The Chronological Order of Events in "What Remains of Edith Finch"

This guide contains a chronological timeline of events occurring in the Finch Family timeline.

Prior to 1880

The Finchs have a reputation in Norway for being a cursed family.

1880

Odin Finch is born in Norway on an unknown date in 1880.

Sometime during the course of his life, he wrote two books: Joining the Great Majority and The Mysteries of Death and Thereafter.

He married a woman named Ingeborg and had two children - Edith Sr and Johann.

June 17, 1915

Sven Hoffstad Finch is born in Norway on June 17, 1915.

April 8, 1917

Edith "Edie" Finch Sr is born in Norway on April 8, 1917.

1917-1937

Unknown year: Odin Finch loses his wife and son in Norway.

January 7, 1937

Odin Finch sets sail from Norway to the United States with his family and his house.

December 1937

On an unknown date in 1937, Odin dies in a storm at sea. This must have been close to Orcas Island, as the old family house is visible from the shoreline.


Molly Finch is born on Saturday, December 11, 1937 to parents Sven and Edie.

Potential plothole: Molly was a baby when Sven and Edie arrived at Orcas Island.



Sven Hoffstad Finch completes the Orcas Island house in 1937.

Did Sven build the house in one month? Confusion...

October 31, 1944

Barbara Finch is born on Tuesday, October 31, 1944 to parents Sven and Edie.

At some point in her childhood, Barbara starred in the movie My Friend Bigfoot.

December 13, 1947

Molly Finch dies on Saturday, December 13, 1947 at age 10.

April 25, 1950

Twins Sam and Calvin Finch are born on Tuesday, April 25, 1950 to parents Sven and Edie.

August 26, 1952

Walter Finch is born on Tuesday, August 26, 1952 to parents Sven and Edie.

October 31, 1960

Barbara Finch dies on Monday, October 31, 1960, which is her 16th birthday.

September 23, 1961

Calvin Finch dies on Saturday, September 23, 1961 at age 11.

October 1961

October 1961: Terror Comics publishes a comic book about Barbara Finch's death.

1963

Sam Finch earns a trophy for Most Improved Player in football.

August 26, 1964

Sven Hoffstad Finch dies on Wednesday, August 26, 1964 at age 49.

Cause of death: He was building a dragon-shaped slide, which collapsed on top of him.

September 6, 1966

Sanjay Kumar is born in India on Tuesday, September 6, 1966.

1967-1968

Sam Finch participates in JROTC during his senior year of high school. He enlists at age 18. Assuming Sam is married when Dawn is born, then his wedding to first wife Kay Carlyle occurred at some point in 1968.

November 15, 1968

Walter has moved into his bunker and begins to hear shaking.

1968

Dawn Finch is born on an unknown date in 1968 to parents Sam and Kay.

June 20, 1969

Gus Finch is born on Friday, June 20, 1969 to parents Sam and Kay.

January 12, 1976

Gregory Finch is born Monday, January 12, 1976 to parents Sam and Kay.

December 7-8, 1977

Kay Carlyle files for divorce from Sam Finch on December 7, 1977.

He is served with divorce papers on December 8, 1977.

December 19, 1977

Gregory Finch dies Monday, December 19, 1977 at 23 months old.

November 8, 1982

Gus Finch dies on Monday, November 8, 1982 at age 13.

This is also the day his father Sam Finch got remarried.

July 16, 1983

Sam Finch dies while on a hunting trip Saturday, July 16, 1983 at age 33.

August 18, 1986

Dawn spent the summer of 1986 building houses in Calcutta. Presumably married Sanjay on August 18, 1986?

June 5-12, 1987

Dawn graduates high school on June 5, 1987.

One week later (June 12, 1987), she moves to India and gets a job teaching English.

December 27, 1988

Lewis Finch is born in India on Tuesday, December 27, 1988 to parents Dawn and Sanjay.

Summer 1989

An article in the Orcas Island Gazette details Edie's refusal to evacuate Orcas Island after officials order an evacuation.

