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Timeline

Fallen (1998) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1998 · 124 mins · English
JustWatch #430 14
Directed by
Gregory Hoblit
Starring
John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, Robert Joy, Denzel Washington, Barry Shabaka Henley

Detective John Hobbes, a homicide investigator, watches the execution of notorious serial killer Edgar Reese. Though Reese is dead, a fresh wave of murders erupts, each echoing the exact modus operandi that Reese perfected. Hobbes becomes obsessed with finding the source, convinced the killer he thought he’d already caught has somehow returned.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Fallen
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Fallen (1998)

Where can you watch Fallen? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Apple TV, YouTube Free and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Fallen Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Fallen (1998) 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. Reese's execution on death row

    Detective John Hobbes visits the condemned serial killer Edgar Reese on death row. Reese appears unnervingly cheerful, utters what sounds like gibberish in Syrian Aramaic, and mocks the witnesses as he is executed. He finishes by singing Time Is on My Side.

    When
    Just before execution
    Where
    Prison death row / execution chamber
  2. Copycat murders begin

    Shortly after Reese's death, a series of killings mirrors the killer's methods. Hobbes and his partner Jonesy suspect a copycat is at work and start tracing the similarities. The police unit begins a nationwide look for the pattern.

    When
    Soon after execution
    Where
    City police department
  3. Hobbes seeks Gretta Milano

    Hobbes follows the clues to Gretta Milano, whose late father, a detective, killed himself after being accused of occult-related killings. He asks her for information that could link the current murders to an old case. The conversation hints at deeper, unsettling connections.

    When
    Early investigation
    Where
    Milano residence
  4. Azazel revealed in the Milano cabin basement

    In the abandoned Milano family cabin, Hobbes discovers books about demonic possession. The name Azazel is hidden beneath layers of paint in the basement, signaling a possible link to the new killings. The find deepens the mystery and hints at supernatural forces.

    When
    During discovery
    Where
    Milano cabin basement
  5. Gretta warns and explains Azazel

    Gretta initially urges Hobbes to abandon the investigation. Later she explains that Azazel is a fallen angel who can possess humans by touch, making him difficult to identify. She warns that the demon will try to ruin Hobbes.

    When
    After discovery
    Where
    Milano cabin
  6. Azazel taunts Hobbes by inhabiting others

    Hobbes notices people around him singing Time Is on My Side, realizing the demon is moving from host to host. The taunting shifts through various witnesses, including members of the police. The sense of paranoia grows as the line between ally and suspect blurs.

    When
    After revelation
    Where
    City
  7. Azazel possesses Hobbes' nephew and attacks Art

    Azazel temporarily possesses Hobbes' nephew Sam and uses him to attack his brother Art. The family becomes directly endangered as the possession escalates. Hobbes grapples with the terrifying reality of the demon inhabiting close relatives.

    When
    Soon after taunting
    Where
    Hobbes' home
  8. Schoolteacher confrontation

    Azazel engineers a confrontation that forces Hobbes to shoot a possessed schoolteacher in front of witnesses. The act immediately frames Hobbes in public suspicion and threatens the credibility of the investigation. The incident escalates the demon's influence over ordinary life.

    When
    During the escalation
    Where
    Local school
  9. Testimonies implicate Hobbes

    Witnesses, influenced by Azazel's manipulation, implicate Hobbes in the schoolteacher's death. The mounting evidence drives the investigation toward a man who seems haunted by the demon. Hobbes fights to clear his name while the demon tightens its grip.

    When
    After the school incident
    Where
    Police / prosecution
  10. Azazel murders Art and marks Sam; Sam hidden

    Azazel murders Art and marks Sam, prompting Hobbes to hide his nephew with Gretta. The family is thrust deeper into danger as the demon closes in. The threat becomes personal and immediate.

    When
    Shortly after
    Where
    Hobbes' home and Milano cabin
  11. Strategy to end the demon

    Gretta explains that if expelled from a host body, Azazel can only survive for the length of a single breath. They plan to lure Azazel to the Milano cabin where they might trap him. The plan hinges on depriving the demon of new hosts.

