The season 1 finale of Evil teased Kristen Bouchard being possessed and season 2 is leaning into that with distinct personality changes. Fans didn’t have to wait long to get an answer about whether or not Kristen really did kill serial killer Orson LeRoux. Evil season 2 delivered an answer — Kristen confessed to the murder in therapy, but she’s been acting somewhat strange ever since. Does her behavior indicate she possession, or is something else going on?
Ever since the murder, Kristen has been acting rather aloof. She’s been engaged with her job, yes, but also incredibly distracted to the point of David Acosta picking up on something being off with her. Kristen is also emotionally detached, shrugging off killing LeRoux without any sense of regret. Evil has teased that these changes in her personality could be a side-effect of demonic possession. After all, a cross did burn her hand when Kristen made contact with it and the series has established that this could be a sign of possession. While the clues are there with regards to Kristen being possessed — especially since Leland Townsend, who engages with the demonic, is so fixated on her — it’s more likely that she is simply experiencing symptoms of PTSD.
Kristen has never killed anyone before and it’s possible she is, contrary to what she tells her therapist, traumatized by her actions. Despite her lack of remorse, Kristen’s reactions following what happened are unusual for her. However, if she was already possessed prior to killing LeRoux in season 1, she would have probably shown signs of it in advance. Evil has already shown Kristen reliving memories of the night she killed LeRoux, as well as avoiding the topic of his death altogether with Ben. While the latter could be because she doesn’t want Ben to find out about what she did, avoidance is also a symptom of PTSD, as are the changes in demeanor Kristen has been exhibiting in Evil season 2 thus far.
One of the great things about Evil is that it’s ambiguous; the series, which moved from CBS to Paramount+, mixes science, technology, mental health, and religion. Whenever the story seems to lean one way or the other, it offers another element that alters the audience’s perspective. Everything that has happened on the show thus far can be explained, which makes everything, no matter how supernatural it may seem initially, less demonic in nature. There’s even a reason for why Kristen received a rash after touching a cross, which Ben revealed was the result of the metal being overheated. Her behavior, which David and Ben are starting to pick up on, being explained as a mental health issue would also expand the show’s parameters, further blurring the lines of the supernatural and science.
Even if Kristen is actually possessed and doesn’t have PTSD, it’s unlikely Evil will confirm that she is as the series tends to maintain its ambivalence while also relying on facts. Audiences who want to believe she is possessed will see the signs, while those who see her actions following LeRoux’s death as being tied to PTSD are also justified. How far Evil season 2 will go in exploring Kristen’s psyche remains unclear, but her behavioral changes can certainly be attributed to post-traumatic stress.
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July 06, 2021 at 12:06AM
