WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the entirety of Midnight Mass, streaming now on Netflix.
In Netflix's Midnight Mass, many would assume the horrific beast in the show to be the vampire-like "angel" that Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) has brought back with him to Crockett Island. The creature's manipulating the priest to turn the island's inhabitants into its servants so they can then go to the mainland and spread the "holy word," aka vampirism, so it does feel like a clever puppet master, despite not being able to talk. However, as the seven episodes progress, it's clear the show's most terrifying monster is actually a human, Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan).
Early on, Bev discovers Paul's secret, in that he's bribed his way back home, bringing the vampiric angel in a trunk. She discerns he's also their old monsignor Pruitt who made the trip to Damascus, coming home with this "gift" of immortality for his beloved parish, which Bev sees as salvation. She thinks it's part of their ascension as chosen apostles, prepping for the afterlife and the heaven she's been inculcated with due to her Catholic fanaticism.
It's why Bev turns a blind eye to everything, enabling Paul to become a murderer, as it's all in the name of Christianity. In fact, in the moments Paul has a conscience, Bev's a devil on the shoulder to remind him the Bible and one's moral compass can be adjusted to suit the endgame. It pops up early on when she's found scowling and insulting Joe, the island's drunk who's struggling with a shooting accident where he crippled young Leeza. Bev poisons Joe's dog, using the excuse of getting rid of the island's cat infestation because she wants order, proving she's an extremist who believes in teaching infidels a lesson. It appears at a town meeting too when she demeans the Quran and Sheriff Hassan's faith, making it clear that Jesus' word is the only one to be preached, ergo why Hassan's son, Ali, has been gaslit.
The teacher, Erin, is pissed because like Riley, she abhors this manipulative, hypocritical, self-righteous and conniving attitude. It's not until Leeza's mom, Dolly, who is Black, takes the communion (as the wine contains the vampire's blood), that Bev warms up to her since she's seemingly racist and xenophobic. At this point, we see how Bev, who's also been given the immortal gift in her blood, doesn't want outsiders around, not unless they're in her pack to ensure the world's converted.
Nothing will derail Bev's godly mission, which leads to her covering up Joe's death when Paul gives in and feeds on him, forcing Wade and Sturge to discard the body in the sea. Inhumanely, She refers to Joe's corpse as "it," someone who doesn't deserve salvation in God's kingdom. While they balk at her egregiously despicable behavior, the way she slaps Sturge and forces him into the act shows she's indeed militant, which Paul puts into the play as he brings the citizens back from the dead after a mass suicide at the end.
This is where Bev really comes off as a tyrant, burning the island's homes with Sturge so the only haven people will have is their building; only vamps can stay there and any human who comes will be fed on. What sums up things perfectly is when one of the inhabitants is turned, Bev thinks despite them taking communion this one time, their refusal to come to the St. Patrick's church on other days means they're unworthy. She's Noah and that guy doesn't belong on their ark, which even shocks Paul, who thought he was doing a celestial duty. At this point, the town realizes they've been duped into becoming creatures of the night and that their "angel" might indeed be fallen or a devil, per Revelations, with Paul and Bev as false prophets.
But Bev doesn't care; she sees this as the path of virtue, but she is truly a coward. It's why she hid in the rectory when the resurrected began feeding on the congregation who didn't give in, and why when as the sun rises in the finale, she scrambles to hide in the sand. Ultimately, Bev knew she was sinning and committing acts of evil, but she somehow fooled herself into thinking she was more man than monster, above everyone else.
All seven episodes of Midnight Mass are streaming on Netflix.
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