My recaps of Damien tend to be very short. Part of this
is because I am rapidly running out of fucks to give about this show (and, to
be fair, I didn’t exactly have a huge number to begin with) – but it’s mainly
because very little happens. As I’ve said time and again it’s all about the
ominousness and the theme and the darkness which is all well and good – but it’s
kind of already known. No-one going into this show is not aware what’s going on
and just how much ominous foreshadowing do we need?
On top of this it has a whole lot of problems with the
ableism of it. This ominousness is constantly depicted by having numerous mentallyill people babble ominous inanities. Doubled up on this episode with Damien
being in the secure psychiatric wing which means we get the classic horrendous depiction
of mentally ill people ranting and screaming and being tied up and bashing
their heads against various walls and generally utterly failing to be people
and instead being dramatic set dressing. This depiction is old, it’s vile and
it’s utterly dehumanising. Mentally ill people are not props to trot out every
time you need something to be suitably creepy or some nonsense to babble.
Even Damien’s own brushes with mental illness are more
about exposition and ominousness than an actual depiction of mental illness.
Which is annoying because they’re right he has been through some horrendous
things, he has suffered, he could very well have PTSD – but it’s all about the ominousness.
It’s another tool. Another prop.
We also have the introduction of Margot, someone precious
to John, possibly wife. She’s disabled, in a wheelchair and mentally ill –
which means she babbles more ominous semi-prophecy to Damien, of course she
does. In case you had trouble interpreting prop-babble, John’s after power and
to become one of Damien’s powerful lieutenants/generals/head honchos. Though,
really, did we need ominous prophetic babble to establish it.
While visiting, Damien also finds John’s murder temple
where he kills goats in the name of the antichrist. Why he wants a goat isn’t
quite explained but killing goats seems to be the done thing. I wonder where
the get these goats anyway, I mean chickens – yes, we’ve got loads of chickens,
but goats? I’d definitely be hard pressed to find a goat.
Anyway, Damien decides to leave one of these bloodstained implements on Margot’s lap as some kind of warning to John (after a confrontation earlier in which he points out John is an utter liar and totally on team Ann Rutlidge). And yes, this does mean Margot was used as a prop. Again.
John runs slightly quivering to Ann to beg her to
intercede and save her from the murdery antichrist who may be dangerous. He
wants the Meggido dagger which can kill Damien – though it takes all 7 to kill
him body and spirit, one can probably kill Damien and pass the magic on to
another antichrist. Ann doesn’t give it to John – but she does offer it to
Damien in case he actually wants to kill himself. Why offer this? Well John is
in it for the power, but Ann’s apparently a total Antichrist fangirl. Damien
considers it but since we have 3 episodes left this season, it should surprise
no-one that he doesn’t go through with it.
Meanwhile Detective James of the Death Wish continues to
be troubled by the various supernatyral occurrences that nearly killed his kid
(his partner, understandably, thinks he’s paranoid and wants him to see a
therapist because we’re throwing around mental illness all over this show
without any actual depiction. And, no, babbling, ranting props are not
depictions). He decides to double down on investigating Damien this time going
after his fellow college mates.
He discovers that one of Damien’s college mates was horrendously burned in a strange, secret club initiation (no, not one involving putting your cock in a dead pig’s mouth – there are some lows that even the antichrist won’t stoop to) which went wrong (butane was supposed to burn off while leaving the guy unscathed). Detective James tracks down the heavily scarred victim, Charles, who describes Damien as an extremely abusive bully who forced it on to him – though the guy who initially revealed the burning described Charles as worshipping Damien
Since goes on to horrible murder the snitch I think we
can guess which is more likely.
While Damien is gaining a fanclub – his paranoia is
driving off Amani and Simone. And Simone is found by Sister Greta – the exorcist
nun who is determined to discover if Damien is the antichrist. And probably
give him a good stabbing
