Relics (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The black mark on Edna's chest is a visible sign of demonic possession. It starts as a small mark and expands throughout the film as the possession strengthens. The doctor initially finds her physically healthy despite the mark, but it ultimately reveals her transformation into a demon-like entity, connecting her condition to the same affliction that plagued her great-grandfather generations earlier.

Foreshadowing: The mark first appears during the doctor's examination, though its true significance isn't revealed until Edna's demonic transformation.

• edna
• black mark
• possession
• demon
• chest

The labyrinth is a hidden maze within Edna's house that Sam discovers behind a walk-in closet. This twisting corridor represents both a physical and metaphorical space where Edna has become lost, corresponding to her mental deterioration. The labyrinth appears to distort reality, trapping Sam inside as the house grows increasingly hostile. It was incorporated into the current house from portions of an old cabin that belonged to Kay's great-grandfather.

Foreshadowing: Kay's dream of the cabin and the discovery of the sketchbook drawings hint at the existence of this hidden space within the house.

• labyrinth
• hidden maze
• house
• closet
• sam
• edna

Edna attacks Sam because she believes the family heirloom ring belongs to her, not to Sam. This violent outburst represents the height of her dementia and paranoia, as she increasingly accuses others of theft. The ring was actually a family heirloom that Edna gave to Sam earlier, but her deteriorating mental state causes her to forget this and perceive Sam as a thief. The attack marks a turning point where Edna's behavior becomes openly violent.

Foreshadowing: Edna gave Sam the ring earlier, making her later claim that the ring is hers seem contradictory and confusing.

• edna
• sam
• ring
• attack
• violence
• dementia

The neighbor reveals that Edna played hide-and-seek with his son, who has Down syndrome, and locked him inside the walk-in closet for several hours. The child was left screaming for help, traumatized by the experience. Since then, the boy has been barred from entering the house, explaining why he refuses to come inside during Kay and Sam's visit. This revelation hints at Edna's history of troubling behavior predating her apparent dementia.

Foreshadowing: Sam experiences a mysterious breathing sound in the same closet where the boy was trapped, suggesting residual trauma in the space.

• neighbor
• son
• down syndrome
• closet
• locked
• hide and seek

Edna's great-grandfather was the first owner of the property and lived in the cabin that now partially makes up Edna's house. He died from dementia after being abandoned by his family, essentially forgotten in a similar labyrinth-like space. The film implies he suffered from the same demonic possession that afflicts Edna, suggesting the curse has passed down through generations. Kay's dream of the cabin and the sketchbook drawings establish this family connection to the haunted property.

Foreshadowing: Kay's dream of finding her mother in the cabin with the decayed man foreshadows the revelation about the great-grandfather's fate.

• great-grandfather
• cabin
• family
• dementia
• possession
• generations

Edna peels off her human skin to reveal a demon-like black dermis underneath, confirming she is possessed by a malevolent entity rather than merely suffering from dementia. This horrifying transformation occurs during the climax when Kay and Sam are trapped in the house's labyrinth. The peeling represents the shedding of her human facade as the demonic force fully takes over her body. This connects to the possession that affected her great-grandfather decades earlier.

Foreshadowing: The black mark on her chest expands significantly before the transformation, signaling the strengthening of the possession.

• edna
• skin
• demon
• possession
• transformation
• peeling

At the film's end, Sam notices a small black mark on Kay's back, mirroring the mark that appeared on Edna before her full demonic transformation. This suggests Kay is now possessed by the same entity and will suffer the same fate as her mother and grandmother. The ending implies the curse is cyclical and will continue through generations of the family. The final shot of the cabin window covered in black mold reinforces this sense of an inescapable evil.

Foreshadowing: Edna's black mark began small and expanded over time, making Kay's similar mark appear as a clear warning of what's to come.

• kay
• possession
• ending
• mark
• cycle
• sequel

After Kay kills the demonic Edna, she carefully places her disfigured, skinless body back on the bed, kisses it, and tucks it in before leaving. This act represents Kay's attempt to find closure and accept the dark truth about her mother. Despite Edna's horrifying transformation, Kay still views her as her mother and wants to give her a respectful farewell. However, this moment also signifies her acceptance of the curse's reality and her attempt to contain it rather than fully destroy it.

Foreshadowing: Kay's earlier plea for her mother to come live with her shows her struggle to accept Edna's deterioration.

• kay
• edna
• burial
• death
• acceptance
• body

Edna fills the house with cryptic post-it notes, ranging from mundane reminders like 'set the alarm' to disturbing warnings like 'do not follow it.' These notes represent her declining mental state and her attempt to communicate her fears. Some notes, particularly those saying 'do not follow it' and referencing the labyrinth, suggest Edna was aware of the demonic presence and was trying to protect herself and others from it. The notes throughout the maze also imply Edna herself became lost in that space.

Foreshadowing: The post-it notes become increasingly cryptic and fearful as Edna's condition worsens.

• post-it notes
• edna
• house
• warnings
• dementia
• maze

Edna attempts to eat family photographs and bury photo albums in the woods because she believes this will protect the memories from the dark entity haunting the house. She acts out of a desperate attempt to save what she considers precious memories from being corrupted by the demonic presence she senses. Kay finds this behavior traumatic and pleads with her mother to come live with her instead of staying in the deteriorating house.

Foreshadowing: Edna's paranoia about something 'entering through the closet' establishes her belief that malevolent forces are targeting her family memories.

• edna
• photographs
• albums
• memories
• woods
• protection

The film reveals that Edna's apparent dementia and strange behaviors are actually symptoms of demonic possession. Her forgetfulness, paranoia, violent outbursts, and self-harm are all manifestations of the entity controlling her. The black mark on her chest is the physical evidence of this possession, which runs in her family. Her great-grandfather suffered from similar symptoms before being abandoned and dying in the cabin's labyrinth.

Foreshadowing: Edna claims something 'entered through the closet,' which is later revealed as the demonic force taking hold.

• edna
• dementia
• possession
• demon
• mental state
• symptoms

The spreading black mold throughout Edna's house serves as a visual symbol of decay, corruption, and the spreading demonic influence. It appears on walls, furniture, and eventually engulfs the cabin window in the final shot. The mold represents how the possession and curse have infected the family and property over generations. It also mirrors Edna's own deterioration and the black mark that spreads across her body.

Foreshadowing: The dream sequence shows black mold crawling over the cabin windows as the decayed man sits inside.

• mold
• house
• decay
• corruption
• symbolism
• generations