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S2E7 — "Belly of the Beast"

Air date: June 4, 2023 · Director: Brad Turner · Writer: John Griffin (story by Griffin & Jeff Pinkner)

Synopsis

Boyd Stevens and Kristi Miller seek to capitalize on the apparent death of the Smiley creature. Kristi confirms to Fatima Hassan that she is pregnant — news Fatima has not yet shared with Ellis Stevens, since she was told she could never have children. Boyd, Kristi, and Kenny Liu drag the creature's body into the clinic for an autopsy over Kenny's objections. The body twitches at the first incision; inside, the creature proves to have human-like anatomy, shriveled and desiccated, with no blood at all — only bile leaking from its gallbladder, which the trio gathers as a potential weapon. Kenny confesses he cannot bear to watch Kristi put herself in danger and walks out; Boyd later offers him his badge back, but Kenny declines.

At Colony House, Dale remains imprisoned for stabbing Ellis, while Bakta demands assurances for the bus passengers. Jim Matthews finds an unlikely ally in the volatile Randall Kirkland: the two strip the antenna from the crashed RV so Randall's drone can fly it over the treeline, and Randall voices his suspicion that some townspeople may be "in on" the experiment. Tabitha Matthews and Jade Herrera compare visions over Jade's distillery; Jade tells her she is not being punished — they are just trapped in a messed-up place.

That night, Marielle Sinclair, suffering withdrawal, dreams of Smiley alive and of a music box. In Colony House, Elgin Williams tries Julie's bath trick and is pushed underwater by a terrifying corpse-like figure in a kimono — the first appearance of the Kimono Woman.

Key Events

  • Fatima learns she is pregnant and hides it from Ellis, convinced the town is mocking her; Donna's greenhouse speech reframes it as a miracle.
  • Boyd, Kristi, and Kenny haul Smiley's corpse into the clinic and perform the first autopsy of a creature.
  • The corpse twitches at the incision; it has human-like anatomy but no blood — only bile, which they collect as a possible weapon.
  • Kenny argues with Kristi and leaves, unwilling to watch her risk herself; Boyd offers him his badge, and Kenny refuses it.
  • Jim recruits Randall, and the two strip the RV's antenna to lift it over the treeline with the drone.
  • Randall suggests some residents may be conspirators in the experiment; he and Jim question Sara about Nathan's death.
  • Jade tells Tabitha his visions — the boulder, the Civil War soldiers, Christopher — all contain the symbol; she recognizes the journal from the tunnels.
  • Victor gives Ethan a measuring job in the woods; he notes the trees are losing their leaves for the first time — "change is usually bad."
  • Marielle's withdrawal worsens; she dreams of Smiley alive and a music box.
  • Elgin is held underwater in the bath by the Kimono Woman — the dream leaves him gasping for air.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

  • Autopsy findings: creatures have human-like anatomy, desiccated and bloodless; their only fluid is bile, collected as a potential poison.
  • Fatima is pregnant — something she was told could never happen; the town has given her a "miracle."
  • The Kimono Woman appears for the first time, drowning Elgin in a dream that leaves him coughing up water.
  • Marielle's nightmare of Smiley and the music box suggests the visions are spreading from Boyd.
  • Randall's paranoia: he suspects townspeople of being in on the experiment and doubts anyone truly dies.
  • The trees are losing their leaves — a change Victor has never seen in decades.

Locations

Deaths

  • None (the episode opens with the Smiley Creature already dead from S2E6; his corpse twitches during the autopsy but does not revive).

Lore & Mysteries