Fox’s The Exorcist season two episode seven left off with the demon at least temporarily gaining control of Andy. Episode eight begins with an update on what’s happening to Andy’s foster kids while Father Tomas and Marcus work on exorcising the demon.
Titled “A Heaven of Hell,” episode eight kicks off with Rose (Li Jun Li) providing the kids with an update on Andy’s condition. She believes Andy’s fighting back but Verity’s worried the priests are making things worse. Three days in and nothing’s changed. Although the kids don’t want to leave, Rose needs to find them temporary homes. She informs them she’ll be taking them off the island.
Verity (Brianna Hildebrand) knows nothing will ever be the same since they all witnessed Andy killing someone. “We’re never going back,” states Verity.
Andy (John Cho) and Nicole (Alicia Witt) are snuggled in bed when he hears something. In reality, Father Tomas (Alfonso Herrera) and Marcus (Ben Daniels) are continuing to pray over his body in bed. The demon speaks to Marcus and Tomas, teasing knowledge of Marcus’ time with another young apprentice. Tomas has no idea what the demon is talking about.
The scene switches back to Andy and Nikki staring lovingly into each other’s eyes. He wonders how long they’ve been in bed together.
Elsewhere, Father Bennett (Kurt Egyiawan) is still bleeding and in terrible shape as Mouse (Zuleikha Robinson) drives them across the country. They need to locate Father Tomas and Marcus, and Father Bennett asks about her history with Marcus. She admits they worked together, but that’s all.
A flashback to the Isle of Iona, UK in 1999 reveals Mouse and Father Marcus’ backstory. A bearded, longer-haired Marcus and Mouse appear to be friends, and he reminds her she still has time to leave this life and do something more normal. Marcus calls her his “little church mouse” and asks if she wants to see their guest one more time. He assures her he would never let anything happen to her.
Flash-forward to Andy’s place and Marcus and Father Tomas are taking a coffee break. Marcus admits Mouse was a friend and that she took her vows to become a nun and then he moved on to another case. Father Tomas wonders why the demon would have brought that up, and Marcus brushes it off.
Over at the neighbor’s place, Caleb (Hunter Dillon) and Shelby (Alex Barima) talk to Russ Holstrom (Timothy Webber) and he assures them they shouldn’t worry too much. (Of course, he’s unaware of what’s really going on with Andy.) The Holstroms believe Andy has pneumonia and as Verity packs to leave with Rose, Colleen Holstrom is worried Verity’s giving up on her dream to go to college. When Verity says she’ll be homeless in six months, Colleen says Andy would never allow that to happen.
Meanwhile, Father Bennett’s condition has deteriorated. Mouse has no choice but to suspend their road trip to take him to a hospital. He’s intubated, sedated, and looks weak, but Mouse is anxious to leave soon.
Another flashback to Iona shows Mouse secretly entering the room of a possessed woman named Miriam (Lily Knight). Apparently, she sneaks into Miriam’s room often and Miriam wonders what would happen if Father Marcus knew. Mouse prays and the demon speaks, taunting Mouse and asking her if she wants to see the real face of God. Mouse gets too close and Miriam attacks.
Marcus visits Russ and Colleen’s place and admits to Rose they need help from the kids to reach Andy. Rose refuses, not wanting to put the kids in harm’s way. Marcus only wants one of the kids, confessing they’re losing Andy at this point. Verity’s been listening in from outside the room and steps forward to volunteer. She doesn’t want to look back on this and wonder if she could have helped save him.
Back at Andy’s, Father Tomas is caring for Andy on his own when he sees Nikki perched over Andy’s body on the bed. He closes his eyes and when he reopens them, she’s gone. However, he broke the water glass he was holding and now Andy has secretly taken a piece.
Marcus is walking back to Andy’s when Peter (Christopher Cousins) offers him a ride.
Once more to Iona and Father Marcus is tending to the now-possessed Mouse. He’s in tears and she apologizes for seeing Miriam behind his back. She begs him to let the demon take her. Father Marcus promises he won’t leave her and reminds her he’s never lost a soul. He makes small talk and then the demon teases him, saying it knows Father Marcus was thinking of breaking his vows with Mouse.
The demon blames Father Marcus for making Mouse ripe for the picking. The demon writhes sexually on the bed as Father Marcus backs away.
And back to current events… Marcus accepts Peter’s offer and Peter asks what’s really going on. He offers to help, but Marcus assures him they’re doing everything they can. Peter would like it if after it’s all over, they share a bottle of bourbon. Marcus thanks him for everything and it sounds as though he anticipates never seeing Peter again. They kiss and then Marcus returns to Andy’s house.
