Poltergeist’s “Beast” Explained: How Henry Kane Went From Man to Monster

Ghost movie classic Poltergeist introduced “The Beast,” which subsequent sequels would surprisingly reveal was once a preacher named Henry Kane. Looking back, Poltergeist really doesn’t seem like a film primed for a follow-up. The story has a beginning, middle, and conclusive end, and offers scares, thrills, humor, and just about everything else one could want from a horror movie, outside of gore and nudity, since it was rated PG. Still, when something proves as popular and acclaimed as Poltergeist, a sequel is almost inevitable.

It’s highly unlikely anyone would argue that either of Poltergeist‘s two sequels – much less its unremarkable 2015 remake – come close to the quality of the original film, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper. Yet, one thing that ensured Poltergeist 2 – and to a certain extent 3 – wouldn’t end up as bad as many unneeded horror sequels was its invention of a truly terrifying villain in Reverend Henry Kane, a skeletal spirit who relentlessly stalked Carol Anne Freeling.

Thankfully for those that value continuity in their horror franchises, Kane wasn’t a completely new character, as he was tied back to “The Beast,” the malevolent ghost that led the charge to abduct Carol Anne in the first Poltergeist. It turns out Kane has quite the macabre backstory.

Poltergeist’s “Beast” Explained: How Rev. Kane Became a Monster

Reverend Henry Kane was the leader of a doomsday cult in the early 19th century, and professed to his followers that only he would be able to save them from the horrors to come, and deliver them to the promised land. In actuality, Kane was a madman intent on killing his followers and himself, in a bid to use the strength of their combined souls to gain tremendous power in the afterlife. Kane tricked his flock into sealing themselves inside an underground cave, where they did eventually die, and Kane was seemingly able to accomplish his goal, becoming the entity seen in Poltergeist as “The Beast.”

The reason Kane targeted and abducted Carol Anne in Poltergeist is that the intense life force she emitted could be used to lure other souls into his possession and away from the brilliant Light that allowed them to crossover to their eternal reward. When his initial attempt was thwarted, Kane reverted to his human guise, hoping it would make it easier to turn the Freelings against one another and make Carol Anne vulnerable. Thankfully, they saw through his overtures and defeated him once again thanks to the help of a Native American named Taylor, who the Poltergeist 2 official novelization reveals was actually a reincarnation of one of Kane’s followers that managed to escape his grasp at the last minute. Kane would finally go away for good at the end of Poltergeist 3, thanks to accepting an offer from Tangina to himself be guided into the Light. Why the Light would allow such an evil spirit to enter is unclear.

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