Hellboy (2004) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Nazis, guided by Grigori Rasputin, built a dimensional portal off the Scottish coast in 1944 to summon the Ogdru Jahad, a race of monstrous entities imprisoned in another realm. They believed that unleashing these creatures would create enough chaos to turn the tide of World War II in their favor and establish a new paradise.

• nazis
• ogdru jahad
• rasputin
• world war 2
• summoning

When Allied forces destroyed the Nazis' dimensional portal during the 1944 confrontation, the destruction unleashed a baby demon that emerged from the portal. The team found him with a mysterious stone right hand and named him Hellboy, taking him in to raise as an agent against supernatural threats.

• hellboy
• baby demon
• portal
• 1944
• stone hand

Rasputin reanimated Kroenen and sent him to kill Professor Bruttenholm as part of his plan to draw Hellboy into a final confrontation. Rasputin had shown Bruttenholm a dark future where Hellboy becomes the harbinger of destruction, using this vision to manipulate the situation and exact revenge for his earlier defeat.

Foreshadowing: Rasputin's earlier confrontation with Bruttenholm in the cemetery sets up Kroenen's fatal mission.

• kroenen
• bruttenholm
• murder
• rasputin
• death

The Ogdru Jahad are a race of monstrous entities imprisoned in another dimension. Rasputin and the Nazis sought to free them during World War II to turn the tide of war. In the climax, Rasputin attempts to force Hellboy to release these creatures by threatening Liz Sherman's life.

• ogdru jahad
• demons
• monsters
• dimension
• rasputin

When Rasputin forced Hellboy to choose between releasing the Ogdru Jahad or letting Liz die, Hellboy embraced his true identity as Anung Un-Rama, regrowing his horns, but deliberately chose to reject his destructive destiny. He chose love over his prophesied role as the world's destroyer, demonstrating that his choice to be a hero outweighs his demonic nature.

Foreshadowing: Rasputin's vision of Hellboy as the harbinger of destruction foreshadows this moment of self-realization.

• anung un-rama
• horns
• destiny
• rejection
• love

Sammael is a hell-hound unleashed by Rasputin's resurrection. Its unique ability is that it can multiply itself with each defeat, growing stronger every time it is killed. This makes it nearly impossible to destroy through conventional means, forcing the Bureau to seek out its eggs to end the threat.

• sammael
• hell-hound
• multiplying
• eggs
• rasputin

Liz Sherman checked into a mental health facility to protect others from her unpredictable pyrokinetic powers, the ability to control fire. Her powers became even more volatile when Rasputin invaded her dreams, amplifying her abilities to dangerous levels and nearly causing disaster at the hospital.

Foreshadowing: Rasputin's invasion of Liz's mind directly connects her facility stay to the main plot.

• liz sherman
• pyrokinetic
• mental hospital
• powers
• fire

Rasputin was resurrected in Moldova by his loyal followers Ilsa Von Haupstein and Obersturmbannfuhrer Kroenen, who succeeded in bringing him back after his apparent death in 1944. Rasputin had been consumed by the portal's destruction but was somehow restored through their occult rituals.

• rasputin
• resurrection
• kroenen
• ilsa
• moldova

Rasputin offered Bruttenholm a glimpse of a dark future where Hellboy becomes the harbinger of destruction, an event the professor believed was inevitable. This vision haunted Bruttenholm and motivated his actions in the film's final days, though Hellboy ultimately proved the prophecy wrong by choosing good over destiny.

• bruttenholm
• vision
• future
• destruction
• prophecy

Hellboy develops romantic feelings for Liz Sherman, but he becomes jealous when he sees Liz going out with FBI agent John Myers. This jealousy complicates the team's dynamics and reflects Hellboy's insecurity about his own nature as a demon and whether he deserves love.

• hellboy
• myers
• jealousy
• liz
• love triangle

During the mission to destroy Sammael's eggs, Abe Sapien sustains injuries while battling the multiplying hell-hound. Despite being wounded, he continues to fight alongside Hellboy and contributes to the team's efforts in the final confrontation at the Russian cemetery.

• abe sapien
• injuries
• sammael
• battle
• eggs

Hellboy's right hand is made of stone, a mysterious artifact that was part of his demonic form since infancy. The stone hand becomes significant in the climax when Rasputin attempts to use it as a key to unlock the Ogdru Jahad's prison, making it both a weapon and a potential gateway to world destruction.

• stone hand
• right hand
• key
• ogdru jahad
• demon

Bruttenholm's murder by Kroenen shatters Hellboy, transforming his grief into a quest for revenge. The death of his father figure marks a pivotal turning point, driving Hellboy to confront Rasputin. However, his ultimate triumph, choosing love over destruction, proves that Bruttenholm's influence shaped him into a hero despite his demonic origins.

• bruttenholm
• death
• father
• revenge
• hellboy

After Hellboy defeats Rasputin and the Behemoth creature by detonating grenades from within, Liz's life hangs in the balance. Hellboy makes an emotional plea to bring her back from the other side, successfully negotiating her release. They share a passionate kiss surrounded by flames, solidifying their relationship while Myers watches.

• hellboy
• liz
• reunion
• kiss
• flames
• ending