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Timeline

The Hitman (1991) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1991 · 95 mins · English
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Directed by
Aaron Norris
Starring
Al Waxman, Candus Churchill, Michael Parks, Suleka Mathew, Alberta Watson, William B. Davis

After his former partner tries to kill him, officer Cliff Garrett (Norris) survives and decides to exact revenge by infiltrating the Seattle underworld as a hit‑man. He painstakingly builds a feared reputation and wins the confidence of the city’s emerging crime syndicates, planning to topple the organization from inside.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Hitman
  6. 6 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

The Hitman Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Hitman (1991) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Garret is mortally wounded and revived

    During a drug bust gone wrong, Seattle cop Cliff Garret is critically wounded and dies momentarily. He is revived with a defibrillator and rushed to the hospital. The hospital and Garret’s superiors agree to conceal his survival from the department.

    When
    Immediately after the bust
    Where
    Emergency room / hospital
  2. A new identity begins

    Garret’s survival is kept secret by his supervisor, and he is given a new identity as Danny Grogan. He is moved into a discreet life as an undercover operative. The change marks the start of a long, risky mission.

    When
    Shortly after revival
    Where
    Hospital safehouse
  3. Grogan enters Luganni’s world

    One year later, Grogan infiltrates the organization of mob boss Marco Luganni. He embeds himself among Luganni’s crew and begins building trust and influence. The assignment is dangerous but potentially game-changing for everyone involved.

    When
    One year after revival
    Where
    Luganni’s city operations
  4. The plan to dismantle two bosses

    Grogan hatches a plan to bring Luganni and his rival LaCombe together so they can be targeted at the same time. He works the plan for two years, carefully setting up opportunities and alliances. His goal is to trigger a gang war that will remove both men.

    When
    Over two years
    Where
    Various gang locations
  5. Iranian dealers disrupt the balance

    A gang of Iranian drug dealers enters the picture, muscles in on the territories, and strikes just as Luganni and LaCombe are also being targeted. Grogan must adapt to the new threat and keep his cover intact. The underworld erupts into a dangerous three-way struggle.

    When
    During the two-year arc
    Where
    City streets / drug market
  6. Tim Murphy is introduced to Grogan

    Grogan befriends Tim Murphy, a fatherless boy living in the apartment down the hall. Tim’s mother works three jobs, so Tim spends time with Grogan and begins to see him as a protector. The bond deepens as Grogan mentors him in basic self-defense.

    When
    During the infiltration period
    Where
    Tim’s apartment building
  7. Grogan teaches Tim to fight

    Seeing Tim bullied on the street, Grogan teaches him how to defend himself and stand up to bullies. Tim learns practical skills and gains confidence. Their growing friendship becomes a quiet counterpoint to Grogan’s volatile double life.

    When
    During the infiltration period
    Where
    On the street / around Tim’s building
  8. Delany uses Tim to press Grogan

    Delany reappears and, recognizing Grogan as Garret, ties Tim to a chair loaded with explosives to force Grogan’s cooperation. The danger is both personal and political, as Tim becomes a pawn in a larger power struggle. Grogan must improvise to protect Tim while keeping his cover.

    When
    Later in the plan
    Where
    Tim’s apartment
  9. The chair bomb goes off; Tim survives

    Delany detonates the chair bomb, but Grogan is unharmed and Tim survives the attack. The incident raises the stakes and tightens Grogan’s resolve to end Delany’s threat. The attack exposes the brutality of the scheme and the costs of Grogan’s double life.

    When
    Shortly after the tie incident
    Where
    Tim’s apartment
  10. The alliance meeting turns deadly

    At a meeting to set terms of alliance, Delany has Luganni’s men kill LaCombe and his associates. The Iranian rivals and Delany then kill Luganni. The orchestrated treachery collapses Grogan’s multi-year plan into a brutal scramble for power.

    When
    During the alliance talks
    Where
    Meeting location
  11. Grogan arrives and wipes out the killers

    Grogan arrives on the scene and eliminates Luganni’s killers, the Iranian faction, and Delany. He unravels the web of betrayals and consolidates his own control over the chaos. The underworld loses its balance as Grogan asserts dominance.

