What Is The Conjuring: Last Rites About?
The premise of The Conjuring: Last Rites in 315 words, with nothing given away. The full story and the ending follow below.
In the latest entry of the celebrated franchise, veteran investigators Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren return to the world of the unseen, bringing their blend of empathic intuition and skeptical rigor to a fresh, pulse‑pounding mystery. The film leans heavily into the franchise’s signature atmosphere—low‑lit corridors, whispered warnings, and a lingering sense that something ancient watches from the shadows—while grounding the terror in the real‑life investigations that made the Warrens famous. Their partnership, honed over decades, feels both familiar and newly strained, hinting at personal stakes that go beyond the usual hauntings.
The story centers on a modest Pennsylvania home where the Smurl family has recently acquired an ornate antique mirror. Though seemingly a simple heirloom, the glass reflects more than light, and its presence awakens an unsettling ripple through the household. The family’s ordinary life—birthday celebrations, everyday routines—gets a subtle, unsettling undercurrent, as ordinary spaces begin to feel charged with an inexplicable, lingering presence. The film’s visual palette embraces muted, cold tones, allowing the mirror’s reflective surface to become a silent conduit for dread.
Meanwhile, the Warrens have stepped back from the field, focusing on lecturing and raising their daughter Judy, whose own sensitivity to the supernatural hints at a deeper connection to the case. When whispers of the Smurl’s disturbances reach them, the pair find themselves drawn back into the fray, balancing professional curiosity with the protective instincts of a family. Their return promises a delicate dance between seasoned expertise and the raw, uncharted fear that even they have never fully encountered.
Overall, the film delivers a spine‑tingling blend of classic haunted‑house suspense and the personal dynamics that have defined the series. With atmospheric set pieces, a brooding score, and the ever‑present question of what lurks beyond the veil, the movie invites viewers to linger in the shadows and wonder what will emerge when seasoned investigators confront a mystery that feels eerily personal.
What Happens in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
The complete story of The Conjuring: Last Rites, from the first scene to the last, in 1,116 words (about 5 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
1964 – A young Ed Warren, Patrick Wilson and Lorraine Warren, Vera Farmiga, spend a day in an old antique shop where a distressed woman believes a malevolent presence in the shop has pushed her father toward suicide. Lorraine, who is very pregnant, steps to the back and confronts a mirror carved with three faces, the so‑called source of the evil. When she touches the glass, it cracks and her own reflection smiles back at her with a sinister twist. The encounter triggers visions that accompany painful labor, and Ed rushes Lorraine to the hospital. Inside the delivery room, the Mirror Entity seems to circle the room, threatening Lorraine as doctors fight to bring the baby into the world. At first, the newborn appears stillborn, but the couple prays with all their might. Then a cry breaks the tension, and the baby comes to life, named Judy Mia Tomlinson in a moment of relief and wonder. The scene lingers on the bond between mother and child, hinting at a lifelong connection to the unseen.
A quick montage thereafter follows Ed and Lorraine as they raise Judy, who as a child is already uneasy around the shadows that haunt their house. Judy confides in Lorraine about whispers from spirits, and Lorraine teaches her a protective chant—the “Lucy Locket” rhyme—as a practical charm to ward off supernatural attention. The film then leaps forward to 1986, in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, where the Smurl family lives under the shadow of a troubling history linked to the same antique mirror. The Smurls—father Jack [Elliot Cowan], mother Janet [Rebecca Calder], Jack’s parents John [Peter Wight] and Mary [Kate Fahy], and daughters Heather [Kíla Lord Cassidy], Dawn [Beau Gadsdon], Shannon [Shannon Kook], and Carin [Molly Cartwright]—gather for Heather’s confirmation and celebrate her birthday. When a string of odd occurrences begins, the family is pulled into a nightmare: a ceiling light collapses during cake time, leaving Heather with a head wound, and a sense that their home is no longer their own. The mirror, which matches the one in the Warrens’ possession, reenters the story as a link between two generations of hauntings.
