The Reckoning

The Reckoning

Year: 2004

Runtime: 112 min

Language: English

DramaMystery

In 17th-century England, a widow faces a devastating accusation of witchcraft levied by a ruthless judge. As she endures increasing physical and emotional suffering, Grace struggles to maintain her sanity, and the line between reality and delusion blurs. Determined to fight the false charges and uncover the truth, she must confront the powerful forces arrayed against her before she loses everything.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Reckoning (2004)

Trace every key event in The Reckoning (2004) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Nicholas flees his village and is recruited by the troupe

After being found with a married woman, Nicholas escapes his village in 1380. On the road, he witnesses a fellow member euthanized and is captured by a traveling acting troupe who explains the killing and offers him a place to replace the deceased member.

1380 England (village outskirts) and on the road
2

The troupe travels: bridge collapse and detour

On their journey to the next town, a collapsed bridge forces the troupe into a new district. They must mend the cart and continue the journey without money, relying on the charity of strangers and their performance to survive.

1380 Road to the next town, England
3

Arrival in a strange town; a woman is judged

The troupe reaches a town with a castle under reconstruction. A woman is condemned to death for killing a boy, based on the testimony of a Benedictine monk. The troupe performs a Biblical passion play, but attendance is low and they struggle to bury a dead member or fix their cart.

1380 Strange town, castle under reconstruction
4

Martin shifts to a new play about the boy's death

Martin decides to stage a new play centered on the boy’s death. He and Nicholas visit the mute woman in the dungeon and come to believe she is innocent, even as the crowd perceives her as a seductress, angering the boy’s parents.

1380 Town dungeon and square
5

De Guise watches and orders clearance

Lord de Guise observes from the castle and sends the sheriff to clear the square by force. The crowd's discussions reveal more about the boy's death and disappearance, hinting at a larger conspiracy behind the crime.

1380 Castle and town square
6

Nicholas investigates and the body is found

The troupe is told to leave by first light, but Nicholas insists on uncovering the truth. That night, a body is unearthed and found to have been sodomized before death and exposed to plague, suggesting a more recent crime than initially believed.

1380 Town square and nearby area
7

Nicholas is expelled and returns incognito

The King’s Justice confronts Nicholas and he is forced to leave the town. He soon returns in disguise as a monk, continuing the investigation while the troupe moves toward Durham.

1380 Town outskirts; return as a monk
8

Martin relinquishes leadership; the troupe presses on

The troupe continues its journey toward Durham and Martin steps down as leader, altering the group’s dynamics. Nicholas’s investigation deepens as events surrounding the case unfold.

1380 Toward Durham, England
9

Nicholas learns from the monk's testimony

Nicholas meets the monk who testified at the trial; the monk reveals he had nothing to do with the death and is protecting someone else. This hints at a larger conspiracy and the monk’s deliberate silence.

1380 Monk's cell or town religious quarter
10

Monk found dead; de Guise's revolt revealed

Nicholas and Martin learn that the monk has been found dead, removing a key source of evidence. They discover that de Guise is plotting a revolt to seize the English throne.

1380 Town and castle area
11

Evidence shifts to exonerate the woman; a stage is set

The sheriff notes a pattern of boys’ disappearances tied to de Guise. Nicholas gathers more evidence to prove the woman’s innocence, and the troupe returns to seize the scaffold to stage a new play based on the latest information.

1380 Town square
12

Confrontation on the scaffold; the truth exposed

Nicholas presents his findings to de Guise, who confesses with a sense of invulnerability. Nicholas reveals his plague exposure; de Guise stabs him, and the crowd lynches de Guise as the castle is set aflame by enraged townsfolk.

1380 Town square and castle outskirts
13

New authorities and Nicholas's legacy contemplated

The town’s new authorities wish the deaths forgotten, while the King’s Justice promises that Nicholas’s work will reach the king. Sarah notes that Nicholas acted for the wrongly accused and for his own redemption.

1380 Town and burning castle site
14

Final legacy: the play continues toward Durham

Martin announces that Nicholas will live on in the troupe’s forthcoming Durham performance, and the group departs as the castle burns behind them, turning the tragedy into art.

1380 Departing town toward Durham

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:42

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The Reckoning Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Reckoning

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