Sumith Prasad
The seventh episode of FX on Hulu’s thriller series ‘The Patient,’ titled ‘Kaddish,’ follows the aftermath of Elias’ death. Alan Strauss hopes that authorities will arrive at any moment to arrest Sam Fortner after finding the note he puts inside Elias’ mouth. Sam struggles to make peace with killing Elias as he tries to figure out how to deal with the uneasiness he feels. Alan continues to think about his dead therapist Charlie as he tries to find a way to deal with the predicament he is in. The engrossing episode ends with significant revelations and we have decoded the same for you. Let us share our thoughts!
The Patient Episode 7 Recap
‘Kaddish’ begins with Alan dreaming about being in a concentration camp with his son Ezra. He tries to figure out the meaning of the same through his imaginary conversation with Charlie. The therapist expresses his anger towards his son for abandoning him and his wife Beth from his life after becoming an orthodox Jewish. He tries to recite the prayer named Kaddish out loud but realizes that he has forgotten it. Alan also thinks about authorities finding the note and arriving at Sam’s house to rescue him and probably kill the serial killer. In addition, he also thinks about the worst possible scenario of Sam finding the note before leaving Elias’ body somewhere, which may motivate Sam to kill him.
Sam, meanwhile, meets a professor named Mr. Buchella from his past and asks him whether he remembers anything about his childhood. He also reveals to the professor that he hasn’t been feeling good lately. Sam wants him to be his therapist and Mr. Buchella promises to think about it. Sam also asks him whether it will be good for him to stay with his therapist and Mr. Buchella replies that it would be a bad idea. Candace Fortner receives a call from her son out of the blue and Sam asks his mother whether there was anything wrong with him while he was growing up.
The Patient Episode 7 Ending: What Happens to Elias’ Body? Will the Police Find Alan’s Note?
When Sam kills Elias, Alan tells the serial killer that he has to show empathy toward the family of the deceased and leaves the dead body for them to see him one last time. It also gives Alan an opportunity to write a note and put the same in Elias’ mouth so that the police will be able to find and rescue him. However, Sam doesn’t follow Alan’s instructions since he encounters a truck driver when he arrives at a place to dump the dead body. Sam doesn’t want the driver to recognize him and give a lead to the police to arrest him. Thus, he keeps the body in a secure location.
Although Sam doesn’t reveal where the body is kept or what really happened to it, he may haven’t buried or disposed of it yet. From what he reveals to Alan, it is clear that the body is safe and Alan may succeed in persuading the serial killer to move forward with the plan on another day. He may even be able to do it since Sam is filled with the guilt of killing Elias. He even feels empathetic towards the family of the deceased. Since Elias’ death has rocked him severely, Alan may be able to take advantage of the same and influence the serial killer to leave the body for the sake of the dead man’s family.
If that’s the case, the police may find Alan’s note and rescue him from the serial killer. Having said that, the possibility of Sam finding the note before he leaves the body behind for Elias’ family is higher than ever, especially since the body is under his custody. If Sam tries to clean the body to eliminate anything and everything that can lead the authorities to him, there is a good chance that he will find the note.
Will Sam Kill Himself?
After killing Elias, Sam hasn’t been the same. Instead of satisfying his homicidal urges, Sam triggers waves of guilt by killing the “restaurant guy,” which unsettles him. The seed of empathy that Alan sees in Sam grows enough to make Sam realize that he has done something he shouldn’t have done. More than anything, Sam realizes that he doesn’t have any authority over his life since he is controlled by his homicidal urges. After talking to his mother Candace and ex-wife Mary, he realizes that he hasn’t been good enough to people who were or are closest to him.
Sam then stands on a bridge and looks at the flowing river, seemingly thinking about jumping from the bridge to kill himself. Even though thoughts about the same pass through his mind, killing himself may be Sam’s last resort. He may try his best to reform himself with the help of Alan or even Mr. Buchella and if it is not happening, suicide can be the end of Sam’s life. The serial killer may not want to live all his life as a slave to his homicidal urges, especially when guilt is catching up on him. But if Alan manages to persuade him to leave Elias’ body somewhere and the police find the therapist’s note, they may arrest him before Sam kills himself.
Alan may also need to decide whether he should help Sam with his suicidal thoughts as a therapist since he may not want to help his potential killer as a person. Thus, Sam’s fate may also depend upon what Alan chooses to do with the former’s suicidal impulses.
Read More: Is The Patient Based on a True Story?
