I guess once they were aware of the network and that presence below, they started to look for another access nearby and eventually found it.

They found out that it was a network of caves

About containing the 'bastard', it sounds to me like a good idea to tie him weighted with a brick and be thrown into the lake. Then he will continuously returned and drown until the end of times.

Don't know how is the sundance version, but I tried some Internet subtitles and they are n't very good I must say.

Some answers start to come with the next episode…
Keep watching

"Also, do we really know why the military is there? That seems odd, even given there was a flood and a missing police force."

Why all this just sounds like baseless statements ?

Hardly I think and I would not risk to ruin you the pleasure to understand things by yourself. But once again, the tale could help in many way. Get back to it after the last one.

..ol

Actually, to me, the whole tale is full of patterns who meet in the show, even and especially the part with the flooding.

"One advantage of watching subtitled episodes of The Returned: The words to “The Mermaid And The Miller” are right there on the screen while Victor’s mom reads them, so it’s a lot simpler to connect the bedtime story to what Julie does next."

Try the reviews made by the Guardian : http://www.theguardian.com/…

I didn't mean to, sorry if you feel that way.

"But…do y'all think that they are (somehow) the police from the first dam break, or the po po from the end of season 1, including Tomas and Julie's ladyfriend?"

The ancient village being under the water of the actual dam reserve, the old dam is far above in the valley. So the town being farther below the new dam, yes, the hole is quite far and in an unfrequented place.

Fact is that no one seams to ever go again near the old dam. It's way far upstream water and it can't be by chance if Berg did go right to it.