An Evil Dead Theory Completely Changes How I See The Horror Franchise

by

The Evil Dead series is a landmark achievement in horror, and a fascinating fan theory offers a completely new way to look at the franchise. Released in 1981, The Evil Dead came from the imagination of Sam Raimi and quickly became a beloved, groundbreaking horror film. It perfectly combined supernatural scares with the classic ‘cabin in the woods’ setting, delivering everything horror fans wanted.

Following the huge success of The Evil Dead, a sequel was made later in the 1980s. Evil Dead II added a lot of over-the-top comedy, which became a signature style for the series. The film also cemented Bruce Campbell’s place as a horror icon and helped establish his character, Ash Williams, as one of the genre’s all-time great heroes.

While Evil Dead II is often considered one of the best horror sequels ever made, it also complicated the series’ timeline. Earlier films didn’t prioritize consistent storytelling, so this movie always felt like a mix of a sequel and a reboot. As the franchise expanded with new installments, this confusion only increased.

As a big fan of Evil Dead, I’ve always loved how wild and unpredictable it is. Because it bends the rules so much, it’s sparked tons of fan theories trying to make sense of everything. Some of those theories are pretty out there, honestly, but others are genuinely brilliant. There’s one in particular that uses the ‘unreliable narrator’ idea perfectly – it really reframes how you look at the whole series!

A Fan Theory Claims That Evil Dead 2 Is Ash’s Version Of The Story

It’s generally accepted that Evil Dead II is both a remake and a sequel to The Evil Dead, but this has always created some confusion. Many fans have tried to explain this, but haven’t found a fully convincing answer. Reddit user DeltaStarship recently came up with a clever theory that successfully explains how the sequel can be both a continuation and a reimagining of the original.

While watching the second film, the author realized it felt like how Ash Williams would describe the events, suggesting that Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 depict the same story, but with Ash embellishing it for dramatic effect. The author points out that Ash seems much more confident and composed in Evil Dead 2 than he did in the first film.

The user concludes by pointing out that the ending of Army of Darkness suggests the events of both Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness are being retold. Specifically, Ash is recounting everything that happened to the customer he’s talking to at the S-Mart store.

Because Ash isn’t a trustworthy storyteller, it’s easy to overlook problems or inconsistencies within the original Evil Dead trilogy. The fact that The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II retell the same events with significant differences can be explained by Ash simply exaggerating or altering details to make himself look better.

Ash Vs. The Evil Dead Adds To The Fan Theory’s Credibility

While the fan theory isn’t widely accepted, the series Ash vs. the Evil Dead offers some evidence supporting it. The show, which brought Bruce Campbell back as Ash for three seasons, continued his fight against Deadites. Although it made some changes to the established timeline, it also confirmed details from the original movies.

The first episode features Ash recounting his past to Pablo, including how he first battled Deadites. He explains that this initial encounter happened during a trip to a cabin with friends – a story that more closely resembles the plot of the original Evil Dead film. This differs from Evil Dead II, which only shows Ash and Linda at the cabin, without the group of friends.

Ash seemed more willing to share what really happened that night, including how many people he lost. Bruce Campbell explained in an interview with Den of Geek that the scenes in Evil Dead II before Ash gets possessed weren’t part of the original story. They were added as a way to summarize the first movie, because the filmmakers didn’t have the rights to show it.

This doesn’t disprove the idea, but it’s less important considering we already know the first two films connect directly. Still, it’s a fun way to look at the character, highlighting Ash’s tendency to exaggerate or be dishonest. Importantly, it continues to offer a possible explanation for inconsistencies between the two movies.

Evil Dead Is Still One Of The Greatest Horror Franchises, Despite Its Complicated Timeline

The Evil Dead movies might change their storyline over time, but they’ll always be considered classics. What makes them great is their blend of humor, genuine scares, and well-developed characters. Small inconsistencies aren’t really important. Ash, the main character, is known for not always being truthful, and that’s actually part of what people love about him.

The Evil Dead films made without Bruce Campbell (2013’s Evil Dead and 2023’s Evil Dead Rise) are excellent movies in their own right and have successfully revitalized the series. Though fans enjoy speculating and connecting the films, there’s no clear way to unify the storylines. Fortunately, the consistently high quality of the films more than makes up for any confusion.

Read More

2025-10-27 21:59