The ‘Castle Rock’ Kid Is Definitely Creepy — But Is He An Existing King Character Too?

The mystery is ramping up on Castle Rock, especially now that a certain someone is out and about, potentially wreaking havoc on the Maine hamlet. Spoilers through Episode 5 ahead. Who is the Kid on Castle Rock? His as-yet unrevealed name could very well be significant in the Stephen King universe, so let's get to theorizing.

What do fans know about the Kid, Bill Skarsgård's character? He may have lost his memories, but there are a few clues here and there. It's known that 30 or so years ago, Warden Dale Lacy kidnapped him, believing him to be the Devil and the source of the town's problems. He was kept in a cage in a hole under Shawshank Prison for decades. It's known that Sheriff Alan Pangborn witnessed this happening, and let it slide because he trusted Lacy.

Fans also know that the Kid has not aged, and holds some sort of power over anyone he touches that he may or may not be able to control. Oh, and he plays piano. So maybe he's secretly the Phantom of the Opera.

Now, Castle Rock was not written by Stephen King (though he does serve as an executive producer) and it is not 100 percent based on any one of the best-selling writer's novels or short stories in particular. So Skarsgård's character may be wholly original. Castle Rock should stand on its own — and King himself tweeted that he would prefer fans focus on the story and the writers over Easter Egg hunting — but this is a multiverse, and if we're looking for clues to try and get ahead of this story, the source material is the best place to start.

Plus, the actor himself teased a "mythological connection" to someone or something in the King canon at San Diego Comic-Con, according to ComicBook.com. Here are some early possibilities on that front:

Leland Gaunt

That's the most obvious possibility — if anyone is "the Devil of Castle Rock," it's the shopkeeper from Needful Things. He's referred to as such in the 1991 novel, and on Castle Rock there is mention of a shopkeeper that went missing. Gaunt, a literal demon, used the objects in his shop to manipulate the town's people into doing dirty deeds and ultimately turning on one another. That's not too far off from what the Kid's touch seems to do.

Randall Flagg

Another popular theory, found on reddit, is that the Kid is the demonic villain from The Dark Tower series, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Stand, and other works. Could such an epic King multiverse character have made its way to the Hulu series?

A Member Of The Torrance Family

Then again, the Kid's supernatural abilities do also call to mind the "shining" that many King characters have. Could he be related to Danny Torrance, or maybe even Danny himself? Wednesday's episode revealed that Jackie Torrance's name is actually Diane, and she named herself after her uncle — the infamous Jack Torrance and protagonist of The Shining. The two characters have an instant connection. They could be cousins.

Gordon LaChance

This would be heartbreaking, but there's a scene in Wednesday's episode where the Kid witnesses a birthday party for a bespectacled child named Gordie. Was that happening in real time, or was it a memory? What if he was that child? Fans of "The Body" and/or Stand By Me will recognize the name — could Bill Skarsgård be playing a grown-up or possessed version of Wil Wheaton's sweet character, or one of his friends?

This isn't the strongest theory. For one thing, the "Gordie" on Castle Rock has a younger brother, and LaChance in the story had an older brother. However, references to "The Body" have popped up as well, and it would be unexpected if the Kid happened to be connected to one of the more innocent King/Castle Rock stories.

The fact that, midway through the first season of Castle Rock, this character's name is still unknown definitely points to it being recognizable or significant in some way. While waiting for the big reveal, keep watching for clues just in case something slips.