Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Vicious 6 betrayed Wild Knuckles because Belle Bottom wanted the magical Zodiac stone for herself. After Knuckles stole the stone from the evil minions, Belle rescued him, but instead of sharing the power, she and the rest of the gang abandoned him, leaving him for dead so she could harness the stone's power alone.

Foreshadowing: Belle Bottom's ambition to recruit a new member was actually a cover for her plan to seize control of the stone's power.

• vicious 6
• belle bottom
• wild knuckles
• betrayal
• magical stone

While Gru was escaping with Kevin, Stuart, and Bob, Otto, who has braces and communicates through squeaky sounds, was left in charge of the stone. Encountering a vendor selling the pet rock, Otto became instantly attached to it and barterred the entire magical Zodiac stone in exchange, not understanding its immense value.

• otto
• minion
• pet rock
• stone trade
• zodiac stone

Gru fired the Minions after discovering Otto had traded the stone for a pet rock, calling them useless. However, after the Minions bravely rescued Gru from Knuckles, proved their loyalty by fighting the Vicious 6, and Otto heroically saved Gru at the parade, Gru apologized and rehired them all as his official team.

• minions
• fired
• rehired
• loyalty
• otto

Knuckles faked his death to escape the aftermath of his defeat by the Vicious 6 and the Anti-Villain League. By appearing dead, he could disappear from his old life and drive off into the sunset with Gru without the authorities chasing him, giving them both a clean slate.

Foreshadowing: Knuckles had already survived being abandoned by the Vicious 6 after they thought he was dead, establishing his talent for survival.

• wild knuckles
• faked death
• funeral
• escape

The Zodiac stone is a powerful artifact that can transform anyone into an animal corresponding to one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. The Vicious 6 used it during the Chinese New Year parade to transform themselves into animals, a goat, rabbit, rooster, and others, to kidnap Gru and fight the Minions.

Foreshadowing: Gru specifically stole the stone before the next Chinese New Year, hinting at its zodiac-related power.

• zodiac stone
• transformation
• chinese zodiac
• animals
• vicious 6

Knuckles kidnapped Gru after seeing him steal the Zodiac stone from the Vicious 6. Though thought dead, Knuckles had been following the group and needed the stone back. He used Gru as leverage, demanding the Minions deliver the stone in exchange for their leader's safe return.

• wild knuckles
• kidnap
• gru
• stone exchange

The Minions received Kung Fu training from Master Chow, a former Kung Fu teacher who rescued them from Knuckles' henchmen. After intense training, the Minions gained enough skills and confidence to return and fight the Vicious 6, using what they learned to defend themselves during the Chinatown showdown.

• minions
• kung fu
• master chow
• training
• vicious 6

Dr. Nefario initially refused because he was happy running his record store, Criminal Records, which he didn't know was a front for the Vicious 6. He was content with his simple life until Gru offered him a position in gratitude for his invention that helped steal the stone, after which he eventually accepted.

• dr nefario
• record store
• job offer
• criminal records

The Vicious 6 attacked during the Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown because that's when the stone's power was strongest, at midnight on New Year's Eve. They used this moment to transform into animals, overwhelm the Anti-Villain League, and kidnap Gru for revenge after he and Knuckles stole from them.

Foreshadowing: Gru stole the stone specifically to use before Chinese New Year, tying the holiday to the stone's power.

• chinese new year parade
• vicious 6
• attack
• midnight
• zodiac transformation

Gru and Knuckles bonded after Knuckles' own henchmen abandoned him following a defeat by Master Chow. With nowhere else to go, Knuckles teamed up with Gru to steal the Mona Lisa from the Bank of Evil. Their shared villain aspirations and successful heist created a genuine friendship that continued after the adventure.

• gru
• wild knuckles
• alliance
• heist
• mona lisa

During the showdown, the Vicious 6 used the Zodiac stone to transform Kevin into a rabbit, Stuart into a goat, and Bob into a rooster. Despite being transformed, they retained their consciousness and continued fighting. Otto, who still held the stone, managed to rescue Gru and used the stone's power to turn the villains into rats, reversing the Minions' transformations.

• minions
• transformation
• rabbit
• goat
• rooster
• rat

After discovering Otto had traded the stone to a biker (uncle), the Minions tracked down the biker in San Francisco. Otto personally pursued him and, after a chase, successfully retrieved the Zodiac stone from the biker, bringing it back to reunite with Gru just in time for the final battle.

• otto
• biker
• stone retrieval
• san francisco