The Devil Below (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Shookum Hills was consumed by the underground coal fire that ignited beneath the town. The fire triggered ancient sinkholes that literally swallowed the town whole, forcing residents to flee. The remaining locals who stayed behind did so to contain the monstrous creatures that emerged from the depths, keeping the extinction event hidden from the outside world.

• shookum hills
• town disappearance
• coal fire
• sinkholes
• appalachian mountains

The creatures are a highly organized, ant-like colony species that have evolved in the dark underground for generations. They possess a queen that rules their hive, use venom to immobilize victims, and harvest humans as a food source. The creatures have been living beneath Shookum Hills long before the coal fire began, making them the true reason the town was abandoned.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene shows Schuttmann and his son Derek being attacked by an unseen horror, hinting at the creatures' presence long before the scientists arrive.

• creatures
• monsters
• queen
• underground
• hive colony
• ant-like beings

Darren led the scientists to Shookum Hills under false pretenses. The expedition was secretly funded by a coalition of coal miners who wanted Darren to find a rare mineral that they believed ignited the underground coal fire. Darren admits the mission was a facade designed to locate this valuable mineral for the miners, betraying his teammates' trust.

Foreshadowing: Darren's insistence that a rare mineral started the fire, while the locals seem to know nothing about it, hints at his hidden agenda.

• darren
• betrayal
• rare mineral
• coal miners
• expedition
• facade

Terry fell into a sinkhole while lowering mapping instruments into the dark tunnels. Despite frantic searching by Arianne and Jaime, he never resurfaced and his body was never recovered. The implication is that he was killed by the creatures lurking in the deep tunnels, becoming one of their victims.

• terry
• disappearance
• sinkhole
• death
• mine tunnels

Dale was one of the remaining locals in Shookum Hills dedicated to containing the creatures. He attacked the scientists because they were tampering with the dangerous sinkholes that serve as entry points for the monsters. His violent reaction stemmed from protecting the town's secret and preventing anyone from releasing more creatures. He later dies from injuries sustained when the group accidentally knocks him unconscious.

• dale
• local
• confrontation
• sinkhole
• containment

The exact cause of the coal fire is left somewhat ambiguous. Darren believes a rare mineral ignited the fire, but this theory is tied to his secret mission to find that mineral for the coal miners. The more significant revelation is that the fire itself may have been inconsequential compared to the real threat: the creature colony living beneath the town.

• coal fire
• underground fire
• shookum hills
• rare mineral

Ellroy deliberately drew the creatures away from Arianne, Darren, and the others to give them time to escape. He ran in the opposite direction, using himself as bait so the monsters would follow him instead of pursuing the surviving team members. This selfless act allowed Arianne and Darren to briefly escape to safety.

• ellroy
• sacrifice
• creature attack
• hero
• escape

The specific name of the mineral is never revealed in the film. Darren simply mentions it as a rare mineral that some believe ignited the underground coal fire. The coal miners who funded his expedition were interested in it for its potential commercial value, which is why they financed the entire expedition under the guise of scientific research.

• rare mineral
• coal miners
• expedition
• value
• commercial

The creatures captured Arianne and placed her on a makeshift raft near their queen's lair. They appear to harvest humans as food for their colony, and the queen likely consumes larger prey. The creatures were preparing to sacrifice Arianne to the queen, similar to how ants or bees feed their royalty.

• queen creature
• sacrifice
• capture
• lair
• ant colony

The creatures operate as a highly structured colony with a clear hierarchy. A dominant queen creature rules over them, similar to how ant and bee colonies function. The creatures work together with distinct roles, using teamwork to hunt, capture victims, and protect their hive. They demonstrate intelligence and coordination rather than mindless animal behavior.

Foreshadowing: The creatures' coordinated attacks and ability to capture humans strategically hint at their organized social structure.

• colony
• organization
• queen
• hierarchy
• intelligent
• teamwork

Darren had been poisoned by the creatures' venom, which was mutating his body. As the poison spread and he realized he was going to die anyway, he chose to cut the rope connecting their escape path, sacrificing himself so Arianne could reach safety alone. His final act was an attempt at redemption after his betrayal earlier in the film.

• darren
• sacrifice
• poison
• death
• redemption
• arianne

Schuttmann asks Arianne to join him in his mission to protect the world from the creatures. Having lost his own son Derek to the monsters, Schuttmann has dedicated his life to containing the threat. Arianne agrees to stand with him against the creatures, motivated by her grief over losing Darren and her desire to prevent further tragedies.

• arianne
• schuttmann
• mission
• containment
• alliance
• sequel setup