, Eric succumbs to curiosity and opens it, unleashing an unspeakable entity that begins to haunt Mia.

    Where
    Cabin
  11. Mia's Transformation

    As Eric reads from the book, Mia experiences terrifying visions that signal her descent into madness. A harrowing encounter leads to a gruesome transformation, indicating she is succumbing to a demonic possession.

    Where
    Swamp
  12. The Bathroom Confrontation

    A shocking confrontation occurs in the bathroom, where Olivia inflicts self-harm, highlighting the depth of the chaos unleashed. The remaining friends realize the extent of the evil they have awakened and its deadly consequences.

    Where
    Bathroom
  13. Desperate Actions

    With Mia's reality crumbling, David understands the urgency of containing the supernatural force. As the horror escalates, the dynamics among the group shift, leading to desperate actions they must take to survive.

    Where
    Cabin
  14. The Climactic Battle

    In a climactic showdown, David must face the horrifying truth of Mia's possession and battle the malevolent entity. The stakes rise as the evil seeks to claim them all, propelling David into a fight for survival.

    Where
    Cabin
  15. Final Stand and Aftermath

    In a last desperate bid for survival, the cabin becomes engulfed in flames as Mia confronts the Abomination. She fights back fiercely, wielding a chainsaw, leading to a catastrophic showdown that alters their lives forever.

    Where
    Cabin
  16. End of the Nightmare

    As dawn breaks, Mia stands alone amidst the ruin, free yet haunted by her ordeal. The cursed book remains, promising the continuation of darkness, while a nod to Ash hints at the cycle of horror that awaits future victims.

    Where
    Cabin

Last updated: October 28, 2024 at 18:10

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Timeline questions answered

Evil Dead Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Evil Dead (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Mia see visions of a woman in the woods at the beginning?

The opening scene shows Mia experiencing a premonition during her drug withdrawal. This vision depicts a young woman being attacked in the woods, which later proves to be a glimpse of what will happen to Mia herself. The demonic entity uses her vulnerable state, physically weakened from detox and psychologically fragile, to project terrifying visions that blur reality and foreshadow her own fate.

Foreshadowing: Mia's vision directly mirrors her own later ordeal, where she becomes the woman in the woods attacked by a demonic figure.

  • mia visions
  • drug withdrawal
  • demon premonition
  • opening scene meaning
Q2

What happens when Eric reads from the evil book?

When Eric reads aloud from the ancient Book of the Dead, he unknowingly performs a ritual that summons demonic entities. The act of reading the incantations opens a portal for the Abomination and other demons to enter the physical world. This triggers Mia's possession, as she is the most vulnerable person in the cabin due to her ongoing drug withdrawal, making her susceptible to supernatural influence.

Foreshadowing: The book is wrapped with warnings telling readers to leave it alone, indicating its dangerous power.

  • evil book
  • eric reads
  • demon summoning
  • book of the dead
  • possession trigger
Q3

Why does Olivia mutilate herself in the bathroom?

Olivia attacks herself because she has been possessed by a minor demon. The entity forces her to harm her own body as part of the demons' plan to weaken and terrify the remaining survivors. This brutal act demonstrates how the demonic force doesn't need to directly attack, it can corrupt the friends into destroying each other.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the demons demonstrate their ability to manipulate and control individuals, leading to this horrifying self-inflicted injury.

  • olivia
  • bathroom scene
  • possession
  • self harm
  • demon control
Q4

How does Mia become possessed by the demon?

Mia becomes possessed after Eric reads from the book while she is in a highly vulnerable state due to drug withdrawal. The combination of her weakened mental and physical condition makes her susceptible to demonic influence. During her escape attempt, she encounters a demonic figure in the swamp where thorn bushes attack her, marking the exact moment the Abomination takes control of her body and transforms her into its vessel.

Foreshadowing: Mia's visions intensify after Eric reads the book, showing her increasingly erratic behavior as the demon gradually takes hold.

  • mia possession
  • abomination
  • demonic possession
  • withdrawal vulnerability
  • thorn bushes attack
Q5

What is the Abomination that David and Mia fight?

The Abomination is the primary demon实体 summoned by reading the Book of the Dead. It is a powerful, shapeshifting evil entity that seeks to collect souls and has possessed Mia's body. In the climax, it manifests as a grotesque creature that emerges from Mia, forcing David and Mia to work together to destroy it. The Abomination represents the core evil that has overtaken the cabin and seeks to claim all their lives.

Foreshadowing: The opening vision and subsequent demonic manifestations all stem from this central entity.

  • abomination
  • main demon
  • evil entity
  • soul collection
  • demon lord
Q6

Why does the dog Grandpa lead them to the cellar?

The dog Grandpa discovers the bloodied cellar while investigating smells emanating from below the cabin. This discovery is not orchestrated by the dog, it simply sniffs out the location of previous victims. The cellar contains evidence of prior rituals and violence, including the burn victims seen in Mia's vision, confirming that the cabin has been a site of previous demonic activity.

