Episode 2 of *To Cook A Bear* opens with the somber sight of Hilda's lifeless body being carried back to the village. The ominous tale of the bear continues to circulate, casting a shadow of fear and mystery over the community, while the pastor remains resolute in his quest to uncover the truth. Determined to maintain order, he and Jussi agree to keep the gruesome details under wraps, partly to avoid spreading panic among the villagers and partly to prevent the potential perpetrator—if indeed there is one—from making a hasty escape.
As they conduct the autopsy, a chilling picture begins to emerge. Hilda's body bears signs of a violent struggle, with significant damage to the right side of her skull. Two inches above her head, they discover evidence of a tuft of hair that has been forcibly ripped out. It becomes painfully clear that Hilda fought fiercely for her life. Adding to the horror, there are indications of bleeding from her womb, painting a grim portrait of her final moments.
The evidence points towards a horrific death, meticulously staged to mimic a bear attack. A knife had been used on her back to create what appeared to be claw marks, using the myth of the bear as a convenient smokescreen for the murder.
The arrival of the Sheriff only adds to the tension. Far from being thorough, he hastily concludes that a bear was responsible, conducting barely any scrutiny. Irritated by the pastor's persistent questions, he eventually forces him to leave.
To further complicate matters, Dr. Sederin—the very person who would typically issue a death certificate in such harrowing circumstances—has left for Jokkmokk that morning. The timing is strikingly inconvenient, raising questions of whether it is merely a bad coincidence or if he is, in fact, fleeing the scene.
Either way, we catch a tantalizing, teasing glimpse suggesting that a mass murderer could very well be lurking out there. After all, whoever is committing these killings happens to possess a scrapbook brimming with locks of hair, and Hilda’s is merely the latest addition. When the bear is found dead and the investigation seems poised to wrap up conclusively, the Pastor isn’t so easily convinced and halts the proceedings. Brahe challenges him, daring the Pastor to open up the beast himself when doubts arise about whether this truly is the culprit. After all, if it were a man-eater, wouldn’t its stomach be filled with meat?
The only one with a stomach strong enough to sift through the blood and guts is the Pastor. As he does so, he confirms that the bear had consumed nothing but plants and vegetation. Moreover, the jaw doesn’t match the marks around Hilda’s neck—it’s about an inch too short. Jussi believes this to be sacrilege, an unholy act to meddle with the bear, but the Pastor views things through a very different lens. He’s clearly a shrewd man with a keen investigative mind, certain that a murderer is still on the loose.
Hilda’s mother feels no sorrow for her daughter and shrugs off the tragedy with callous indifference. However, the Pastor insists that she attend the funeral alongside Antii, her disabled son. They eventually arrive, interrupting the Pastor’s sermon midway. Meanwhile, the shopkeeper, Lindmark, draws quite a few sidelong glances and suspicious stares as he sobs, given his history with Hilda.
In the meantime, Nils Beronius congratulates Madam Sjodahl, the mill owner, on her supposed feat of subduing the bear. Yet, she too begins to doubt the official story, wondering if the true culprit might actually be a man. Beronius, however, is here to serve as her portrait artist, and he quickly returns to his task.
As for the Pastor, he engages in conversations with some of the local villagers, attempting to gauge who might know about Hilda’s death and who is keeping secrets. While this is unfolding, Brita arranges for the Pastor to take Lisa out with him the following day, along with Jussi. There’s a palpable tension in the air, given that Jussi is an adoptive son whom the Pastor has taken under his wing. He sees great potential in the boy, but Brita is far from pleased, reminding her husband that Lisa would make the perfect preacher. Yet, constrained by the societal ideals and gender norms of the time, the Pastor scoffs at the very notion.
Meanwhile, Jussi continues to find himself ensnared in trouble. After being caught in the woods with Maria in the last episode, this time he slinks around the barn and catches sight of her milking the cows. As he dashes away, Maria's mother delivers a stern rebuke to her daughter, insisting that Maria abandon any thoughts of attending the village dance that night. She's convinced that Hilda's death is God's retribution for sinful behavior.
Maria's friend, Jolina, manages to persuade Maria to go to the dance anyway, undeterred by her mother's strictness. The Pastor also has a word with Jussi about the dance, urging him to attend that evening and keep his eyes sharp. Specifically, he wants Jussi to identify anyone who might have been lurking in the fells recently, given the rare flowers found at the crime scene.
Interestingly, Maria and Jussi end up locking gazes on the dance floor. But before they can share a dance, the mad hatter himself makes his entrance. Beronius instantly commands attention, creating a dramatic scene over Maria and Jussi dancing together. On the sidelines, Roope seethes with anger.
In fact, Roope attempts to ambush Beronius that night, but the wily man swiftly turns the tables, threatening Roope and forcing him to slink away into the night. Beronius sneers, remarking that men like Roope always resort to violence.
Jussi arrives at the church late, barely able to meet Maria's eyes, and it seems that something significant transpired between them that remains unseen. During the service, a man bursts into the church with grave news: Jolina has been missing since the night of the dance.
