Every Clue To Father Paul's Identity Twist

Father Paul's true identity twist is one of Midnight Mass' most compelling aspects and here's every clue about the priest in the first few episodes.

Warning: SPOILERS for Midnight Mass.

The real identity of Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater) is one of the biggest twists in Midnight Mass but there are numerous clues sprinkled throughout the first two episodes. Midnight Mass doesn't waste much time revealing that Father Paul is actually Monsignor John Pruitt, who was de-aged by drinking the blood of a winged monster called the Angel (Quinton Boisclair), which Father Paul calls "the Sacrament," before the priest is transformed into a vampire.

Prior to Father Paul confessing his true identity to the viewers in Midnight Mass episode 3, it's evident that the priest is behaving suspiciously. Father Paul arrived on Crockett Island the same day Riley Flynn (Zach Guilford) returned home on the ferry after four years in prison, but the priest didn't inform anyone of his arrival, to the consternation of Beverly Keane (Samantha Sloyan), who expected to meet the aged Monsignor Pruitt. After introducing himself to the churchgoers of St. Patrick's, Father Paul claimed that the sickly Monsignor Pruitt was hospitalized in the mainland, and the archdiocese sent Paul Hill as his 'temporary' replacement. Father Paul then worked quickly to earn the town's trust and esteem, although he had an uncanny amount of foreknowledge of Crockett Island's residents and their problems, which Hill claimed was thanks to conversations he had with Monsignor Pruitt. But Midnight Mass episode 3 dropped all pretense as to who Father Paul really is and by episode 4, the young priest is reborn yet again as a vampire.

Although the word 'vampire' is never uttered, in the same way the word 'zombie' doesn't exist in The Walking Dead, Midnight Mass is an intense exploration of faith by writer-director Mike Flanagan that ingeniously weaves in the 'scary' parts of the Bible and equates them with the mythology of vampires. Father Hill's deluded Master Plan is to 'save' the people of Crockett Island - and then the rest of the world - by granting them the same gift of eternal life that the Angel gave him. Of course, that means turning everyone into vampires. Father Paul's identity and twist is one of the most intriguing aspects of Midnight Mass' first few episodes. This makes rewatching Midnight Mass even more fascinating to clearly see all the clues that Father Paul Hill is really the reborn Monsignor John Pruitt.

Father Paul Entered Monsignor Pruitt's House As If He Had Already Been There

Father Paul is seen arriving in Crockett Island by ferry and paying the dockmen to carry his massive trunk in Midnight Mass episode 1. Soon, Paul hefts his trunk, which contained the Angel, into the humble home of Monsignor Pruitt. What's interesting about this scene is that Father Paul enters the house with familiarity. If this was his first visit to Crockett Island and staying in an unfamiliar house, Paul would naturally inspect the accommodations. Instead, he acted like he was 'home' - because he was. Father Paul finally tapped the trunk and the Angel responded in kind, but his entry into Monsignor Pruitt's house isn't indicative of someone who had never been there before.

Father Paul Already Knew About Leeza Scarborough & Crockett Island

Father Paul surprised the churchgoers, who were expecting to see Monsignor Pruitt returned from his trip to Jerusalem, at St. Patrick's by performing Mass. Father Paul clearly won the people of Crockett Island over, including Bev Keane, who bragged about being the first to meet the new priest. Afterward, Father Paul stood outside St. Patrick's to greet everyone, and he was oddly well-informed. Hill already knew about Leeza Scarborough (Annarah Cymone) and how often she attends Mass with her parents, Mayor Wade (Michael Trucco) and Dolly (Crystal Balint). Father Paul then greeted the Flynns and he also knew about Riley's prison stint.

