Damien: Abattoir

Abattoir is the seventh episode of the supernatural drama series Damien. The series is based on the 1976 occult thriller film The Omen by director Richard Donner and serves as a contemporary sequel to the movie. The episode is directed by TJ Scott with a script written by Mark H. Kruger and Glen Mazzara. It first aired on A&E on Monday, April 18th, 2016 at 10:00 pm.

Synopsis
Damien Thorn awakens in the psycho ward of a hospital. After dealing with two other patients, both of whom claim to be Jesus, he is allowed to leave. Doctor Matthews tells him that he should not have survived and the fact that he is alive is nothing short of a miracle. Damien assures her that he will not attempt to kill himself again, "Wouldn't do any good anyway", he adds. James Shay inspects the swimming pool at his house, but cannot offer up any explanation for the mysterious face that impressed itself upon the pool lining. Driven to a state of near paranoia, he skulks about the estate and pulls his gun when a local child startles him.

Damien returns home to find Simone and Amani at his house. He is angry at both of them, and believes that they are conspiring against him. He then storms off to John Lyons' estate to confront him. Interrupting a social gathering, he accuses John of being in bed with Ann Rutledge. John admits that they both serve on the same board, but otherwise have nothing to do with one another. Damien doesn't believe him. John's invalid wife Margot speaks out from her wheelchair, professing to love Damien Thorn, and proclaiming herself as his loyal servant. John quickly wheels her away.

James Shay begins tracking down people who have past history with Damien Thorn. He finds a florist named Charles Powell who once roomed with Damien at boarding school. Shay asks him about a violent incident that took place at the school, but Charles denies this assertion, saying that nothing occurred between Damien and he.

Sister Greta Fraueva comes to the United States and finds Simone Baptiste. She beckons her inside of a church where she explains that she has learned about the visions Simone has had of late and believes that they are real. She goes on to show her a letter written to the Vatican by Carl Bugenhagen and Damien's father, Robert Thorn, warning them that Damien is the Antichrist. Simone remains silently shocked, but is slowly beginning to believe Greta's claims. James Shay goes to interview another of Damien's former classmates, Cray Marquand. Cray explains how Damien actually tortured Charles Powell as part of a hazing ritual gone wrong. He covered his hands with butane then set him on fire, burning most of his body. Shay returns to see Powell who admits the truth, but also implicates Cray in helping Damien hold him down.

Ann Rutledge comes to Damien Thorn's flat. She has with her one of the daggers of Megido - the only object that can kill the Antichrist. She proves herself a loyal servant and offers him the dagger, to see if death is what he truly desires. He has her place the point against his chest for a moment, then pushes her hand away.

Back at the Lyons' estate, John leads a coven of Satanists in offering up a literal sacrificial lamb. He slits the animal's throat in his slaughterhouse while reciting an incantation.

Cray Marquand goes to the Miller's Crossing racquetball club. While in the showers, he comes upon Charles Powell. Charles tells him that the police had come to him asking about Damien Thorn, but he admitted to telling them nothing, wishing for nothing more than to put the nightmare behind him. Cray goes to take a shower, and Charles takes one blade from a pair of scissors and stabs him repeatedly in the back until he falls over dead.

Notes & Trivia

 * Damien was developed for television by Glen Mazzara. Based on characters created by David Seltzer.


 * Co-executive producer and writer Mark Kruger is credited as Mark H. Kruger in this episode.


 * Director T.J. Scott is credited as TJ Scott in this episode.


 * Actress Megalyn Echikunwoke is credited as Megalyn E.K. in this episode.


 * This episode establishes that the events of The Omen feature film took place in the year 1991. The film itself was released in 1976.


 * This episode establishes that Damien Thorn cannot be killed through conventional means. Only the daggers of Megido can kill him.


 * This is the second and final appearance of Cray Marquand. He appeared last in the series premiere, "The Beast Rises".


 * This is the first appearance of Tara, who is Simone Baptiste's boss.

Allusions
An allusion is an incidental reference made to a character, person, event or other miscellaneous piece of media that can be found somewhere in the episode itself. In most cases, this refers to characters or events from previous episodes.
 * An abattoir is an old world term that means slaughterhouse. In the context of this episode, it refers to the sacrificial chamber in John Lyons' home.


 * Reference is made to Carl Bugenhagen in this episode. Bugenhagen is the man who gave the Megido daggers to Robert Robert Thorn. Seven daggers are required to destroy the Antichrist, but according to Ann Rutledge, only one is required to kill the Antichrist's human form.

Body count
The following includes a list of humans and animals that were killed during the course of this episode.
 * Cray Marquand - Stabbed in the back multiple times at Miller's Crossing racquetball club by Charles Powell.


 * Lamb - Throat slit by John Lyons as part of a sacrifice to Satan.