NOS4A2 Recap (S02E07): Cripple Creek

There’s more than one monster on NOS4A2. Bing Partridge (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) is one of them. In “Cripple Creek,” Bing comes to terms with his role in Charlie Manx’s (Zachary Quinto) grand scheme.

Charlie has Wayne McQueen (Jason David), but it wasn’t easy. Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings) had help from Lou (Jonathan Langdon) and Chris McQueen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Chris started shooting at the Wraith, forcing Charlie to leave in a hurry. And to leave Bing behind.

BING

Bing is upset with Charlie Manx for leaving him behind at the lake house. He knows he is good, and he’s done everything he can to help Mr. Manx. So why was he left behind? Bing was shot in the shoulder and ran from the lake house. When Bing gets a chance to stop and think, he realizes that Mr. Manx is just using him.

Bing steals a truck and drives to the junkyard. He sees Charlie get out of the Wraith and walks up to gas him. When Charlie wakes up, he’s old and tied up in a garage. Bing lets Charlie know that he’s not happy with him. Charlie reminds Bing of their purpose, but Bing is too upset to listen. Bing has disconnected the ignition coil to the Wraith so Charlie can’t escape. He says it’s time to have an honest conversation.

Bing wants to know what happened to Mr. Manx’s former assistants. Mr. Manx admits that they are all dead. He killed them. None of them went to Christmasland because Christmasland is for children. Charlie Manx has no intentions of taking Bing Partridge to Christmasland. This makes Bing very mad.

MILLIE

Millie Manx (Mattea Conforti) sits by the phone in Christmasland when the lights start flickering again. She goes to her mother’s house to find out why. Cassie (Celeste Arias) explains that when Charlie died, his mind became unstable. Christmasland is unstable too. Charlie’s deepest fears reside in Cassie’s house, and they are trying to get out. Cassie takes Millie to meet herself, as a human. The two girls open Christmas presents together and play.

YOUNG CHARLIE

We knew Young Charlie (Aidan Pierce Brennan) had a rough childhood. It’s obvious that he hates his mother. She was a prostitute and Charlie had to live at the brothel. There were other kids living there, most of them younger than Charlie. An older man who owned the general store in town, Mr. Tim (Gary Wilmes), offered Charlie a job rounding up boys to help with odd jobs. Mr. Tim offered Charlie a nickel for each boy. Charlie wanted a sled at the general store. His mother saw him take a nickel and told him that she would go with him when he saved enough money.

CASSIE

Millie and Millicent continue to play with dolls. Millicent starts talking about growing up. She has a dream of being a pilot and seeing the world. Millie doesn’t understand the concept but when Millicent says she will be free, that’s what Millie wants. Millie figures out that Millicent is her before she went to Christmasland. Cassie explains that Charlie gave her the gift of eternal childhood so Millie will never grow up. She pins a cat to Millie’s lapel. If she grows up, Millie will become his greatest fear… a woman. Cassie tells Millie to get out of Christmasland. It’s falling apart. If Charlie dies, Millie will die too.

CRAIG

Craig (Dalton Harrod) is still in the car with Wayne and tries to help him remember Vic. The car is making Wayne forget, and any mention of the word “mother” makes Wayne mad. Craig shares his own memories of Vic and that helps Wayne remember fond memories. He also asks about Lou and their home.

Bing beats up Charlie for lying to him. Charlie continues to lie to get free, but Bing has the upper hand. Charlie tries to reason with him, saying his purpose was the mission. He has to save Wayne. Bing isn’t buying it and continues to beat on Charlie. When Charlie gets the chance, he tries telling Bing why he’s special. Bing thinks he’s just trying to sweet talk him. Instead Charlie tells him about Mr. Tim. He says Mr. Tim mishandled him, and his mother did nothing about it. The same way that Bing’s parents treated him. They are both children unsaved. It’s too late for them, so they have to save those who still have time.

Charlie hits a soft spot when he calls Bing his partner. Bing decides to reconnect the Wraith. When he sees Wayne, the boy is sad and asking for his mom. Bing’s first reaction is to say that Vic hurt Wayne. But Wayne replies that it’s Bing and Charlie Manx who are hurting him. Wayne says he wants his mom. He just wants to go home and pleads with Bing to let him go. Bing closes the hood without reconnecting the coil

MR. MANX

Bing returns to Charlie and has changed his mind. He wants to take Wayne home, but Charlie promises Wayne will be fine. Bing knows Charlie gets better while the children get sick. He uses them. Charlie explains that he has to use them to stay healthy so he can take care of the park and the children. But Bing says it’s more lies.

Bing calls Charlie a bad father. He knows how to change that though. Bing has a fetish. He uses the gas to knock out his victims and then sexally abuses them until they tell him that they love him. He plans to do the same to Charlie Manx. Bing moves the Wraith, then gets ready to rape Charlie.

Charlie says Bing is a monster like him. He didn’t need to take Mike because no one said his father was bad. He took him anyway. Charlie says if he deserves death, then Bing deserves worse. Bing agrees that they are both monsters and then puts Charlie to sleep. Bing drags Charlie outside to the Wraith. He puts him in and lets Wayne out. Charlie realizes that Bing plans to demolish the Wraith.

MR. TIM

On Christmas day, Young Charlie got his sled. He got up early to try it out. When he returned to the brothel, Mr. Tim was waiting for him. He asked Charlie to pour him a whiskey, then trapped him behind the bar. He proceeded to take advantage of Charlie. After Mr. Tim finished, Charlie killed him with his new sled.

Charlie’s mother found him before anyone else did. Charlie wanted to run, but his mother said they could get help. She said everybody knew that Mr. Tim was a pervert. Charlie didn’t know. He’s is more upset that his mother knew. He blamed her for what happened to him. Charlie asked why she didn’t protect him, and his eyes turned to white noise. There were three angry snowmen outside the window. They watched as Charlie killed his mother.

WAYNE

Charlie tries to plead with Bing, saying he is all that Millie has. Bing doesn’t believe him, so Charlie asks Wayne for help. Wayne just smiles and plays with a tire. Bing closes the door and starts the crusher. Wayne is amused and wants to play with Bing. Bing tells him to go to the street to get help. And to tell the police that Vic McQueen is his mom. The mention of his mom’s name makes Wayne snap out of his trance. Bing sends the message that he’s sorry for everything he did to Vic McQueen.

Bing puts the gas can in the car with Charlie. Wayne giggles at Charlie Manx. Bing puts on his mask and gets in the car. He tells Charlie to tell him that he loves him. Charlie says it and falls asleep. Bing takes off his mask and gets ready for the crusher to kill them both and it stops. Wayne hit the stop button!

Wayne wakes up Charlie and unties him. Charlie puts the ignition coil back in the car. Bing wakes up and sees Charlie is awake. He gets out of the Wraith and runs away. Charlie regains his strength. He tells Wayne to get back in the car. Craig is in the car and tells Wayne to run. Wayne gets in after Charlie mentions Christmasland. As soon as Charlie closes the door, Wayne realizes he’s made a mistake. Craig tells him to keep remembering his mother.

Charlie chases down Bing and stabs him. He says Bing is not special. Bing will die there unless the police find him first. He hopes they do, because prison is a better place for monsters like Bing. Charlie tells Bing to think of him at Christmas time and leaves.

NOS4A2 Images provided by AMC

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Noetta Harjo

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News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.

GGA's resident Indigenerd, a little bit rez, a little bit classy...with a love for all things Star Wars, zombies, science fiction, and Indigenous. My ultimate goal is to start my own podcast.

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