James Venamun, aka The Gemini Killer, is the main antagonist of The Exorcist III.
Biography[]
James Venamun was a serial killer who cut off the right index finger of his victims and carved the zodiac sign of Gemini into the palm of the victim’s left hand. Notably, the names of all of his victims contained the letter "K" -- as mentioned in dialogue during the film, this is perhaps because the letter "K" reminded Venanum of his first victim; his father Karl, a famous evangelist whom he despised. In 1975, Venamun was executed in the electric chair at the same time Damien Karras had died. Pazuzu, the demon that had possessed Karras, allowed Venamun's spirit to inhabit his body as revenge for the exorcism of Regan MacNeil. However, Karras' brain cells were severely depleted, which put Venamun and Pazuzu in a dormant stage for 15 years before they could fully control Karras' body. During that time, Karras was found and placed in Cell 11 of the disturbed ward of a hospital.
15 years later, in 1990, Venamun was able to gain full control and continue his murder spree, starting with Thomas Kintry and Father Kanavan. He then threatened Dr. Temple into putting William Kinderman in his cross-hairs, where he taunted the lieutenant about the killings, including Father Dyer. This resulted in Kinderman breaking his nose in anger, to which Venamun promised more killings if word was not released of him being the Gemini Killer.
Later, after a nurse is killed, Venamun reveals the circumstances around his possession of Karras, Pazuzu's intent for revenge on the priest and his threat to Dr. Temple, who had recently committed suicide. Before he passes out, he hints of his murder activities being the results of possessing older patients as vessels. He then possesses a patient, kills another nurse and steals her uniform and goes to kill Kinderman's family.
Before he can do so, he is interrupted by Father Morning, who came to exorcise Pazuzu from Karras, which makes the demon take over from Venamun to severely mutilate Morning. Kinderman returns to Cell 11 and prepares to shoot Karras dead, but the demon incapacitates him and prepares to kill him.
Defeat[]
However, Father Morning, barely alive, is able to motivate Karras to fight back. Karras manages to regain control long enough to ask Kinderman to shoot him. Kinderman quickly shoots him three times, expelling Pazuzu and Venamun's soul from Karras' body, finally ending the Gemini Killer for good before giving mercy to Karras with a shot to the head.
Trivia[]
- Venamun is played by Brad Dourif, last seen in the Child's Play series (bar the remake), Alien Resurrection, Urban Legend, Rob Zombie's Halloween & Halloween 2 & Critters 4.