The Exorcism of Molly Hartley (2015) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Molly was targeted because she was claimed by the devil on her eighteenth birthday as part of a six-year, six-month, and six-day incubation period. This process, referred to in the film as an 'incubation,' was designed to prepare her to bear the Antichrist. The supernatural events at the asylum are the culmination of this long-term possession plot.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Molly's disturbing behavior and the strange phenomena surrounding her arrival at the asylum, hinting at something already living inside her.

• molly hartley
• possession
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• satanic

Barrow initially hesitates because the Vatican has revoked his priesthood, but he agrees after witnessing escalating supernatural disturbances at the asylum, including a coworker's suicide and seeing Molly's condition firsthand. Additionally, Dr. Hawthorne offers him freedom from the asylum in exchange for performing the ritual.

Foreshadowing: The scene where Molly's voice changes and she refers to herself as 'we' visibly disturbs Barrow, foreshadowing his eventual decision.

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Leviathan is the fourth book of the Satanic Bible referenced by Chaplain Davies. The book contains prophecies about the Antichrist being born after a supreme act of matricide tied to 'the mother of the devil', the woman used to incubate the demonic child. The letters on the exorcism box align with the symbols described in this satanic text.

Foreshadowing: Davies's hidden satanic tome is visible in his basement early in the film, foreshadowing his true allegiance and knowledge of the ritual.

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Davies betrays Barrow because he intends to use Molly to summon the Antichrist. After Barrow successfully extracts the demons into the box, Davies swaps the box with a heavy stone and traps Barrow to prevent him from interfering with the ritual. Davies reveals that the ritual requires declaring Barrow as the 'father of the devil' for having extracted the demon.

Foreshadowing: Davies's explanation of the Leviathan book and the 'mother of the devil' concept reveals his obsession with the antichrist ritual long before his betrayal.

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• barrow

The final scene implies that the evil has not been truly defeated. One of the insects escapes the box during the chaos and makes its way onto a passing school bus, approaching an innocent child. This ending suggests the demonic threat will continue to spread beyond the asylum.

Foreshadowing: The exorcism only captured the insects in a box, it never destroyed them, leaving the possibility of escape.

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The 'mother of the devil' refers to Molly Hartley herself, she is the woman used to incubate the demonic entity that would become the Antichrist. According to the Leviathan book, the Antichrist can only be born after a supreme act of matricide, making Molly's role critical to the satanic plan.

Foreshadowing: Molly's claim that she was 'claimed by the devil' on her eighteenth birthday establishes her as the chosen vessel long before the asylum events.

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Molly refers to herself as 'we' because she is inhabited by multiple demonic entities. The insects inside her represent separate demons, and the possession has fragmented her identity, the plural pronoun reflects the collective nature of the entities controlling her body.

Foreshadowing: This moment occurs early in the film, establishing that Molly's possession is not by a single demon but by many.

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Dr. Hawthorne helps because she has concluded that Molly's condition is genuine possession rather than psychiatric illness. After uncovering Molly's history and witnessing the supernatural events firsthand, she becomes determined to stop Davies's ritual. She stabs Davies during the ceremony to prevent the Antichrist from being summoned.

Foreshadowing: Hawthorne's investigation into Molly's past and her growing belief in possession foreshadow her willingness to take violent action against Davies.

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Barrow's priesthood was revoked as a consequence of the botched exorcism that killed a fellow priest and a pregnant woman. This earlier incident, which occurred before the events of the film, led to his confinement in the Catholic mental asylum alongside Father James.

Foreshadowing: The opening context establishes Barrow's fall from grace, explaining why he has no official authority when Davies approaches him.

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• botched exorcism

The exorcism initially appeared successful, Barrow successfully extracted the insect-demons from Molly into a prepared box. However, the ritual failed to destroy the demons. When Davies's box was swapped and later dropped during the struggle, the insects escaped, proving the exorcism was only a temporary containment, not a true victory over the evil.

Foreshadowing: The fact that Davies keeps the box in his basement rather than destroying it suggests from the start that the evil remains a threat.

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