'The Following' Season 2 'Freedom' recap: Big surprises for Ryan Hardy and Joe Carroll [Ep 12 Promo Video]

"The Following"FOX

"The Following" Season 2 Episode 11 titled "Freedom" aired Monday, Mar. 31.

It appears Joe Carroll is trying to turn his new cult into his old cult. He teaches one cult member how to dissociate while the rest of the cult watches, telling them that they are not taking a life, but are "freeing souls" and sending people "home."

A peaceful, fun-loving Joe Carroll Fan Club is growing, with college kids wearing Joe Carroll masks and t-shirts while they party.

Meanwhile, what appears to be the more aggressive Joe Carroll Fan Club kills and injuries over a dozen people in a crowded bakery. We soon find out that it is actually Lily Gray's minions (or more of her "kids"?) that carried out the killings in order to release her son, Luke, from the hospital.

TV reporter Carrie Cooke continues to draw Ryan closer through physical and emotional attention. Her motive is unclear, although Ryan doesn't appear suspicious. She is still asking for leads and exclusives, but is otherwise acting as if she is now a trustworthy person. Either Hardy is also acting, or his memory is short. Carrie turned on him when he was still drinking, and used his drunken confessions as material for her best-selling book.

Robert and other cult members begin to doubt Joe's motives for turning the cult members into killers. Emma seduces Robert in order to gain his trust and renew his confidence in Joe. Mandy, turned off by the "new Joe Carroll," packs her bag and leaves the compound. She calls Mark, one of Lily Gray's twins, seeking assistance. Since Joe and Lily are enemies, it appears that Mandy believes that the enemy of her enemy is her friend.

The subplot of Claire leaving Witness Protection also develops. She remains convinced that she can somehow help Ryan Hardy if she can only shirk the feds long enough to get to him. At the end of the episode she gets her chance.

Check out the spoiler video for a preview of next week's episode, 'Betrayal.'

"The Following" Episode 12 spoilerFOX

"The Following" airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on FOX.