Tick tock, tick tock. HBO
************** Now thatWatchmenhas come to its conclusion, we can finally pry open the back of Damon Lindelof’s newest show and Study the intricate clockwork that powers it. Like the comic books it’s modeled after, Lindelof’sWatchmen
is built around a central mystery that takes about a month to unfold (September
in the TV show, October in the comics. But in both cases, that month sits atop decades and decades of carefully plotted alternate history, conveyed through flashbacks, dialogue, and documents from the world ofWatchmen (****************, either shown on screenor provided as extra readingIt’s a richly detailed world that’s a blast to get lost in, but if you aren’t a superhuman who experiences all moments of time simultaneously, it can be difficult to figure out what happened when. So we did it for you. Here are the most important things that happen in Lindelof’sWatchmen
, dated as precisely as possible, in chronological order. (Since there’s no shortage of timelines obsessively covering the events of theWatchmencomic books, they are mostly not included here.) Start your watches!
Obie Williams is born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Obie Williams reads
a German propaganda flyerwhile serving in the US Army.
Director Oscar Micheaux’s Bass Reeves featureTrust in the Law!premieres at the Williams Dreamland Theater.
June 1, (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
June Abar and Will Williams — later, Will Reeves — are smuggled out of Tulsa during the Tulsa Massacre.
Jon Osterman and his father, Hans, flee Heidelberg for England, where they briefly stay in a manor whose owners are providing refugees a place to stay before traveling on to the United States.
Nelson Gardner is honorably discharged from the Marines after serving under Smedley Butler in the
1947 March**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, 1938:
************************************ Graduation ceremonies
for the NYPD Police Academy Class of . Will Reeves is one of the cadets; so is Hollis Mason. May************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
Action Comics No. 1 hits newsstands.
Fall (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
Will Reeves arrests a businessman named Fred T. for firebombing a Jewish deli.
Hooded Justice raids Fred’s Original Market in Queens, discovering the first clues to Cyclops’ plan. Apropos of nothing in particular, Fred Trump founded and briefly ran a grocery store in Queens in the mid – 1938 s, though in our timeline he quickly sold it to King Kullen.
Captain Metropolis meets Will Reeves and convinces him to join the Minutemen.
Cyclops tests a curious new film projector at a screening ofThe Secret Life of Walter Mittyin Harlem. Will Reeves, investigating, sees a projector loaded into a truck labeled “F.T. & Sons. W.
Washington Market, New York, NY. ”Reeves follows the truck, kills“ FT ”and everyone in his warehouse, steals their technology, and burns it to the ground. Apropos of nothing in particular again, in our timeline, Fred Trump Jr. was born in Donald Trump in .
1974
Hooded Justice disappears.
June 1, (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Sheriff Dale Dixon Crawford, Judd Crawford’s grandfather, is given a leadership position in Cyclops.
June 2,************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: John David Keene, who will later become Senator Keene, gives Dale Dixon CrawfordMartial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship, a painting by George Catlin.
Adrian Veidt exposes a plot by right-wing extremists in the U.S. military to test biological weapons on the unsuspecting citizens of Nairobi. (In our timeline, the military conducted its biological weapons tests on
****************** the unsuspecting citizens of New York City
, among other places.) 1977
Edward Blake, aka the Comedian (and Laurie Blake’s father), burns down Bian My’s village in Vietnam.
May, (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ****************************** Nelson Gardner changes his will, naming Will Reeves his sole beneficiary.
June 1974: VVN Day: The United States wins the Vietnam War.
Aug. 9, (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Nelson Gardner dies in a traffic accident in New York. He is decapitated after flying through the windshield, but his head is never found.
Angela Abar is born in Saigon. Judd Crawford marries Jane Lestley Alexander.
Will Reeves buys the movie theater where he used to work.
The Keene Act makes masked vigilantism illegal.
June (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Sister Nightis released in Vietnam.
Adrian Veidt builds the memory-erasing device. (Approximate date; in
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************, he says he built it “ (years ago. ”)
Judd Crawford joins the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department. He officially meets Sen. Keene Sr. while assigned to his security detail. (His family history means this might not actually have been their first meeting.)
October to November: (The main events of theWatchmencomic books. Nov. 1, 1993:Adrian Veidt records his video message for President Robert Redford. Bian My steals semen sample 3008 and uses it to conceive Lady Trieu. Nov. 2, (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (PM Eastern): The Dimensional Incursion Event. November:
Manhattan creates life on Europa.
