Episode 2 of Anthracite opens in the misty dawn of 1994. A man, stoic and resolute, willingly steps forward to endure a gruesome ritual. A figure, cloaked in a ram's mask, raises a heavy stone, ready to strike. Caleb, standing by, beats his chest in a primal rhythm, his chest heaving with each thudding beat.
Meanwhile, in the present, Ida steals a tender moment, planting a kiss on Jaro's lips to snap him out of his dazed state. As they flee, a shadowy figure in the same haunting ram mask watches, lurking in the shadows. Elsewhere, Solal's frantic flight through the dense forest is interrupted by the looming presence of someone brandishing a gun.
Romeo arrives on the scene, his brow furrowed with worry for Jaro. Ida spills the beans, revealing all she knows. He warns them that his sister, Gio, is a relentless hunter and his brother-in-law, Erwan, oversees the mysterious fire that the cops have dismissed as a mere gas leak. Ida's realization hits like a bolt of lightning; Caleb was trying to warn them.
With caution etched on their faces, they escort Romeo to the garage. Ida subjects him to a thorough interrogation, peeling back the layers of his past to ensure his trustworthiness. She tells his story in her matter-of-fact way, recounting his days as a professional biker, the accident that changed his life, and his subsequent imprisonment in the small town. Jaro chastises her for her apparent lack of empathy, but they press on, determined to sift through the tapes.
Juliette's ghostly figure flits across the screen again, her voice trembling as she speaks of being haunted in her sleep, desperate for healing. They pore over the SWAT team's footage, and their eyes widen in horror as they spy a child amidst the cult's ranks. The footage reveals that Mani, the cult kid, never settled in any foster home. They speculate that perhaps his parents were cult members who survived and are now the murderous perpetrators.
Meanwhile, Gio stands over the autopsy table, her face a mask of stoicism. The autopsy reveals that Emma escaped but was ultimately captured and thrown into the lake. The coroner discovers a chip implant lodged in her neck. As they gently extract it, her phone lights up, signaling that all data has been erased, accompanied by the ominous logo of Arcacia.
Gio heads to Arcacia with the chip, bracing herself for the locals' ire as they protest against the mining company. But the locals are less than cooperative, their anger and suspicion palpable. Back at the asylum, Caleb begins beating his chest, and soon, the rhythmic thudding echoes throughout the building, with everyone downstairs echoing the movement. The nurses arrive, their presence bringing a halt to the strange ritual.
Ida's cough intensified, prompting the boys to rush her to the hospital. Romeo desperately sought news from her doctor, Hari, despite their past relationship, but Hari remained cold and unresponsive. Malia longed for Jaro's voice, dialing his number, but her call was abruptly cut short by Anais's sharp gaze.
Uncle Claude, entrusted with picking up Jaro, firmly believed in his innocence regarding Emma's demise. As they traveled home, Jaro inquired about his mother, and Claude revealed their childhood visits to Caleb's extravagant parties. Caleb's selfish nature, however, remained a mystery to him, as he couldn't fathom why Juliette continually returned to his side. Upon reaching their destination, a masked figure suddenly appeared, prompting Jaro to give chase, but the intruder vanished into the night.
At home, Carmela, Gio's mother, heard rumors of her daughter's involvement with Arcacia and was deeply displeased. Carmela's anger was further fueled by the mining company's role in causing deformities in little Elias and Gio's tragic miscarriage.
Meanwhile, Erwan uncovered shocking revelations. Emma had been a part of Arcacia's paid clinical trials, and Jaro's DNA had been discovered on her person. Elsewhere, retired Captain Denis, the man who had handled Mani's case, caught a glimpse of the masked intruder. When his nurse went to investigate, the masked man grabbed her, leaving her unconscious.
Romeo and Jaro soon arrived at Denis's residence, seeking answers about Mani. They were horrified to find the nurse lying unconscious, while Denis brandished a gun, rambling about the cult. When Jaro showed him a photo, Denis identified the masked attacker.
Confused and bewildered, Gio was escorted by the boys to Ida's bedside. To their surprise, Ida had regained consciousness and claimed to have uncovered the culprit. Mani's video had revealed his Russian grandmother's singing, which Ida traced back to Vassili Derevko, her son, who had brought his family into Caleb's cult. Mani had fled at 15, ultimately succumbing to the cold.
Gio, however, found the entire sequence too convenient and instructed them to remain still until Derevko was found. But Ida had other plans. She boldly announced that the trio would attend the Levionna Festival, unaware of the danger that awaited them.
At the festival, Romeo's search for Derevko was interrupted by an unexpected encounter with Hari. Meanwhile, Anais and Malia arrived, hoping to mend fences with Jaro. But when the masked figure emerged, both men gave chase, leaving their partners disheartened. Ida took the stage, her presence intended to distract, but the festival was soon overrun by Arcacia protestors.
In the midst of the chaos, Jaro and Gio caught sight of the masked man and gave chase. To their horror, they discovered that the intruder was Denis. He held a bottle of poison, and as the festival came to a close, half of the attendees began coughing up blood, leaving Anthracite Episode 2 on a chilling note.
