‘School Spirits‘ Season 3 finale will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last second. Both ghost and human worlds collide in the race to save Simon and stop Van Heidt from destroying the school. A Season 4 renewal of ‘School Spirits‘ is definitely necessary! Fans cannot be left with that ending! Spoilers ahead.
School Spirits Season 3 Episode 8 “Dawn of the Deb” Recap
Maddie’s spirit is walking through the forest her door far behind her. Although there’s the odd door here and there on the path. However, while Maddie’s spirit is sees a forest, her body in the living world is walking down a tunneled path in the middle of the road. A car honks hard and then swerves to miss hitting her completely. Maddie looks at the car, then gets in and the car drives off.
Quinn, Mr. Martin, Rhonda, Charley and Yuri sit in the library as they prep for the school board meeting. Charley still feels betrayed by what Wally did. Understanding why Wally did what he did but upset that he kept getting his door a secret from them. Rhonda tries to soften Wally’s choice by saying that he was trying his best to saying goodbye. Mr. Martin tries to encourage them not to give up hope yet. Believing there’s still a chance that the school could be saved. And in doing so, save them too.
At the same time, Nicole, Claire and Xavier are practicing with Principal Hartman on what to say during the school board meeting. They’ve been practicing all night and it hasn’t really improved. Livia calls Nicole trying to help saying she picked up Maddie and she’s about to bring her into the E.R. Nicole asks her to wait until one of them gets Maddie. Xavier rushes out to the hospital to get Maddie. She just sits in the car seeing nothing.
Maddie searches the path and sees different mirrors scattered around. As she turns to searching the area a body slams into her. It’s Dawn. Dawn’s excited to see Maddie and vice versa. After all, this isn’t what Dawn expected after going through her door. Bummed there wasn’t any pearly gates to be found. She says maybe Shakespeare had a point. “All living things must die passing through nature to eternity.” Even though she wasn’t expecting to see Maddie since she got her life back. Maddie wonders how she knows about that. Revealing she learned it from Janet. Though Dawn has seen Janet, she hasn’t seen Wally. When she says she hasn’t, Maddie pleads for her help in finding Simon. Dawn warns her the place they’re in now isn’t like what they’re used to. Wally walks around the forest calling out for Simon.
When Xavier arrives at the hospital he thanks Livia for finding her. Despite all the things he’s heard about Livia, she says she did it because it was the right thing to do. She does care about that. Dave says that they should keep her mobile because it being in this state makes her vulnerable. He uses the Godfather as an example but Xavier’s never seen it. In this case, Xavier thinks of Weekend at Bernie’s as a more app example. Principal Hartman tries to stop Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price to talk about what he knows but she pushes past him. She walks into the library looking victorious.
As they walk down the path, or “ley lines” as Janet likes to call them, Maddie sees a bloody gauze on a tree. Thinking of Simon she follows that path. Simon walks aimlessly in the forest until he sees someone walking toward him through the fog. Startled he falls over in fear. Janet walks forward and sees it’s Simon. She doesn’t understand how he’s there. He asks if she knows who he is? Instead of hearing her when she says she does, he runs off in fear. Janet chased after him.
After walking for what feels like forever Wally sees a rearview mirror in a tree. He picks it up and looks at his reflection and falls into a memory. He turns up the radio in his car still reveling in how great he played in his football game. Maddie and Dawn are walking across a bridge when Maddie hears it. Dawn instantly worried that someone is stuck and runs in the direction of the sound. At the same time Wally is still in his memory. He hears someone call his name and he walks towards the mirror in his memory. Dawn appears in the reflection telling him not to get stuck. He looks behind him but she wasn’t there. Then Maddie and Dawn both appear calling for him to come out.
Wally throws the mirror down and gasp in shock. He turns and see Maddie. They are able to embrace for the first time since she’s returned to her body and kiss. Laughter stops their reunion short. They see Dawn smiling happy for them. Maddie punches Wally for going through his door because it was reckless. He said he had to take a shot. As they walk further into the forest, Janet tries to get through to Simon when he stops suddenly. His eyes are cloudy barely there any more. He asks Janet if she knows who he is? Confirming that she does
Meanwhile at the school board meeting begins they try to start the agenda when Dr. Deborah has a surprising out burst that shocks the room. Claire demands that they have a right to defend themselves. Public comment is important. Sandra calls Nicole to find out where Maddie is. Nicole tells her where she is after Sandra admits that Maddie told her everything. In detail, Claire gives an impassioned speech about what’s really at stake. After hanging up, she joins Claire by showing receipts of the kickbacks the superintendent planned to receive by demolishing the school. To be sure they ask if the superintendent wants to refute the claims. However, she’s left the room.
