S3E1 — "Shatter"

Air date: September 22, 2024 · Director: Jack Bender · Writer: John Griffin (story by Griffin & Jeff Pinkner)

Synopsis

The third season opens in the outside world. Tabitha Matthews wakes alone in a hospital in Camden, Maine — the first resident confirmed to have reached the real world after leaving the town. Confused about how she got there and where to go next, she sneaks out of the hospital and follows the only lead she has: an address written at the bottom of Victor's lunchbox. It brings her to Henry Kavanaugh, Victor's elderly father, who has spent decades wondering what became of his wife Miranda and his children.

In the town, Jim Matthews and Kenny Liu search the woods for the lighthouse from which Tabitha disappeared. On the way they discover a previously unknown settlement — an abandoned cluster of structures deeper in the forest — and camp there for the night. Back at Colony House, Donna Raines finds that every remaining crop has rotted, leaving the farm animals as the town's only food source. With resources dwindling, Randall Kirkland and several other residents attempt to steal the animals, but Boyd Stevens talks them down.

That night, the creatures free the animals from their pens themselves, scattering livestock across the town to lure residents out of their homes. Jade Herrera and Victor Kavanaugh manage to save many of the smaller animals, while Boyd and Tian-Chen Liu escort a cow into the barn. After Boyd hangs a talisman inside, the creatures that were already hiding in the barn reveal themselves. They handcuff Boyd and force him to watch as they torture Tian-Chen to death — a deliberate cruelty aimed at the town's sheriff rather than a simple feeding.

Key Events

Tabitha wakes in a Camden, Maine hospital and sneaks out, unsure how she escaped the town or where to go.
She finds an address at the bottom of Victor's lunchbox and meets Henry Kavanaugh, Victor's father.
Jim and Kenny search for the lighthouse, discovering a previously undiscovered settlement in the forest where they camp overnight.
Donna discovers all remaining Colony House crops have rotted; the farm animals become the town's only food source.
Randall and several townspeople attempt to steal the animals; Boyd talks them down.
The creatures release the animals from their pens at night, using them as bait to draw residents outside.
Jade and Victor save many of the smaller animals while Boyd and Tian-Chen bring a cow to the barn.
Creatures already hiding in the barn handcuff Boyd and force him to watch Tian-Chen's torture and death.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

The outside world is real and reachable: Tabitha wakes in a hospital in Camden, Maine after being pushed from the lighthouse.
Victor's father, Henry Kavanaugh, is alive in Camden; the address on Victor's lunchbox leads Tabitha to him.
The town's food supply fails: Colony House's crops rot, leaving livestock as the only food source.
An abandoned settlement exists deeper in the forest, previously undiscovered by the residents.
The creatures can conceal themselves inside a building before a talisman is hung, and they can choose to torture victims rather than kill them outright.
The creatures used the livestock as bait, deliberately engineering the night's chaos.

Locations

Camden, Maine — hospital and Henry Kavanaugh's home
The town
Colony House
The settlement — newly discovered ruins in the forest
The barn

Deaths

Tian-Chen Liu — tortured to death by the creatures inside the barn while Boyd, handcuffed to a pillar, was forced to watch.