    When
    Immediately after the double-cross
    Where
    Scene of the killings
  12. Grogan’s gift to Tim and his mother

    Grogan leaves a large sum of money in Tim’s hospital room for Tim and his mother, a gesture that reveals his softer side beneath the hard exterior. Tim’s mother is deeply grateful for the unexpected financial help. The moment starkly contrasts with the violence surrounding Grogan’s life.

    When
    After the killings
    Where
    Tim’s hospital room
  13. Final act of retribution against Delany

    In retribution for what he did to Tim, Grogan blows Delany up while Delany is tied to a chair hanging outside a window. Chambers, Grogan’s former supervisor, looks on with dismay at the cost of the vendetta. The film closes on a grim note as Grogan’s vengeance completes his arc.

    When
    End
    Where
    Outside a window, tied to a chair

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:18

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Timeline questions answered

The Hitman Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Hitman (1991): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Cliff Garret become Danny Grogan?

Garret was severely wounded and died momentarily during a drug bust gone wrong. After being revived by doctors, his supervisor Chambers decided to keep his survival secret and gave him a new identity as Danny Grogan. This allowed Garret to infiltrate the Seattle underworld as an undercover operative, using his new persona to build a feared reputation as a hitman while working to bring down the criminal organizations from within.

  • cliff garrett
  • danny grogan
  • new identity
  • undercover operation
  • transformation
Q2

How did Grogan's plan to bring down Luganni and Lacombe work?

Grogan orchestrated a meeting between mob boss Marco Luganni and his rival, French-Canadian mafioso Andre Lacombe, hoping their confrontation would weaken both sides. The plan was to trigger a gang war that would allow law enforcement to take down both crime lords simultaneously. However, the introduction of Iranian drug dealers disrupted this strategy, forcing Grogan to adapt as multiple factions vied for control of the territories.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes showed Grogan carefully building trust with Luganni's organization over two years, setting the groundwork for the eventual confrontation.

  • marco luganni
  • andre lacombe
  • gang war
  • undercover plan
  • crime boss
Q3

Why did Delaney use Tim against Grogan?

Delaney discovered that Danny Grogan was actually his former partner Cliff Garret, who he had tried to kill during the drug bust. Recognizing Grogan's growing attachment to the boy next door, Delaney abducted Tim Murphy, tied him to a chair loaded with explosives, and detonated it to force Grogan's cooperation. The brutal tactic was meant to leverage Grogan's weakness and regain control of the situation.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes established Grogan's mentorship of Tim, showing their friendship developing through self-defense lessons and shared moments in the apartment building.

  • delaney
  • tim murphy
  • chair bomb
  • threat
  • extortion
Q4

What happened after the chair bomb exploded?

Despite Delaney's attempt to kill Tim and force Grogan's cooperation, Tim survived the chair bomb attack. The incident hardened Grogan's resolve to end Delaney's threat permanently. Tim was taken to the hospital, where Grogan later visited and left a large sum of money for Tim and his mother as a gesture of protection and care.

  • tim murphy
  • hospital
  • survival
  • money
  • aftermath
Q5

Why was Garret revived after being shot?

During the failed drug bust, Garret was critically wounded and died momentarily in the emergency room. Doctors successfully revived him using a defibrillator. His supervisor Chambers ordered hospital staff to conceal his survival from the police department, establishing the secret that enabled Garret's transformation into Danny Grogan.

  • defibrillator
  • revival
  • hospital
  • secret
  • cliff garrett
Q6

How did the Iranian dealers affect Grogan's operation?

About two years into Grogan's infiltration, Iranian drug dealers entered Seattle's criminal landscape seeking territory. Their arrival disrupted the existing power balance between Luganni and Lacombe, creating a three-way struggle for control. This forced all factions, including Delaney and the corrupt elements, to recalibrate their plans while Grogan worked to maintain his cover and adapt his strategy.

  • iranian dealers
  • territory
  • drug trade
  • gang conflict
  • disruption
Q7

How did Grogan survive the final confrontation?

