The Timeline of A Quiet Place Explained

Timeline of AQP Explained

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the three films in the “A Quiet Place” franchise, chronicling the events thus far. This naturally means spoilers.

The First Days

June 18, 2020 started like any other day. In Millbrook, New York, the town gathered for a Little League Baseball game. Miles away, the terminally ill Sam and her emotional support cat Frodo were escorted to Manhattan, attending a marionette performance with her fellow hospice patients. Knowing that her cancer would soon take its toll, Sam hoped to grab a slice from Patsy’s Pizzeria, a staple from her childhood. Pizza would have to wait, as meteors rained from above, marking the arrival of aliens known as Death Angels. This event wasn’t restricted to New York. The Death Angels landed in at least 127 sites around the world, from Los Angeles, to London, to Shanghai. The largest meteor hit Mexico, however.

The Death Angels came from a distant planet without light. Adapting to their surroundings, these creatures might not be able to see, but they possess highly sensitive hearing and skin stronger than armor. As the Death Angels ravaged through Millbrook, it didn’t take long for Lee Abbott to realize that keeping quiet is the key to survival. Since Lee’s daughter Regan is deaf, the Abbott family learned sign language, giving them an advantage. Back in New York, Sam found shelter with a group of survivors. Among them was Henri, who also picked up on the aliens’ advanced hearing. As some refused to stay quiet, Henri was forced to get blood on his hands to protect his family.

The military destroyed all bridges out of Manhattan. Although this isolated the Death Angels, it also trapped the survivors. Sam never planned on escaping from the city, however. With her days limited even before the aliens landed, Sam just wanted to visit Patsy’s one last time. She set out with Frodo, who wasn’t the only member of her fellowship. She encountered an English law student named Eric, who had the good instincts to follow her. Sam noticed details others missed, finding that people could talk around running water without attracting the creatures. This helped them reach Patsy’s, which was sadly already destroyed. Returning the favor for constantly saving his life, Eric located another pizza joint and delighted Sam with a magic show.

The only thing left on Sam’s bucket list was getting Eric and Frodo to safety. Thankfully, a boat was departing Manhattan with Henri’s family already onboard. According to Henri, other boats were trying to rescue people, but due to mass hysteria, only a couple got out of Manhattan. Eric and Frodo narrowly reached the boat while a Death Angel drowned trying to catch them. Sam remained behind, but she could die contently knowing what it felt like to live again. Listening to “Feeling Good,” she accepted death as others around the world struggled to survive.

The Invasion Continues

By September 14th, 2020, Millbrook was virtually abandoned. The Abbotts made it through 89 days, living on their farm outside town. They left a trail of sand between their farm and town to pick up supplies. The family took numerous precautions, walking without shoes on, avoiding crunchy food like chips, and not letting the kids play with noisy toys. Regan took pity on her youngest sibling Beau, giving him a toy rocket ship. To the family’s horror, Beau put batteries in the ship, attracting a Death Angel and sealing his fate.

Meanwhile, asthmatic college student Alex Taylor and her boyfriend Martin Edwards were also struggling to survive in this new post-apocalyptic world. This is the premise of the video game “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead”, set shortly after Day 100 of the invasion. Like the Abbotts, Alex and Martin relied on stealth to survive, unaware that the Death Angels had a major vulnerability - one that Regan Abbott was about to discover …

Back on the Abbotts' farm, Lee wife’s Evelyn became pregnant again shortly after Beau’s death, giving the Abbotts nine months to plan for the baby’s arrival. October 2, 2021 (Day 472 of the invasion) would be Lee’s last peaceful night with his family. They enjoyed a cooked vegetable dinner and played Monopoly, but even that ended in a close call. The next day, Lee took his eldest son Marcus to a waterfall, having realized that it blocked out other sounds. Regan, still feeling guilty about Beau, visited her brother’s grave. Left alone, Evelyn unexpectedly went into labor and, further complicating matters, stepped on a nail.

Meanwhile, Lee and Marcus encountered a man and his late wife in the woods. Unable to go on, the man drew out a Death Angel as Lee and Marcus fled. The farm wasn’t much safer, as Evelyn became trapped with a Death Angel lurking around the house. Evelyn managed to turn the farm’s red lights on, alerting Lee and Marcus of the danger. They distracted the Death Angel by lighting fireworks, which also signaled Regan. Lee discovered Evelyn and their newborn, escorting them to a soundproof hiding spot in the barn. As the hiding place flooded, though, Evelyn and her baby had to seek refuge elsewhere.

Reuniting, Regan and Marcus endured multiple close encounters with the Death Angel. As his children found themselves backed into a tight space, Lee made the ultimate sacrifice, attracting the creature so Regan and Marcus could get away. The kids headed to the basement with their mother, but the Death Angel wasn’t far behind. Regan noticed earlier that the alien backed off when her cochlear implant made a high-pitched sound. She intensified the noise by putting her implant on a microphone, revealing the creature’s weak spot beneath its armor. Evelyn blew the alien away with a shotgun, turning the tables in humanity’s favor.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

The Abbotts had no time to celebrate, with other Death Angels on the way. The family embarked to find other survivors and spread the news. Following another near-death experience, the Abbotts were rescued by Emmett, an old friend who lost his family during the invasion. Emmett took them to his hideout underneath a factory when the song “Beyond the Sea” had been playing on the radio. Regan deduced that the song was a signal originating from an island with a radio tower. If they could reach it, Regan could broadcast her implant’s high-pitched frequency, weakening the Death Angels on a wider scale. Regan and hesitant Emmett set out while Evelyn and Marcus remained behind with the baby.

Regan and Emmett made it to the docks where feral bandits confronted them. Emmett managed to subdue them by making noise, although this created another problem. Falling into the water, Emmett discovered that the creatures can’t swim. Of course, he wasn’t the first one to realize this. Arriving at the island, Emmett and Regan met a colony of survivors, including Henri. Their peaceful existence would be intermitted, as another Death Angel stowed away to the island. With time running out, Henri escorted Regan and Emmett to the radio station. Henri was presumably killed in the process, but his death wouldn’t be in vain. Regan planted her hearing aid on a microphone, allowing her to slay one Death Angel while Marcus protected his family against another.

The Death Angels haven’t been completely eradicated, but for the first time in 477 days, humans have the upper hand in the battle for Earth. Even if victory is just around the corner, the story thus far has only covered a handful of days from one corner of the world. There are still many stories within this universe that can be explored. Wherever or whenever they take place, one thing is sure to remain a constant: keep quiet.

Will you be playing “A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead?” Let us know in the comments.