Ed and Lorraine, now resting on a hiatus from active investigations and giving university lectures, are drawn back into the case when Judy [Mia Tomlinson]—now grown and in a relationship with her fiancé Tony Spera [Ben Hardy]—reaches out with concern for her former home’s suffering. Judy’s aging memories of hauntings intensify as she notes that visions of Annabelle and the hag from previous encounters follow her mother’s lead. The Smurls begin to experience the same unsettling signs: Janet is startled by a phone cord that seems to move on its own, Shannon witnesses a doll levitate, and Heather and Dawn notice unsettling carvings on the attic mirror that seem to watch them. Dawn’s illness intensifies, and she begins vomiting blood and glass fragments, signaling that the darkness is not merely a prank but a real, blighting force.
As the hauntings escalate, Father Gordon [Steve Coulter] visits the Smurls to offer help, warning that their experiences are not mere mischief. He witnesses the house’s chilling atmosphere and attempts to cleanse the space with holy water, only to face a deadly tragedy: the supernatural presence stalks him, and he dies by suicide after being driven to wrap a cord from a vacuum cleaner around his neck. The community mourns, and the Warrens learn of his death at the funeral, where Judy touches his casket and receives a vision that hints at Pennsylvania as the origin of the echoes she carries. Judy vanishes for a time, prompting Ed, Lorraine, and Tony [Ben Hardy] to search for her and discover she has gone to the Smurl home. The trio’s reunion is a turning point, as Judy insists that the Smurls need their help, and she bravely leads the way back into the escalating danger.
The Warrens begin a deeper collaboration with the Smurls, and Lorraine uncovers the fingerprints of a larger entity manipulating the spirits occupying the house. She pieces together the backstory of a woman and her mother who were murdered by the husband in that very property, the kinds of clues that suggest a resonance beyond the obvious disturbances. The evidences mount: Judy is drawn to the attic, where she confronts the fully restored mirror and witnesses a monstrous expansion of Annabelle’s influence, seeming to chase her through the stairwell before she flees to her parents. Ed explains the mirror’s origins and Judy’s connection to the night she was born, and the family realizes that they must confront the artifact directly to sever its hold.
What follows is a harrowing sequence of possession, exorcism, and physical peril. Ed and Tony attempt to move the mirror from the attic, but it proves to be a sentient, malevolent presence that fights back. The spirits lash out, knocking Lorraine into the basement and forcing Judy to the attic in a bid by the entity to push her toward self‑harm. The adults manage to free Judy from possession, but the effort sends them crashing through a patch of the ceiling into the living space below. With Judy unconscious but alive, Ed begins a desperate Bible-based exorcism; the demon scorches the holy text and the mirror advances menacingly. In a final, shared act of courage, Lorraine and Judy place their hands on the mirror while Ed intones the prayers. Judy speaks to the Entity, declaring, “You’re not there,” and the demonic force shrieks as it is released, shattering the Mirror Entity and ending the haunting for good.
The morning after, the Warrens depart with the Smurls, leaving the broken mirror in Ed and Lorraine’s care for a new home in their little museum of haunted artifacts, placed right beside Annabelle. Judy and Tony marry, with guests including notable figures from other cases helped by the Warrens, such as Carolyn and Cindy Perron, Peggy and Janet Hodgson, and David Glatzel—an homage to the couple’s broader legacy. During the reception, Ed and Lorraine share a quiet moment in which Lorraine describes a vision of their future together as grandparents who continue their work, and Ed agrees that such a life would be “perfect.”
The final text of the film notes that the Smurl family continued to live in their house for three more years, their bond strengthened by the ordeal. Ed and Lorraine Warren remained married for fifty years, with Lorraine caring for Ed through his declining health until his death in 2006; she would not remarry and passed away in 2019. While their paranormal research faced skepticism in the scientific community, the Warrens are remembered as pioneers who helped countless people and left a lasting imprint on the field.
The Conjuring: Last Rites Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Mirror encounter and Judy's birth” to “Lorraine Warren dies; a lasting legacy”. 15 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Mirror encounter and Judy's birth
Lorraine, who is pregnant, visits an antique shop where a mirror with three faces is believed to house an evil. When she touches the glass, it cracks and her reflection smiles sinisterly, and she experiences visions as labor begins. Ed rushes her to the hospital, where the baby Judy is born after a tense delivery, and the Warrens begin raising her amid dreams of spirits.
