S4E7 — "Best Laid Plans"

Air date: June 7, 2026 · Director: Jeff Renfroe · Writer: John Griffin & Brigitte Hales

Synopsis

Tabitha Matthews tells Julie Matthews and Ethan Matthews that she is Miranda's reincarnation, while Boyd Stevens tells Victor Kavanaugh and Henry Kavanaugh the same — a revelation that upsets Henry, who is still grieving Miranda after forty years. Jade Herrera then informs the townspeople about his and Tabitha's past lives and the need to save the sacrificed children, but the residents are skeptical, unwilling to embrace a story so far outside their experience.

Boyd plans to use one of the totems that proved effective against the straw dolls against the creatures, hoping the same weapon will work on the town's original monsters. Victor takes Tabitha and Ethan to the Man in Yellow's car, where he finds a sack of teeth and becomes distressed, fearing history may be repeating itself: like Miranda, Tabitha arrived with a son and a daughter, and the Man in Yellow has returned — which implies Ethan may end up alone as Victor once did. Henry, meanwhile, experiences vivid visions of waking in the real world after a coma, visions that will increasingly blur the line between dream and reality for him.

Kenny stabs a creature with the totem, but it has no effect — the weapon that destroyed the dolls does nothing to the creatures — and he is cornered by Smiley. Fatima Hassan manages to control the creature, and Kenny reaches safety, marking the first demonstration of her strange power over Smiley. Sophia, continuing her campaign, reanimates Roger as a creature, who attacks Colony House; Elgin Williams kills him with another totem, proving the totems work on the reanimated dead even if they fail against the original creatures.

Key Events

Tabitha tells Julie and Ethan she is Miranda's reincarnation; Boyd tells Victor and Henry the same, upsetting Henry.
Jade tells the townspeople about the past lives and the need to save the sacrificed children; they remain skeptical.
Boyd plans to use a totem against the creatures, hoping the straw-doll weapon will work.
Victor takes Tabitha and Ethan to the Man in Yellow's car, where he finds a sack of teeth and fears history is repeating itself — Ethan may end up alone as Victor once was.
Henry experiences vivid visions of waking in the real world after a coma.
Kenny stabs a creature with the totem to no effect and is cornered by Smiley; Fatima controls Smiley, allowing Kenny to escape.
Sophia reanimates Roger as a creature, who attacks Colony House; Elgin kills him with another totem.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

The totems that kill the straw dolls have no effect on the creatures — the two threats obey different rules.
The totems do work on Sophia's reanimated dead, establishing a hierarchy of vulnerabilities.
Fatima can control Smiley — her connection to the creature, first hinted at with the golem, is now demonstrated and will become a major asset and fear.
Victor fears a repeating pattern: Miranda's children were lost to the Man in Yellow, and Tabitha's arrival with a son and daughter mirrors the old tragedy.
Henry's coma visions begin in earnest, setting up the question of whether the town is real or something he created.

Locations

The Man in Yellow's car — where the sack of teeth is found
Colony House — attacked by reanimated Roger
The town streets — Kenny's confrontation with Smiley
The diner (town meeting)

Deaths

Roger — killed a second time, by Elgin with a totem, after Sophia reanimated his corpse as a creature.