June 1991

Edie gave an interview to The Pacific Probe about a Mole Man living beneath the Finch house.

May 19, 1992

Milton Finch is born in India on Tuesday, May 19, 1992 to parents Dawn and Sanjay.

February 14, 1999

Edith Finch Jr is born in India on Sunday, February 14, 1999 to parents Dawn and Sanjay.

This night Edith Sr walks out to the old Finch house during the lowest tide in 1000 years.

February 22, 2002

Sanjay Kumar dies on Friday, February 22, 2002 at age 35. From context clues, I have deduced that Sanjay was a Disaster Relief worker and died in a massive earthquake in India.


After Sanjay's death, Dawn leaves India and moves back into the Finch house with her three children.

May 19, 2002

Milton receives a castle for his 10th birthday.

October 23, 2003

Milton Finch disappears on October 23, 2003 at age 11.

March 31, 2005

Walter Finch dies after being struck by a train on Thursday, March 31, 2005 at age 52.

2009

Edie paints a portrait of Edith

November 21, 2010

Lewis Finch dies on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at age 21.

November 23, 2010

Lewis's psychiatrist Dr. Emily Nuth writes a letter to Dawn Finch.

November 28, 2010

Edith Jr and Dawn Finch leave the Finch house for the last time.

December 5, 2010

Edith Finch Sr dies on December 5, 2010.

Who wrote her death date on the tombstone?

October 10, 2016

Hospital bracelet shows date of October 10, 2016, presumably the date that Dawn dies.


Sometime during the course of her life, Dawn wrote a book: To Teach and To Learn: Seven Ways to Create a Fulfilling Classroom.

October 12, 2016

Edith Finch returns to the Finch house while 22 weeks pregnant.

January 18, 2017

We are going to assume Edith's child was born on this date.

[eabha :p]

I noticed that Edith Jr never talked about the baby's dad. She not once mentions or even references him. I hope Edith wasn't dumped or abandoned because of her child, poor thing suffered enough.

[DomTheBomb]

When I discovered she was 17 and 22 weeks pregnant, I knew dying during childbirth was a possible fate for her. Sad it came true.

Even sadder that we never heard who knocked her up, or anything about that whole situation.

[Sleepless™]

Awesome

[Sargith]

This is an amazing well-researched chronology! I appreciate the time and energy that went into this post. I would like to offer an alternate view regarding the date of the night Edith Jr and Dawn left the house. When they are driving away from the house, and Edith Sr is on the porch watching them go, Edith Jr says it was the last time she saw Edith Sr. She also says that when the old folks home van came the next morning, Edith Sr was "already gone". I think this means Edith Sr died the night or early morning after they left. Given Edith Sr's headstone death date says Dec 5, 2010, that means they left Dec 4, 2010. So, Lewis died Sun, Nov 21, 2010, and they left Sat, Dec 4, 2010, which was the end of the next week. I think when Edith Jr says "Lewis died a week before we left" she meant the "the week prior" rather than "7 days prior". Or, maybe she was approximating. Or, maybe in her memory it felt like less time than it was. Either way, great work, and thank you so much for your post!

[Handfradze]

Thanks to your recap I realized Walter is the mole man. 🤯

[twjoy0314]

to answer Arcana1705's question, according to Giant Sparrow's other game The Unfinished Swan he literally walked through the painted door and became the king in The Unfinished Swan sooooo yeah it kinda is just a huge plot hole that doesn't make sense if you haven't played both games.

[Arcana1705]

What do you think happened to Milton? Do you think he really opened an art door that took him to the kingdom of the unfinished swan? It seems to be the only positive reason; there was no contexts or clues that someone could have kidnapped him, killed him, or bullied him.

He was just... gone.

[rosiebeth07]

Thank you, I finally understand who is related to whom lol

[CannibalMoth]

this is amazing work. good job!

[jellicamellica]

ngl even tho i have played this game and have watched multiple walk throughs i still cried at the end of it