When:1964 Where:Antique shop and hospital
- 2
Judy's childhood hauntings and Lucy Locket
A brief montage shows Ed and Lorraine raising Judy after her birth. As a child, Judy runs from spirits she can see in their home, and Lorraine teaches her the Lucy Locket rhyme as a warding method. The smiling mirror and spectral presence hint that the Mirror Entity has left a lasting impression on Judy.
When:1964–mid-1960s Where:Warrens' home
- 3
The Smurls receive the mirror and Heather's injury
In West Pittston, Pennsylvania, the Smurl family receives an antique mirror as a gift for Heather's birthday. A ceiling light suddenly crashes onto the table, injuring Heather and foreshadowing the malevolent forces tied to the mirror. Strange noises and unexplainable events soon plague the Smurls.
When:1986 Where:Smurl residence, West Pittston
- 4
Warrens go on hiatus; Judy's adult whispers
Ed and Lorraine are taking a break from investigations, giving lectures at a university. They dine with Judy, now an adult, who seems to be whispering in tongues, hinting that the haunting continues through her lineage. This visit reopens the possibility that their casework is far from over.
When:1986 Where:University town / Warrens' home
- 5
Smurls’ hauntings escalate
The Smurls report increasingly disturbing phenomena: a phone cord is pulled back by an unseen force, a doll moves on its own, and a hag like spirit appears to terrorize Shannon. The carvings on the mirror unsettle Heather and Dawn, who begin to fear their home. Dawn falls ill with vomiting and blood after the mirror is discarded near the street.
When:1986 Where:Smurl residence, West Pittston
- 6
Publicity and a priest's caution
The Smurls bring their haunting to the press, and the Warrens are drawn back toward the case. Father Gordon visits to offer help and performs a blessing with holy water, only to be haunted by the entity. The pressure and danger escalate as the community takes notice.
When:1986 Where:Smurl house and local press; Diocese visit
- 7
Father Gordon's death
After an attempt to intervene, Father Gordon is haunted and dies by hanging himself in a church building after a frightening encounter with the entity. Ed and Lorraine mourn the priest who tried to help them, deepening the sense of danger surrounding the haunting. The tragedy propels the Warrens to confront the evil more directly.
When:1986 Where:Diocese of Scranton
- 8
Judy vanishes to help the Smurls
At Father Gordon’s funeral, Judy touches his casket and experiences a vision that leads her to vanish. The Warrens search for her and ultimately discover she has gone to the Smurl house to assist. The team reconciles and forms a bond to tackle the escalating haunting together.
When:1986 Where:Funeral and Smurl house
- 9
Backstory of the mirror uncovered
Lorraine uses her gifts to uncover a backstory: a woman and her mother were murdered in the house by a husband, and the killer used their deaths as a veil for a greater evil. She concludes the Mirror Entity is tied to Judy's birth and the house's own dark history. The revelation deepens the danger and the need for an exorcism.
When:1986 Where:Smurl house
- 10
Judy discovers the attic; Annabelle grows
Judy is drawn to the attic where the mirror remains intact. She witnesses an apparition that resembles Annabelle growing into a colossal, threatening form and pursuing her through the house. The chase ends when she returns to her parents, signaling the urgency of a confrontation.
When:1986 Where:Smurl attic
Show the other 5 events of The Conjuring: Last Rites Hide the last 5 events
- 11
The exorcism and the mirror cleansed
Ed and Lorraine, with Tony, attempt to move the mirror while the spirits attack; Judy is briefly possessed and nearly killed. Ed reads from the Bible to drive out the demon, but the mirror burns and the entity closes in on them. Judy and Lorraine join their hands on the mirror, and Judy tells the Entity that it is not there, releasing it and destroying the Mirror Entity.
When:1986 Where:Smurl attic and basement
- 12
Resolution: Mirror moved to the museum and Judy's wedding
The dawn after the confrontation finds the family physically spent but safe. The Warrens place the broken mirror in their haunted artifacts museum, next to Annabelle. Judy and Tony are married, with a reception attended by people the Warrens have helped before, symbolizing a beacon of hope after a terrifying ordeal.
When:1986–1987 Where:Warrens' museum and wedding
- 13
Three more years for the Smurls after the haunting
The Smurl family remains in their house for three more years, strengthened by the ordeal and their strengthened friendship with the Warrens. The house becomes a symbol of resilience for the family, who credit the experience for strengthening their bond. The resolution marks a turning point in their lives despite ongoing notoriety.
