Midnight Mass: Why Did The Vampire Listen To Pruitt?

Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass left some questioning why the first vampire, sometimes referred to as the “Angel,” seems to listen to Monsignor Pruitt. It doesn’t seem that Pruitt provides the Angel with blood in a way that justifies it following Pruitt’s lead and it isn’t immediately clear what benefit Pruitt brings to their relationship. However, Flanagan’s love for symbolism may provide an answer for viewers still scratching their heads over the Angel’s apparent loyalty.

Flanagan has impressed critics and audiences alike with his two previous Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, which tackle difficult themes in adaptations of chilling horror literature. While Midnight Mass isn’t as scary compared to Hill House, this original story leaves its audience with terrifyingly difficult questions about guilt, grief, and hopelessness. The show follows an ensemble of characters on the small island community of Crockett Island as its economically suffering population welcomes a new priest, Father Paul Hill, who they believe to be temporarily replacing their elderly Monsignor John Pruitt. In an early twist found in Midnight Mass episode 3 “Book III: Proverbs,” the audience discovers that Pruitt had been fed the blood of the vampire known as the Angel. Pruitt then became significantly younger overnight and it is clear that Father Paul is in fact Monsignor Pruitt under the effects of vampire’s blood.

However, Father Paul could walk in the sun in Midnight Mass‘ early episodes, so it’s clear the Angel stopped short of killing Pruitt, and instead nursed the sick priest back to health. The vampire also pauses after hearing Pruitt say the “Our Father,” appearing to understand that the priest could serve some greater purpose. It’s possible that Pruitt’s religious work afforded him some level of power over the Angel; however, given the events in episode 6, it seems likely that the Angel intended for Monsignor Pruitt to provide it with a faithful army.

The Angel of Midnight Mass appears to be preying on the hopes of St. Patrick’s flock to create a loyal army of vampires in much the same way real monsters have used organized religion to carry out atrocities throughout history. Mike Flanagan has said Midnight Mass is his most personal show yet, drawing heavily on his complex experiences with catholicism and addiction. It’s no question that the showrunner uses symbolism in much of his work, and vampires often symbolize the rich and powerful feeding on the blood of the masses to maintain their power. One common criticism of religious organizations like the Catholic Church is their susceptibility to manipulation by powerful, dangerous entities.

The larger point that Flanagan seems to draw out of this plot thread is about understanding the motivations that allow people to overlook what should be obvious clues that something is dangerous or unethical. Pruitt chooses to believe he was saved by an Angel, which opens him up to exploitation. Midnight Mass‘ central theme of forgiveness suggests that it’s important to have empathy for the weak — especially those whose trespasses occur after a desperate situation blinds them to the truth of their actions.

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