Amazon Prime Video’s horror series, “Them,” plunges viewers into a terrifying exploration of racial prejudice in mid-20th century America. As the Emory family seeks a fresh start in Compton, California, they are confronted with overt and insidious forms of racism. Episode five, “Covenant I,” serves as a crucial turning point, delving into the traumatic past that led the Emorys to flee North Carolina. Central to this backstory is the horrifying “cat in a bag” scene, a moment of brutal violence that reveals the chilling depths of dehumanization at the heart of the series.
This episode peels back the layers of the Emorys’ present-day torment by showcasing the events that shattered their lives before their move to California. The narrative unflinchingly portrays the systemic housing discrimination they faced, highlighting the predatory deal they were coerced into for their East Compton home. However, it is the flashback to North Carolina and the “cat in a bag” incident that truly illuminates the profound trauma driving Lucky Emory’s (Deborah Ayorinde) fear and the family’s desperate need to escape their past.
The scene unfolds with agonizing suspense. Lucky is home alone with her infant son, Chester, while Henry and their daughters are at the movies. A seemingly innocuous encounter with an elderly white woman (Dale Dickey) quickly escalates into a nightmare. Initially, the woman appears harmless, petting the family dog, Sergeant, and engaging in unsettlingly cheerful small talk. However, the sound of Chester crying triggers a disturbing shift. The woman’s desire to “take him home” is not a neighborly gesture; it is a chilling prelude to violence.
Alt text: A still from “Them” featuring Dale Dickey, portraying an elderly white woman with a disturbing smile, standing outside the Emory’s home in North Carolina.
The situation spirals as the woman returns with two menacing white men. While one man brutally rapes Lucky, the woman subjects baby Chester to a horrifying “game” she calls “Cat in a Bag.” This is not a playful children’s rhyme; it is an act of calculated cruelty. She places the infant Chester in a pillowcase and proceeds to swing and toss the bag around the room, chanting “cat in a bag” with chilling repetition.
The scene is deliberately prolonged and agonizing to watch. The rhythmic chanting of “cat in a bag” amplifies the horror, underscoring the woman’s detachment from Chester’s humanity. The sound of the baby inside the bag is muffled and disturbing, creating a visceral sense of dread. The violence culminates in the most devastating outcome: Chester dies, his blood seeping through the fabric of the pillowcase.
Alt text: Close-up of Deborah Ayorinde as Lucky Emory in “Them”, depicting a Black woman’s face contorted in terror and anguish during the “cat in a bag” scene.
The “cat in a bag” incident is not presented as a known method of torture, but its symbolism is profoundly impactful within the context of “Them.” It serves as a stark metaphor for dehumanization. The act of treating a Black infant as a mere animal, a “cat,” reveals a deeply ingrained racist ideology. It’s not simply about believing in white superiority; it’s about denying Black people their fundamental humanity. In the eyes of these white perpetrators, Chester is not a human baby deserving of care and protection, but an object to be toyed with and discarded, much like an animal trapped in a bag.
This scene encapsulates a crucial message of “Them”: racism at its core is dehumanizing. It’s a system that allows perpetrators to inflict unimaginable cruelty by stripping their victims of their human status. The “cat in a bag” is not just a random act of violence; it is a deliberate expression of this dehumanizing racism, intended to break Lucky and terrorize her family. The trauma is so profound that Lucky seeks refuge in their storm shelter, unable to bear being in the house where her baby was murdered. Ultimately, this horrific event propels the Emorys’ desperate move to California, seeking to escape the unbearable memories of North Carolina, only to find that the horrors of racism have followed them.
In conclusion, the “cat in a bag” scene in “Them” is a pivotal and disturbing moment that transcends simple shock value. It is a brutal depiction of dehumanization, illustrating the horrific consequences of a racist ideology that reduces Black lives to less than human. The scene’s enduring impact lies in its stark portrayal of how such dehumanization fuels violence and trauma, leaving lasting scars on individuals and families, and underscoring the pervasive and insidious nature of racism explored throughout “Them.”
