Nishan Chakrabartty
Situations get complicated as the narrative of the second season of ‘Servant’ reaches its denouement. We do have certain glimpses of the truth, which are like disjointed pieces of a puzzle. Leanne and George’s presence moves towards a conflict as there is a clash of faith between the cult members. The prodigal child and her uncle try to corner each other, with the turf being the Turners’ house. Julian is caught in these developments and reveals a moment from his past that is perhaps the source of his guilt. However, Dorothy tries her best to get back Jericho even in the face of weird developments. Let us try to unravel the knots in the narrative thread of episode 8. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Servant Season 2 Episode 8 Recap
Leanne is in her room watching videos of Dorothy reporting from a pageant show. It appears that she had participated in the show as a child and spots her mother in the video. George writes some incomprehensible letters on a wall with a transparent liquid. Dorothy believes that George will reunite her with Jericho on Christmas Eve. As Dorothy leaves George at his own self, he starts his “preparations.”
Julian does a background check on Leanne and finds out that her family was killed in a house fire. He takes a printout of the images from a local news archive and tries to talk to Leanne about her past. Julian proceeds to check George’s box and sees some strange objects, like a vial of a liquid and knife-like items. Eventually, he sits down with Leanne to talk to her regarding the strange developments. Leanne reveals some details about the cult and tells Julian that George and May were her chosen family.
Roscoe visits the Turners, and Dorothy is miffed at Sean as she knows about Roscoe’s identity. George seems to have subtle control over Roscoe. The private investigator praises the cult and obeys George’s order of not letting Dorothy into the house while the preparations are underway. Julian and Leanne have sex with each other, and in the moment of vulnerability, George enters the room. However, Leanne’s presence seems to affect him deeply.
Servant Season 2 Episode 8 Ending: Why Does George Run Away?
Throughout the episode, it seems that George will not leave the house without Leanne. Dorothy hinges on this fact and believes that Jericho will be brought back if he is allowed to do his “work.” She orders a Betamax player so that George can play the video for Leanne. However, George is preparing for a ritual. The writings on the wall, the pyre built in the basement, and his self-harm indicate the steps leading to a final culmination.
Moreover, the paste that George prepares works miraculously on Sean and heals his injured hand. He even chants some incoherent lines that make us believe that a ritual is indeed in place. The final act of the ritual can be assumed to be the confrontation between Leanne and George. He perhaps wants to draw blood from Leanne to complete his handiwork. This is evident when he sobs while sharpening the knife in a bathroom. However, Leanne wakes up, which accidentally lights a fire, scaring off George.
He can’t attack Leanne and is overpowered by an invisible aura that emanates from Leanne. He runs away but is struck down by an oncoming vehicle. Their confrontation can be understood as a clash of faith where Leanne emerges as the victor. Both have their own methods, but Leanne has a spontaneity that establishes a sinister aura around her. George can see through that but is unable to overpower Leanne. Maybe, the erstwhile nanny is indeed an infestation.
How Does Leanne’s Presence Affect Julian?
Until now, Julian was a symbol of pragmatism, trying to help Sean and Dorothy in their quest. His research leads him to the past of Leanne, and he decides to talk to her. Julian reveals that Dorothy had asked her to visit her house as she couldn’t handle the pressure of motherhood. Unfortunately, he was under the influence of drugs and couldn’t visit Dorothy.
This revelation tells us that all three characters’ choices were somehow linked to Jericho’s death. In a moment of vulnerability, Leanne also shares some facts about the cult, which points that she is indeed an outside inductee. When they both make love, Julian breaks down. Perhaps this is the first time we see Julian giving a glimpse into his own conundrum regarding Jericho’s fate. Moreover, it becomes clear that Leanne’s faith is different from the ways advocated by the cult.
For example, music plays an important part in this episode as Leanne calms herself through it — a notion different from the cult, that believes music is a dark temptation. She believes that terrible things happen for a reason and doesn’t believe in the conventional notions of God. Her religious fervor stems from the ideas emanating from her traumatic childhood. Through her tender ways, she can even manipulate Julian, who is a self-proclaimed atheist. It will be safe to assume that her machinations do not just pertain to religiosity as there is something undescribed that hides beneath her innocent visage.
Read More: Servant Season 2 Episode 7 Recap and Ending, Explained
