Castle Rock S01E07 "The Queen" Recap

The episode opens with Ruth continuing the final scene from the previous episode. She is hiding in the storage shed, but then the scene shifts to other various expositional scenes from throughout the season and Ruth's life in general. Some scenes previously seen are re-told from her perspective, and in general we gain a greater insight into her character, especially past the disease with which she has been struggling.

Some other aspects that are presented are her life with Henry when he was just a child, as well as the introduction of the Kid and his return to her house from his previous stay in the psychiatric facility that is not burning down.

Ruth remembers how Matthew Deaver spoke of hearing "the voice of God" for the first time and the relationship she has with Alan Pangborn.

When she spoke with Wendell to explain her condition, she shares how the chess pieces she has act as totems so she can remember what's what as best she can while she struggles to maintain her cognitive stability. Wendell interprets her dementia using a VR game, saying the Ruth is a "timewalker" who must defeat her nemesis. This foe is Matthew Deaver, whom she sees in the Kid.

In the present, Ruth sends Wendell away for his own protection so she can confront her foe. Molly tries to call in and see if she can help. It's revealed that Ruth always knew that Molly killed Matthew and tells her she did the right thing. But Ruth won't let Molly in and decides she wants to defeat her nemesis, Matthew (whom she thinks the Kid is a resurrected version of him). He knows personal details about Ruth, including the song that played at her wedding with Matthew and the combination to the upstairs safe (it's her birthday).

The Kid makes dinner for Ruth and expresses concern about her wellbeing given her condition. He gives her a sedative so she can hopefully get some sleep and rest but she only pretends to do so. She asks the Kid to draw her a bath and uses the distraction to run off and find her revolver. She struggles to remember where she left the bullets but after various sequences of going through her memories she is able to remember that they are hidden in the suitcase buried outside.

Returning to the point of Ruth hiding in the shed, she is holding her loaded revolver and is prepared to shoot the Kid whenever he comes in. Instead, she ends up accidentally shooting and killing Alan Pangborn when he enters the shed.

Castle Rock premieres new episodes on Wednesdays on Hulu.