It Was Just an Accident (2025) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Vahid recognizes the man by the distinctive sound of his prosthetic leg. While the man is at the garage getting his car repaired, he calls his mother on the phone. Vahid hears his voice and notices his stumbling walk, which triggers the memory of Eghbal, the officer who tortured him in an Iranian prison. The combination of his voice and the unique gait from his prosthetic leg is enough for Vahid to believe he has found his former tormentor.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene establishes the man's prosthetic leg as a key identifying feature when he accidentally hits a dog while driving.

• prosthetic leg
• voice recognition
• torturer
• prison
• Eghbal

Vahid and the group initially hold back from killing Eghbal because they cannot be completely certain of his identity. Shiva recognizes his smell but cannot be sure since they were blindfolded during torture. Goli also cannot confirm his identity. Additionally, Hamid immediately identifies Eghbal by touching his legs and demands execution, but Vahid and Shiva restrain him, insisting they first obtain a formal confession and testimony before taking lethal action.

Foreshadowing: The initial denial scene sets up the group's hesitation, they need definitive proof before committing to revenge.

• identification
• confession
• revenge
• hesitation
• proof

After an intense confrontation where Eghbal confesses and argues his actions were justified for the Iranian regime, Vahid and Shiva demand an apology. Eghbal finally apologizes, claiming he was only trying to make a living. Vahid accepts the apology and frees him, driving away with Shiva. However, the ending foreshadows danger when Vahid hears the familiar squeak of Eghbal's prosthetic leg approaching his home, suggesting Eghbal has returned or was never truly gone.

Foreshadowing: The white car similar to Eghbal's appearing near Vahid's home hints at his return before the prosthetic leg sound confirms the threat.

• release
• apology
• return
• threat
• confrontation

When the group answers Eghbal's ringing phone, they discover his daughter saying her pregnant mother has fainted. Despite their mission to confront and potentially kill Eghbal, the group chooses to drive his wife and daughter to the hospital. There, the wife gives birth to a son. This act introduces a moral complexity, the people seeking revenge end up saving the life of their torturer's child, creating an emotional turning point that influences their subsequent decision to spare Eghbal.

Foreshadowing: The phone call interrupts the confrontation, shifting the group's focus from revenge to immediate humanitarian concern.

• pregnant wife
• hospital
• birth
• moral dilemma
• daughter

Hamid, Shiva's former partner, identifies Eghbal by physically touching his legs. While Shiva and Goli were blindfolded during their torture and could only recognize Eghbal by scent, Hamid is able to confirm his identity by feeling the scars and structure of his legs. This tactile identification gives him immediate certainty, causing him to strongly urge killing Eghbal on the spot.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish that torture victims were blindfolded, making visual identification impossible for most.

• Hamid
• identification
• scars
• touch
• physical evidence

The ending suggests that Eghbal has returned or followed Vahid home. After being released, Eghbal's white car is seen near Vahid's house, and the familiar squeak of his prosthetic leg grows louder as he approaches. This ambiguous but ominous ending implies the cycle of threat is not over, Eghbal may seek revenge or the survivors' identities could still be in danger, leaving the story unresolved.

Foreshadowing: The white car resembling Eghbal's appears before the prosthetic leg sound, building suspense for the final reveal.

• ending
• prosthetic leg
• threat
• return
• ambiguous

Vahid decides to free Eghbal after a tense exchange where Eghbal finally apologizes, claiming he was only trying to make a living. Additionally, Vahid and Shiva recount the torture they endured, and Shiva insists on an apology as accountability. The birth of Eghbal's son at the hospital also seems to impact their decision, witnessing new life may have shifted their perspective toward mercy. Rather than becoming killers, Vahid accepts the apology and releases him, choosing moral closure over revenge.

Foreshadowing: The hospital scene with the birth of the child occurs before the final confrontation, softening the group's resolve.

• apology
• release
• forgiveness
• moral choice
• revenge

Shiva and Goli cannot visually identify Eghbal because they were blindfolded during their torture sessions in prison. While Shiva senses that the man smells like Eghbal, she cannot be certain without visual confirmation. Goli, who was also tortured by Eghbal, similarly cannot verify his identity through appearance alone. This is why the group must rely on other methods, voice, scent, and ultimately Hamid's tactile identification through feeling the scars on his legs.

Foreshadowing: The summary establishes that prisoners were blindfolded during torture, explaining why visual recognition fails.

• blindfold
• torture
• visual identification
• smell
• memories