12 Monkeys Movie Timeline Fully Explained

12 monkeys Features a relatively simplistic approach to the passage of time, but the film’s storytelling method can sometimes make it difficult to follow. Many of the main characters experience the timeline in their own way due to the intervention of temporal technology and personal perceptions. As one of Bruce Willis’ best sci-fi movies, the 90s classic helped to match and surpass the standard for screen time travel stories. It is one of those movies that can be watched multiple times and a new wrinkle can be spotted on every occasion.

The end of 12 monkeys Could arguably be described as the beginning, with the time loop teased throughout the movie revealed in all its glory. Willis’ performance as convict James Cole helps sell the illusion brilliantly of being displaced in time. Cole is not one of Willis’ traditional action heroes but instead, he offers something different. The film always keeps its audience guessing in very creative ways. The finer points of the movie’s timeline can be (and have been) debated for decades, but certain facets are much more absolute.

12 Monkeys’ timeline from Cole’s perspective

This is how the events of 12 Monkeys unfolded (for the most part)

like 12 monkeys‘ Main character, James Cole’s perspective is most prominently acknowledged throughout the movie. His journey through the timeline may seem linear to him, but he quickly becomes disoriented about what counts as the past, present, and future. Beginning in 2035, Cole is sent back to the 90s to gather information about the virus that will almost destroy the human raceforcing the remaining to retreat underground in order to survive. Cole’s arc is very back-and-forth, which makes him something of an enigma in the eras he visits.

As well as visiting two separate years in the 1990s, Cole’s temporary mission takes him to an unspecified year in the First World WarBut each excursion is separated by a return to the dystopian future of the movie to catch his superiors on the situation. Cole’s existence is so complex, and one could say massively coincidental, that he even finds himself in the same place, at the same moment in time, while he is two drastically different ages. The discovery of Cole’s “dream” actually being his past is a brilliant and mind-bending twist when it all comes together.

1996

• Cole looks like his older self is shot down through airport security and sees dr. Riley in a blonde wig.

• This would continue to haunt his dreams for the rest of his life, and he would forget that it actually happened in the real world.

2035

• In his cell, Cole discusses “Volunteer duty“With Jose, his fellow prisoner.

• Cole is sent to the surface to look for clues About the army of the 12 monkeys.

• He is sent back in time (with the goal of 1996) to gather intelligence about the virus that will wipe out most of the human race in 1997.

1990

• Willis’ character is arrested and meets Madeleine Stowe’s Dr. Kathryn Railly.

• Cole was institutionalizedBelieved to be mentally ill due to his stories about the future.
• 12 MonkeyIts main character tries to report to his superiors by phone but realizes that he was sent back 6 years too far and the system is still not in place.

• Brad Pitt’s Jeffrey Goins introduces himself and helps Cole escape.

• Cole’s breakout is thwarted and he is restrained.

2035

• The tracking chip in Cole’s tooth is used to recall him from 1990.

• He played a recovered and garbled voicemail message, believed by his jailers to be from him in the future.

• Cole was sent again, with another attempt to land in 1996.

World War I (1914-1918)

• During an unspecified year of WWI, Cole materializes.

• He spots an injured Jose And they shot him in the leg.

1996

• Cole lands in 1996, though how or when is not shown (the freshness of his bullet wound suggests a recent change in setting).

• Dr. Reilly is taken hostage by Cole And the pair investigate the army of the 12 monkeys.

• Cole confronts Jeffrey about the perceived plan to release a virus but is chased from the house.

2035

• Cole is recalled to the future again.

• After another debrief, he was sent to the past.

1996

• Dr. Reilly now believes Cole, but he briefly believes that he is hallucinating the future.

• Cole removes the trackers in his teeth So he cannot be recalled back to 2035.

• Dr. Reilly leaves the answer phone message once believed to be from Cole.

• The army of the 12 monkeys frees all the animals from the zoo.

• Cole and Dr. Riley wear disguises, which Cole realizes that his “dream” is actually a memory from his childhood.

• They go to the airport.

• Jose shows up at the airport and confronts Cole, telling him that he needs to kill the man who is plotting to release the virus.

• Cole was shot dead by airport securityWatched by his younger self, the older Cole tries and fails to take down the movie’s true villain.

Bruce Willis 12 monkeys The character is spoken to by a disembodied voice who addresses Cole as “Bob“The voice is shown to belong to a homeless man in 1996, but the movie never really explains the voice’s true origin, nor its purpose or motivations. However, the voice seems to travel with Cole through time, always being up to speed. With what Will’s character has just done, is doing and is about to do.

