The Kid Returns to ‘Castle Rock’ — What Does It Mean for the Rest of Season 2?

[Warning: This article and video contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 7 of Castle Rock, “The Word.”]

Episode 7 of Castle Rock‘s wild second season revealed the biggest surprise yet as viewers were reintroduced to Bill Skarsgard‘s mysterious Kid.

While Season 1 left viewers perplexed in terms of what or who he is, we know that he’s some embodiment of pure evil as violence and death follow in his path. Anyone else remember that jail cell massacre?

Well, he resurfaced in the latest installment, not in the present, but in the past — 400 years back, to be exact. As fans will recall, the last time we saw the Kid, he was locked back up in the cage below Shawshank prison. When Pop Merrill (Tim Robbins) learns Ace (Paul Sparks) was snooping around in the institution’s basement, he asked to be brought down by a guard.

Season 1 vs. Season 2 (Credit: Hulu)

As predicted, there was no Kid in the cage this time around, but the guard noted the lock on the door and a pile of clothes inside. Perhaps there’s some traveling between dimensions and time as hinted in Season 1?

This installment serves to explain the motives behind Ace and his unusual band of assistants. These motives are based on an origin story featuring two shunned lovers — Pastor Augustin and Amity — who encounter an “angel” and follow His word.

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At the end of the episode, the “angel” who convinced Amity to sacrifice all of their followers with the promise to rise once more 400 years in the future was revealed to be Skarsgard’s character. As the hooded figure let his disguise fall away, it’s clear that whatever Ace — who is inhabited by the spirit of Pastor Augustin — is up to is no good.

Before the Kid reveal took place though, Ace and his followers — which are the spirits of Amity’s followers — unveiled a carved wooden statue of their “angel,” seemingly hypnotizing the whole town. A sound familiarly played during the first season begins to echo, and Pop knows something bad is on the horizon. So what could it all mean?

(Credit: Hulu)

We know that the “new” Ace plans to help resurrect Amity through Annie’s (Lizzy Caplan) body, that the Marsten House is being used as headquarters to their operation and they’re following terms set by the Kid via Amity. But not much else has been shared.

In the words of Pop as he tried to warn Abdi (Barkhad Abdi) of the coming storm, “Something’s wrong, something bad is coming. Listen to me, I’m old enough to remember things you can’t even f***ing imagine.”

(Credit: Hulu)

Considering what fans saw in Season 1, it’s safe to say we can imagine, but perhaps there’s room for answers to some unresolved questions? Don’t miss what is sure to be a thrilling final stretch of Season 2 episodes when Castle Rock debuts new installments each Wednesday.

Castle Rock, Season 2, New Episodes, Wednesdays, Hulu