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Plot Summary

The Dark and the Wicked (2020) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 94 min · English
Echo score 72
JustWatch #205 8
Directed by
Bryan Bertino
Starring
Marin Ireland, Chris Doubek, Xander Berkeley, Ella Ballentine, Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Lynn Andrews

In a bleak and isolated rural setting, a family faces a deepening crisis as their father’s health deteriorates and their mother descends into despair. Siblings Louise and Michael return to their family home, only to find a disturbing atmosphere and an ominous presence. Their mother's mental state has manifested into something malevolent, threatening to overwhelm them and unravel the family's fragile existence.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 How it ends
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like The Dark and the Wicked
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Dark and the Wicked (2020)

Where can you watch The Dark and the Wicked? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on AMC+, Philo and Shudder: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in The Dark and the Wicked: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of The Dark and the Wicked (2020) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Louise and Michael, siblings bound by family ties, return to their ancestral farm in Texas due to their father's declining health. Bedridden and unable to communicate, he is under the care of his devoted wife and a nurse. However, their mother's behavior begins to raise concerns as she seems unsettled and encourages the children to leave. The tragic climax comes when she takes her own life in the barn, after distressing acts of self-mutilation in the kitchen.

As they grapple with their mother's sudden death, Louise and Michael slowly uncover unsettling truths. The nurse reveals that she heard their mother whispering to their father, as if communicating with a darker, unseen entity rather than him. Michael discovers a diary left by their mother, filled with accounts of her growing fears about a nameless and potentially malevolent presence that seemed to prey upon her husband.

During their mother’s funeral, the siblings meet Xander Berkeley, a priest claiming familiarity with their mother. That very night, Father Thorne's spectral form beckons them from outside but vanishes as mysteriously as he appeared. In a tragic twist, Charlie, a nearby ranch hand, suffers a hallucination involving Louise, leading him to take his own life in a disturbing act of self-destruction.

Unaware of her friend's fate, Louise attempts to reach Charlie by phone but is met with a chilling revelation: the person on the line insists he has never visited Texas. Anxious for their father's well-being, the siblings consult a doctor who determines that their father's condition is critical; he cannot be moved without risk of fatality.

As dread continues to loom, Louise and Michael are horrified to discover their herd of goats has been violently slaughtered. They begin to incinerate the remains. That night, Michael experiences a shocking encounter in the barn when the apparition of their mother confronts him before fading away. Louise, while lying next to her father, finds herself trapped in a nightmare where a dark force attempts to possess her, culminating in a horrific vision of her father levitating.

The next day brings more despair when Charlie’s granddaughter arrives, informing Louise of his suicide. However, as the girl’s demeanor shifts to a sinister one, it becomes evident that it is the entity masquerading as her. In an alarming sequence of events, the nurse arrives, and in a terrifying turn, she becomes possessed and violently attacks herself, tragically succumbing to her injuries.

Meanwhile, Michael returns home, only to discover his wife and daughters dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide. Overwhelmed with grief, he too ends his life, only to realize, in the moments before his demise, that the entity has manipulated the situation, as his family unexpectedly reenters the home moments later.

Back at the farm, as night falls, Louise awakens to the horrific reality of her father’s death. In a harrowing conclusion, she is confronted by the demon that has tormented her family, leading to her ultimate downfall.

Last updated: November 04, 2024 at 00:43

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Plot questions answered

The Dark and the Wicked Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about The Dark and the Wicked (2020): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Louise's mother kill herself in the barn?

Louise's mother has been psychologically tormented by a demonic entity that preys on her husband. The creature gradually invades her mind, filling her with despair and convincing her that the only way to escape its influence is to kill herself. Her self-mutilation in the kitchen and subsequent suicide in the barn are the result of the entity manipulating her into believing death is the only escape from its presence.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the mother urges Louise and Michael to leave the farm, showing her desperate attempt to protect them from what she knows is coming.

  • mother suicide
  • barn scene
  • Louise mother
  • demonic possession
  • self-harm
Q2

What is the entity tormenting the family?

The entity is a demon that targets dying or vulnerable people, particularly those near death. It feeds on grief and despair, using psychological torment rather than physical violence. The demon appears to focus on the father, who is weak and dying, and uses his proximity to invade the minds of those around him, particularly his wife, and later Louise and Michael.

Foreshadowing: The nurse reveals she heard the mother whispering to someone that wasn't the father, suggesting an unseen presence was already communicating with her.

