In the film "The Exorcist" how does Father Damien Karras die?

In the movie the Exorcist (1973), Father Karras dies by throwing himself out of a window. He takes this action in order to purge the demon (Pazuzu) from his own body since he had coaxed it out of young Regan MacNeil's body. When Karras in the end hits the foot of the stone steps, it is clear that both he and Regan are now free of Pazuzu, the demon.

What has happened was not suicide. Karras took on the demon, freed Regan, saved her life … at the cost of his own. The accolade of self-sacrificial hero directly goes to Father Karras. The demon lost. Human love (divine love) won.

At first, Father Karras was just a Jesuit psychiatrist suffering his own crisis of faith. So he accordingly had to search for the proof needed to perform the exorcism. During his investigation he came to realize that there was no better way for God to prove his own existence than to reveal the foul presence of a demon. During the exorcism, the demon frequently brought up Karras's mother and the matter of her death. It was pointed out that Karras was not present to see his mother actually die; this greatly troubled Karras emotionally.

In his fictional biography, after being born in 1935 to a Greek family, Father/Dr. Damien Karras S.J. over time became a psychiatrist, vocational counselor, and Jesuit priest. He served as a priest from July 1957 until his fight with the demon resulting in his harrowing and altruistic death.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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56 Comments

Kevin Coleman

Half correct. He went out the window, then threw himself down a stone staircase, killing himself.

Melissa Brooks

Thank you for the background on Father Karras. That was one scary movie.

Richard D. Boyle

In the novel, he throws himself down the flight of stone steps and dies. In the movie, he throws himself out of the window landing on the stone steps, rolls to the bottom of the staircase and dies. The question was about the movie. Those of you who believe that, for various personal and subjective reasons, Exorcist was a terrible and vile film are entitled to your opinions. My own opinion is that the film was and is a great example of storytelling and film making of the “scare the Hell out of the audience” genre of film making. It was technically and creatively brilliant. I loved it. It did not, however, make me believe in the Devil, in demons, in the value of exorcism or the need to do so under any circumstances at any time. For me it was simply a perfectly created and acted fictional scary story.

filmnut

Sandy Kay, It's funny how movies a critiqued by people as being " the worst " or being bad because the content offends their senses. The Exorsist is a fine film and it's content scares the hell out of you.

illonabird

The flight of stairs actually exists. It is located in Georgetown in Washington DC. it is a very famous spot and attracts many tourists each year. If you think the film was scary, you should see the stairs.

Char

David B., exactly as I remembered it

Char

Barbara Glasper, me too

Char

Edie Koller, its OK you didn't take it serious. I grew up in that religion and it was based on a real story. I've always wondered truth or mind playing games with you? Not sure I really want the answer for the first time in my life.

Char

Christie Myers, the first time I saw it at a drive in and I watched the dashboard of the car lol funny part when I'd look up it was into one of the major grossest scenes of the movie. I waited three years to watch it again. I did watch the remake where they had her come down the stairs bent double head first.. I've never watched it again lol.. Just freaks me out

Char

Karen Kasper Schmidt, he went out the window first

Char

fishrmn, it was a demon overtaking an innocent? On creepy 100%

Char

DrBella M Villanueva, I remember out the window onto a landing then down the stone steps

Char

Pauline McBride, it was but it was a boy

Char

stevenbtabak, I never saw a three..

Char

How could I forget..no way As I remembered that movie so well though I only saw it twice well three times with the remake. Scariest movie ever

stevenbtabak

He Does Jump Out the Window then Throws Himself Down the very Long Staircase bud I’m Not Sure he Dies, Because in the 3RD Exorcist Movie Whe Find him Alive as the Central Character!