The new adaptation of Carrie for Prime Video, developed by Mike Flanagan, has renewed interest in one of Stephen King's most iconic characters. The series not only updates the story for a new generation but also significantly expands the protagonist's powers and establishes a direct link to another of the author's great works: The Shining.
The premiere arrives at a time when King adaptations are back in vogue on television, and Flanagan's approach stands out precisely for not simply repeating what has already been seen on screen. This time, the mythology behind Carrie White's abilities takes on unprecedented importance.
Played by Summer H. Howell, Carrie is a teenager who has lived in isolation under the control of her mother, Margaret White, played by Samantha Sloyan. After her father's death, she begins attending high school for the first time and faces a world that is completely foreign to her.
What should be a new chapter becomes a nightmare when her classmates begin to bully her. It is then that abilities she has repressed her entire life begin to emerge.
Warning: major details from the first season are included from this point on.
Carrie White’s powers in the new series
Telekinesis has always been Carrie's most recognizable ability. It allows her to move objects, alter her environment, and even attack other people using only her mind. In the original novel, these abilities already manifested in childhood, with a particularly memorable episode: at age three, following a severe punishment from her mother, she causes an inexplicable rain of stones to fall on the family home.
That scene did not appear in Brian De Palma's 1976 film or the 2013 adaptation, but Mike Flanagan brings it back in his version. In the series, Carrie meets her neighbor Stella, played by Naika Toussaint, becomes curious about a book she is reading, and ends up being dragged back home by Margaret. Shortly after, the strange rain of stones begins.
A much broader mythology of psychic powers
The new adaptation presents Carrie as a person with various psionic capabilities. Among the abilities shown in the series are:
- Telekinesis: moving and manipulating objects or people with the mind.
- Levitation: rising or remaining suspended without physical support.
- Telepathy: reading thoughts, projecting them, and influencing the minds of others.
- Geokinesis: controlling earth elements, linked to the rain of stones.
- Electrokinesis: manipulating electricity.
The 2013 film had already added pyrokinesis and fragokinesis to the character's abilities. What is distinctive about the Prime Video series is that these abilities are no longer just explosions of rage: Carrie begins to understand them and use them consciously.
The connection to The Shining
One of the most interesting twists in Flanagan's adaptation has to do with the origin of Carrie's powers, something Stephen King never fully explained in the original novel. That ambiguity fueled theories among readers, including some that linked Carrie's father to Randall Flagg, a recurring character in the author's universe.
The series now offers a different and much more concrete explanation.
Margaret White also has powers
In the season one finale, Margaret confesses that she also possesses special abilities, although she has spent her life repressing them. The revelation comes in a conversation with Adelaide, played by Kate Siegel, a woman who knows of the existence of people with extraordinary capabilities.
Adelaide uses a key expression: some people have a bit of the shining. The reference connects directly to The Shining, another of Stephen King's great novels, where this psychic ability can manifest in different ways, from telepathy to astral projection or telekinesis.
The implication is clear: Carrie's powers could be part of the same supernatural phenomenon that appears in The Shining.
Mike Flanagan unites two Stephen King universes
Stephen King's novels have shared references and elements suggesting a common mythology for decades. Most adaptations have avoided exploring those connections, but Flanagan takes advantage of a small detail to integrate Carrie into that shared universe, without needing to turn the series into a major crossover.
Carrie learns to control her powers before the prom
Another relevant difference from previous versions is the protagonist's evolution. Traditionally, the climax arrives at the prom, when a humiliation involving pig's blood unleashes all her fury. The new series keeps that moment, but spends much more time showing how Carrie discovers and trains her abilities before getting there.
Her relationship with Margaret also changes when she begins to use her powers openly. In a significant scene, Carrie locks her mother in the closet where she was habitually forced to repent for supposed sins, in a clear reversal of the power dynamic between them.
Emaline, a new character with a key role
The series introduces Emaline, played by Thalia Dudek, a character who does not exist in the novel or previous adaptations. Emaline encourages Carrie to experiment with her abilities and helps her control them.
At first, the demonstrations are small and apparently harmless, but the situation escalates when Carrie uses her powers against Chris, played by Alison Thornton, whom she ends up breaking the nose of after a series of verbal attacks.
For the first time, Carrie has someone who understands her powers and can guide her, although that does not guarantee that Emaline's intentions are good.
Adelaide and Emaline: an open mystery
The final stretch of the season confirms that Emaline possesses a powerful capacity for astral projection, an ability that marks much of her presence in the plot until she finally interacts physically with Carrie. Her true motivations, however, remain unclear.
Something similar happens with Adelaide, who is linked to other people with psychic powers. From the first episode, the series suggests that there are individuals capable of detecting Carrie's abilities, which adds a layer of mystery regarding who is really watching the protagonist and for what purpose.
The presence of these characters during the prom raises several questions: are they looking to protect Carrie, use her powers, or neutralize her because they consider her a threat? Emaline claims to want to take her to a safe place, far from those who are pursuing them, but her words do not fully clear up the uncertainty.
Will there be a second season?
Despite leaving several plot lines open regarding Carrie's powers and the existence of other individuals with supernatural capabilities, Prime Video has not yet confirmed a second season. The series is designed as a miniseries.
That decision makes the ending even more striking, as the story not only expands its protagonist's abilities but also introduces characters and mysteries with the potential for further development. After establishing such a direct connection to The Shining, the question remains as to how far Mike Flanagan could take this part of Stephen King's universe if given the opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What powers does Carrie have in the new Prime Video series?
In addition to classic telekinesis, the series grants her levitation, telepathy, geokinesis, and electrokinesis, presented as psychic capabilities that she learns to control consciously.
How is Carrie connected to The Shining?
Margaret White reveals that she also possesses powers, and Adelaide uses the term shining to describe this type of ability, directly linking Carrie's story to Stephen King's novel The Shining.
Who plays Carrie White in the series?
The role of Carrie White is played by Summer H. Howell, while Samantha Sloyan brings her mother, Margaret White, to life.
Who is Emaline in the Carrie series?
Emaline, played by Thalia Dudek, is a character created for this adaptation who helps Carrie experiment with and control her powers, although her true intentions remain in doubt.
Will there be a second season of Carrie on Prime Video?
For the moment, Prime Video has not confirmed a second season. The series is conceived as a miniseries, although it leaves several plot lines open.
Does the rain of stones from Carrie’s childhood appear in the series?
Yes, Mike Flanagan recovers this episode from the original novel, which was absent in the 1976 and 2013 films, showing how Carrie's power manifests for the first time during her childhood.
