The Conjuring universe is the highest-grossing horror franchise, that has made over $2.1 billion with its eight installments. It is not surprising that the creators and producers behind this horror universe are bringing another installment to potentially recreate the critical and box office successes of previous movies.
The Nun II is the sequel to 2018's The Nun and a prequel to the original The Conjuring film. The Nun explored the origins of Valak and introduced some great characters who will be returning for the sequel. Since The Nun II is directly connected with its predecessor due to a few of the same characters, it is important that you refresh your memory and know what exactly happened in The Nun.
Overview of The Nun Plot
The Nun is the prequel to The Conjuring that starts with sound bites in which Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) is warning about the spirit of Valak. The film then dives deep into the origin of Valak by moving the story to 1952 in an abbey of St. Carta, Romania.
In the very few moments of The Nun, one nun is dragged to her death, while another one dies by suicide to escape Valak and protect a sacred key. It sets the stage for the horror narrative to unfold.
These unholy events alarm the Vatican, and they send Father Burke (Demián Bichir) to Rome, along with Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), to investigate the circ*mstances. Sister Irene is a young nun who still has not taken her vows, but she still has to go with Father Burke despite her apprehensions.
Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), a local villager who discovers the nuns' bodies, meets Father Burke and Sister Irene and informs them about how the situation has caused upheaval among the locals. Many supernatural events happen at the abbey. At first, Frenchie is attacked by a demon, and then Father Burke is buried alive, but he is eventually saved by Sister Irene, who has been getting visions since her childhood about "Mary pointing the way."
Who Is Valak?
Valak has an important presence throughout the Conjuring franchise. This is the reason why The Nun II is hoping to deliver a full-circle connection to The Conjuring.The Nun provides significant information about Valak's origin. At the abbey, Sister Irene and Father Burke discover that the abbey was constructed in the Dark Ages by the Duke of St. Carta.
The Duke was obsessed with the occult, so he summoned a demon via a rift in the catacombs. Christian knights killed the Duke and sealed the rift using the Blood of Christ. Nevertheless, World War II bombings caused the rift to reopen and release the demonic entity called Valak.
It is also revealed that all the nuns in the abbey have actually been killed by Valak, and the last remaining nun chose death over getting possessed by Valak. The endgame of Valak is to destroy the Blood of Christ and escape the abbey.
At this point, Irene, Burke, and Frenchie realize that they are the only three people who can stop Valak by using the Blood of Christ to seal the rift. Irene also takes her vows as a nun in the abbey's chapel before going to the reliquary to retrieve the Blood of Christ.
Related: The Nun II Eyes $30-Million Opening, Proves There’s Still Plenty to Be Scared of in The Conjuring Universe
Ending of The Nun
Valak does everything in its power to stop the trio from reaching the reliquary. Irene finally realizes that the vision she has been having about Mary pointing the way is actually to the location where the Blood of Christ is hidden. Valak attacks Burke with a snake that bites him right in the eye, while Frenchie is almost strangled to death.
The final stand between Sister Irene and the malevolent Valak occurs when Valak throws the young nun into a flooded chamber and tries to drown her to death. Irene, however, manages to take the Blood of Christ in her mouth and spit it on Valak's face when it brings her to the surface. While the exact science of such a scene can definitely be criticized, it is executed quite well. Ultimately, Sister Irene is successful in banishing Valak, or at least that's what the viewers are led to believe.
In the last scene, it is revealed that the real name of Frenchie is Maurice. He has an inverted crucifix on his neck, indicating that he has been possessed by Valak. Maurice is also revealed to be the same person whom the Warrens tried to help in The Conjuring. When Maurice grabs Lorraine about twenty years after the events of The Nun, Lorraine gets a vision of Valak and Ed's deaths. It sets the perfect stage for a sequel and makes a connection with the first film that started this horror franchise.
Cast of The Nun
Taissa Farmiga's as Sister Irene in The Nun is an interesting casting because her older sister, Vera Farmiga, plays Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring franchise. Taissa Farmiga herself is a well-accomplished actress and not new to the horror franchise, as she has starred in several American Horror Story seasons, most notably Murder House.
Demián Bichir, who plays Father Burke, is an Oscar-nominated actor. Who has also worked on hit horror films like The Grudge. Jonas Bloquet, who plays Frenchie / Maurice, is a Belgian actor who has worked in many local and international movies and shows. Bonnie Aarons, who plays Valak the Nun in all Conjuring movies, has a number of hit movies under her belt, such as Drag Me to Hell and The Princess Diaries.
Related: The Nun II: The Conjuring Universe Sequel Almost Featured an Undead Father Burke
Who is Returning in The Nun II?
The Nun II is getting released five years after the first installment. Sister Irene, Frenchie, and, of course, Valak are returning from the first film. Many new, interesting additions are made, such as Sister Debra (Storm Reid) and Kate (Anna Popplewell).
Now that you have the recap of The Nun, you will definitely enjoy seeing how Valak haunts Sister Irene, Frenchie, and all the new characters this time, especially when the film is being teased as the "most violent Conjuring movie."