    When
    After Sam is marked
    Where
    Milano cabin
  12. Final confrontation at the Milano cabin

    Hobbes lures Azazel to the Milano cabin as Jonesy and Lieutenant Stanton arrive. Jonesy, now possessed, kills Stanton. Hobbes shoots himself in a bid to force the demon into his own body, and poisons himself to ensure the demon dies if it enters him.

    When
    Climax
    Where
    Milano cabin
  13. Azazel's defiance and the ending

    Azazel briefly inhabits Hobbes but succumbs to the poison, and appears to be defeated. Yet a cat emerges from beneath the cabin, suggesting the demon has survived by transferring to an animal. The closing credits feature Sympathy for the Devil.

    When
    Ending
    Where
    Milano cabin

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:34

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Timeline questions answered

Fallen Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Fallen (1998): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

How does Azazel possess humans in the movie?

Azazel, a fallen angel, can possess humans through direct physical touch. When he touches someone, he can inhabit their body and control their actions. This ability makes him extremely dangerous as he can move invisibly through society, infiltrating the lives of those around Detective Hobbes. The demon uses this power to manipulate people close to Hobbes, turning allies into potential threats.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Edgar Reese grips Hobbes' hand in an oddly intimate way during his final visit, suggesting the initial contact that enables possession.

  • possession
  • demon
  • touch
  • azazel
  • fallen angel
Q2

Why can't Azazel possess Detective Hobbes directly?

Gretta Milano explains that Azazel cannot possess John Hobbes directly. While the exact reason isn't fully detailed in the film, this limitation becomes central to the demon's strategy of tormenting Hobbes by invading the lives of people around him instead. This forces Hobbes to watch helplessly as the demon uses his loved ones as vessels.

Foreshadowing: This limitation is established early when Gretta warns Hobbes that the demon will try to ruin him by going after those he cares about.

  • possession
  • hobbes
  • azazel
  • gretta
  • milano
Q3

What happens when Azazel is expelled from a host body?

If Azazel is forcibly expelled from a host body, he can only survive for the length of a single breath before dying. This rule becomes crucial to Hobbes' plan at the climax. By creating a situation where the demon must leave its current host without immediately finding a new one, the demon can be killed. This is why Hobbes shoots himself, to trap Azazel in a dying body with no other hosts available.

Foreshadowing: Gretta explains this rule after Azazel begins targeting Hobbes' family, setting up the final confrontation strategy.

  • host
  • demon
  • breath
  • expelled
  • azazel
Q4

Why do the people Hobbes knows start singing "Time Is on My Side"?

The Rolling Stones song "Time Is on My Side" becomes Azazel's signature taunt. Edgar Reese sang it during his execution, and the demon uses this same tune to mock Hobbes as it jumps between hosts. Each time someone Hobbes encounters begins singing it, it signals that Azazel has possessed them, turning the song into a chilling reminder that the demon is always nearby and in control.

Foreshadowing: Reese sings the song while being executed, establishing it as the demon's calling card throughout the film.

  • time is on my side
  • song
  • taunt
  • possession
  • ree​se
Q5

Why does Azazel kill Hobbes' brother Art?

Azazel murders Art, Hobbes' brother who has an intellectual disability, as part of the demon's systematic campaign to destroy Hobbes emotionally. The demon marks Sam as well, threatening the entire family. By killing Art and attacking vulnerable family members, Azazel forces Hobbes into increasingly desperate situations, ultimately engineering the confrontation where Hobbes must shoot a possessed schoolteacher in public.

Foreshadowing: The demon's pattern of targeting those close to Hobbes escalates from acquaintances to family members.

  • art
  • sam
  • brother
  • nephew
  • murder
  • family
Q6

How does Hobbes plan to kill Azazel at the cabin?

Hobbes devises a desperate trap at the Milano cabin. Knowing Azazel must always find a new host to survive, Hobbes poisons himself with the same toxin the demon once used. When Jonesy is possessed and kills Lieutenant Stanton, Hobbes shoots himself, forcing Azazel to inhabit his dying body. The poison then kills the demon before it can escape to another host.

Foreshadowing: Gretta's explanation about the demon's one-breath survival limit forms the basis of this strategy.

  • cabin
  • poison
  • hobbes
  • jonesy
  • azazel
  • trap
Q7

Does Azazel really die at the end of Fallen?

