Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's novel Carrie on Prime Video makes substantial changes to the iconic story, most notably allowing the titular character to survive. This reimagining not only brings the narrative into the present day but also expands the world by introducing other individuals with telekinetic abilities, a concept directly drawn from King's original 1974 book.
The Fate of Chamberlain
The season finale largely follows the catastrophic prom night events. After Carrie White (Summer H. Howell) is humiliated by a cruel prank involving pig's blood, her telekinetic powers are unleashed. A significant deviation from the source material occurs when Emaline (Thalia Dudek), another telekinetic character who has been communicating with Carrie mentally, intervenes. Emaline takes control of Carrie's actions, leading to the deaths of over 200 people, including characters like Principal Grayle (Matthew Lillard) and Rita “Miss D” Desjardin (Amber Midthunder). Unlike in the book, where Tommy Ross dies from a falling bucket, here he is killed when Carrie's deflected powers inadvertently strike him.
Carrie and her mother, Margaret (Samantha Sloyan), both survive the destruction of their home, a stark contrast to previous adaptations. Margaret reveals her own latent telekinetic abilities, but Adelaide (Katee Sackhoff), the leader of a group of telekinetics, later causes Margaret's death by stopping her heart, deeming her no longer useful.
Survivors include Carrie's classmates Sue Snell (Siena Agudong) and Tina Blake (Josie Totah), who are later interrogated by Adelaide. Other telekinetic women associated with Adelaide also manage to evade Carrie's rampage. Chris Hargensen (Alison Thornton) and Billy Nolan (Arthur Conti) are ultimately killed by Carrie, who demonstrates full control as she crushes their car.
Weaving in the Wider King Universe
Flanagan intentionally incorporates elements from Stephen King's broader literary universe. The dialogue mentioning "Shine" directly references the psychic abilities depicted in The Shining and Doctor Sleep. This term is established by King as a catch-all for various mental powers, including telekinesis, clairvoyance, and psychic foresight, which appear across his interconnected stories.
Subtle nods to The Dark Tower series are also present, with glimpses of LaMerk Industries and Sombra Corporation, companies linked to major figures in that saga. Flanagan is reportedly developing a new Dark Tower project, suggesting these references might serve as easter eggs or potential future connections.
Future Possibilities
Despite no official renewal decision from Amazon, Flanagan has outlined a three-season plan for Carrie. The series concludes with Carrie and Emaline leaving town, embarking on a new path. Potential future storylines could involve encounters with other characters possessing psychic abilities from King's work, such as Abra Stone from Doctor Sleep or Charlie McGee from Firestarter. However, the distribution of film and TV rights across different studios could complicate such crossovers.
Alternatively, future seasons might delve deeper into the true-crime elements of King's novel, exploring the nationwide fallout and investigations like the fictional "White Commission." The introduction of Adelaide and her organization also mirrors themes found in King's novel The Institute, which features a facility that gathers and weaponizes children with mental abilities. This suggests Flanagan may continue to explore similar concepts and create new characters that fit within King's established universe, even if direct crossovers prove legally challenging.