  • demon
  • entity
  • evil force
  • supernatural
  • dark presence
  • malevolent spirit
Q3

Why does ranch hand Charlie commit suicide?

Charlie experiences a hallucination induced by the demon, seeing Louise in a distorted vision that tricks him into harming himself. The demon manipulates his mind just as it does with the family members, using visual deception to drive him to suicide. The entity is shown to affect not just the immediate family but anyone near the farm.

Foreshadowing: The demon's influence extends beyond the farmhouse, as evidenced by the strange phone call where a voice claims Charlie has never been to Texas.

  • Charlie suicide
  • ranch hand
  • hallucination
  • demon manipulation
  • Texas ranch
Q4

How does the demon manipulate Michael into killing himself?

The demon uses Michael's grief against him after he discovers his wife and daughters dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide. The creatures have mimicked his family to lure him into despair, and in his moment of overwhelming grief, he takes his own life. The cruel twist comes moments later when his family suddenly returns home, revealing the entire tragedy was a manipulation designed to break Michael psychologically.

Foreshadowing: The demon has already demonstrated its ability to impersonate people, appearing as Charlie's granddaughter with a sinister shift in demeanor.

  • Michael death
  • family murder-suicide
  • demon trick
  • psychological horror
  • grief manipulation
Q5

Why does the nurse attack herself and die?

The nurse becomes possessed by the same demonic entity that has been tormenting the family. The demon, which feeds on the dying father and spreads psychological terror to those around him, targets anyone caring for him. The possession manifests as violent self-harm, with the nurse fatally injuring herself in a terrifying display of supernatural control.

Foreshadowing: The nurse previously overheard the mother whispering to an unseen presence, indicating the demon was already active in the household.

  • nurse possession
  • self-harm
  • demonic attack
  • caretaker
Q6

Why does Louise's mother whisper to her dying father?

The mother believes she is communicating with her husband, but the nurse discovers she is actually whispering to the demonic entity that has attached itself to him. The creature uses the father's weakened state to establish a presence in the household, and the mother's sanity crumbles as she tries to connect with what she thinks is her husband but is actually the dark force.

Foreshadowing: The diary reveals the mother became increasingly aware of a nameless presence affecting her husband, driving her to document her fears.

  • mother whispers
  • dying father
  • communication
  • demonic presence
  • nurse overhears
Q7

Why can't the father be moved from the farm?

The doctor explicitly states that moving Louise's father would likely kill him due to his critical condition. This medical reality traps the siblings at the farm, keeping them within the demon's sphere of influence. The entity appears to be geographically bound to the location where the father is dying, and his inability to leave ensures the demon can continue its psychological assault on the family.

Foreshadowing: The demon's influence is tied to the dying patriarch, and the farm itself becomes the arena for the supernatural terror.

  • father condition
  • doctor
  • cannot move
  • dying
  • medical prognosis
Q8

What happens to Michael's wife and daughters?

Michael returns home to discover his wife and daughters dead in what initially appears to be a murder-suicide. The demon orchestrates this tragedy to devastate Michael psychologically, using his grief to manipulate him into taking his own life. The cruelest aspect is that his family returns home moments after his death, revealing the entire tragedy was a demonic illusion designed to break him.

Foreshadowing: The demon has already shown it can impersonate people, appearing as Charlie's granddaughter with an obviously sinister transformation.

  • Michael family
  • murder-suicide
  • wife
  • daughters
  • demonic trick
Q9

What happens to Louise at the end?

After her father dies during the night, Louise awakens to find herself alone on the farm with the demonic entity. She is ultimately confronted by the demon that has systematically destroyed her family, and in the film's bleak conclusion, she falls victim to it as well. There is no escape or redemption, the entity consumes the last remaining family member.

Foreshadowing: The film has established that the demon will not stop until the entire family is destroyed, with each member falling one by one.

  • Louise death
  • ending
  • final scene
  • demon confrontation
  • family destroyed
Q10

Is the demon real or just in the characters' minds?

The demon is presented as a genuinely supernatural entity, not merely psychological delusion. Multiple characters experience physical manifestations, apparitions, possessions, and violent deaths, that cannot be explained as shared hallucination. The spectral priest, the possessed nurse, the slaughtered goats, and the mimicked appearances of characters all confirm the demon's physical reality within the film's world.

Foreshadowing: Father Thorne's spectral appearance and vanishing act, combined with the demonic impersonation of Charlie's granddaughter, demonstrate the entity's supernatural nature.