Foreshadowing: Mia's earlier complaint about a lingering smell in the cabin foreshadows this discovery of previous carnage.

  • grandpa dog
  • cellar discovery
  • bloodied cellar
  • previous victims
  • cabin secrets
Q7

What does the ending mean, is Mia truly free?

Mia survives the battle and destroys the Abomination, but the ending is ambiguous. While she escapes the burning cabin physically liberated from the demon that possessed her, the final shot reveals the cursed book remains untouched on the shelf, waiting for its next victim. The darkness that lingers and Ash's iconic "Groovy" nod suggests the evil cycle continues and will claim new victims.

Foreshadowing: The recurring theme of the book throughout the film establishes that the evil is eternal and cyclical.

  • mia survival
  • ending explained
  • cursed book
  • ambiguous ending
  • evil cycle
Q8

What does it mean when the demon's eyes turn yellow?

The yellow eyes are a visual indicator of demonic possession. In both the opening vision and during Mia's transformation, yellow eyes signal that a person has been fully taken over by a demon. When the father's daughter in the vision turns yellow-eyed just before he kills her, and when Mia displays the same trait, it marks the complete transformation from human to demon vessel.

Foreshadowing: The yellow-eyed look appears in the opening sequence, establishing it as the visual marker of demonic takeover.

  • yellow eyes
  • demon possession sign
  • transformation indicator
  • demonic eyes
Q9

What happens to the drugs Mia throws in the well?

Mia throws her bag of powdered drugs into the well outside the cabin as part of her commitment to recovery. However, the well appears to be connected to the supernatural activity, the strange smell Mia notices and the subsequent demonic manifestations may be amplified by this location. The act represents her attempt to break free from her past, but the demons still find her through her vulnerability during withdrawal.

Foreshadowing: Mia's decision to destroy her drugs establishes her vulnerable state, which the demons exploit.

  • mia drugs
  • well
  • addiction recovery
  • drug disposal
  • demon vulnerability
Q10

How does this version connect to the original Evil Dead films?

The 2013 Evil Dead serves as a reboot of the franchise rather than a direct sequel. The ending features a cameo by Bruce Campbell as Ash, the hero from the original trilogy, who delivers the franchise's signature line "Groovy." This establishes that the same universe exists, where the Book of the Dead has claimed victims repeatedly across different time periods, and hints at Ash's ongoing battle against the same evil.

Foreshadowing: The recurring nature of the book throughout history establishes the connected universe.

  • bruce campbell
  • ash williams
  • evil dead franchise
  • reboot connection
  • groovy

Movie threads

More Movies Like Evil Dead, by Mood & Story

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

Relentless supernatural siege horror movies like Evil Dead

Grueling, fast-paced battles for survival against an unstoppable supernatural force. If you enjoyed the non-stop, high-intensity horror of Evil Dead, these movies deliver a similar experience. They feature characters besieged by demonic or supernatural forces in isolated locations, with fast pacing, graphic violence, and a claustrophobic, desperate fight for survival through a single terrifying night.

  • claustrophobic
  • frenetic
  • gruesome
  • desperate
  • oppressive
  • terrifying
  • Tone: dark, terrifying
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is simple but brutal: a group is isolated, an ancient evil is unleashed, and a desperate, fast-paced battle for survival ensues. Characters are often picked off one by one in gruesome ways, with the threat escalating relentlessly until only a shred of hope remains. The story is driven by visceral action and survival instinct rather than complex plotting.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared core experience: an intense, claustrophobic, and fast-paced siege against a supernatural threat. They prioritize atmosphere, relentless pacing, and graphic horror over complex mythology, creating a cohesive and exhausting viewing experience for fans of high-intensity survival horror.

Claustrophobic survival horror films similar to Evil Dead

Stories where isolation and paranoia amplify a brutal fight to stay alive. For viewers who liked the oppressive, confined setting of Evil Dead, this collection features movies where characters are trapped and fighting for survival. These stories use isolation to amplify fear and tension, often in remote cabins, haunted houses, or other confined spaces, creating a palpable sense of dread and desperation.

  • claustrophobic
  • desperate
  • oppressive
  • paranoid
  • terrifying
  • grueling
  • Tone: dark, oppressive, desperate
  • Pacing: fast, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative focuses on the psychological and physical toll of being trapped. The confined setting limits escape options, forcing characters to confront the threat directly. Tensions often rise within the group as trust erodes, and the line between internal and external threats blurs, leading to a harrowing journey where simply surviving the night is the ultimate victory.

Why they belong together: These films are united by the powerful use of a claustrophobic setting to generate fear and tension. The experience is defined by the oppressive atmosphere, the characters' deteriorating mental state under pressure, and the visceral, often brutal, struggle for survival against overwhelming odds, making the location a key part of the horror.

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Movies Like Evil Dead

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Every angle

Evil Dead (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Evil Dead in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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