The cryptic chant "Anghkooey" has haunted the series since Tabitha Matthews first saw visions of the ghastly children. Episode 6 provides the concrete phonetic link fans have spent months debating on online forums. In the hidden root cellar behind the Matthews house, Tabitha and Victor discover carvings that predate the town's 19th-century architecture.
The word is not an incantation; it is a bastardized phonetic plea. By cross-referencing Victor’s childhood drawings with the newly uncovered slate markings, the dialogue reveals the root word translates to "Ankou-i", a derivative of Celtic folklore concerning the Ankou, the harbinger of death who collects souls trapped between planes. The children are not malicious specters trying to drag Tabitha down. They are the initial sacrifices used to anchor the pocket dimension in place.
When the children repeat the word, they are identifying the presence holding the township hostage. This realization reframes every prior vision: Tabitha was never being haunted; she was being designated as their surrogate guide to sever the original pact.