March, (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
The New Frontiersman begins publishing excerpts from Rorschach’s journal. August (approx.):
Lady Trieu is born.
1995
June 1993:
Angela Abar’s parents (and Will Reeves’ son and daughter- in-law) are killed.
Sometime later, June Abar briefly meets Angela.
Jan. (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, : Robert Redford is inaugurated president, succeeding Gerald Ford.
Jan. (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, : Redford views Adrian Veidt’s video message. Redford signs the Campaign Finance Reform and Donor Disclosure Act, which stops Veidt from using his wealth to further influence the Democratic Party. Redford also signs the Tech Recall and Reintroduction Act, which outlaws technologies thought to be responsible for the squid attack. 1995 Matthew Wayne Crawford, Judd’s father, dies in the line of duty as an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer.
Laurie Juspeczyk and Dan Dreiberg solve one last case together, killing Timothy McVeigh before he can bomb Oklahoma City.
April**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ************************** (Special Agent David Latimer, of the FBI’s Vigilante Operations division,**************************************************************************** (interrogates Laurie Juspeczyk) ***************** about the killing of Timothy McVeigh. Juspeczyk cooperates, Dreiberg does not; he is sent to prison and is still there in 2020.
April************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: The FBI raids MerlinCorp, Dan Dreiberg’s company, and seizes************************************************************************** the blueprints for Excalibur. 2003 Adrian Veidt regains the wealth he lost in the aftermath of the Dimensional Incursion Event by licensing the technology to clone pets.
2005
Lady Trieu graduates from MIT with four Ph.D.s. Not Massachusetts, though,
per Peteypedia
: Myanmar. 2005
Jude and June Crawford move to Tulsa.
th (Circuit decides) ******************************************************************************************************** Greenwood Survivors v. State of Oklahoma(laying the legal groundwork for reparations) .
December**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Dale Petey publishes) Fogdancing: My Summary ”in Nothing Ever Ends, a literary journal that publishes an annual issue dedicated to the novel by Max Shea.
2008
Trieu Industries introduces Nostalgia to the market.
Adrian Veidt makes his last public appearance, to receive an award from Kenya for his actions in .
2009
Lady Trieu visits Veidt at Karnak and asks him to fund the Millennium Clock. 2010
June (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
Manhattan meets Angela Abar in a bar on VVN night.
June or July**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (two weeks after Abar meets Manhattan): Dr. Manhattan adopts the appearance of Calvin Jelani.
Dec. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, , approx. 1: pm (“ (years, (days, and
hours ”since Veidt and Dr. Manhattan met at Karnak in the early hours of Nov. 3, 1986:
Manhattan visits Adrian Veidt in Karnak and teleports Veidt to Europa. Later that afternoon, he visits Will Reeves at Nelson Gardner’s apartment and forms an alliance. Reeves begins investigating Sheriff Judd Crawford.
December**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Angela helps Dr. Manhattan try on some new jewelry.
2011
Trieu Industries begins launching space probes.
2012 Dec. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, : Adrian Veidt begins writing his play The Watchmaker’s Son. That night, he celebrates his first year on Europa with champagne and cake. 2013 Dec. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, :
After a failed test of a spacesuit design, Adrian Veidt exchanges nasty letters With the game warden, then goes hunting at midnight in his full Ozymandias outfit.
Adrian Veidt celebrates four years on Europa by murdering his entire staff, then stays up all night training their replacements.
2015
sometime before March 14, (5 years, days, 9 hours, and minutes after Lady Trieu and Veidt meet on an indeterminate date in , but after Dec. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ): Adrian Veidt takes a walk, writes a message, and gets himself arrested .
2016
Adrian Veidt’s yearlong trial ends. He is found guilty, despite a stunning closing argument. 2017
Dec. (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:Veidt is given a horseshoe hidden inside his seventh anniversary cake. Dec. (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ The White Night reveals Dr. Manhattan’s location to Cyclops. Judd Crawford gets promoted.
