In this episode of The Exorcist, “Chapter Two: Lupus in Fabula,” Angela grows increasingly worried as the demon’s hold on Casey increases, Father Tomas is torn between his duty to the church and the promise he made to Angela, and Father Marcus tries to prepare Tomas for what is to come.
The creep factor is inching up in the Rance household. Angela wanders downstairs in the middle of the night to find Casey muttering in that demonic voice and feeling herself up. This demon is a bit of a perv. At least she’s not violating herself with a crucifix, but things can only get so graphic with a TV-14 rating. Whatever is lurking inside Casey — and I hope they give it a name soon — warns her that her mother is watching and that she has to wake up. Casey jerks out of her trance and doesn’t appear to have any idea what just happened.
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Ask and Ye Shall Not Receive
Father Tomas is trying to convince Bishop Egan (Brad Armacost) to sanction an exorcism for Casey. It’s been roughly a week since the incident in the attic, and Tomas claims that Casey has no memory of their little run-in. Katherine and Henry still don’t know what’s going on, and Angela is trying to collect evidence to sway the powers that be. Father Tomas presents the Bishop with a video Angela took of Casey getting to second base with herself.
The diocese has bigger issues at hand. Father Tomas was dropped into a dying parish, and he’s revitalized it. He’s making a name for himself, even starting a “Homeless to Houses” project that the Bishop feels could be replicated elsewhere. Father Tomas is the church’s golden boy. The Pope himself is set to visit Chicago in a month, and Tomas is on the welcoming committee. The Bishop wants Tomas to keep his energy on the job.
Tomas argues that Casey and her family are part of the job, but all the Bishop sees is a mentally-disturbed girl in need of psychiatric care. The Bishop also knows that Tomas paid a visit to Saint Aquinas and now one of their priests, Father Marcus, has gone missing.
Disturbances in the Rance Home Continue
Angela receives a call from Casey, but there’s only a ragged panting, which sends Angela home. She arrives to find the house empty, so she calls Casey’s phone. She finds it sitting on top of a pillow in her daughter’s room. Casey, Katherine and Henry return, having gone out for ice cream. Casey swears she didn’t call her mother and appears surprised to see her phone. When Angela retrieves it from the pillow, she discovers a centipede underneath, and when Katherine lifts the pillow, there’s a swarm of the creatures underneath.
Father Marcus Learns Thomas’ Weakness
Father Tomas returns to his apartment after a jog to find Father Marcus. Tomas questions why Marcus is there, and Marcus reminds Tomas that he came looking for help. Marcus wants to know if Father Tomas has told anyone else about Casey, and when Marcus learns that Tomas spoke to the Bishop, Marcus knows Egan’s response wasn’t a supportive one.
Tomas warns Marcus that the church is looking for him. but Marcus doesn’t flinch. It’s obvious he’s been on the bad side of his superiors for quite some time.
When Tomas isn’t in the mood for exchanging pleasantries, Marcus gets down to business. There are stages to any demonic possession, and he guesses that right now the demon has “gone possum,” gathering its strength, waiting to show its ratty teeth. When it does, Marcus will kill it while Tomas watches.
Tomas wants to know why Marcus was sent to Aquinas since it’s a holding cell for broken priests, but Marcus is cagey. He wants to know who Jessica is. He’s been snooping around Tomas’ apartment and found the letters Tomas has been receiving from this mystery woman.
Marcus tells Tomas that this demon will use shame as a weapon, and Tomas argues that he isn’t ashamed of his relationship with Jessica, claiming she’s only a friend. Marcus recites a few lines from one of Jessica’s letters, and it sounds more like a FWB-type situation.
Tomas and Jessica met in college and dated briefly. They graduated, she got married and he took his vows. He swears to Marcus that that’s the extent of their connection; it’s just the memory of something beautiful to him now. He wants to know if Marcus has ever given up something beautiful.
Marcus hasn’t had much in his life outside the church and demons. A flashback reveals that he was trained from an early age for the life he lives now. He calls Tomas foolish for saving those letters. Marcus knows that Jessica is important to Tomas, but what really concerns him is what else Tomas could be hiding. Marcus may not know, but the demon will. Exorcisms don’t just fail. The demon scatters or the possessed die. How Tomas conducts himself will determine what happens. Marcus tells Tomas to break it off with Jessica, for Casey’s sake.
The Chosen One
Casey’s life continues to ramble along with some normalcy. Her lacrosse team is engaged in a match with a rival school, and Katherine sits in the stands cheering her sister on. Alongside her is an older man who it would appear that only Casey can see.
Casey takes a few hits from an especially brutal competitor, but something finally snaps, and she manages to break the girl’s leg from downfield.
Angela comes home from work to find a cozy family scene. Kat, Casey and Henry are playing Jenga, and Henry is pretty lucid. Angela gets a frosty reception from Kat, so Casey tries to break the tension by discussing how Kat came to her game. Kat uses the opportunity to take a jab at Angela for not being there herself.
