Welcome one and all to Multiversity’s very own ‘Witching Hour,’ in which we take a look at Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Join me every Monday for your weekly recap. Last week, Harvey and Theo discovered an ancient painting in the tunnels of the Kinkle Mines depicting Sabrina as the Dark Lord’s Herald of Hell. Now Sabrina must find out what that means and how to stop it.
1. Herald of Hell
We’ve heard this term before. And it’s been called many things: “The Dark Lord’s Sword,” “The Dark Lord’s Prophet,” “The Dark Lord’s Herald.” Ultimately it all means that Sabrina is destined for some real darkness, that she’ll be the one who will usher in Apocalypse.
Naturally Sabrina is inclined to stop the prophecy. Her chess match with the Dark Lord coming to a head, she’ll have to make the ultimate sacrifice. But she really has no idea how to stop the coming apocalypse so who does she turn to? C’mon you know… Ms. Wardwell, Lilith, Madam Satan, who after being lovesick and heartbroken, seems to have returned to her vile self. She tells Sabrina there’s real no way of stopping it without ridding herself of her powers. This is also a way that she can unleash her new pet on Sabrina when she’s weakest. Wardwell tells Sabrina of the Mandrake spell, and without really knowing the consequences Sabrina dives head first into the unknown, cause that’s a surprise.
On a side note, I think it’s funny that Sabrina basically tells her mortal friends to bugger off like a bunch of children while she goes and handles the adult witchcraft stuff. Theo and Harvey found the mosaic afterall. While seperately, their narratives aren’t as engaging as the witchcraft, I do find it interesting when the mortals play a part in Sabrina’s magical life.
2. The Church of Judas
So this week, we see Father Blackwood completely go off his rocker. the Bahamut Statue that was desecrated by the angels has been refurnished into a statue of Father Blackwood, manifesto in hand, a boy, presumably Judas, by his side and a witch on her knees in front of him. He’s renamed the Church of Night as the Church of Judas. He completely puts into effect his five tenets, going so far as to remove witches from any real magical classes, resigning them to the more “feminine” magics. Prudence wants assurance that she’ll be able to continue with her current curriculum. Good to have that Blackwood name huh?
One of the students attempts to escape to find Sabrina, whom Blackwood calls a heretic. He sentences her to death, however with some quick thinking from Zelda (still playing submissive wife), and Prudence, the girl is only sent to the witches cell. But Prudence turns on Zelda recovering baby Latisha and revealing the truth to her father. Prudence of course, later has a change of heart and frees Zelda but stays behind to keep her sisters safe. Meanwhile, Blackwood sends a group of his Nazi police warlocks after Sabrina.
3. The Mandrake
Mandrake roots have been associated with witchcraft in our pop culture, mostly from what I remember in Harry Potter. This isn’t a screaming little baby plant though, no this spell would effectively clone Sabrina, transferring all of her powers to that clone. Then for their plan to work, Sabrina would have to destroy the mandrake (her clone) rendering her completely powerless and unable to bring about the end of days.
Because Ambrose is one hell of a guy and a wonderful loving cousin, he again agrees to guide Sabrina into the unknown where she messes with forces that she really doesn’t understand, nor seem to care about. I mean she goes to magic school and they’ve virtually taught her diddly squat. But who cares, she’s half mortal half witch, she’s special, powerful, she can handle it without escaping by the skin of her teeth…
Anyway after promising to stay awake, Ambrose falls asleep (You had one job dude) allowing the mandrake to escape and pose as Sabrina. I must tip my hat to Kiernan Shipka who’s always wonderful, but really gets to have some fun here acting as Sabrina’s doppelganger. The mandrake is sweet and is always “looking for her friends.” She’s also ruthless and full of Sabrina’s magic. She easily dispatches the Judas boys that Blackwood sends after her, telling them they are mean and nasty in the most horrifyingly sweet voice ever. She kidnaps Theo, Roz, and Harvey in order to make more mandrake clones, cause she’s really only just lonely. Ultimately, she gets caught and she’s tricked into having a duel with the real Sabrina. Yes, an old fashioned duel with what looks like 1800’s style pistols.
Continued below4. The Jig’s Up, Wardwell
After almost twenty episodes of manipulation, Sabrina and Nick finally discover that Wardwell is behind everything that has happened since her dark baptism. After Adam attacks Sabrina in the bath, Nick comes to the rescue, taking Wardwell’s rib out of Adam. This later gives him power over Wardwell as Sabrina confronts her, tells her she knows everything, and after she kills the mandrake she’d be back to kill her. Those are some tough words for someone without their magical abilities.
While Sabrina goes to deal with the mandrake, Wardwell discusses Sabrina’s “miracles,” or rather perversions of the miracles of Jesus as told in the bible. Sabrina has taken part in nearly all of the miracle perversions except Christ’s crucifixion. Wardwell asks Nick what the opposite of the ultimate sacrifice is. She answers, telling him it’s suicide. By killing the mandrake Sabrina would inadvertently fulfill the prophecy and release the Dark Lord in his true form on the world. Nick has no choice but to trust Wardwell, but she obviously doesn’t want this to happen anymore than he does.
5. Sabrina Shot First
The two Sabrina’s meet in the woods at the dark alter. There, Ambrose presents their weapons, two old fashioned pistols. He explains the rules, ten paces then turn and shoot, whoever is left standing is the real Sabrina.
But the real Sabrina only walks about eight to nine paces before turning around and shooting her clone in the back. Again I must praise Shipka’s acting here. The mandrake is so hurt that Sabrina cheated and Shipka portrays this deadly innocence perfectly. It’s great. The mandrake dies in Sabrina’s arms. It’s a kind of touching moment, because Sabrina bacically did just kill herself and has to work through those emotions.
Alas, Nick and Wardwell arrive too late and as they tell her that she just committed the last perversion, lightning strikes the dark alter and the episode ends, presumably with the apocalypse beginning. So will Sabrina ascend? Will she truly bring about the end of days or will she face the devil and come out on top? We’ll find out next week in the season finale of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