When:1989 Where:Smurl house
- 14
Ed Warren dies; Lorraine continues
Ed Warren dies in 2006 after years of health decline, with Lorraine caring for him until his death. They had been married for fifty years, sharing a lifelong partnership in their work and personal lives. Lorraine remains devoted to their memory and legacy until her own passing.
When:2006 Where:Warrens' home
- 15
Lorraine Warren dies; a lasting legacy
Lorraine Warren dies in 2019, leaving behind a controversial yet influential legacy in paranormal history. The couple is remembered for their pioneering work and for the people they helped, inspiring both fear and fascination in popular culture. Their story endures as part of the Warrens' enduring legend.
When:2019 Where:Warrens' home
Who Are the Main Characters in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
9 characters, among them Janet Smurl (Rebecca Calder), Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 8 of them link to the actor’s page.
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Janet Smurl (Rebecca Calder)
Played by Rebecca Calder
Janet is a devoted mother and spouse who becomes deeply entwined in the Smurl haunting. She moves from concern to protective resolve as the supernatural events intrude on daily life, including eerie disturbances in the home and the escalating vision-based threats. Her faith and determination anchor the family through fear.
- 👪 Family
- 💪 Resilience
- 🌟 Hope
-
Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson)
Played by Patrick Wilson
Ed Warren is a seasoned paranormal investigator who wrestles with health risks while pursuing the truth behind the haunting. He balances skepticism with faith in his abilities and his commitment to protecting his family and clients. His partnership with Lorraine drives the case forward, culminating in an intense exorcism-like confrontation.
- 🧭 Investigator
- 💞 Protective
- 🗝️ Determined
-
Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga)
Played by Vera Farmiga
Lorraine is a clairvoyant who senses the supernatural and guides the Warrens’ response. Her visions connect the past to the present, and she uses those insights to aid the Smurls. She remains hopeful and courageous, despite the personal cost of her gift and the strain it places on her relationship with Ed.
- 🔮 Intuition
- 🛡️ Protective
- 💬 Communicator
- JS
Judy Smurl (Mia Tomlinson)
Played by Mia Tomlinson
Judy is the central link to the mirror’s influence, growing up with foretelling visions that echo her mother's experiences. As an adult she becomes engaged to Tony, and her life remains tangled with hauntings that blur the line between the living and the dead. Her experiences drive the Warrens back to Pennsylvania to assist the family.
- 👰 Romance
- 🧿 Haunted lineage
- 🌟 Heir to visions
-
Tony Spera (Ben Hardy)
Played by Ben Hardy
Tony is Judy’s partner who asks for the Warrens’ blessing and later stands by Judy during the escalating supernatural events. He serves as a practical ally and emotional support as the couple navigates the dangers tied to the haunting.
- 💍 Love
- 🛡️ Supportive
- 🤝 Partner
-
Father Gordon (Steve Coulter)
Played by Steve Coulter
A priest who personally investigates the Smurl case and administers religious rites. He is drawn into the danger as the entity intensifies, ultimately dying in a tragic, self-inflicted act after being overwhelmed by the supernatural forces.
- 🙏 Faith
- 💔 Martyrdom
-
Heather Smurl (Kíla Lord Cassidy)
Played by Kíla Lord Cassidy
Heather is one of the Smurl children who experiences disturbing phenomena and eerie carvings on the mirror. She is affected by the escalating hauntings and becomes a witness to the creeping malevolence within the home.
- 👧 Family
- 🧿 Haunting
- DS
Dawn Smurl (Beau Gadsdon)
Played by Beau Gadsdon
Dawn is a younger Smurl daughter who also notices the supernatural disturbances, contributing to the family’s shared fear and the demand for external help.
- 👧 Family
- 👁️ Vision
- JS
Jack Smurl
Jack is the skeptical patriarch who initially resists the supernatural explanations but is drawn into the escalating horrors. He experiences a significant, otherworldly moment as the haunting intensifies in the home.
- 👨👩👧👦 Family
- 👀 Skepticism
Where and When Is The Conjuring: Last Rites Set?
