Timeline 1: The Original Halloween
The original timeline starts with 1978’s Halloween. After murdering his sister years ago, Michael Myers is back, stalks Laurie Strode and kills her friends. While Laurie manages to get the better of Michael on several occasions, it isn’t until Dr. Loomis shoots Michael out the window that she’s safe from harm. That is until Halloween II.
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This movie picks up the same night as the original, with Laurie in the hospital while Michael attempts to kill her. It’s also in this film fans learn that Laurie is Michael’s sister, but she was an infant when he was sent away to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, later being adopted by the Strode family. Laurie seemingly kills Michael; however, the story doesn’t end there.
Instead of going to Halloween III, this timeline’s next entry is Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. Several years after the events of the prior films, it’s revealed Michael’s not dead, but Laurie is, dying in a car accident. Meanwhile, Michael’s in a coma, which he wakes up from when he overhears Laurie has a daughter, Jamie, who he pursues with the intent to kill.
Again, it seems Michael is killed in the end. After his death, Jamie murders her foster mother in a scene reminiscent of the original’s opening. The implication is Jamie’s inherited her uncle’s tendencies towards violence, and this sets up Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.
While Jamie’s at a children’s hospital, Michael’s alive once more, and the two share a psychic link. Instead of being compelled to help Uncle Michael, Jamie uses said link to help Loomis capture the killer. While he’s arrested, the film ends on a cliffhanger, with a mysterious man breaking Michael out.
For the original timeline, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is the final entry, and it brings back Tommy, the young boy Laurie babysat in the first film. It’s through him that viewers learn Michael’s violent tendencies and immortality are because a cult put a curse on Michael, which compels him to kill his family members on Samhain, which occurs the same night as Halloween. While Michael’s fate is once again ambiguous, this timeline ends here.
Timeline 2: Season of the Witch
The second timeline only consists of a single film, which happens to be the third movie made. The film does not feature Michael as the antagonist, much to the general disappointment of audiences. Instead, the story follows a doctor as he investigates a sinister factory which makes children’s Halloween masks. Throughout the investigation, he uncovers androids, microchips and a sinister plot to sacrifice the children wearing the masks, which should usher in a new age of ancient, evil witchcraft. Due to its poor reception, this timeline ended after one entry.
Timeline 3: Halloween Rebooted
The third timeline starts again with the original Halloween and is followed up by Halloween II; however, it ignores the later films until Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. Laurie doesn’t die after Halloween II, instead faking her death and becoming a principal at a boarding school. As always, Michael tracks her down, terrorizing the school in the process. Once again, Michael appears to die, with Laurie decapitating him.
The follow up film is Halloween Resurrection, and of course Michael returns because Laurie actually killed an EMT who Michael dressed up to look like him. Laurie plays a minor role, with Michael finally killing her. The meat of the story is about a reality show in Michael’s childhood home, complete with a fake killer; however, the real Michael arrives and slaughters most of the contestants. Eventually the survivors trap Michael in a burning garage, but he awakes in the morgue, having this timeline end with Michael alive.
Timeline 4: The Rob Zombie Universe
The fourth timeline consists of the Rob Zombie films, which simultaneously act as prequels and remakes. Halloween (2007) includes an exploration into Michael’s abusive childhood before seeing him kill his entire family, aside from his baby sister, Laurie. The film also follows him during his early years at Smith Grove Sanitarium before it dives into the events of the infamous Halloween night.
Halloween II (2009), while a sequel to the last film, is direct remake of the 1981 sequel. Instead of focusing on Michael’s backstory here, Zombie explores the impact of the traumatic events of the prior film. In this version, Laurie’s friend Annie survives, so Laurie moves in with her. Laurie also demonstrates similar psychopathic tendencies to her brother Michael, culminating in her killing him before wearing his mask and being sent to a psychiatric facility, ending the timeline with her isolated from the world.
Timeline 5: The Modern Halloween
The final timeline starts again with the original 1978 film, but it skips everything in between until 2018’s Halloween, which serves as a direct sequel to the original. It disregards the concept that Laurie is Michael’s sister, with Laurie even mocking this idea. Laurie’s now an estranged grandmother, as well as a traumatized survivalist. On Halloween, Michael breaks out and goes on another seasonal killing spree, where his story eventually collides with Laurie and her family’s. However, Laurie is ready for him, trapping him in her burning house while she escapes with her family. This timeline is still going on, with the anticipated Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends.
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