Carnivàle/Season Two

Season Two
Carnivàle
Season Premiere	January 9, 2005
Season Finale	March 27, 2005
Episode Count	12
Notable Episodes	2x05 - Creed, OK 2x12 - New Canaan, CA 2x10 - Cheyenne, WY
Previous Season One	Next N/A

"On the heels of the skirmish man foolishly called the “war to end all wars,” the Dark One sought to elude his destiny, live as a mortal. So he fled across the ocean, to an empire called “America.” But by his mere presence, a cancer corrupted the spirit of the land. People were rendered mute by fools who spoke many words but said nothing, for whom oppression and cowardice were virtues. And freedom? An obscenity. Into this dark heartland, the prophet stalked his enemy til, diminished by his wounds, he turned to the next in the ancient line of light. So it was that the fate of mankind came to rest on the trembling shoulders of the most reluctant of saviors." — Samson

Season Two of Carnivàle premiered on January 9, 2005.

By the end of the first season, Ben has discovered that Management, the mysterious and unseen proprietor of the Carnivale is actually Lucius Belyakov, the previous generation's Avatar of Light and Justin's father. This in turn means that Henry Scudder, Ben's absentee father, is the previous generation's Avatar of Darkness. Season two sees the deaths of both Management and Scudder, at the hands of Ben and Justin, respectively. Both men are rewarded with a more extensive set of knowledge and power for killing their predecessors, and while Justin turns his attention to building a small army, Ben remains intent on destroying the California preacher.

These two disparate plotlines begin to converge as Justin recruits an escaped felon, Varlyn Stroud, as his main apostle (whom he sends out in search of Scudder), and as Sofie deserts the carnival and becomes Justin's new maid. Ben is forced to reveal his nature to the rest of the carnies after he fully heals Jonesy, who was brutally tarred and feathered. Since Ben's healing repaired Jonesy's crippled leg, the other carnies are confronted with Ben's true nature and, to their credit, they accept him as one of their own and agree to help him fight Brother Justin and rescue Sofie.

Samson and Jonesy hatch a plan to trap Justin on the ferris wheel so that Ben can siphon the life out of him in a healing tent. Ironically, their plan unknowingly hinges on Iris letting the carnival into Justin's massive encampment, motivated by her desire to stop her brother. Justin, aware of the fact that the carnival hides his enemy, rides the ferris wheel and the psychic assault levied at him by Ben. Stopping the ferris wheel with his mind, Justin tracks down Ben in the carnival, murdering Balthus on the way, and chases the younger man into a cornfield. The two play an elaborate game of cat and mouse until Ben plunges the blade of his broken dagger into the tree tattoo on Justin's chest, before succumbing to a stomach wound that Justin dealt him.

Meanwhile, Sofie, who has been locked in a woodshed by Justin, is thrust into her role as the Omega after being subjected to a particularly violent and intense set of visions. Thus, when Jonesy arrives to rescue her, she's not quite herself and chooses to shoot him in the chest. Moreover, she locates Justin's body in the cornfield the morning after the battle and drains the life from the corn in order to restore him, a feat which Iris bears witness to.

Ben's body, on the other hand, is found by the carnies and taken to safety before Sofie or any of Justin's followers realize what's happened. Samson has no choice but to pack up and leave, abandoning Sofie and Jonesy. The closing shot is one of Ben's body, and the camera reveals that his wound has healed.

Episodes

#	#	Title			Airdate
13	1	Los Moscos			January 9, 2005
14	2	Alamogordo, NM			January 16, 2005
15	3	Ingram, TX			January 23, 2005
16	4	Old Cherry Blossom Road			January 30, 2005
17	5	Creed, OK			February 6, 2005
18	6	The Road to Damascus			February 13, 2005
19	7	Damascus, NE			February 20, 2005
20	8	Outskirts, Damascus, NE			February 27, 2005
21	9	Lincoln Highway			March 6, 2005
22	10	Cheyenne, WY			March 13, 2005
23	11	Outside New Canaan			March 20, 2005
24	12	New Canaan, CA			March 27, 2005

Carnivàle Seasons

Season 1 | Season 2