'Castle Rock' Season 2 fan theory suggests Joy may grow up to be the murderous Annie Wilkes in Stephen King's 'Misery'
The latest episode of 'Castle Rock' titled 'The Laughing Place' turned out to be a disturbing series of flashbacks, examining Annie Wilkes' life.
The origin story of the ax-wielding psychotic nurse in Stephen King's novel 'Misery' was revealed, and we learned that she had a deeply troubled childhood with numerous problems that her parents refused to address.
The child seemed doomed from the start, as she grew up seeing a depressed mother, and her parents constantly exchanging harsh words with each other.
She loved her father but felt betrayed by him, when he moved on a little too quickly after her mother's death and had another baby. Annie Wilkes devolved into a ticking time bomb, wound up in anger, resentment, and regret.
Yet, fans have some unusual theories about Annie Wilkes. One fan theorized that Joy (Elsie Fisher), who it was revealed at the end of the episode was not, in fact, her daughter, could actually grow up to be the real Annie Wilkes we meet in 'Misery'.
The similarities are uncanny and there seems to be much promise in this theory, the more you think about it.
The fan has given an interesting explanation. Stephen King portrayed Annie Wilkes as a cunning, devious and brutal woman, and a person who masks her malice behind a cheery countenance.
In the novel, she has long episodes of depression, constantly binges on food and has an unhealthy obsession with romance novels. She dislikes profanity to the extent that she will fly into a rage if it is used in front of her. Instead, she prefers to use words like "cockadoodie" and "dirty birds".
Comparing this to the Annie in 'Castle Rock' Season 2, Lizzy Caplan's Annie is very different, for the most part, as an adult. She is a woman trying to medicate herself and recover from her severe mental illness, which is taking control of her.
She kills Ace Merrill (Paul Sparks), out of a sense of self-preservation, and is desperate to protect herself and Joy from everyone around them. Her moment of anger causes her father's death when she gives him a slight push, as she believes she has been replaced.
This small push causes him to fall down the stairs impaling him on wood. It's a freak accident and Annie weeps over the body of the father she had once adored.
Her new step-mother Rita sees this, and in a moment of panic again, Annie kills her and runs off with her baby and manuscript. Annie's murderous tendencies are born out of accident, or a moment of strange self-preservation, and the stress of it shows on her face. She isn't sadistic or malicious, whatever else she may be.
She tries standing up to Pop Merrill (Tim Robbins) when he asks her about Ace, but nervously backs down when he gets aggressive and tells him most of the truth about him. Yet, despite all her pathological tendencies, she's nothing like the book Annie.
She has one happiness in her life, and that's Joy. The book 'Annie' was a straight-up cold-hearted and sadistic murderer and her ability to torture author Paul Sheldon knew no bounds.
Take a look at Joy. She drugs and ties Annie to the bed, keeping her under strict control. There are similarities between Joy and Kathy Bates's portrayal of Annie in the film 'Misery', starting from their crew collars, cross necklace, the obsession with romantic novels, and lounging around to binge endlessly on food.
Joy avoids profanity and is a bit shocked at herself for using swear words as well.
Other users supported the idea and said that the plot of 'Marsten House' will spill into Annie and Joy's story and that Joy may be forced to kill Annie, which will push her over the edge and take on Annie's identity later.
It's a plausible theory. Let's see how 'Castle Rock' shows the trials and tribulations of Annie and Joy. The show airs on Hulu.