  • supernatural vs psychological
  • real demon
  • horror interpretation
  • possession

Ending explained

What Happens at the End of The Dark and the Wicked?

How The Dark and the Wicked (2020) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

The ending of The Dark and the Wicked is a harrowing reflection of how deeply evil can infiltrate a family’s life and mind. As the story reaches its climax, Louise finally accepts the supernatural reality that the devil—an entity with no clear origin or name—has been tormenting them all along. Despite her initial denial, she comes to realize that her mother was right about the evil presence in their home. This evil is not just a tradition or darkness in a generic sense but a specific demonic force that feeds on death and despair.

When Louise tries to leave the farm, trying to escape the grasp of this dark entity, it is already too late. The final moments are haunting: she is attacked while attempting to say goodbye to her dying father and then, overwhelmed by the devil's influence, she screams as she is dragged away. Her father’s death—her last attempt at resistance—becomes the tragic culmination of the film’s supernatural forces. His final breaths seem to signify that the evil has claimed him completely, emphasizing that the devil’s goal is to take as many souls as possible before death, and perhaps after.

Continue reading the ending (2 more paragraphs)

The supernatural creature, which might not be Satan incarnate but more like a malevolent demon or poltergeist, appears to thrive on chaos, suffering, and death. It can manipulate appearances, control the living, and manifest as different figures—including the ghostly apparition of a family friend’s granddaughter or even alter its form. Its primary purpose seems to revolve around awaiting the father's death to fully claim his soul, while simultaneously reveling in tormenting everyone else around it. The film doesn’t clarify the devil’s origin or name, leaving it shrouded in mystery, which emphasizes its role as an evil force rooted in chaos rather than religious mythology.

Ultimately, the film portrays this evil as an omnipresent force that preys on vulnerable families, especially during times of grief and death. The characters’ inability to escape signifies that once this darkness has taken hold, it’s nearly impossible to break free. The ending leaves viewers with a profound sense of tragedy and the unsettling realization that, in the face of such relentless evil, often our deepest fears and guilt are the greatest foes we confront. The story reminds us that some evil is unknowable, unexplainable, and beyond human control, making The Dark and the Wicked a haunting meditation on family, grief, and the pervasive nature of darkness.

The Dark and the Wicked ending explained in full

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Dark and the Wicked, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Dark and the Wicked tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about supernatural despair like The Dark and the Wicked

Stories where families are systematically destroyed by an unseen, malevolent force. If you were chilled by the hopeless atmosphere of The Dark and the Wicked, this list features similar horror movies where families are besieged by an unstoppable supernatural evil. These films share a bleak tone, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on psychological torment leading to tragic endings.

  • bleak
  • hopeless
  • dreadful
  • supernatural
  • psychological torment
  • family tragedy
  • Tone: bleak, dreadful
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a linear descent into tragedy. A family, often isolated, becomes aware of a malevolent supernatural entity that inflicts psychological suffering. The story methodically presents escalating horrors, with characters realizing their powerlessness as the entity dismantles their lives and sanity, culminating in a bleak, unforgiving conclusion.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core premise of an existential, supernatural threat that psychologically destroys a family. They create a cohesive experience through their overwhelmingly bleak tone, high intensity, heavy emotional weight, and a steady pacing that builds an unshakeable sense of dread and hopelessness.

Isolation horror movies with a bleak tone like The Dark and the Wicked

Slow burn horror where isolated settings amplify dread and psychological collapse. For viewers who appreciated the oppressive rural setting of The Dark and the Wicked, this selection highlights similar movies where isolation is key to the horror. These films use bleak, isolated environments to create a palpable sense of dread, claustrophobia, and helplessness against overwhelming forces.

  • isolated
  • claustrophobic
  • oppressive
  • dreadful
  • rural setting
  • slow burn
  • Tone: bleak, oppressive, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves characters becoming trapped, physically or emotionally, in a remote location. The setting—a farm, a woods, an isolated house—fuels the atmosphere of dread. The story unfolds at a steady pace, focusing on the characters' growing anxiety and psychological unraveling as they confront a threat magnified by their seclusion.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their masterful use of setting to create mood. The experience is defined by a potent mix of oppressive atmosphere, a steady, dread-filled pace, and a tone of utter bleakness. The isolation is not just a backdrop but an active ingredient in the horror, making the viewer feel the characters' helplessness.

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Every angle

The Dark and the Wicked (2020) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

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