How Does The Nun 2 Connect to The Conjuring?

The Nun II surprisingly has a mid-credits scene that ties into the first Conjuring movie, but there is an issue with it and the ending as a whole.

When The Nun wrapped, many fans thought the story with Valak was over. It showed how Valak possessed Frenchie and ended up marking Lorraine Warren to kickstart the first Conjuring movie years later. Interestingly, The Nun II is expanding on Frenchie's possession and what Valak truly craves.

This leads to a familiar face, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), arriving in France to battle the demon again. She's intent on saving Frenchie from being Valak's vessel, especially after he helped her in the first movie. Interestingly, while the film wraps with a decisive ending, there is a mid-credits scene that further connects to the Warrens. But this continues to make Valak's story lack closure, feel exploitative and come off as if the story's beating a dead horse.

The Nun II's Mid-Credits Predictably Bridges a Gap

The Nun already confirmed Frenchie was the person in the botched exorcism that left Lorraine petrified and Ed struggling to bring her back. The Nun II's mid-credits add to this. It begins via a preamble right after the credits start to roll, with director Michael Chaves showing more photos of the French boarding school in this film. Fans see more of Valak wanting St. Lucy's eyes, the victims killed over time, and what seems to be the past and present of the school.

It then cuts from all this trauma and newspaper clippings to a modern home with the Warrens. They receive a call confirming their help is needed. Notably, Patrick Wilson looks younger and de-aged as Ed, as does Vera Farmiga as Lorraine. They hang up, and the scene ends, suggesting this is the moment where they take the job to go exorcise Frenchie, leading to Valak latching onto Lorraine. Now, this is quite predictable and unnecessary. It tells a story fans already know. It's not efficient or effective at all, truly coming off like the Conjuring Universe is running out of ideas.

These movies are known for their originality, but to detail a sequence like this harps on how much studios love boring filler. It's forced, lacks nuance and honestly, devalues what these movies are about. Some fans actually felt maybe it was a setup for The Conjuring 4, but again, it looks very much like the past. The narrative here matches as one that bridges the gap. Still, it's a cheap move that really doesn't feel rewarding for fans who stayed back.

The Nun II's Mid-Credits Needed to Address Valak's Return

The first movie had Irene using the blood of Christ to banish Valak, not knowing it marked Frenchie. This sequel has Irene using a fellow nun, Sister Debra (Storm Reid), to turn wine into a holy liquid and burn Valak up again in the finale. The demon appears to have been sent back to Hell, with Frenchie joining a family he met at the school. They're clearly set to have a happy life together, so one has to wonder why the mid-credits wouldn't hint at how he's still marked.

It should have at least shown Valak's presence still around, the way Insidious: The Red Door did when it kept its Lipstick-Face Demon buzzing in the Further in its post-credits. Sure, it's frustrating, but it at least pads the narrative with closure and logic, affirming Valak isn't done with Frenchie. This would assuage the already tiring situation of knowing Valak will once more possess Frenchie years later. Clearly, he's got no happy ending in sight, so to leave the film so open-ended, letting fans know there'll eventually be a surprise with how he gets

marked again feels like a gimmick.

Seriously, he's done so much to help Irene, yet he's condemned to being a victim and continue suffering. This film should probably have ended on a dour note, with the heroes dying and Frenchie being carted off, with folks not knowing he has a demon within. Instead, the conclusion and mid-credits all come off as bland by trying to play coy when it portends grief down the line. Admittedly, Warner Bros. seems intent on milking this horror realm James Wan and Co. kickstarted, but with The Conjuring 4 to come, it's super rudimentary.

The Nun Has to Avoid the Annabelle Approach

The Nun series is following the Annabelle formula. This evil doll, first spotted in The Conjuring in the Warrens' vault, had two prequels regarding its origin and killing spree, and then Annabelle Comes Home, which acted as a Conjuring sequel of sorts when it broke free and attacked Ed and Lorraine's daughter. However, by dragging on Annabelle's hauntings, it ruined the impact of the doll. What made these movies stand out were the other ghouls that came to life.

That diminishes what Annabelle was meant to be -- a direct force of evil and something messing with nature. It's only so much one can soak in with a doll teleporting around, causing deaths. Valak's story is the same. Apart from the Conjuring movies, it's now been in two prequels. But the more it's stretched, the less frightful it'll be. Seriously, Valak saturation is a possibility, especially as it feels one-dimensional now. It's overdone seeing Valak working in the shadows, teleporting around and even summoning other ghouls to help.

This is formulaic and makes Valak feel like it's a prop for other monsters. A goat demon shows up in The Nun II, so maybe that'll get a spinoff or prequel. But as it stands, the Valak well has run dry. But the fact the mid-credits dealt with the Warrens and not the demon says it all. Maybe someone who was against St. Lucy's bloodline, Irene included, should have been shown summoning it back, as the being had a pagan cult back in the day. That would have felt like proper potential was being mined, as well as a fresh, new direction. Ultimately, the entire approach to Valak needs work if it's to remain iconic.