Rose shows up with Verity who’s attempting to be brave but is obviously freaked out. Marcus reminds her whatever it says is just the demon talking, using what it can against her. “Let the damn thing try,” says Verity before walking up the stairs to where Andy’s tied to the bed.
Verity says hi but Andy doesn’t reply. Verity talks about how Andy believed in her and that finally makes the Demon Andy laugh. He taunts her with her impending death – frozen, alone, and dead from a drug overdose. Nikki speaks through Andy next and she’s also cruel, saying she was glad she drowned so she wouldn’t have to see Verity again. Verity listens as Father Tomas whispers in her ear, telling her to reject the demon.
Verity steps closer to the bed, telling Andy she was a disappointment (rude, snotty, etc.). She acted that way to make Andy show he hated her, but he never did. She knows he loved her and she calls him a really good dad. Verity tells him he needs to fight to come back to them.
As she’s kneeling on the floor by the edge of the mattress, Andy’s gripping the piece of broken glass. (No one realizes he has it.) Verity bends over to kiss him and it appears Andy is still struggling with the demon. He doesn’t stab her with the glass but he’s in pain as he wrestles for control of his body. Andy warns them to get Verity out of the room as Father Tomas and Marcus continue the exorcism.
Outside, Rose compliments Verity, telling her she was incredible. They hug and then drive away, with Verity glancing back over her shoulder likely thinking she’ll never see this place she called home again.
Another flashback shows two priests (not Marcus) tending to Mouse. Father Marcus couldn’t finish the exorcism and left three weeks prior. Mouse is confused, unable to comprehend that Father Marcus took off while she was still possessed.
Now, Mouse gives Father Bennett a kiss on the forehead and leaves him in the hospital to heal.
Rose takes the kids to the dock as it’s time for them to start different lives.
Father Tomas is about to touch the dead body of Harper’s mom, currently housed in the bathtub under a blanket when Marcus enters the bathroom. Neither man have slept in days, but they refuse to stop now to rest.
The kids wait at the restaurant at the dock while Rose gets the tickets. When Rose returns, Verity’s gone. The kids admit she went back to get a book at the neighbors’ house. Rose leaves Shelby in charge and heads out to retrieve Verity.
Verity’s walking in the rain back to the Holstrom house because she needs the book Andy and Nikki gave her. She’s in tears, emotional, as she admits she threw it in the trash. She desperately wants to retrieve it. The book is the only thing she has from Andy and she refuses to leave the island without it. Rose agrees to drive her back to fetch it.
Inside Andy’s house, Marcus and Father Tomas continue the exorcism without much energy. The demon uses Mouse’s voice to get to Marcus and it works. Father Tomas has to hold Marcus back from attacking Andy. Marcus realizes they need rest and suggests they work in shifts. Father Tomas agrees – as long as he can go first.
Mouse is back on the road, but now she’s alone on her mission to catch up with Father Marcus.
Father Tomas sits on the edge of the bed, continuing to pray. He doesn’t notice Andy is ever so stealthily using the piece of glass to cut the rope holding his hand down to the bed.
Marcus relieves Father Tomas, and Father Tomas says he thinks Andy is defeating the demon. Marcus is in much better shape after the brief rest, and he informs Father Tomas he’s no longer an apprentice. Marcus believes Father Tomas is a full-fledged exorcist now. They stand together at the end of the bed, continuing the exorcism.
Shelby, Caleb, and Harper (Beatrice Kitsos) are waiting at the dock when the lights go out one by one.
Verity enters Russ and Colleen’s place, calling out that she forgot something. The lights don’t work and no one answers. Verity walks slowly through the house and heads upstairs to the room she was staying in. She retrieves the book from the trashcan and then hears Caleb’s bird crying from the next room. (Caleb left the bird in the Holstroms’ care.)
When Verity opens the door, the bird continues to act agitated. She hears a door close elsewhere and follows the noise.
Over at Andy’s, Marcus is asleep on the couch. There’s blood on the staircase and on the floor leading from the exorcism room. Andy is gone having freed himself from his restraints on the bed. Father Tomas has been lost in one of his visions, imagining the conversation about apprentices while in reality, Andy has left the house.
Verity walks around the Holstrom house and sees the front door is standing wide open. She calls out for Rose and then finds Russ and Colleen dead at their kitchen table. Rose comes toward Verity and whispers, “Run,” but it’s too late. Demon Andy enters the room behind her, looks at Verity with a slight smile, and says, “Hey, kiddo.”
More on The Exorcist:
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 1
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 2
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 3
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 4
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 5
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 6
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 7
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 9
– Recap of The Exorcist Season 2 Episode 10
– Interview with Ben Daniels, Alfonso Herrera and Kurt Egyiawan
– Interview with John Cho and Brianna Hildebrand
