Debbie met her maker in DIG Season 1 Episode 8 at the hands of a 13-year-old high priest named Joshua.

That was hardly the ending we would have expected for the woman who had only recently found her bearings in the crazy world she was thrust into years ago. 

We had a chance to chat briefly with Lauren Ambrose about portraying Debbie, her characters arc and the evil found at the compound in New Mexico.

While Debbie gave it the old college try, I wondered what, exactly, she hoped to accomplish by storming the compound. Ambrose shared her thoughts, "To put an end to the evil that was coming from the compound. Of course, evil transcends it, but I think that was the goal. To end the evil through saving this child."

The real draw for Ambrose was the opportunity to play a character who grows in such short order. She explained, "She has a really big arc. A big transformation that's just rare. There are huge stakes and she goes from being in this dream state, in this daze in this cult and totally not thinking for herself and not using her brain and then she sees the light and wakes up to the reality around her and she sees this child."

I like the metaphor that she has to save the kid, because I think she sees herself in this child. As a child you're very malleable and manipulatable and you think anything is normal and so she feels it's her duty to save him. And in so doing she goes rogue and goes off the grid and becomes this fierce badass from this scared mouse that we first saw. That was a really fun thing to do as an actress."

As the conversation continued, I asked Ambrose her opinion on where the little demon child who killed off her badass character should find himself as the series progresses. She laughed, "He needs to go, I think. He's pretty evil. I hope he gets put in a school for troubled boys. He can do some manual labor. In isolation."

We'll find out what's next for Joshua as the mystery continues next week in DIG Season 1 Episode 9, "Jehoshaphat." 

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.