Angela learns about the girl’s leg snapping, and her concern is apparent enough for Kat to warn Casey that Angela might sic Father Tomas on her. Henry hasn’t been in the know about Angela’s meetings with Father Tomas, so Katherine tells her father that Angela went to the priest because her mother thought she was possessed by the devil.
Angela doesn’t deny her concern about Kat or Casey, stating that Kat has been recovering from the accident and Casey just isn’t herself. This causes Casey’s inner demon to make a brief appearance, pulling out a piece that should make the entire game collapse, but it merely wobbles as Casey stares down an obviously shaken Angela. Kat and Henry think it’s a fluke, but the other two members of the Rance household know better.
Angela goes to see Tomas to inform him that things are getting worse, specifically that Casey is able to hurt other people. He explains that Bishop Egan wants Casey to see a therapist, but Angela points out that Tomas knows that’s not the kind of help her daughter needs. He can’t deny what happened in the attic, but there are rules and procedures he has to follow. Tomas swears he’s on Angela’s side, but that isn’t enough. They need the church to be on their side too.
Angela decides to take some holy water and is caught in the act by Father Marcus. She doesn’t know him, but he makes no secret that he’s aware that she’s Casey’s mom. He advises her to put the holy water into Casey’s drinking water. It makes things hard on the demon and those who have to watch.
The entire Rance family has turned out to St. Anthony’s to feed the homeless, and Marcus uses the opportunity to have some contact with Casey. Their encounter is friendly and unremarkable.
It’s a homeless man who hones in on Casey, confronting her and saying she was chosen. He remarks that Casey is special, and he tries to touch her, which causes Father Marcus to come to Casey’s rescue and pull the man away. The man speaks Latin to Father Marcus, stating, “Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear.”
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Tomas is Torn
Tomas meets with Jessica (Mouzam Makkar). He’s torn about what to do. Bishop Egan is his mentor, but he trusts Marcus, even though he has no reason to. He wants Jessica’s advice, since she knows him better than anyone. Jessica isn’t eager to spend their time together talking about his work. The two have been pining for one another, and Jessica wants Tomas to do something about it, but he insists he can’t.
A Vessel for Nothing
Father Marcus goes looking for the homeless man from the church and comes across a little settlement of drifters. He encounters a woman who tells him that some may have said he was gone for good, but she knew he’d be back. Marcus doesn’t know her, but she, who speaks for a mysterious “we,” knows him. They feared him until he lost Gabriel. The little boy’s voice comes out of the woman’s mouth. Marcus grabs his cross and tries to pull an impromptu exorcism, but Marcus has lost his mojo. He’s no longer mighty Marcus, just a “vessel of nothing.”
A Seed Ready to Sprout
It’s time for family dinner in the Rance household, and Angela laces everyone’s water with the holy stuff. Casey doesn’t show any immediate signs of discomfort, but she excuses herself after dinner and vomits out of her family’s earshot. She also pulls a huge centipede out of her throat.
Realizing that something might be amiss, Casey takes to the front stoop for some fresh air, where she sees the man from her lacrosse match. She confides in him that she thinks something is wrong with her, but the man assures Casey that that isn’t the case. He’s obviously her guide in this little journey she’s embarking on, and Casey is immediately drawn to him, seeking comfort by resting her head on his shoulder. He wants her to tell him all about her troubles. Their connection has no basis other than her current predicament.
Marcus Confides in Tomas
Father Tomas looks through Marcus’ things and finds some pretty disturbing stuff. Let’s just say the guy has seen and done some unsavory things.
Marcus is more interested in talking about the homeless man at the church. He tells Tomas that the man could see the demon inside of Casey. The problem is bigger than they anticipated; there are many others besides Casey.
Father Tomas wants Marcus to leave, so Marcus decides to let the priest into his circle of trust. When Marcus was just 7 years old, his father killed his mother. Marcus went to a boy’s home but was then sold to the church. He spent four years with a man named Sean, and the first time they locked him in a room with a demon, he was only 12. Marcus felt relief because he finally had a purpose. Marcus actually saw God’s face once, at the moment of exorcism.
Marcus admits to Tomas that he’s not fit, but he swears on his life that he’ll try. Tomas admits that he saw Jessica, and he’s torn as well. They agree to try together and pray for strength for what is to come.
Sacrifices
What’s to come is a pretty nasty business. A group of men and women emerge from the homes of a neighborhood in Chicago where they’ve just massacred nine people and taken “parts” from all of the bodies.
Is Casey possessed by Satan himself? Is there a demon army gathering for the Pope’s arrival? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
The Exorcist season 1 airs Fridays at 9/8c on FOX. Want more news? Like our Exorcist page on Facebook.
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
