Who Is Valak, The Demon From The Conjuring 2 And The Nun?
Warner Bros. PicturesThe demon Valak, depicted as a terrifying nun in The Conjuring 2 and The Nun.
Speaking of the Enfield haunting and The Conjuring 2, one of the movie’s major plot points — Lorraine Warren’s battle against the demon Valak — was not a part of the actual haunting. In fact, much of how Valak is portrayed in the film series seems to be fabricated for the cinematic universe.
However, the idea of a demon named Valak isn’t entirely a modern one — as the name originated as far back as medieval times.
Notably, Valak appeared in grimoires — manuals of magic in which demons, spells, and rituals are described. One 17th-century grimoire, The Key of Solomon, lists Valak as the 62nd spirit, which appears “like a boy with angel wings, riding on a two-headed dragon.” He is said to be able to find hidden treasures and snakes, in addition to leading an army of 30 other demons.
Public DomainThe demon Valak, as he appeared in centuries-old grimoires.
Notably, the tale of Valak — and many other infamous demons, for that matter — does not originate from the Bible.
The idea that King Solomon from the Old Testament had magical books listing demons and spells actually comes from apocryphal and occult traditions. The Key of Solomon was at times banned by the Catholic Church, though it remained popular in certain circles, much like the late 16th-century text by King James VI and I, Daemonologie. As for the modern image of Valak as a nun, this was purely an invention for dramatic effect.
That said, the Warrens did mention an encounter with a “spectral nun” at a church in England, and Lorraine also talked about a “spectral entity” that appeared as a “swirling tornado vortex with this hooded figure,” which filmmaker James Wan used as inspiration for Valak’s appearance in The Conjuring 2. This figure then played a key role in The Nun, a separate installment in The Conjuring series, set at a Romanian abbey in 1952.
