The axe man is easily the scariest ghost featured in The Conjuring: Last Rites. In fact, he may even be one of the most terrifying demonic enтιтies in the Conjuring franchise. Previous movies in the franchise have featured memorable demons such as Valak, Bathsheba, and Malthus, who possesses the Annabelle doll.

However, a common criticism of the franchise’s newest movie is that the main demon isn’t that scary. The demon in Last Rites clearly terrifies Ed and Lorraine Warren and even has a connection to Judy, but it doesn’t get a name and its full appearance is never even revealed in the movie. This is one of the reasons why reviews for The Conjuring: Last Rites have been somewhat underwhelming.

Because the movie’s main demon isn’t that scary, many fans and critics have found the ending of The Conjuring: Last Rites quite anticlimactic. However, it must be stated that there are still several horrifying scenes in the movie. Any scene featuring the axe man in The Conjuring: Last Rites is terrifying, so let’s explore who this ghost is and where he comes from.

The Axe Man Is Controlled By The Demon In The Conjuring: Last Rites

The story of The Conjuring: Last Rites follows Ed and Lorraine Warren, as well as their daughter, Judy, as they investigate paranormal activities in the Smurl’s family home in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. The Smurl’s family home wasn’t always haunted, but they started experiencing paranormal events after purchasing a cursed mirror.

Many years before the events of the movie, a young Ed and Lorraine Warren encountered this mirror and the demon that is attached to it on the night Judy was born. This demon actually scared them so much that the Warrens never returned to help the woman who owned the mirror.

However, after hesitantly traveling to Pennsylvania to meet with the Smurls, the paranormal investigators encounter this demon once again. The unnamed demon that is attached to the mirror has turned the Smurl’s family home into a haunted house, which is why several characters in The Conjuring: Last Rites are visited by ghosts.

One of these ghosts is the axe man, who attacks characters such as Heather Smurl and Lorraine Warren in the film. The axe man used to live on the land that the Smurl’s house was built on, and the demon’s presence allows him to return and haunt the family. Therefore, unlike a lot of other threats seen in previous Conjuring movies, the axe man is not a demon, and should be considered a ghost.

The Axe Man’s Backstory Explained

Not long after arriving at the Smurl’s house, Lorraine discovers that the demon is allowing three ghosts to haunt the family. In addition to the axe man, his former wife and mother-in-law also reveal themselves to members of the Smurl family in The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Even though the axe man and his family did not live in the Smurl’s house, their spirits are tied to the land that it rests on. In the film, Lorraine states that the axe man was once an ordinary farmer who went crazy after suspecting his wife of cheating. The farmer ended up brutally murdering both his wife and mother-in-law with an axe.

This brutal murder is why the ghostly version of the farmer still wields an axe when he attacks characters in The Conjuring: Last Rites. In the movie, he attacks Heather Smurl on the main floor of the home after she spots another ghost in a videotape. Then, towards the end of the film, he pursues Lorraine in the basement until she is rescued by Tony.

Other than this backstory, nothing else is revealed about the axe man. Clearly, he is fueled by rage, which is why he doesn’t hesitate to attack the characters in the film. These scenes are definitely two of the scariest moments in the movie, so it’s easy to understand why audiences have been so interested in the axe man’s backstory after watching The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Will The Axe Man Return After The Conjuring: Last Rites?

Several demons have received spinoff films after appearing in a mainline Conjuring movie. For example, Annabelle received three films after making her debut in the first Conjuring movie. Additionally, Valak was the focal point of both of The Nun movies after the demon was the main villain in The Conjuring 2.

There were also plans for a Crooked Man spinoff after he was also a standout villain in The Conjuring 2, but this project was unfortunately scrapped. Even though The Conjuring: Last Rites has been marketed as the final movie in the franchise, there’s a chance that more spinoffs will be made. After all, there are plenty of ghosts and demons who could take the spotlight in future Conjuring projects.

Therefore, even though Last Rites seemingly concludes Ed and Lorraine’s story, the axe man could potentially return in a spinoff. Since he is easily the most popular ghost in the franchise’s newest movie, the studio may want to bring him back. However, there may be a few complications with his return.

Most notably, the Smurls remained in their home for a few more years after the events of Last Rites, suggesting that the axe man never returned. He was seemingly only able to haunt the family because of the demon’s presence, so it may be impossible for him to return unless another evil enтιтy is brought into the house.

This means that, even though he doesn’t necessarily have a huge role in the film, Last Rites could be the last time we ever see the axe man in the franchise. However, the studio could potentially greenlight a prequel, rather than a sequel, to further explore the origins of the axe man. Only time will tell whether the axe man will return to haunt new characters following the events of The Conjuring: Last Rites.