Movies Like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

Frequently asked about The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

Common questions people search for, with answers written by us at MoviesPack.

• How did Arne Johnson become possessed in the first place?▾

  During the exorcism of eight-year-old David Glatzel, Arne deliberately challenged the demon to leave David and take him instead. The demon accepted, transferring its grip from the boy to Arne. This reckless act of sacrifice set the entire chain of events in motion, ultimately leading to the murder of Arne's landlord Alan Bono while Arne was under demonic influence.

• Who is the Occultist and what was her plan?▾

  The Occultist is a never-named satanic priestess who planted cursed totems on victims to create a 'triad of evil' — three deaths that would serve as a blood offering to the devil. Her motivation was to gain power through a demonic pact, and she orchestrated possessions as ritualized murders rather than acts of direct violence. She is ultimately revealed to have been working beneath a corrupt priest who first taught her dark arts.

• What is the significance of the tunnel and the Warrens' near-death experience near the end?▾

  The Occultist lured Ed and Lorraine Warren to her underground lair, where she used a cursed totem to place Ed under her control and force him to attempt to kill Lorraine. The tunnel setting symbolizes descent into hell and the couple's willingness to enter the darkest places together. Lorraine breaks the spell by invoking their shared love and faith, reinforcing the series' recurring theme that spiritual love and devotion are the most powerful weapons against evil.

• What happens to Arne after the demon is cast out?▾

  After the Warrens locate and destroy the cursed totem binding the demon to Arne, the possession's hold weakens. Arne survives, but he still stood trial for the murder he committed while possessed — the film is based on the real 1981 case in which Arne Cheyenne Johnson was the first American defendant to attempt a 'not guilty by reason of demonic possession' plea. The defense ultimately failed and he served time in prison, though the film ends before depicting his full legal outcome.

• What is the totem and why is destroying it critical to stopping the possession?▾

  The totem is a small occult object — carved and imbued with dark ritual power — that the Occultist secretly placed near a victim to anchor the demon to that person. As long as the totem remained intact and hidden, the demonic connection could not be severed regardless of prayer or exorcism rites. Destroying the totem breaks the supernatural contract, removing the demon's legal claim over the victim according to the film's internal demonology.