The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Arne Johnson deliberately invites the demon to possess him because he cannot bear to watch 8-year-old David Glatzel suffer any longer during the intense exorcism ritual. His desperate act of courage is meant to save the child, but it directly leads to the demon transferring from David to Arne, creating the catastrophic chain of events that follows.

• arne johnson
• demon possession
• exorcism
• david glatzel

Ed Warren suffers a heart attack while witnessing the demonic transfer from David to Arne during the exorcism ritual. The combination of the intense supernatural event, the stress of the situation, and his pre-existing heart condition causes him to collapse into a coma, leaving Lorraine to continue the battle alone.

• ed warren
• heart attack
• exorcism
• coma

After Ed awakens from his coma, he tells Lorraine about his realization that Arne has become possessed. Lorraine then uses her psychic abilities to foresee the imminent tragedy at the kennel, prompting her to alert the police to rush there before Arne kills landlord Bruno Sauls.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Lorraine experiences disturbing visions during the exorcism that hint at the danger to come.

• lorraine warren
• kennel
• police
• vision
• prediction

Arne Johnson's murder trial became the first American case to invoke demonic possession as a legal defense because the evidence clearly showed he was under supernatural influence when he stabbed Bruno Sauls 22 times. The Warrens' investigation uncovered the curse and possession, providing documented evidence that supported this unprecedented legal argument.

• arne johnson
• trial
• legal defense
• demonic possession
• first case

The Warrens discover that a malevolent member of the Disciples of the Ram cult deliberately left a cursed witch's totem in the Glatzel home, casting a satanic curse on the family. This curse is what initially attracted the demon to possess young David, linking all the tragic events to this supernatural instrument of dark magic.

• witch totem
• curse
• disciples of the ram
• glatzel family
• satanic cult

Both Bruno Sauls and Katie Lincoln are stabbed exactly 22 times because the demon, operating through its human vessels, commits violence in a ritualistic pattern. This identical method connects the cases and reveals they share the same demonic origin, helping the Warrens link Arne's crime to the earlier murder in Danvers, Massachusetts.

• 22 stabbings
• bruno sauls
• katie lincoln
• ritualistic killing

The occultist is Isla Kastner, the daughter of former priest Kastner who previously helped the Warrens. Desperate for information, Lorraine learns that Isla became obsessed with the occult and transformed into the very malevolent force they have been hunting, forcing Kastner into an agonizing dilemma between helping the Warrens and protecting his daughter.

Foreshadowing: Kastner mentions early on that he lost his daughter to dark forces, hinting at this tragic connection.

• isla
• Kastner
• occultist
• daughter
• disciples of the ram

During the climactic showdown in the tunnels, Ed Warren momentarily succumbs to the demon's influence and nearly becomes possessed. Just as he prepares to harm Lorraine, she reminds him of their love and their first meeting, helping him regain his will and break the demon's hold on him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish the deep emotional bond between Ed and Lorraine, which becomes crucial to his salvation.

• ed warren
• possession
• lorraine
• saved
• love

The occultist meets her demise when the demon she summoned turns against her. Because Ed destroys the altar before the curse is fully completed, the demon is freed from her control and kills its creator, demonstrating the dangerous unpredictability of dabbling in dark occult practices.

• occultist
• demon
• killed
• curse
• altar destroyed

Stregherian witchcraft is an Italian folk magic tradition that provides the Warrens with crucial knowledge about curses and their counters. The book reveals that to break the curse placed on the Glatzel family, the occultist's altar must be completely destroyed, which becomes the key to freeing Arne and David from the demon's grasp.

• stregherian witchcraft
• curse
• altar
• book
• break curse

Arne Johnson receives a manslaughter conviction but serves only five years in prison. During his imprisonment, he marries Debbie Glatzel, the sister of the boy he tried to save, demonstrating that their relationship survived the traumatic events despite everything that transpired.

• arne johnson
• sentence
• marriage
• debbie
• prison

Ed gives Lorraine a replica of the gazebo where they first shared a kiss, symbolizing their enduring love and resilience through the darkness they have faced together. This touching gift represents hope and renewal after the harrowing supernatural battle they just survived.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the Warrens' first meeting and romance are referenced, establishing the gazebo's emotional significance.

• gazebo
• replica
• ed warren
• lorraine
• first kiss
• love

Through a harrowing psychic vision, Lorraine witnesses Jessica, under demonic influence, stabbing her friend Katie Lincoln 22 times before committing suicide by jumping off a cliff. This revelation helps detectives locate Jessica's body and confirms the demonic pattern connecting all the cases.

Foreshadowing: The missing person's case involving Jessica is introduced early in the investigation.

• lorraine vision
• jessica
• katie lincoln
• cliff
• suicide