For fans of the thriller genre, Devil in Ohio is an ideal, limited Netflix series. Created by Daria Polatin, using her novel of the same name as the foundational source, this series is not just about invoking fear and suspense in the viewer. Devil in Ohio has so much to say about the society we live in. Even if it is not even remotely close to the infamous 2009 horror-thriller Orphan, one might be able to find some similarities between the two ultimate villains of each movie.

It is true that Devil in Ohio has received some mixed feedback with Rotten tomatoes scoring it at just 50% and IMDb scoring it at 5.9/10. However, this series is definitely intriguing and has many plot twists that can shock the viewer. The question is whether this show will have a season 2. While there is no official announcement of its continuation or cancelation, there are some important gaps that the show left us with.

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Suzanne’s Past

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Suzanne (Emily Deschanel) is the protagonist that won everyone’s hearts at the beginning but then goes on to make some questionable decisions. When this character is introduced we notice two crucial elements; one is the scar on her wrist, which is similar to that of Mae’s; and the second is her obvious bias towards Mae (Madeleine Arthur). During the latter part of the show, Suzanne revisits her past and talks about the abuse that she and her mother had to face at the hands of her stepfather. She explains how she got her scar and it goes on to illustrate why she is so sympathetic towards Mae.

However, what is left undiscussed are Suzanne’s nightmares or visuals of her running in a white nightgown and climbing up a tree. This eerily resembles the nightgown that Mae was wearing when she escaped. Moreover, there seems to be some connection between Mae’s background and Suzanne’s visuals. Unfortunately, the series does not explore this nor give any clear answer to what Suzanne’s visuals mean.

Mae’s Obsession with Suzanne

Mae is able to trick the audience from the very beginning of the story. Thus, it is no shock when Suzanne tries her best to treat Mae like her own daughter. Unfortunately, this leads to Suzanne’s family breaking up. By the end of the series, Suzanne is living with Mae while her husband and children are living in a separate apartment. What is worse is that Mae has executed a perfect plan to ensure Suzanne is all hers. Of course, Mae’s abnormal obsession with Suzanne is highlighted from the moment she starts “praying” to the devil. However, what is left open is why Mae is obsessed with Suzanne, particularly.

In fact, if one were to revisit the beginning of the series, one might be able to notice the other nice people in the hospital. Why Mae chose Suzanne is left unanswered. Perhaps, she knew Suzanne’s past trauma would make her vulnerable, or perhaps, she found Suzanne to be the mother she always wanted. Either way, the ending of the season makes the audience assume that perhaps Mae had a better reason for her obsession with Suzanne, as this character is someone who seems to be making choices with clear intentions.

Mae’s Brother, Noah

Mae makes constant references to her brother, Noah (Keenan Tracey). From he didn’t try to save her from the cult and she tried to save him, there are so many questions as to what happened between these siblings in the past. The only clarities about Noah are that he is keen on following in his father’s footsteps and ensuring their cult is “saved”.

Noah enters the series when he tries to abduct Jules (Xaria Dotson). Even though Mae prevents this, we see Noah at the end trying to ensure Mae sacrifices herself for Satan. During their fight, Mae brings up how she tried to save him. This opens up the question that something big must have happened between these two siblings. Nonetheless, it is clear that Mae loves her brother.

Another question is what Noah’s role is in the cult. Given that their father, Malachi (Tahmoh Penikett) is the leader of the cult, it is obvious that Noah will have a prominent role in the group. However, what he is being prepared for is a question that the series does not answer.

How the Cult Actually Works

The devil-worshipping cult that Mae is a part of and seemingly escapes from is super mysterious that it leaves the viewers with so many questions. For one, this particular cult named “Sliocht an Diabhail" or “The Devil’s Own” seems to be super rich and have powers within the society as well. How they have these powers and who, from the society, is a part of this cult is left unanswered.

Throughout the series there are several references to the cult’s rituals and history, but the show does not dive deep into these. The question of how powerful it is seems to be popping up quite often. One might even ask why Mae refuses to let go of the cult’s beliefs and rituals after everything. Moreover, it is also questionable as to whether this cult actually possesses some supernatural elements.

The series also ends up with the question of where the cult is, as they are never brought to justice.