The Conjuring: Last Rites is set in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, Antique shop in Pennsylvania and Smurl House (1964; 1986). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1964; 1986
The film shifts between 1964, when Lorraine gives birth to Judy and first confronts the Mirror Entity, and 1986, when the Smurl family experiences a brutal, public haunting. These periods frame the Warrens’ later career decisions and the couple’s eventual retirement from full‑time paranormal work. The narrative links the two eras through Judy, who inherits visions that echo from the past.
Where
West Pittston, Pennsylvania, Antique shop in Pennsylvania, Smurl House
The story unfolds primarily in Western Pennsylvania, centered on the Smurl family home in West Pittston and the antique shop where the Warrens first encounter the Mirror Entity. The Smurls’ house becomes a focal point for escalating hauntings, with mirrors and spectral presence invading daily life. Nearby locations like the hospital where Judy is born and the Diocesan offices where help is sought anchor the tale in a real Pennsylvania setting.
- 🎭 Haunted town
- 🗺️ Pennsylvania setting
What Are the Themes of The Conjuring: Last Rites?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Haunting, Faith and Sacrifice.
-
01
Haunting
A central thread is the malevolent Mirror Entity that corrupts spaces and taunts the living. The haunting destabilizes family life, reveals hidden fears, and escalates from minor strange occurrences to violent manifestations. The mirror becomes both a conduit and a weapon in the entities’ attack on the residents. The resolution hinges on recognizing the truth the spirits try to hide and breaking their hold.
-
02
Faith
Religious faith and ritual play a key role in combating the supernatural. Lorraine and Ed lean on prayer and sacred practices, while Father Gordon’s involvement shows the limits and risks of spiritual intervention. The characters rely on belief to sustain hope when science or skepticism falter. The narrative frames faith as a source of strength in the face of fear.
-
03
Sacrifice
The case exacts a heavy human cost, from the doctors’ warnings about Ed’s health to Father Gordon’s death amid his attempts to help. Personal relationships—between Judy and Tony, along with the Warrens’ long marriage—are tested by danger and the burden of bearing witness. The story emphasizes that confronting evil often requires personal courage and personal loss. The ending suggests a fragile, lasting commitment born from struggle.
How Does The Conjuring: Last Rites End?
The last act of The Conjuring: Last Rites and what it means, in 301 words. The ending lands as happy. Big spoilers: read the plot summary first if you have not seen it.
The final act, in full
In the climax the Warrens return to the Smurl house with Judy and her fiancé Tony. The cursed mirror, the source of the entity that has haunted the family, begins to levitate and assault them. Ed, already weakened by a heart attack, struggles to keep the mirror at bay, but his frailty forces him to step back. Lorraine then faces the mirror herself, urging Judy not to flee but to meet the terror head‑on. With her hand on the glass, she encourages her daughter to look into the darkness and claim her own courage.
Judy, who has always been terrified of the mirror and what it represents, finally does what her mother asks. She confronts the reflected evil, and together the three of them—Ed, Lorraine and Judy—manage to banish the presence. The act is less about a grand exorcism and more about the family’s united love overriding the fear that the demon feeds on. Ed survives the attack, bolstered by his wife’s steadfastness, and the immediate danger is erased.
The film then fast‑forwards to a quiet, hopeful montage. Lorraine envisions a future where her grandchildren and great‑grandchildren gather in a happy household. We see Judy and Tony’s wedding, a celebration that signals the passing of the mantle to the next generation. Although the movie hints that Ed will eventually pass away—succumbing to a later stroke—this moment is left off‑screen, allowing the audience to imagine his peaceful end surrounded by family.
Thus, the ending ties the whole series together: the true battle is not against a named demon but against the dread of losing one another. By choosing to face their fears together, the Warrens demonstrate that love and family are the strongest weapons against any darkness, and they leave the door open for their legacy to continue through Judy and Tony.
What Kind of Film Is The Conjuring: Last Rites?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Happy
A steadily escalating supernatural horror film that creates a deeply ominous and terrifying atmosphere, centered on a family's desperate battle against a demonic entity and the emotional bonds that give them strength.
- terrifying
- ominous
- anxious
- desperate
- cerie
- sinister
- supernatural horror
- demonic possession
- family haunting
- religious faith
Content notes: suicide, demonic possession, child endangerment, self-harm ideation.
Quiz
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