Episode 2 of The Serpent kicks off with a chilling scene on March 1st, 1976. Knippenberg arrives at the morgue, confronting the gruesome sight of the dead bodies, remnants of a ghastly act of barbarism where the victims were set ablaze while still alive. Flashbacks reveal Marie-Andrée's fleeting presence in the room with the two tourists.
The missing letters from Willem and Lena arrive at the office, igniting Herman's determination to uncover their contents. Emotions cloud his judgment, making the journey to the police station a tumultuous one. The General refuses to open a case, but the officers reluctantly grant him permission to investigate on his own.
Back home, Angela finds Knippenberg deep in thought, poring over documents. As she sits with Herman, he reveals the Washington Post article confirming Alain's identity as a gem dealer, the same one mentioned in Willem and Helena's letters. A new thread in the investigation emerges.
Knippenberg's encounter with Paul Siemons leads him to Jurion, who also harbors interest in Alain. Knippenberg shares the gem dealer's story, unaware that a French woman had months earlier lodged accusations of drugging, robbery, and murder. Her visits to embassies enraged Herman, especially when he learned that no action was taken. In a fit of anger, Herman embarks on a frantic search for the French woman.
His persistence pays off when he receives a breakthrough from the British embassy. They inform him that the hysterical French woman had indeed visited and left a book filled with photographs, documents, and an unnamed phone number. Herman hands over the photo of the burned couple, chastising the official for his lack of compassion, and then storms off.
Spurred by this newfound motivation, Herman ventures to the apartment complex seeking answers. There, he comes across Nadine and Remi.
Meanwhile, in a separate timeline, we rewind to May 5th, 1975, ten months before the current events. Marie-Andrée accompanies Charles, alias Alain, on his boat. Once a war photographer, Charles captivates Marie-Andrée's attention. With her travel companions indisposed, Charles sees an opportunity to entice her into his world.
Months flew by, and Charles coaxed Marie-Andrée into joining him in Bangkok. Mere weeks later, Marie-Andrée found herself entangled with this cold and calculating man. Gone were the romantic whispers of Paris, replaced by a chill indifference. Worse still, having entrusted her finances to Charles, she was now alone and entirely dependent on his whims.
Charles lured Marie to the beach, promising a romantic escape. But it was all a ruse, as he instructed her to craft a facade, assuming the alias of Monique and adopting a penchant for fashion. This unsuspecting Australian couple fell victim to Charles' deviousness, and Marie watched in horror as he stole their belongings and left them slumped on the ground, vomit spewing out like a grotesque mosaic after drugging them.
Months dragged on, and Marie was ensnared in Alain's web of lies. She began to question everything, especially the elaborate narrative that led her to Bangkok. Finally, Charles revealed his true identity, confessing that he had taken everything he ever desired, gripping Marie's neck as he spoke.
As time unfolded, Marie-Andrée remained at Charles' mercy. This culminated in the arrival of Teresa at the complex. From afar, Marie watched helplessly as Charles led the girl away. The next morning, when Ajay and Charles returned without her, Marie inquired about their whereabouts. The news eventually broke that they had murdered Teresa, but Charles evaded the truth, assuring Marie that she had no cause for concern. Instead, he handed her money and instructed her to deposit it.
It dawned on Marie that Charles had been manipulating her throughout. This became evident when a Thai woman named Suda appeared, revealing her involvement with Charles. Determined to seek revenge, Marie began dancing with a man, who eventually collapsed on the floor. This brought us to the events of the first episode, where Marie and Charles jointly drugged a Turk.
We then flash forward to Teresa and Willem, who had been left in the aftermath of the previous episode. Marie apologized profusely as they realized, with horror, that they had been duped. As Willem tried to stand, he stumbled, only to be forcibly restrained by Charles and Ajay. With the door slammed shut, sickening blows echoed through the air, while Marie tried to drown out the noise with loud music and cigarette smoke.
