Castle Rock Season 2 ending explained: Angel is not about dominance but manipulation

Castle Rock season 2 wrapped up on December 11, 2019. The finale episode, titled 'Clean,' chooses not to solve mysteries but shows how evil works in Castle Rock. The show expands its theme that evil doesn't work with logic, but by infecting vulnerable people. The Angel isn't a traditional villain with a clear goal, but a corrupting force with something ancient and manipulative.

The show, by its end, reveals that the Angel rarely acts directly but by tempting people who are vulnerable and isolated. He introduces himself as someone who could fill others' lives with belonging, purpose, or love in exchange for violence. Lastly, the show also touches upon Annie and Joy's relationship, ending their arcs.

Read on to know the complete ending explained of Castle Rock.

What happens by the end of Castle Rock?

As mentioned, Castle Rock is set in Stephen King’s fictional Maine town. By the end, the show chooses not to answer its mysteries, but to make it evident to the viewers how this evil force works. The Angel's “plan” feels vague, as his power isn’t domination but persuasion.

Castle Rock also confirmed that the Angel is the same as the Kid from season 1, however, not literally. Angel or Kid is a single entity across realities, signifying a constant presence but in varied forms. It manifests differently depending on circumstances.

Moreover, the evil force doesn't experience time like humans, and this is the reason he could be imprisoned, as happened in season 1. However, it only later that we realised that his captivity wasn't his weakness but another act of manipulation.

The end of Castle Rock reveals that The Angel needs belief, doubt, and choice. When Kid was in prison, he influenced the Warden Lacy, while Dennis Zalewski doubts the system, and Kid provokes him towards violence. When Amity Lambert is rejected, the Angel further manipulates her, giving her more love and purpose. Angel influences people in a way that they end up working for him, while he doesn't need his chains broken.

Castle Rock returned to Annie-Joy's relationship by the finale

Castle Rock finale portrays Joy and Annie's relationship. Annie is traumatised, and her mental illness led to Joy's departure from her. She decides to live alone to escape her mother's behaviour. On the other hand, Annie ends up believing that Joy is possessed by Amity and needs saving.

Annie is also hallucinating about her mother, who is confirming her belief that the 'filth' Annie sees in Joy is real. By the end, Annie ends up harming Joy, and this transforms her from a traumatised woman to a dangerous one who will later terrorize Paul Sheldon in Misery.

Meanwhile, Joy is planning her escape, hoping to run away, heal, and live independently. The letter by her reveals that she dreams about living a better life away from the town and reconnecting with her mother, whom she truly loved. However, this doesn't happen. The last scene of the mother-daughter duo blurs the line between imagination and reality, with Annie believing she is saving her daughter and ultimately completely losing control over reality.

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The show makes us see things through Annie's lens while costing Joy's voice. This makes the viewers see the danger Annie has become. What remains of Joy exists in her drawings and letters, which express her desire to live and her love for Annie.

At this point, Annie gives herself fully to the obsession. Joy is gone, and with her, the one force that could have brought Annie back is no more. We also get to know why the Misery novels were so deeply important for Annie. The book was a way of grief with which Annie Wilkes used to keep her daughter alive.

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