Iron Sky (2012) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

James Washington was specifically selected because he was a black male model. The President needed a diverse astronaut to use as propaganda for her re-election campaign, hoping the visual of a Black man on the Moon would appeal to voters and boost her chances.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene shows "Black to the Moon" posters, hinting at the political motivation behind the mission.

• james washington
• lunar mission
• president
• propaganda
• astronaut

After World War II ended in 1945, a group of Nazis escaped to the Moon's dark side using advanced technology from Werner von Braun's rocket program. They established a hidden base where they lived in isolation, building their society and waiting for the right moment to return to Earth.

• nazis
• moon base
• 1945
• hidden colony
• survival

Klaus Adler murdered Wolfgang Kortzfleisch after the Führer discovered his treachery on Earth. When Kortzfleisch confronted Adler about his secret dealings and potential betrayal, Adler killed him to eliminate the threat to his ambitious plans.

Foreshadowing: Kortzfleisch had grown suspicious of Adler's prolonged absence and unauthorized activities on Earth.

• klaus adler
• wolfgang kortzfleisch
• murder
• betrayal
• führer

After Adler snatched her iPad to power the Götterdämmerung, Vivian was abandoned and left behind. She eventually aligned herself with the President and was given command of the USS George W. Bush to fight against the Nazis.

Foreshadowing: Wagner's earlier manipulation of Adler and Renate for political gain sets up her later reversal.

• vivian wagner
• ipad
• adler
• command
• space battle

Renate switched sides after Washington explained the true history of the Nazis to her. She realized that everything she had been taught on the Moon was propaganda, and when she witnessed Adler's willingness to kill her, she understood that the Earth version of Nazi history was accurate.

Foreshadowing: Renate's initial innocence and belief in Moon Nazi propaganda foreshadow her eventual disillusionment.

• renate
• washington
• switch sides
• truth
• adler
• brainwashing

Washington returned to the Moon with Richter and commandeered a flying saucer to infiltrate the Götterdämmerung. He successfully disconnected the device that served as the battleship's control hub, which caused the ship to crash onto the Moon's surface.

Foreshadowing: Richter's earlier need for smartphones to control the Götterdämmerung hints at the vulnerability Washington exploits.

• james washington
• gotterdammerung
• disable
• battleship
• control hub

When the Götterdämmerung crashed into the Moon after Washington disabled it, the massive battleship left a visible scar across the lunar surface. This scar represents both the failed invasion and Adler's last attempt to strike Earth before his defeat.

Foreshadowing: Adler's determination to complete the invasion even as the ship was going down shows his obsessive drive.

• klaus adler
• scar
• moon surface
• crash
• battleship
• crater

The President viewed the conflict as a political opportunity for her re-election. Throughout the film, she sought a "miracle" to boost her struggling campaign, and she ultimately saw the war as a beneficial event that could help her win the election.

Foreshadowing: The President's desperate need for a campaign boost is established early when she struggles with political turmoil.

• president
• war
• re-election
• political
• moon Nazis
• campaign

The discovery of vast Helium-3 reserves on the Moon promised to provide the United States with energy independence. However, this revelation immediately caused conflict among nations at the UN, with representatives fighting over access to these valuable resources.

Foreshadowing: The film's satirical tone hints that this "victory" will lead to new Earth-based conflicts.

• helium-3
• energy
• moon resources
• conflict
• nations
• independence

Multiple nations united their spacecraft into an international fleet and launched a coordinated attack against the Swastika moon base. Their combined forces destroyed the base while racing to stop the Götterdämmerung from launching its attack on Earth.

Foreshadowing: The UN convening to address the Nazi threat establishes that nations will work together.

• space fleet
• swastika base
• international
• attack
• united nations
• victory