Charley brings Yuri down to the basement and says if he ever needs to freak out that he has the space to do so if he wants. He wants to be there for Yuri if he needs it. Charley stops mid kiss after smelling gasoline. Leaving the bomb shelter they start to investigate why it smelled of gasoline when they are almost run over by Dr. Deborah. She tells them to watch where they’re going. They are in shock. She stops and turns running her fingers over her ring. Van Heidt’s ring.
Dave and Xavier watch over Maddie’s body. Sandra rushes into the chapel room demanding to know what happened. She admits that Maddie explained everything but she needs to know the truth. What is happening to Maddie? On the positive side he reassures her that Maddie is fine and that he and Dave are helping. Truly, Sandra takes a deep breath before turning in Dave’s direction. On the other side, they believe that Maddie is stuck in one of her visions and she can’t get out. Sandra pleads with Dave to find Maddie and bring her back. Dave gives her a nod that she can’t see before going after Maddie.
Unless Dr. Deborah suddenly developed the ability to see ghosts something is wrong. Charley, Yuri, Quinn, Mr. Martin and Rhonda are in Principal Hartman’s office looking at the security camera footage on his computer. They believe Van Heidt is in her body and discover her setting fire to a stack of chairs that have been covered in gasoline. Remembering that the library is under the cafeteria. They rush to the library and find the doors chained all around. Trapping everyone inside. Mr. Martin, Quinn and Rhonda plan to get into the library from the church scar and asks Charley and Yuri to do their best to slow the spread. While they rush try and stop what is about to happen Dr. Deborah is walking along the hallway with a baseball bat smashing he fire bells.
All of a sudden Maddie hears Janet’s voice. By the time they get to Janet, Simon is standing in the river. She is surprised to see Wally and Maddie.` She warns Maddie something is wrong with Simon. He doesn’t remember anything about his life before. Hearing Maddie’s call he asks her if she knows who he is. Without delay Maddie rushes in after him and pulls him out. She pulls him to look into the reflection of a puddle. Dawn and Janet stop Wally from touching them. Just like how the bad scars can pull you in so can the good ones. It’s just as easy to get lost in them. People you left behind or have lost can reach you only if you’re listening.
Maddie and Simon are reliving last Halloween when they watched a horror movie. Sandra tries to come out and snag a picture but Maddie is embarrassed and she promises before the night is over she’s going to get it. At the same time in the living world, Sandra is talking to Maddie asking her to come back. Maddie in her memory hears Sandra’s voice. It doesn’t feel the same as her mom is in the kitchen who is making Rice Krispy treats. She remembers that they’re in a memory from last year. She realizes that it’s not real. Simon looks at her and his eyes are clouded over. Then she hears Wally’s voice. She sees him in the window reflection.
Maddie pleads with Simon to remember who he is. She grabs Simon’s face and reminds him that he lost his way trying to help her. That he is Simon Elroy. That he’s been touched by death since he was born. It’s a heavy burden to carry. He belongs back in his life. She’d rather die than let him stay there. Above all, she pleads with him to come home to his family, to her. Simon starts to remember and the fog around his eyes fades. He calls her name and they hug tightly.
Dave walks to his door and steps in. He already has his exit door. Before stepping through he looks at the young Maddie sitting in front of the doll house he got her longingly. Realizing he might not see this memory again or make it back he walks through his door. Charley and Yuri are trying to fight the flames with the water they collected but it’s not working. Yuri wonders if the reset rules applies if they take the water through their scars. They have to try anything at this point.
When Mr. Martin, Rhonda and Quinn make it to the church scar the hole is just a hole. No water like before. Mr. Martin rushes to find Ralph and asks him to help them get to the library. The water fills up like before. It dawns on him that Ralph is the one who has been sending them to the library. He can’t understand how Ralph could send him to the bus crash. He wonders if Ralph was punishing him. Then he apologizes again in distress. Quinn figures out that he did it to warn them. He knew someone was going to die and didn’t want them to be alone. In addition, Rhonda reminds him that because of Mr. Martin none of them had to face the afterlife alone. He finds it unfair that Ralph was alone. The pastor shows up and it’s clear he wasn’t alone either.
