The Conjuring Franchise's Most Distracting Character Makes Last Rites Ever Better

Spoilers for "The Conjuring: Last Rites" follow.

Ever since the memorable opening of 2013's "The Conjuring," in which the haunted doll Annabelle made such an impression, the Conjuring Universe has struggled to incorporate Annabelle's runaway success with varying results. As originally intended, the Annabelle opening was a way of introducing Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) before they embarked on the film's main case of the Perron family haunting. Yet the story of the possessed doll — and especially its spooky design for the movie, which is markedly different from the real-life Raggedy Ann doll — captured so much attention that not only did Annabelle become a staple in the future "Conjuring" movies, but she received three spin-off films of her own. 

Remarkably, the character retained her popularity despite those prequel movies never quite figuring out what to do with her. The concept of Annabelle not being an evil doll like Chucky or Talky Tina meant that "Annabelle" and "Annabelle Creation" spent a lot of time underlining how the doll was actually just a conduit for the demon Malthus, who never quite had the same cinematic juice. By the time "Annabelle Comes Home" rolled around, the Warren family, as well as other various spirits, had to be included in order for the film not to be too repetitive.

After the first "Conjuring," Annabelle has only made brief cameo appearances in the main "Conjuring" films, as she's a centerpiece object in the Warrens' trophy room. In "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," the Satanist cult known as the Disciples of the Ram were tangentially involved in the film's main plot, and they were established in the first "Annabelle" as instrumental in the evil doll's shenanigans. Yet there hasn't been much reason for Annabelle to be a constant presence in the "Conjuring" films besides her popularity, which is why her featured appearance in the latest (and allegedly final) installment, "The Conjuring: Last Rites," initially feels too distracting. However, her presence is primarily focused not on the married Warrens nor the Smurl family, but rather the now adult Judy Warren (Mia Tomlinson), and this isn't arbitrary. It turns out that Judy is the main target of the demon in "Last Rites," and while they may or may not be Malthus, there's no doubt that it's Judy's soul that it wants. 

As such, this demon uses Annabelle to torment Judy into submission, an effective decision thanks to Judy's particular history with the haunted doll over her prior appearances in the "Conjuring" films. It's a choice which helps "Last Rites" feel like a payoff and a proper final chapter, and makes the film that much more satisfying.

Although Annabelle is certainly the biggest breakout character from the "Conjuring" films after the Warrens and before the Nun (sorry, Crooked Man), her use in "Last Rites" isn't a mere case of the filmmakers pandering to their fanbase. After all, Annabelle and Judy have an established history. During the events of "The Conjuring," young Judy (Sterling Jerins) is left home alone while her parents investigate the Perron case. As the Warrens get closer to exposing and exorcising the spirit of the witch Bathsheba, the evil ghost appears in the Warrens' home and torments Judy using the Annabelle doll, which has been recently stored there for safekeeping. Although Ed and Lorraine arrive in time to help stop any serious harm being done, there's no doubt that the encounter left its traumatic scars on Judy Warren.

That trauma is exacerbated again in "Annabelle Comes Home," in which a teenage Judy (Mckenna Grace), her babysitter, and their friend are trapped in the Warren house with an unleashed Annabelle/Malthus. Not only does this force Judy to do spiritual battle with Annabelle, it also makes for a traumatic experience all its own, as Annabelle acts as a sort of ringleader and instigator for the other evil spirits residing in the Warrens' trophy room. While Judy and her friends can subdue Annabelle and the other released spirits, there remains a feeling of unfinished business between Judy and the doll. This is why, when the evil demon of the conjuring mirror in "Last Rites" finds its way back to the Warrens (who abandoned their investigation of the mirror early in their career), the spirit chooses to utilize Annabelle's form to terrify Judy and make her attempt to deny her senses. This is the very thing that allows the demon to possess Judy's soul. With this, "Last Rites" makes the Judy/Annabelle relationship feel like it comes full circle.

For those who haven't revisited the "Conjuring" films — and certainly for those who haven't seen some or any of them at all before — the presence of Annabelle in "Last Rites" might indeed feel distracting and unnecessary at first blush. Her inclusion may be a vestige of one of the original ideas for the sequel, which was an "Avengers"-style battle royale. It should also be pointed out that the "Conjuring" films have never been consistent at spelling out exactly what's happening and how; while you're always given enough information to follow the basic story, the movies do leave room for a lot of ambiguity, presumably as a device to make the proceedings even spookier. Still, despite these being decent reasons for being annoyed and/or confused about Annabelle's appearance, there's enough in "Last Rites" to justify the use of Annabelle even without the knowledge of her history with Judy. A major theme of the movie involves the Warrens dealing with their own foibles, especially their fear regarding their daughter's safety. Not only do Ed and Lorraine irresponsibly run away from the mirror demon after encountering it, but they do so because Lorraine knows that it's after Judy, and erroneously believes that running away will prevent it from attacking her.

Adding to this mistake is Lorraine's advice to young Judy, who is overwhelmed by her emerging psychic abilities at one point. Lorraine teaches Judy a nursery rhyme which helps her shut out any sense of an invading presence, a practice which helps Judy in the short term, but is ultimately just another form of running away. As Judy tries harder and harder to deny what her mind and body are picking up, she opens a back door for the mirror demon to get past her defenses. In the end, all three Warrens find that they need to face their fears, literally, to stop them from consuming their souls. So, despite the question of whether Annabelle is merely a pawn of the mirror demon, another manifestation of Malthus, or is the mirror demon itself, the way that the various encounters with Annabelle function in "Last Rites" is still perfectly understandable. The knowledge about Annabelle and Judy's past only serves to make "Last Rites" ever better, and allows its happy ending to feel that much more complete and final.