Dec. (****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Angela Abar wakes up in the hospital to find Judd Crawford there. A beautiful friendship begins. 2018
Trieu Industries acquires Veidt Enterprises. The Defense of Police Act, allowing police officers to wear masks, is passed. Sen. Joseph Keene Jr. is a sponsor. Angela Abar becomes Sister Night. Will Reeves begins showingSister Nightat the Harlem movie theater he bought with Gardner’s money. It plays at midnight every Sunday (right afterWatchmen!).
Lady Trieu arrives in Tulsa, so at some point before this, Will Reeves met her at Manhattan’s suggestion and told her Cyclops ’plan.
2019
(Approx.) Lady Trieu purchases the Clark farm, shortly before Veidt’s spaceship lands there. 2020 Aug. 32, (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: The FBI starts using computers again. Sept. 1, 2020:
Special Agent Dale Petey**************************************************************************************************************************************** (writes a memo) urging the FBI not to declare Veidt dead, for fear of angering right-wingers who want him found and punished for his role in Rorschach’s disappearance.
Sept. 3, 2020: Dale Petey sends************************************************************************************************************************************** his second memo. Sept. 8, 2020: President Redford nominates Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to replace the retiring Justice Grisham on the Supreme Court. Dale Petey
Adrian Veidt is legally dead. Angela Abar attends Career Day at her son’s school. A squidfall hits Tulsa (and Vancouver, Jakarta, and Leningrad). That afternoon, Angela Abar kidnaps a Seventh Kavalry member to interrogate about the shooting. The police raid the Seventh Kavalry facility at the cattle ranch.
Sept. (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, : American Hero Story: Minutemen
premieres. Sen. Joe Keene announces he is running for president.
Sept. (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: (Petey) ******************************************************************************************************************************************************** (writes another memo) . The Crawfords have dinner at Cal and Angela’s house. Later that night, Will Reeves and Crawford meet for the first and last time. Angela meets Will Reeves and shows him her restaurant.
Sept. (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Laurie Blake captures The Revenger. Sen. Keene visits her that night and asks her to travel to Oklahoma the next morning to look into the murder of Sheriff Crawford.
Sept. (************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Agents Blake and Petey attend a briefing on the Seventh Kavalry, then fly to Tulsa. Blake visits the crime scene, the Crawford home, a Tulsa Police Department interrogation site, and a motel and then attends Judd Crawford’s funeral, where she meets Angela and her family. They talk further while investigating the Seventh Kavalry’s attack on the funeral. That night, agents Blake and Petey hook up. Afterward, Blake gives Dr. Manhattan a call, then sees Angela’s car fall from the skies. Angela is there to hear it land, because she’s been paying a late-night visit to the Greenwood Center for Cultural Heritage. A very busy day for everyone!
Sept. (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ***************************** Cal makes waffles. Angela gives Looking Glass the Klan robe and pills. Lube Man appears! Laurie Blake visits Cal at home. Angela and Blake visit Lady Trieu to ask about her drones. Bian has her nightmare.
Sept. (**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: Looking Glass spends the morning consulting on a PR campaign for New York City. Laurie Blake takes over the investigation into the Seventh Kavalry and sends the Tulsa PD to canvas local churches to find the Kavalry’s headquarters. That night, Looking Glass ’alarm system acts up.
Sept. (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Looking Glass consults on a breakfast cereal campaign and visits his ex-wife to find out what will’s pills are. That night, he makes a new friend at a meeting of Extra-Dimensional Anxiety sufferers. She introduces him to Sen. Keene, who asks for a favor.
Sept. (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ************************** (Petey) **************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (writes another memo. So does Blake. Then Petey writes another one. A big day for memos. Looking Glass consults on an ad campaign for a new perfume, then turns Abar over to Blake. Abar takes Will’s Nostalgia. The Seventh Kavalry pays Looking Glass a visit at home.
Sept. (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: **************************** Angela spends most of the day recovering from Nostalgia. Petey visits Looking Glass, but he isn’t home; Laurie visits June Crawford. That night, Angela leaves Lady Trieu to go wake her husband up. (They’re expecting guests.) Lady Trieu, in turn, wakes Veidt. The Millennium Clock is activated, with surprising results for all. Sept. (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: In the predawn hours, Angela goes for a swim, sort of. Oct. 1, 2020:
Dale Petey is not officially fired from the FBI. and Beyond
Only Adrian Veidt is arrogant enough to predict the future of theWatchmen
universe. I’m pretty sure Joe Keene isn’t going to be president, though.
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