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The scariest ‘Conjuring’ Universe demons, ranked

These demons still terrify us.

James Wan shuts down hopes of major The Conjuring spin-off
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Throughout an entire franchise jam-packed with spooks and scares around every corner, there has been an assortment of spine-tingling paranormal entities in the long-standing Conjuring universe. From supernatural forces possessing porcelain-esque dolls to demonic creatures taking over the control of another undead spirit, monstrous figures in The Conjuring’s timeline have continued to haunt us all for years now. More specifically, these monsters have been the main focal point for demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren.

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As terrifying as each of these demons is individually, there are a select few that really stand out as the scariest demons in the entire Conjuring realm. To keep things short and simple, we’ll promptly give deserved flowers to demonic figures such as The Samurai and The Bride in Annabelle Comes Home, but we’ll keep this list solely focused on the scariest demons in the universe which kept our skin crawling at every turn.

5. Bill Wilkins

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In terms of the scariest villains on this list, it would seem silly to suggest that Bill Wilkins is near the top — although the bone-chilling spirit certainly does terrify the Hodgson family in The Conjuring 2. Introduced as a secondary villain in the horror flick, perhaps what makes Wilkins so scary is when it is officially revealed that the spirit of Bill is being controlled by the demon Valak. Until the revelation, however, Bill is seen providing an eerie voice and committing sinister tricks on the young members of the Hodgson clan. Therefore, he deservedly ranks on this list of terrifying villains.

4. The Crooked Man

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Much like Bill Wilkins, The Crooked Man first appears in The Conjuring 2 as a nerve-wracking figure straight out of a nightmarish children’s folklore. However, what places The Crooked Man significantly over Bill Wilkins is that the demon-controlled character is much more creepy and eerie than simply a vengeful ghost. With jaw-dropping height, a Joker-esque smirk, and his raspy voice singing his own horrid anthem, the demonic Crooked Man is a horrifying villain in the Conjuring universe who was even originally intended to get his own spin-off movie.

3. Bathsheba

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Rounding out the top 3 most terrifying demons in the Conjuring realm, it would feel like a complete and utter travesty to not include Bathsheba — the spine-tingling demonic entity which kicked off the narrative and started it all in James Wan’s The Conjuring. Controlling other spirits and using them to inflict chaos upon the Perron family, Bathsheba proved to be one of the most twisted and sinister demonic forces in the entire Conjuring universe as she tormented the young sisters in the Perron clan and even killed their dog. As such, she rightfully takes her place on this list — although two other forces are just a little bit above her.

2. Annabelle

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Closing out the top 2 scariest demons in the horror franchise, it makes absolute sense to place the demonic Annabelle doll close to the top of the pile. Conjured up inside the doll by a married couple who lost their daughter, the couple soon realized that the spirit posing as the spirit of their daughter was actually a demon. Introduced early on in the Conjuring universe, Annabelle remains one of the series’ most polarizing villains — with the aforementioned character making several appearances in different Conjuring films and even receiving a separate spin-off trilogy. 

1. Valak (The Nun)

Image via Warner Bros.

Without a doubt, the demon nun known as Valak is certainly the scariest and most sinister demonic figure in the Conjuring universe. Initially introduced in The Conjuring 2 as a demonic force haunting Lorraine Warren, Valak soon became a formidable force in the film series — which even saw the iconic character receiving its own spin-off series of movies. Capitalizing on tormenting unsuspecting victims and targeting souls, Valak is an exceptionally strong entity that often manipulates and controls other spirits in an attempt to create evil and get exactly what it wants.