Azazel appears to be defeated when the poison kills him inside Hobbes' body. However, the ending strongly implies the demon survived by transferring to the cat that emerges from beneath the cabin. The post-credits scene shows the cat walking away, and Azazel's voiceover taunts the audience about thinking he's truly defeated, suggesting evil can always find another vessel to inhabit.

Foreshadowing: The demon's voiceover at the end directly addresses the audience, questioning the assumption of his defeat.

  • ending
  • cat
  • survival
  • demon
  • defeated
  • post-credit
Q8

Why does Edgar Reese speak Syrian Aramaic before his execution?

Edgar Reese speaks Syrian Aramaic words during his execution as a summoning or binding ritual. The gibberish Hobbes initially dismisses is actually an ancient language tied to demonic summoning. This detail connects Reese to the supernatural forces behind the murders and establishes that the serial killer was either possessed by or consciously working with Azazel.

Foreshadowing: The Aramaic phrase is later identified at the Milano cabin, revealing its true nature as occult terminology.

  • aramaic
  • execution
  • reebe
  • language
  • occult
Q9

Why does Jonesy kill Lieutenant Stanton at the cabin?

Jonesy becomes possessed by Azazel, which is why he kills Lieutenant Stanton during the final confrontation at the Milano cabin. The demon uses Jonesy as a weapon to eliminate law enforcement and create chaos. This betrayal highlights how Azazel can infiltrate even trusted allies, making it impossible for Hobbes to know who he can trust.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, the demon moves through various hosts in the police department, establishing that no one is safe from possession.

  • jonesy
  • stanton
  • possession
  • cabin
  • murder
  • betrayal
Q10

How does Azazel move between hosts in Fallen?

Azazel moves between hosts through physical touch. When he touches a new person, he leaves his current host and enters the new one. This explains why people around Hobbes suddenly begin singing "Time Is on My Side", they've been touched by the demon. The movement is instantaneous and allows Azazel to hop through dozens of people, from strangers to law enforcement to Hobbes' own family.

Foreshadowing: Edgar Reese's handshake with Hobbes during the execution visit demonstrates the first opportunity for the demon to transfer.

  • transfer
  • host
  • possess
  • touch
  • hops
  • demon

Movie threads

More Movies Like Fallen, by Mood & Story

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

Paranoid supernatural thrillers like Fallen

Protagonists hunting a malevolent, unseen force that outsmarts them at every turn. If you liked the tense hunt for a demonic entity in Fallen, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature protagonists facing an ancient, unseen evil that toys with them, creating a pervasive atmosphere of dread and suspicion, much like the battle against Azazel.

  • paranoid
  • suspenseful
  • oppressive
  • atmospheric
  • fearful
  • haunting
  • Tone: dark, tense, paranoid
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a methodical investigation that slowly uncovers supernatural rules and a pervasive evil. The protagonist's logic and bravery are constantly challenged by an enemy that can possess others, creating a sense of betrayal and isolation. The journey is typically one of escalating psychological torment and high-stakes confrontation.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core premise of a rational protagonist confronting an irrational, powerful foe. They are united by a dark, oppressive tone, a steady pace of discovery, and the heavy emotional weight of fighting a battle that often costs the hero everything.

Atmospheric thrillers with slow burn dread like Fallen

Stories where a palpable sense of doom slowly consumes the characters. For viewers who appreciated the heavy, suspenseful atmosphere of Fallen, this thread collects movies with a similar vibe. These films use a steady pace to build palpable dread, focusing on psychological torment and a pervasive feeling of helplessness against a overwhelming force.

  • oppressive
  • suspenseful
  • atmospheric
  • haunting
  • melancholic
  • fearful
  • Tone: dark, melancholic, oppressive
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative unfolds with a deliberate pace, prioritizing mood and psychological tension over rapid plot twists. The protagonist's world gradually closes in as an external threat reveals its power, leading to a climactic confrontation that is emotionally and morally costly. The endings often leave a lingering sense of ambiguity or futility.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared commitment to building a specific mood—one of sustained tension, fear, and melancholic doom. They feature similar pacing, a dark tone, and a high level of intensity that comes from psychological pressure rather than constant action.

If you liked this

Movies Like Fallen

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Every angle

Fallen (1998) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Fallen 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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