WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for From season 3, episode 4!Jim has another haunting conversation with “Thomas” in Jim receiving a phone call from “Thomas,” his infant son who died shortly before the series premiere, it became clear that the situation was just the town playing tricks on the family. Knowing that Thomas’ tragic death is the Matthews family’s biggest source of guilt and tension, the phone calls supposedly from the deceased child are used to manipulate Jim and his family.

In From season 3, episode 4, the Matthews family gets another call from “Thomas,” which is answered by Ethan this time. “Thomas” tells Ethan that Tabitha is in trouble outside and needs to help save her, with Jim interrupting the call and telling the voice to leave his children alone. The entity on the other end menacingly responds, “They’re not your children anymore.” A shaken Jim then slams the phone and breaks it off the wall, leaving the sinister voice’s real identity unknown and his haunting message lingering as From’s characters prepare to reunite with Tabitha Matthews in town.

"Thomas" Is Saying That Julie & Ethan Belong To The Town's Forces, Not Jim

Julie & Ethan Aren't The Same Kids They Were When They Entered Town

Jim’s anger overpowers him after the voice claiming to be Thomas tells him that Julie and Ethan aren’t his children anymore, which has terrifying implications for the family. “Thomas” isn’t saying that Julie and Ethan aren’t who Jim thinks they are, but that the town’s forces are the ones who they belong to now. Julie has been tormented by the memories of being tortured by the music box monster in From season 2’s ending, with Ethan becoming more distant and cynical about his parents’ survival and the possibility of leaving.

Like they wanted all along, Thomas is saying that the town’s evil forces have already gotten to and taken power over Ethan and Julie. They’re no longer the children that they were when the Matthews family first arrived in From’s town; like Jim and Tabitha, they’ve been changed by the location’s forces trying to corrupt them. Ethan and Julie have already come to accept that they may end up being all each other has left if something bad happens to Jim and Tabitha. Consequently, they’re also learning to stop seeing Jim as their source of protection, rearing, and familial .

Why "Thomas" Was Really Trying To Get Ethan To Save Tabitha In From Season 3, Episode 4

The Voice Wanted To Make More Matthews Family Vulnerable At Night

It isn’t just Jim who “Thomas” is trying to manipulate in From season 3. It was clear that Ethan was still greatly grieving his brother when the family first became trapped in town, so the voice attempts to use that grief to get Ethan to risk his life at night. From’s mysterious monsters and forces need the characters to go outside at night to attack them, so “Thomas” tries to guilt Ethan into helping Tabitha so that he’ll go outside and be vulnerable to the creatures’ attacks.

The messages from "Thomas" aren't the first time From's characters have received phone calls at Tian-Chen's house. Jim had previously received a call from a voice telling him that Tabitha shouldn't be digging the hole, with Kenny receiving a call from a voice reciting the haunting nursery rhyme.

Of course, Ethan quickly catches on that the voice isn’t actually his dead brother Thomas, so he remains inside with Julie. However, the message still works to send Jim outside to rescue Tabitha and Henry from the ambulance, even if the monsters don’t get to him. With Jim having ripped the phone off the wall, it still remains to be seen whether “Thomas” will try to and manipulate the Matthews family again in From season 3.

New episodes of From season 3 release Sundays on MGM+.