Following the trio of captivating episodes last week, Castle Rock returns with a more measured, thoughtfully paced episode this week. While this episode delves into the backstories of several supporting characters, it ultimately stalls in advancing the main plot, except for the final five minutes. With Annie relegated to the sidelines and the majority of the drama centered around Nadia, Castle Rock seems poised to lose its promising early season momentum.
We are transported to 1993 in Somalia, where Abdi and Nadia frolic in the streets. Unfortunately, soldiers arrive and, after rounding them up, are forced to witness their mother being gunned down and killed for getting too close.
Meanwhile, Ace offers Joy a ride home on the streets but she declines, opting instead to scramble onto the bus as Ace watches from afar. Chance heads to Joy's house to pack up her things, while Joy herself pleads with Nadia to stay with her. This prompts Annie to head to her house and try speaking to Joy.
After a fruitless effort, Annie heads home and immediately hides from Ace pacing outside his house. His dog barks ferociously but undaunted, he gets in his truck and heads up to Marsten Estate. Back at his office, Pop reminisces on an old letter and, after swallowing hard, burns it, watching as it turns to cinders.
While Annie wallows in self-pity, Joy opens the lock to the chest she's taken from home and finds a gun, fake license plates, and a CD holding some files. As she looks through the material, Nadia heads to Pop's and starts looking around. She is stopped by Lance who tries to manhandle her only to receive a gun to the face for his trouble.
As Nadia leaves, Pop's party gets underway but as Ace shows up, he receives the cold shoulder from his Father. As the night wears on, Pop gets up and gives an impassioned speech about the Somali refugees he took under his wing: Abdi and Nadia.
As the festivities reach their midpoint, Ace steers Chris towards a church, where he weaves a tale of Jerusalem's Lot and its haunted history. The scene unfolds like a macabre tapestry, as we witness numerous influential figures in the town succumbing to a cult-like obsession and turning their deadly sights on unsuspecting victims. In a gruesome climax, Ace plunges a stake into Chris's belly, igniting a fierce battle between the two. Somehow managing to break free, Chris stumbles out, clutching his stomach and pleading for aid from the priest outside. But his plight is short-lived as he seizes a spiked cross and stabs Chris in the neck with it.
As the episode draws to a close, Nadis confronts Pop about her adoption, only to discover that he was the one who killed their mother in 1993. Her horror-stricken departure leaves Pop watching helplessly.
This week's Castle Rock episode takes a more contemplative turn, offering little in the way of plot progression but amping up the atmospheric tension surrounding the Marsten Estate. The sight of influential figures under a spell in Castle Rock is a poignant touch, and while the ties to Annie are yet to be fully revealed, the episode sets the stage for some gripping twists to come. It's early days yet, but Castle Rock manages to weave an enthralling narrative that promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