When Delaney orchestrated the alliance meeting where Luganni's men killed Lacombe's group, and then the Iranian dealers and Delaney killed Luganni, Grogan arrived on the scene and eliminated all the remaining threats. He wiped out Luganni's killers and the Iranian faction, then pursued Delaney. Grogan detonated Delaney while he was tied to a chair outside a window, eliminating the corrupt cop who had betrayed him and threatened Tim.

Foreshadowing: The timeline showed Grogan carefully positioning himself to seize control when the alliance collapsed, having played all sides against each other.

  • delaney
  • final fight
  • elimination
  • vengeance
  • survival
Q8

Why did Grogan leave money for Tim and his mother?

After the violent confrontation ended, Grogan visited Tim in his hospital room and left a large sum of money for Tim and his mother Christine De Vera. This rare moment of mercy contrasted sharply with the revenge and violence that defined Grogan's journey. It demonstrated his protective instincts toward the boy who had become like a surrogate son, providing financial security for their future.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes showed Grogan becoming a constant presence in Tim's life, teaching him self-defense and acting as a guardian figure despite his dangerous double life.

  • tim murphy
  • christine de vera
  • money
  • hospital
  • mercy
Q9

What happened to Grogan at the end of the movie?

Grogan completed his vengeance by blowing up Delaney while he was tied to a chair hanging outside a window. His former supervisor Chambers witnessed the act with a mix of dismay and reluctant respect. Grogan transformed from an undercover instrument of the system into a man who defined his own code of justice, abandoning the police force entirely. The ending confirms his complete break from his former life.

  • grogan
  • delaney
  • vengeance
  • chambers
  • final fate
Q10

How did Grogan and Tim become friends?

Grogan lived in the apartment building where Tim Murphy and his mother Christine De Vera resided. With Tim's father absent and his mother working three jobs, Tim spent considerable time with Grogan. After witnessing Tim stand up to a neighborhood bully, Grogan taught the boy self-defense skills. Their bond grew as Grogan became a protective mentor figure, a connection that later made Tim a target for Delaney's cruelty.

  • tim murphy
  • friendship
  • mentor
  • self-defense
  • apartment

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Hitman, by Mood & Story

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

Undercover Operatives in Too Deep like in The Hitman

Characters who build a criminal identity until the line between cop and criminal blurs. If you liked The Hitman, explore more movies about undercover agents who lose themselves in their roles. These films feature high-stakes infiltration of criminal organizations, deep cover identities, and the heavy emotional weight of betrayal and moral compromise, creating tense action thrillers with complex characters.

  • tense
  • paranoid
  • gritty
  • morally ambiguous
  • claustrophobic
  • double life
  • Tone: tense, dark, morally ambiguous
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a protagonist who accepts a dangerous undercover assignment, methodically building a reputation within a criminal syndicate. As they gain trust and access, they face escalating tests of loyalty, violent confrontations, and personal sacrifices, often leading to a crisis of identity where the mission and the persona become indistinguishable.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together by their shared focus on the intense psychological and physical dangers of deep-cover operations. They create a specific type of tension rooted in paranoia, shifting loyalties, and the moral decay that comes from living a double life, resulting in a dark, heavy viewing experience.

Bleak Vengeance Stories like The Hitman

Stories where revenge is a brutal, morally costly path in a system devoid of justice. Find movies similar to The Hitman where a vengeful quest drives the plot. These films are characterized by a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a gritty depiction of violence. They explore the personal cost of revenge in corrupt settings, often leading to bittersweet or bleak conclusions about justice.

  • vengeful
  • brutal
  • gritty
  • melancholic
  • corrupt
  • morally gray
  • Tone: dark, bleak, vengeful
  • Pacing: steady, building relentlessly
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is ignited by a profound betrayal or loss that pushes the protagonist outside the law or conventional morality. Their pursuit of revenge is methodical and brutal, forcing them to operate within—and often become like—the corrupt world they seek to destroy. The resolution is typically complex, achieving a form of justice but at a great personal cost, leaving the hero forever changed.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a specific emotional recipe: a dark, gritty tone fueled by a heavy emotional core of loss or betrayal. The pacing is often steady, building towards violent confrontations, and the endings are rarely purely happy, instead offering a bittersweet or morally complicated resolution that questions the very nature of vengeance.

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Movies Like The Hitman

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Every angle

The Hitman (1991) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Hitman in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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