'Castle Rock' Season 2: Annie Wilkes to the devilish Kid, the stage is being set for some frightening showdowns
The grim and sinister world of 'Castle Rock' is growing darker by the minute. The season has been steadily amping up the horror elements, after providing the backstories of Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan), Pop Merrill (Tim Robbins) and the whole history of Castle Rock, which is connected to the devious Kid from the first season. Satanic body-snatchers are running wild in the town, while Annie is battling her own demons. It's not an easy time and the show is headed for a terrifying showdown between humans and these body-snatchers. But this might be only of one of the showdowns.
Annie Wilkes and Joy
Stephen King fans know that Annie Wilkes is one of the most diabolic characters in literary history. The ax-wielding nurse holds a famous author captive in the book 'Misery', after drugging him, and later chopping off his toes too. Yet, in the show, Annie seems to be rather different. She accidentally kills her father in a scuffle, and in a moment of panic stabs her stepmother Rita (Sara Gadon), and runs off with her baby. Sure, those actions are not by any means justified, but there is a stark difference between the book Annie and this one. Book Annie is devious and cunning, while Lizzy's Annie functions in panic and fright.
Yet, there's one redeeming factor about 'Castle Rock's Annie. She loves her daughter Joy (Elsie Fisher), and is willing to protect her against all the evil in the world, to the extent, that she gives herself up to the police after a misfired gunshot kills Rita. This emotional drama takes place while there are murderers on the loose in the town, mind you. And from the teasing hints that the creators had given, this could well be Annie Wilkes's origins story, though theories suggest otherwise. A final confrontation is waiting to happen between Annie and the body-snatchers, as well as a resolution of sorts between Annie and Joy. Will Joy be killed in all the chaos, and is that what paves the way for Misery's Annie? Or will Joy become Annie Wilkes of 'Misery?'
Pop Merrill, Nadia and Abdi
While Annie Wilkes and Joy struggle to deal with their ugly reality, Nadia (Yusra Warsama) is seething with anger as Pop Merrill never revealed the true story why he chose to adopt her and Abdi from war-torn Mogadishu. He had shot their mother point blank, thinking she was going to attack them. These emotional upheavals had taken center stage for a while, and the horrific satanic body-snatchers were going about their grim business in the background. Nadia's step-brother Ace (Paul Sparks) had been killed by Annie and was resurrected. He was possessed by Amity's lover (a woman from the 1600). He killed Nadia's lover Chris, who is also his brother, and has now inducted him into his grim cause. The family dramas are all set for a final climax with the satanists.
The Angel
The Kid from Season 1, played by Bill Skarsgaard is back. He is a malevolent enigma, and the latest episode of 'Castle Rock' revealed a little about his haunting backstory. He is the devil, and he convinced Amity to kill her own people in the 1600's. She carried out his instructions, which led to massive suicide in the town, and vowed that they would all return in 400 years, and would come back in new 'vessels' into a 'new world to conquer'. And that's exactly what is happening now, and there is a special purpose ready for Annie Wilkes, as the spirits need her body for 'higher purposes'.
The stage is set, the families are battling it out, and the monstrous elements are waiting for the final showdown in Castle Rock. Who will win this? Considering it's Castle Rock, a happy ending seems doubtful, as we all know that 'Misery' is just around the corner.
'Castle Rock' airs on Hulu, Wednesdays, at 12 am ET.