12 Monkeys’ timeline explained in chronological order

James Coles’ perspective isn’t the only way to see the 12 Monkeys timeline

As with some of the other best time travel movies, 12 monkeys‘ Events can be perceived in multiple ways. Although the most logical way to follow the story is through the eyes of the protagonist, it can be an interesting exercise to put the events in the order they happened in the timeline at large. Thus, the experiences of other characters can be accounted for, which adds an extra flavor to the narrative.

Cole’s story is the only one that intersects with itselfAs he experiences the events of 12 monkeys is relatively round. By stepping outside Willis’ character and taking in the timeline in an unbiased and logical way, that particular obstacle is all but removed. Everything becomes much more objective, even if there are some cerebral puzzles to solve as a result.

World War I (1914-1918)

• This is the first time Cole has appeared in the timeline.

• He is shot in the leg and unknowingly photographed as he reaches out to Jose.

James Cole is born

• 12 monkeys Don’t show it, but he was born about ten years before 1990.

1990

• Cole did his time in the mental institution. At this point, he had not yet experienced the WWI scene.

• Dr. Reilly recognizes Cole But don’t know from where.

• Cole disappears after being restrained in a sealed room.

1996

• Cole materializes with a bullet in his leg from WWI.

• He sleeps rough for a while before he sees Dr. Ralis’ picture and searches for her.

• Dr. Reilly gives her seminar.

• The real villain of the movie (Dr. Peters) shows up and talks to her at the book signing.

• Cole hides in Dr. Ralli’s car and holds her hostage.

• They look at the army of the 12 monkeys.

• Cole disappeared again after visiting Jeffrey’s house.

• Dr. Reilly spots Cole in the photograph taken of him during his time in WWI.

• She continues to investigate the army of the 12 monkeys.

• Cole turns around, confused as to whether the future is part of his reality.

• He removes the chips in his teeth to avoid being recalled to 2035.

• Cole and Dr. Riley go to the airport in disguise.

• He realizes the blonde woman in his dream was her all along.

• The army of the 12 monkeys releases the zoo animals.

• Young Cole arrives at the airport at some point before them.

• Jose confronts Cole at the airport.

• Dr. Peters infected the first person with his virus.

• Cole is killed by airport security as his younger self watches.

• Dr. Peters gets on the plane.

• A scientist from 2035 sits with Dr. Uncles.

• Offscreen, Dr. Peters travels to San Francisco, New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Kinshasa, Karachi, Bangkok, then Peking to spread his virus worldwide.

2035

• Cole talks to Jose in his cell.

• Cole is assigned to volunteer duty above ground.

• He was sent back to 1990.

• After returning from 1990, Cole was then mistakenly sent to the First World War.

• When he returns, he experiences the WWI scene, plus everything up to his disappearance after speaking with Jeffrey in 1996.

• Cole returned to 1996 To complete his mission but never comes back to 2035.

12 monkeys‘ Ending never reveals whether those in the future gathered the sufficient amount of intel required to develop a cure for Dr. Peter’s virus. Such a revelation would lie in the future of the movie beyond the events shown in 2035. The future scientist Taking her seat alongside Dr. Peters on the flight to San Francisco brings with it a hopeful implication of success, but this is never confirmed.

12 Time Travel Rules of Monkeys Explained

James Cole can’t change the past, and neither can any other 12 Monkeys character

Not all time travel movies follow the same rules, either 12 monkeys Continues the trend of establishing specific laws about how events can unfold in the film’s canon. simply, There is exactly one timeline in it 12 monkeys. Unlike other time travel stories, like these Back to the future Trilogy, alterations cannot be made to time in 12 monkeys. Things always happen the way they happened, and that’s that. This is proven by humanity’s acknowledgment that trying to prevent the coming apocalypse would be fruitless, suggesting attempts have indeed been made.

“I can’t do anything about what you’re going to do. I can’t change anything. I won’t stop you, I can’t stop you. I just want the information.” – Cole to Jeffrey in 1996.

12 monkeys‘ Time-travel logic means there is some hope after the movie is over, regardless of how unchanged the timeline may be. The fact that the past is fixed means the present and future must be as well. It suggests a strong level of fate and predetermination. So, in theory, Humanity has either failed or succeeded in thwarting Dr. Peter’s virus-based endgame. however, 12 monkeys‘ Implied lack of ability to travel to the future and control means that those in 2035 will have to wait and see if their hard work pays off.