The Green Butchers (2004) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Svend acts impulsively during the chaos of opening day. When the electrician becomes annoying during the preparations, Svend spontaneously locks him in the meat freezer as a way to get rid of him temporarily. This impulsive decision immediately backfires and sets off a chain of consequences that haunt the rest of the film.

• Svend
• electrician
• freezer
• opening day
• impulsive

The "chicky-wickies" are human flesh marinated in a secret sauce. The first batch was actually the leg of the electrician that Svend accidentally locked in the freezer and forgot about. When Bjarne discovered the body, he initially hesitated but ultimately sold the meat to customers who loved it, not knowing they were eating human flesh.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Svend locked the electrician in the freezer and forgot about him during the chaos of opening day.

• chicky-wickies
• human flesh
• electrician
• secret sauce
• cannibalism

Despite his initial hesitation, Bjarne succumbs to the overwhelming demand from customers and the financial opportunity. When he sees the long line of eager customers the morning after the chaotic opening, the crowd's intense desire for more of the "special cut" convinces him to give in. He rationalizes that no one will ever find out.

Foreshadowing: The customers immediately respond enthusiastically to the first sample of the meat, creating immediate demand.

• Bjarne
• customers
• selling
• greed
• demand

Against all expectations, Eigil regains consciousness after his life support is removed at the sanatorium. He then begins appearing at Svend and Bjarne's butcher shop repeatedly, which creates mounting tension and anxiety for Bjarne, who fears discovery of their crimes and doesn't know how to handle his brother's unexpected reappearance.

Foreshadowing: Bjarne's earlier visit to the sanatorium shows his emotional struggle with his brother's brain-dead condition.

• Eigil
• life support
• sanatorium
• wakes up
• returns

Svend locks Hans, a man with recent personal struggles, in the freezer similarly to how he locked the electrician. This pattern of impulsive, reckless behavior shows Svend's escalating moral decay and willingness to use extreme measures to deal with problems that threaten his business.

• Hans
• Svend
• freezer
• locked
• pattern

The final straw comes when Bjarne discovers that Svend has locked both Astrid and Eigil inside the freezer. This climactic moment, combined with the ongoing suspicions from Reverend Villumsen and Holger, leads to authorities shutting down the shop. Bjarne's breaking point and intervention ultimately exposes the illegal operation.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Reverend Villumsen and Holger confront Astrid about their suspicions regarding the butchers.

• shop shutdown
• health authorities
• Astrid
• Eigil
• freezer

Bjarne discovers that the popularity of the "chicky-wickies" had nothing to do with the horrific ingredient, it was entirely due to the secret marinade. This darkly ironic revelation comments on human nature and consumer behavior, suggesting people were drawn to the taste without knowing (or caring) what they were actually eating.

• marinade
• popularity
• secret sauce
• Bjarne realization
• irony

After connecting with Eigil at the cemetery over their mutual love for chickens, Astrid decides to help him return to the shop. Under the direction of Reverend Villumsen and Holger, who have grown suspicious of the butchers, Astrid takes Eigil on this fateful excursion, bringing a cargo of deceased chickens, though the exact reason remains ambiguous whether it was intentional sabotage or something else.

Foreshadowing: Astrid and Eigil met at the cemetery where they bonding over their shared love of chickens.

• Astrid
• chickens
• Eigil
• Reverend Villumsen
• Holger

After the shop is shut down and the authorities become involved, Svend flees town rather than face the consequences of his actions. His hasty withdrawal represents his ultimate escape from accountability, leaving Bjarne to deal with the aftermath alone. This mirrors his pattern of impulsive decisions throughout the film.

• Svend
• flees
• escapes
• aftermath
• leaves

Nurse Juhl advises Bjarne to confront Svend directly about his concerns regarding Eigil's appearances at the shop. This unwelcome advice puts Bjarne in an increasingly difficult position, as he must decide whether to reveal his knowledge of the butcher shop's dark secrets or continue covering for Svend.

• Nurse Juhl
• advice
• Bjarne
• confrontation
• Svend

In a surreal moment, Reverend Villumsen confesses that the chicky-wickies taste remarkably like his wife, who had recently died. This bizarre revelation adds to the film's darkly comedic atmosphere and intensifies Bjarne's anxiety about the true nature of their product and the potential consequences of their actions.

• Reverend Villumsen
• wife
• confession
• dark comedy
• chicky-wickies

Tina, Svend's fiancée, becomes increasingly desperate as his involvement with the butcher shop consumes him. She eventually implores Svend to regain her affection and return to their previous relationship. However, Svend's escalating crimes and moral decay lead him to take drastic measures to silence her, ultimately contributing to his downfall.

• Tina
• Svend
• relationship
• breakup
• desperate