Jane Prentiss

**Jane Prentiss** was a woman of unknown age and origin. She appeared to be possessed by, or infested with, unidentified parasitic worms. She is the main antagonist of Season 1.

## Description

She is described by Harriet Lee as wearing a long red dress and having "a head of long, matted black hair and wide, staring eyes" (MAG 6), and by Martin Blackwood as wearing a grey overcoat, having matted black hair that was so dirty it may have been brown underneath the filth, and having pale skin pockmarked with holes made by the worms that infested her (MAG 22). The worms are around an inch long, with silver segmented bodies and blackened heads with pinchers.

## History

Jane lived and worked in Archway, employed at a crystal shop called Good Energies. During this time, she seemed to have undergone a mental breakdown, possibly due to stress over finances and being rejected by friends. She left her job following the discovery of an infestation of ants in the building’s basement. Throughout Jane's life she had a constant battle with skin picking, due to a peer telling her that blackheads rot, which likely caused her skin picking.

In late February or early March, 2014, she was found by police in the attic of her flat on Prospero Road, with her arm buried in a mass of organic material, not unlike a wasp's nest. She was rushed to Whittington Hospital. Whilst the nurses were trying to restrain her, she expelled worms into the eyes of those in the room with her, killing six of them and leading to the seventh breaking his neck fleeing from her.

### The Flesh Hive

On November 18, 2014, she assaulted and infested Harriet Lee who transferred the infestation to Timothy Hodge two days later. Timothy Hodge is later killed by Sasha James on April 1, 2016.

When Martin Blackwood attempts to investigate the building where Carlos Vittery lived, he encounters Jane in the basement. She pursues him and as he flees, Martin drops his phone. Jane uses it to pose as him, she texts the Institute and claims to be staying home due to illness as she traps him in his home for two weeks. On March 12th, 2016, Martin is able to return to the Institute, bringing some of her worms with him.

It is not clear what link between the worms and Jane is. They do not appear to be telepathically linked in any way, as she did not appear to be alerted when Martin crushed one. However, in her statement, she refers to hearing their call as a "song".

### The Siege of the Archives

Over the course of a few months, Jane Prentiss started to invade the passages beneath the Archives. On July 29, 2016, Jonathan Sims accidentally discovered Prentiss's worms within the walls of the Archives. She actively engaged in a short siege of the Archives, where she was found destroying some of the paper cases.

Jane Prentiss was eventually killed when Elias Bouchard activated the CO2 suppression system, killing both her and the flesh worms that infested her. Her body was destroyed via cremation. Later, Martin gave John her cremated ashes.

## Episode Appearances

**Bold** marks episodes where Jane has given a statement.

* MAG 22: Colony
* MAG 26: A Distortion (mentioned)
* **MAG 32: Hive**
* MAG 38: Lost and Found
* MAG 39: Infestation
* MAG 40: Human Remains
* MAG 45: Blood Bag (mentioned)
* MAG 55: Pest Control
* MAG 152: A Gravedigger's Envy (mentioned)
* MAG 184: Like Ants (mentioned)

## Trivia

* Jane Prentiss is the first avatar/entity John recognizes as legitimate, being concerned that Timothy Hodge might have contracted whatever she had via intercourse with one of Prentiss' victims. How Sims came to be aware of her so early on, especially given his early skepticism of most statements, is never revealed.
* Jane Prentiss is potentially inspired by *Revolt of the Worms*, an episode of the radio show *Lights Out* that aired in 1942. Jonny cites this show as one of his literary inspirations in the Season 1 Q&A. In the episode, a chemist named Charles Prentice accidentally creates and is killed by a swarm of giant worms.
* Jane Prentiss is potentially inspired by the main character of the short story "Kid Stuff" by Isaac Asimov. This character is named Jan Prentiss and, partway through the story, becomes controlled by a giant insect.
* In the 1800s, the medical journal *The Lancet* published two articles describing the case of a woman who was infested with worms in a manner similar to Jane Prentiss.
* Jane Prentiss's worm sounds in MAG 39 were created using "Lots and lots of pasta."
* Jane's voice actor, Hannah Brankin, also voices Rosie and the statement giver from MAG 15, Laura.
* Jane's worms are described as around an inch long, with silver segmented bodies and blackened heads with pinchers. They are described as very similar to blackheads, which Jane obsessively picks at.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 MAG 32: Hive
2. ↑ MAG 6: Squirm
3. ↑ MAG 26: A Distortion
4. ↑ MAG 22: Colony
5. ↑ MAG 41: Too Deep
6. ↑ MAG 38: Lost and Found
7. ↑ MAG 39: Infestation
8. ↑ MAG 40: Human Remains
9. ↑ MAG 55: Pest Control
10. ↑ Rare Case oe Filamentous or Entozoon Worms
On Filamentous (Entozoon) Worms In The Living Human Body
11. ↑ MAG S1 Q&A