'Widow's Bay' Episode 7 Recap: Does Richard break the town's curse? A surprise twist changes everything
'Widow's Bay' delves into the titular town's dark past and its founder Richard Warren's attempts to break the town's curse. The comedy-horror series, created by Katie Dippold, centers on the events of the town, which is revealed to be haunted by mysterious forces. Episode 6 reveals that Richard made a deal with the devil to protect the town in the 1700s, and the latest installment sees him helping the town's mayor, Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), end the curse once and for all. However, an unexpected twist sets the stage for more surprises and chaos. Episode 7, titled 'Seasickness,' is written by Dave Harris and directed by Sam Donovan.
The episode picks up with Tom waking up 24 hours after consuming the island's hallucinogenic mushrooms. He soon learns that the local fisherman, Wyck, dug up Richard Warren's grave and found him alive, even though he was buried in the early 1700s. As the town's current Lord Island Protector, Tom is forced to meet the living Richard. The mayor convinces Richard to open his cylindrical pendant, which contains the covenant he signed to ensure the town's safety. He reveals that after the settlers arrived on the remote island centuries ago, they faced numerous obstacles and many starved to death. In a bid to save his people, Richard consumed the island's mushrooms, which allowed him to communicate with the demonic entity plaguing the island's residents. He signed a covenant with the evil forces to save the colony from a harsh winter in exchange for human sacrifice. The covenant also explains how Richard survived being buried alive.
Furthermore, Richard explains to Tom that there's only one way to end the island's curse. Tom must make sure that not a single man from Richard's bloodline survives. Since Richard is the only surviving member of his family, he agrees to sacrifice himself for the good of the town. He asks Tom to sail him out to sea beyond the boundary of the hex, which will ensure his death and free the island from its curse. Tom and Richard are joined on the mission by Wyck, and the trio sails out to sea. But since the island doesn't allow anyone to leave, they plan to stop their boat before the boundary called 'The Dead Zone' and continue the rest of the journey on a smaller boat. Before leaving, Wyck warns Tom that crossing the boundary won't be as easy as he learned from experience. Wyck discloses that he lost his friend Mark during a similar expedition when they tried to sail past the dead zone.
While out on the sea, Richard has a change of heart and tries to sabotage the plan to stay alive. He attacks Tom and Wyck, but they manage to send him back into the coffin before clearing the Dead Zone. After crossing the boundary, Tom opens the coffin to find Richard's body reduced to bones and dust, and begins celebrating his plan's success. The duo returns to shore, convinced that the curse has been lifted.
But a painting hanging on the wall at the hotel tells viewers something that Tom and Wyck are not yet privy to. The artwork depicts Richard's wife, Sarah, attempting to escape the island with her kids (in the 18th century), only to be swallowed by the sea. But one of her kids manages to survive and is seen being rescued. That person may have returned to the island as the sole surviving member of Richard's bloodline and likely continued their lineage to the present day. This means that the curse hasn't been lifted yet. Moreover, Episode 7 of 'Widow's Bay' also sets up another mystery related to Tom himself. Tom's son, Evan, rummages through his father's bedroom and finds pictures of him as a toddler with his mother, Lauren. But Tom told Evan that she died during childbirth. Why did he lie to his son, and how does his secret tie into the supernatural mystery at the heart of the story? Fans will learn more when the next episode releases on June 3.
