Helstrom season 1, episode 9 recap – what happened in “Vessels”?

By Daniel Hart
Published: October 16, 2020 (Last updated: January 10, 2024)
0
View all
Helstrom Season 1 Recap
Helstrom Season 1 Image - Credit to Hulu
3

Summary

Episode 9 is a convoluted penultimate chapter that relies on plenty of exposition — luckily, it’s entertaining and leaves plenty of space for the finale.

This recap of Hulu’s Helstrom season 1, episode 9, “Vessels” contains significant spoilers.

We will be recapping every episode — check out the archive.


The opening

Gabriella wakes up next to Daimon and she does not remember where she is. When Daimon wakes up, he doesn’t remember how they got here either. Gabriella sees that it’s a room without a door. Suddenly, Gabriella remembers feeling something the night before — she heads to the bathroom to throw up. Suddenly, a speaker goes off and the priest tells them to save their strength — he tells Gabriella that she’s feeling morning sickness; she’s pregnant.

Well, this a twist for the ending of the series.

Caretaker returns

Ana is staying next to her mother’s bedside looking exhausted. She cannot get in touch with her brother and she’s wondering why he hasn’t shown up. Caretaker interrupts Louise at dinner and she hugs him. He explains how “The Blood” screwed them all. Caretaker states that Daimon and Ana are now safe and now he wants to ensure that Louise feels safe and to give her a fresh start. She insists she can’t yet until she’s finished treatment — Caretaker is so pleased that she’s finally willing to fight cancer.

Ana enters Daimon’s house and looks for him. She sees blood on the bed and in the bathroom. A faint noise stops her and then she finds the blade.

“I love you”

The penultimate chapter presents how bad it is for Gabriella; she’s now pivotal to Cathara’s plans.

Gabriella tells Daimon that they were weak the night before. Daimon tells her that what they shared was real and that the baby is not evil. He tells her that he loves her and Gabriella freaks out and suddenly realizes that he’s not Daimon. Daimon changes into Victoria and the demons injects her. They tie her into the bed. Cathara, otherwise known as Mother Evil, tells Gabriella that this is real.

The siblings figh

Episode 9 gives the audience the opportunity to see the siblings fight but not in the way we expected.

The possessed Daimon visits Victoria in the hospital. She thanks him for everything she’s done for him and reveals she is finally free. Daimon starts choking Victoria and Ana walks in and stops him. She realizes Daimon is possessed and they fight. Ana manages to knock her brother out.

Chris sees symbols

While helping with the decorating with his boyfriend Derek, Chris suddenly hears whispers and his body feels weird. He sees symbols show up on his wrist. The evil hasn’t left him completely. He’s in trouble.

She’s dead

Ana tells Louise that it isn’t her brother Daimon — when she touched him she saw memories that were not his but it was the demon they defeated. Daimon starts wriggling and struggling. Suddenly, Daimon says “Hello button”. He tells them that Gabriella is dead and that she’s served her purpose.

New vessel

Gabriella isn’t dead but she’s now heavily pregnant and cuffed to a bed. Mother Evil tells her to remain calm as she will be giving birth to her so she can return to her true form. Gabriella states that this isn’t life but it is evil. Cathara tells the story of how her son was killed and that was the first time she met true evil. Gabriella is the next vessel for the new Mother.

It’s strange how Mother Evil justifies evil to the extent that her evil is lesser because she’s trying to protect her children. She’s a flawed villain and the lack of logic makes the story entertaining.

Too busy

Ana tells Victoria that if she has the slightest chance of being able to get that thing out if Daimon, she must try. Meanwhile, Cathara tells Gabriella to stop struggling. Gabriella tells her that she’s getting revenge by abusing innocent women and making them into a vessel. Cathara states she could be more than that if she chooses to. Gabriella vows to beat her and keeps trying to free herself, realizing she’s no longer possessed as Mother Evil is too busy growing.

Victoria tries to save Daimon

For most of the series, the siblings have tried to save their mother but ironically, Ana is now trying to save her brother. The Helstrom family is taking it in turns it seems.

Victoria confronts the evil inside Daimon and she asks if she can speak to him. The evil possessing Daimon keeps talking about destroying her. Victoria tells the evil that Cathara is using him and that their purpose is valueless. The evil gets more irritated the more Victoria mocks their value. Louise tells her to stop as it isn’t working — she sends Victoria away to rest.

Gabriella frees herself

Gabriella manages to free herself and reach the main road. She gets back to Louise and finds out it’s only been a day. Louise tells Victoria it isn’t possible to be this heavily pregnant. Ana finds out Gabriella is pregnant — she says it’s Cathara. Ana tells Caretaker to go over to the house and protect them. She then grabs the blades. Victoria tells Louise that this could be the end of everything if that baby is born. Suddenly, Gabriella wakes up, grabs a knife, and tells them “They’re here”.

Ana tries to use the blade

The battle between Ana and evil intensifies as she is desperate to save her brother now more than ever.

Ana threatens to use the blade on her brother and the evil inside of Daimon does not think she will use it. The evil starts talking about her brother’s memories and how he tried to kill himself when he felt alone. The evil uses its power to try and get Ana to stab herself with the blade. Ana tells the evil that if it kills her then Cathara dies. Daimon lunges towards her but she manages to get him on the ground. As she’s about to dig out the evil in his back, Daimon wakes up and he’s returned to consciousness. He asks Ana to cut the evil out of him. She stabs the blade in his back and Daimon tells her she needs both pieces in order for it to work.

This was ridiculous; extending the plot on the blades at this point was just for the sake of it but the writers needed to find a way to keep Ana and Daimon apart.

The ending

Chris rings Caretaker and explains that something is happening to him. Ana asks Daimon to hold out while she heads over to Gabriella. One of the demons sneaks into the house but Louise and Victoria knock them out. Gabriella is about to stab herself in her pregnant stomach but the possessed priest takes the knife off her.

Daimon battles with the evil inside of him which is turning into an almighty struggle. He manages to knock himself out.

Helstrom season 1, episode 9 is a convoluted penultimate chapter that relies on plenty of exposition — luckily, it’s entertaining and leaves plenty of space for the finale.

Hulu, TV Recaps
View all