'Castle Rock' Season 2: Annie Wilkes is emerging as the unlikely hero in the grim Stephen King universe
'Castle Rock' has been slowly twisting the knife with each episode. The show is based on popular characters and storylines from different Stephen King works and has been progressively heading to one final battle for a soul - whose - we do not know yet. King's iconic frightening nurse Annie Wilkes from 'Misery' is here too. However, unlike her book counterpart, who was sadistic and devious, this Annie (well, murder aside), seems to be committing her crimes in fits of panic and nervousness. But there's one thing she another quality that King's character didn't have - she has the ability to love.
"There's a lot wrong with me, and not much right. But you're the thing that keeps on the right side of the yellow double-sided line", a tearful Annie (Lizzy Caplan) tells her daughter Joy (Elsie Fisher). Joy has just uncovered the unpleasant truth about her birth and has realized she is the daughter of another woman, by the name Rita (Sara Gadon). It's not exactly a relief for Joy to know that Annie had accidentally caused her father's death, stabbed Rita, and then escaped with baby Joy.
Till now, Annie has shown herself to be capable of murder, only when it comes to someone threatening to kill her or Joy. She isn't afraid to hold back clearly and shoving an ice-cream scoop down Ace Merrill's (Paul Sparks) throat and dragging his body across town, is proof enough. Murderous inclinations aside, she is also a fiercely protective mother, to the extent of being extremely paranoid about the welfare of her daughter. Unfortunately, this didn't work in Joy's favor as she is starved of companionship for her entire life, for reasons that we now know.
The Annie in the book had held an author captive, after drugging him and cutting off his toes. Annie from the show has been desperately trying to redeem herself lately, and her latest act is proof.
She is shown to be a broken woman, self-aware of her numerous failings and crimes, and is slowly struggling to understand that she can't always escape her sins. She is waiting for some absolution that will never come. She submits herself to the police, after an accidental gunshot kills Rita, during a scuffle with Joy. It's as if the writers want to make her the unlikely hero of 'Castle Rock'. After years of being on the run, kidnapping somebody else's child after an attempted murder, this small spot of redemption is a little too late for Annie. However, Ace Merrill has higher plans for Annie as he wishes to convert her into one of his murderous un-dead army. How will this make the way for 'Misery'? Will Annie and Joy be able to defeat them?
'Castle Rock' airs on Hulu.