Father Paul further knew that Crockett Island's nickname is 'The Crock Pot,' a fact he freely volunteered to Wade Scarborough to quickly win the mayor over. Of course, to justify all of his foreknowledge, Father Paul claimed he talked to Monsignor Pruitt, who got him up to speed on everyone in Crockett, but it's a bit unrealistic that Pruitt, who everyone knew was in failing health and rapid mental decline, could have conveyed so much specific detail about everyone to Father Paul. Still, no one on Crockett Island questioned this since Father Paul was so kind and gregarious, but it's obvious, in hindsight, the priest knew everything already because Father Paul was Monsignor Pruitt.

Mildred Gunning Recognized Father Paul And Called Him "John"

Father Paul visited the house of Dr. Sarah Gunning (Annabeth Gish), the town physician, in Midnight Mass episode 2. Father Paul came to the Gunning house unsolicited and the friendly priest claimed that Monsignor Pruitt asked him to make a special visit to Mildred Gunning (Alex Essoe). This scene is the biggest clue to the Father Paul identity twist. Mildred immediately recognized Father Paul and called him "John," because she knew Monsignor Pruitt from when they were both younger. As Midnight Mass later revealed, John Pruitt and Mildred had an affair and the Monsignor is Sarah's real father, which they kept a secret for decades.

Sarah just assumed her mother calling Paul "John" was part of her deteriorating mental health. But Father Paul specifically visited the Gunnings to address that problem and give Mildred the Sacrament, which gradually restored her back to the prime of her life, she was to frail to come to St. Patrick's. Another clue came later when Mildred was frightened by looking out the window and she told Sarah she saw "your father" outside, meaning Father Paul/Monsignor Pruitt. What Mildred really saw was the Angel, who wore Pruitt's signature coat and fedora when he wandered around Crockett (Riley also saw and chased after the Angel during Midnight Mass episode 1's storm, confusing the vampire for Monsignor Pruitt).

Father Paul Stared At Sarah Gunning The Way Monsignor Pruitt Used To

At the Crock Pot Luck in Midnight Mass episode 2, Sarah met her girlfriend and noticed that Father Paul was staring at her. Sarah confessed that she often caught Monsignor Pruitt also staring at her, and she believed it was because the Monsignor somehow knew Sarah is a lesbian. What Sarah didn't know until the end of Midnight Mass was that Monsignor Pruitt stared at her because he was her real father. Now, in his younger body, Father Paul continued his older self's habit.

Father Paul's Familiarity With Riley Flynn's Past As An Altar Boy

Before the Angel turned Riley into a vampire, Flynn harbored suspicions about Father Paul, but he still joined the priest for regular one-on-one Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Father Paul claimed that Monsignor Pruitt told him about Riley's past as an altar boy who worked closely with John, but Paul used the fact that he'd actually known Riley his entire life to gain Flynn's trust, at least for a time.

Later on, Riley caught Father Paul in a lie and when he went to confront the priest, he was attacked by the Angel and turned into a vampire. After Riley was turned, Father Paul told him a story of a boy who gave Monsignor Pruitt an injured mouse that he pretended he magically healed as part of his confession to Flynn that Father Paul was Monsignor Pruitt made young by the vampire called the Angel.

Beverly Keane Recognized Father Paul's Picture On Monsignor Pruitt's Wall

The final clue as to Father Paul's true identity as Monsignor Pruitt came after he ran out of St. Patrick's during Mass because he was in the throes of his conversion into a vampire. Bev came to check on Father Paul, who was coughing up blood in the bathroom. As she waited, Keane's eyes were captivated by something hanging on the wall of Monsignor Pruitt's house: the photo from the newspaper clipping of a young John Pruitt outside the newly-opened St. Patrick's. Since Monsignor Pruitt looked identical to Father Paul Hill, Bev realized Father Paul and her beloved Monsignor Pruitt were one and the same. By the end of episode 3, Midnight Mass revealed the entire truth about Father Paul's identity twist to the audience as well.

Next: Midnight Mass' Christian Terminology & Traditions: What You Need To Know

Midnight Mass is streaming on Netflix.