Alight
Episode 5 of Devil In Ohio starts with graves being dug. It’s a really beautifully shot scene, as we’re diving into the past for a brief flashback. Specifically, we’re at the Edenville Settlement in West Virginia, Autumn 1922. A man drops a bible on the floor, noticing a strange crow on the spade he’s used to dig these graves. Ominous whispering seems to entrance him, as the words “follow me” see the guy leave the graveyard. As we zoom out, it’s immediately clear that this is an excerpt from the Book of Covenant, which we learn a little more about later in the episode. Meanwhile, we’re gearing up for Halloween in the Mathis household. Mae has been off with Victoria, the popular girl from school, leaving Jules on her own. As for Suzanne, she ends up finding a white nightgown stuffed down the side of the washing machine. This happens to be from when Mae head out in the middle of the night with the flower. Suzanne continues to blow off Dani when the poor girl asks for help or tries to talk to her mother, instead speaking to Jules who admits what happened several weeks back with Mae’s episode involving the flower. Suzanne sticks up for Mae and claims she “can’t help it” and that it stems back from the symbols Hawkins told Suzanne last episode. As for Mae, she shows up at the shrine and asks for a wish, burning a candle and praying. However, Suzanne appears and Mae admits she’s wishing to stay at the house. She also mentions a story about Caleb, who was enticed by a crow who told him that the path from darkness is lit by the light of Lucifer. Lucifer is the Granter of Wishes but he demands offerings, which appear in the form of sacrifices offered by the cult. Mary happens to be a woman in this story that, in order to keep herself pure, offered herself up as a willing sacrifice. She was marked and made her vow to marry The First Prophet. She dedicated her life to the flock, which coincides nicely with the Devil’s Own cult. Now, it turns out they all moved to Amon Town as their crops were failing and they needed to find more fruitful and abundant lands. Unfortunately, that appears to be happening again as the crops are failing in Amon Town so Mae has been sent out to try and marry the First Prophet. However, Mae is convinced that she’s broken the chain and she blames herself for that. When Lopez finds out about this story, he actually thinks this matches up to what’s happening in Amon Town. Unfortunately, Suzanne is forced to head into work meaning she’s going to miss trick or treating with the kids. This also causes friction with Peter’s big meeting with Cheryl about a prospective sale for the Windemere project. Instead, Suzanne decides to palm off Dani to Melissa’s mum instead, with no other solution. As she heads to work for her shift, Peter arrives at Windemere and learns that the buyer is actually Cheryl herself. Now, the house is over-customized and way too expensive so she ends up “low-balling” him with an offer. It’s not going to blow anyone away but it’ll at least settle his debts. Unfortunately, when he heads to the bank, Peter finds out the loan is actually due in 6 days. There’s nothing he can do and if he can’t repay it in that time, they’re going to foreclose the property. Meanwhile, Lopez sets up a hidden camera by the sheriff’s office in Amon Town but it doesn’t take long for Wilkins to find it. However, that’s not actually the real play here. It turns out Lopez has a tracker on the camera and intends to let it lead him right to their leader. Once there, he watches (and takes photos of) a ritual involving a pig that’s sacrifice. While all of this is going on, there’s high school drama involving Mae and Jules who both show up as Carrie twins to the big bonfire. Mae inevitably overshadows Jules and grows closer to Sebastian. Jules is heartbroken but when she tries contacting Isaac, he shrugs her off. Dani is also left on her own when she wants to go trick or treating. Unfortunately, she appears to be watched from afar too in a rather ominous scene involving someone dressed as a scarecrow. Dani is pretty shook up but she hurries home on her own, just in time. Unfortunately, she begins having an allergic reaction to some candy she’s eaten and can’t reach her epipen. As for Jules though, she’s offered a ride home by a strange guy wearing a Purge mask. Unfortunately, he doesn’t take her home, he takes her where she “needs to be.” Whilst Dani is rushed to hospital, Peter receives an urgent call about his house. When he arrives, he finds Windemere going up in flames.
The Episode Review
We finally get to understand a little more about the cult and its inner workings here, with it immediately clear that Mae is this sacrificial lamb sent out to find the First Prophet. But in that case, did Mae actually escape or was she set free? It’s an interesting conundrum and it’ll be intriguing to see exactly how this one plays out in the episodes ahead. As we gear up for the business end of this season, there’s plenty more drama with the family, involving Jules’ kidnapping. Could she be on her way over to the cult in Amon Town? Either way, everything here is left on a precarious knife-edge. Regardless of what happens, it’s clear that the Dodd family are about to intensify their search for Mae, no matter who stands in their way.
