The Conjuring Franchise's Greatest Strength Has Never Been Its Scares

Mild spoilers for "The Conjuring: Last Rites" follow.

"The Conjuring" films have been going strong since 2013, resulting in one of the most popular and successful horror franchises of all time. The series has what you could consider two tiers: there are the main films, which focus on intrepid paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and then there are the spin-off films, which focus on ghosts and ghouls the Warrens have encountered ("Annabelle Comes Home," the best of the spin-off films, also features the Warrens in a bit of an extended cameo).

While the critical reaction to the Conjuring Universe films has been mixed, virtually all of the entries have found success at the box office. What made this series have such staying-power? Why did we all keep coming back again and again? This week, the main series wraps up with "The Conjuring: Last Rites," a film being billed as the conclusion to the story of the Warrens, as played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. I have my doubts that this is truly the end — there's bound to be a spin-off or two that doesn't feature the Warrens ("The Nun 3," perhaps?) on the horizon. But to be honest, I'm not that interested in that. Because for me, the secret to "The Conjuring" franchise's success has always been Ed and Lorraine.

Sure, these movies have fun scares that make audiences jump in their seats and have us laughing nervously. And yes, everyone loves an iconic movie villain like Annabelle the creepy doll and Valac the Nun. But none of these things would matter much were it not for the undying love between Ed and Lorraine.

Before we go any further, I need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, Ed and Lorraine Warren were real people who claimed to have really encountered the paranormal. However, their detractors will point to plenty of evidence that suggests they were frauds and liars. There are also disturbing allegations involving Ed and a young woman who lived with the Warrens for a period of time. All of these details obviously put a bit of a damper on things.

That said, the Warrens I love are the wholly fictional Warrens that the "Conjuring" films have turned into selfless heroes. I'm perfectly content accepting that these aren't the real Warrens. In each of the main "Conjuring" movies, a simple formula is followed: a family is tormented by ghosts and/or a demon, the Warrens are called in to help, they bond emotionally with the family, vanquish the evil spirit, and then go back home and share a hug and a kiss in their kitchen. And it works virtually every time.

Right from the jump, "The Conjuring" films did a great job of establishing the bond between Ed and Lorraine, and a lot of that comes down to casting. Farmiga and Wilson have a palpable chemistry with each other — we really buy into their relationship, and we really believe they love each other. "The most romantic moments I've had on screen are with Vera in a horror movie," Wilson said during a Q&A I attended for the film "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It." In that same Q&A, Farmiga added: "Lorraine loves Ed not only for who he is, but who she is when she's with him. She's able to do what she does because she has his support."

The Warrens are distinctly two different people, which also helps us maintain interest in their relationship. They work as a unit, but they each have their own set of skills and personality traits. Lorraine is the member of the team with supernatural abilities — she has vaguely defined psychic abilities that enable her to communicate with the dead. Ed, meanwhile, is a sort of working-class exorcist; a guy just as comfortable fixing a car engine as he is brandishing a Bible.

Each "Conjuring" film has only strengthened their bond and reminded the audience of their romance. This, coupled with their selfless devotion to helping others, makes us care about the Warrens, which in turn makes us care about all the scary stuff going on in these films. "Last Rites" only furthers this element. The film has some flaws — it's overcrowded and too long. But it's also surprisingly emotional, and it's earned that emotional angle by building it up through a series of films and making us fall in love with Ed and Lorraine. Not only does it end with a coda all about the life-long bond that Ed and Lorraine shared, it also includes the love they shared for their daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson). Judy also gets a supporting love story as she gets engaged to, and eventually marries her boyfriend Tony (Ben Hardy).

These may seem like frivolous moments, but they matter. These human elements focusing on love are what have kept "The Conjuring" working so well all this time. It's why whenever a spin-off film focusing on Annabelle comes along, I kind of lose interest — the Warrens aren't there to hold hands and make eyes at each other. Ghosts are all well and good, but I need that romance.