The series is based on characters and elements appearing in Thomas Harris' novels Red Dragon and Hannibal, with focus on the relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham's most cunning enemy.
The episode revolves around Freddie Lounds' murder after a burning body that identifies her shows up at a parking garage.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.95 million household viewers and gained a 0.7/2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Price (Scott Thompson) and Zeller (Aaron Abrams) find that the dental marks of the body is that of Lounds.
She wakes up in an operating table, where Mason tells her his intentions of performing a surgery to make her infertile as the doctors start their process.
Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode an "amazing" 9.5 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict: "'Kō No Mono' was directed by David Slade, who directed the show's pilot and several Season 1 installments, and he certainly returned for a big episode – one that he brought his expert skills to, filled with wonderful Hannibal moments like the visual of the tea cup reforming.
Mason Verger is now firmly established as an amazingly vile and disturbing character and while Will has attempted to take out Hannibal with another psychopath before, this time feels much more weighty and important.
Most of us suspected Will was playing Hannibal, but it was not only great to have that confirmed at this point but in such a satisfying way, as we, and Alana, discovered Jack and Freddie's participation in what now appears to be a very elaborate trap for someone who has proven to be a very elusive target.
Here's what I really like about this show: I knew, as an informed viewer of television who understands the shaky verisimilitude of Hannibal's world, that Freddie Lounds was not dead.
"[7] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "'Ko No Mono' is the sort of episode that I imagine will play better for someone binging season 2 at a later date than somebody watching week-to-week.
It inches the Will/Hannibal fishing chess game a little – and even has a moment where Alana accuses Jack of moving pieces around on the board – but it's not until fairly late in the episode, when we find out the truth about Freddie Lounds and see what horrible fate Mason has planned for Margot, that it feels compelling as its own thing rather than part of the larger whole.
"[9] Gerri Mahn of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "There is not much time left in the season, and events appear to be snowballing fast.
"[10] Nick McHatton of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Hannibal does not pray.