WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Mysterious Benedict Society Season 1, Episode 3, "Depends on the Wagon," streaming now on Disney+.
The second episode of Disney+'s The Mysterious Benedict Society revealed that the sinister Institute's headmaster is actually Mr. Benedict's missing twin brother, Dr. L.D. Curtain. The closest thing the series has a to a villain so far, Curtain throws a wrench in the works. The protagonists aren't sure who to trust when faced with an identical copy of their benefactor, who tells a story of betrayal and promises them safety. But Curtain's mysterious past makes him just as untrustworthy.
The Mysterious Benedict Society follows four orphan children brought together by narcoleptic genius Mr. Benedict to solve a crisis known as The Emergency, a vague conflict that's making everyone anxious. Mr. Benedict has uncovered a secret signal being broadcast underneath TV shows and radio programs that is increasing the world's anxiety, and has traced its origin to the Learning Institute for Veritas and Enlightenment. The Society goes undercover to join the school, where headmaster Dr. L.D. Curtain is finally revealed.
Dr. Curtain was born Nathaniel Benedict, twin brother to The Mysterious Benedict Society's eponymous character, Nicholas Benedict. The twins were orphaned but then separated from each other when they were only 12. The family that adopted Mr. Benedict did not have room to take on both brothers. While Mr. Benedict promised to return for him, Nathaniel felt betrayed by the experience and escaped the orphanage to make it on his own. When Mr. Benedict recounts this part of the story, he describes making good on his promise to return only to find that his brother had already left.
Since then, Nathaniel changed his name to L.D. Curtain, to hide as much as to distance himself from a name he felt betrayed by. Curtain kept a low profile, hiding from public records and photographs while studying a wide array of scientific fields and earning the "Dr." in his name. Mr. Benedict describes his brother as brilliant but troubled -- Curtain worked at an aeronautical institute on satellite communication, and has studied not only science and engineering but also philosophy. This path is what led him to the Institute.
Dr. Curtain was responsible for the raid on Mr. Benedict's home in Episode 1, and the continued surveillance that Milligan runs afoul of in Episode 3. It's clear that while Mr. Benedict had no knowledge of his brother, Dr. Curtain had been keeping tabs on his brother and had even worked to "contain" him. The fact that Dr. Curtain was unable to reach Mr. Benedict led to him speeding up the timetable on his yet-to-be-revealed grand plan.
But Dr. L.D. Curtain isn't only a sinister presence -- he's also a dad. Society member Reynie meets Curtain's adopted son, introduced as S.Q. Hiding away in Curtain's study, S.Q. seems kinder than other students, more willing to talk with Reynie. His relationship with his father is still unclear, aside from Curtain's paternal instinct to have his son eat more vegetables. This relationship humanizes Curtain, making his villainous nature even less certain and contributing to the Society's doubt.
Dr. Curtain is set up as a villainous character, possibly being responsible for the strange Institute and associated somehow with the subliminal messaging behind The Emergency. Even so, his familiar appearance and the fact that Mr. Benedict kept his twin a secret have planted the seeds of doubt in the Society's minds. As The Mysterious Benedict Society dives deeper into Dr. Curtain's secretive and unapproachable nature, his commitment to his roles as headmaster, father and brother will certainly be revealed.
The Mysterious Benedict Society stars Tony Hale, Kristen Schaal, Ryan Hurst, MaameYaa Boafo, Gia Sandhu, Seth Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, Mystic Inscho and Marta Kessler. New episodes air Fridays on Disney+.
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