At the same time, Yuri and Charley go in his scar. When the bullies try to start his nightmare he tells them it’s not the time. They start to wonder if the fire is breaking through the veil but they don’t plan on sticking around long enough worry about it too much. Mr. Martin asks for Ralph’s help to get them to the library. He points at the water. They make their way there when debris starts to fall around them. Between the fire and the trauma of the scar is colliding. The pastor tries to help Mr. Martin and hit by a wood beam hard. He falls to the ground. Ultimately, Mr. Martin stays behind with Ralph as the debris falls and encourages Quinn and Rhonda to warn the others. Mr. Martin looks up as a white light appears and he sees the outline of the pastor.
They land wet in the middle of the library. Shouting that the superintendent set the cafeteria on fire. No one moves. Rhonda shouts at them to get out and chaos ensues as everyone runs towards the door. They keep walking in circles trying to find out how to get to Maddie’s door. It’s hard to find your door in the ley lines. They arrive at an opening and Simon sees the pastor and the children from the church scar together again. Realizing he crossed over. Dave finds Maddie and tells her he’s there to take her home. They clasp hands and he leads her back to her door. Maddie’s key glows and her door opens. Now they walk through it and before anyone else can it closes behind them. She and Simon are falling.
She returns to her body and Sandra hugs her tightly. Maddie thanks her mom for helping her find her way back. Looking around she wonder where Simon is. Her mom tells her to do what she needs to do but be careful. Nicole calls Xavier and tells him what’s happening at the school. Charley and Yuri are able to fight the flames as best they can trying to contain everything as best they can. Taking the water and extinguisher through the scar helped. However, the fire is bridging the ghost world as well. In the midst of fighting the flames, Yuri confesses he really loves Charley. On the whole, Charley tells him he has horrible timing and smiles replying he loves him back.
When Maddie and Xavier arrive at the school they confront Van Heidt who is in Dr. Deborah’s body. He warns them that the best thing they should do is to let them leave. Or he will take drastic measures. After all, a century of surviving comfortably is not something one can give up easily. With no plans to give that up until he’s good and ready to stop. Xavier says Van Heidt is a coward. Laughing, Van Heidt sums up how the brave fight and claw to survive. Remorseless for the lives he’s wrecked. He sees the school as his failure. If they keep getting in his way, he will take everything and everyone they love and bury them. Believing there’s nothing they can do to stop him. When suddenly something hits the back of her head hard.
Simon appears behind the fallen superintendent holding a fire extinguisher. As Simon and Maddie embrace, Xavier runs back in with the firefighters. Van Heidt fades into the smoke filling the hallway. Sheriff Baxter and Xavier embrace feeling like they’re going to be ok. They wonder what happened to Van Heidt but they’re hopeful that they won’t be seeing him again. Xavier tells Nicole, Simon and Claire that he threatened Maddie. Van Heidt knows who they are. Claire responds they know who he is too. Nicole wants to see him try to take them on.
Maddie shares what she saw behind the doors and how she had to leave them there. Rhonda tells Maddie not to worry. They’re not going anywhere. They’ve all have a very tiring day. Yuri feels like a smoke. Charley suggests he jump the fence and take the short cut. After everything Charley wonders if Mr. Martin is still in the school. Rhonda reassures him that they will check. Yuri braces himself as he’s about to step over the boundary but ends up walking on the asphalt. He turns to look at them in shock. Charley asks if they brought the boundary down?
Three days pasts and Maddie and Simon are headed to see a movie. Having a debate about zombies. She starts to see Wally walking around but realizes it’s not him. Before she can get lost in her thoughts Simon brings her back. Suggesting they take their mind off life and death since they can’t go to school by watching a movie about death. That lift her spirits. Sandra is cleaning off a cleaver when Maddie gets home. Sandra asks if Maddie is okay. Maddie says it’s been a weird couple days. She suggest Maddie gets some rest as she always says. Maddie wishes her mom a goodnight. Sandra walks to the window to close the curtain and pulls off her ring on her pinkie. In her reflection instead of seeing Sandra we see Van Heidt. Then the curtains close.
Review: Van Heidt Making Good on His Threat Has Begun. Where is Sandra?
The last 5 minutes of the Season 3 finale episode had us on the edge of our seat! Knowing that when (not if) ‘School Spirits‘ is renewed for a fourth season that Maddie will now have to save her mother. Which is quite the conundrum. When you remember this all started because of her mother that made her vulnerable to having her body taken in the first place. Now, Sandra needs to be saved. Crossing over always seemed to be the way out of their purgatory but in reality it’s just another place. Almost like just because you were able to work on one part of yourself that doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done.
Three days have passed and there is a lot of unaccounted time of events we know nothing about. When did Van Heidt take over Sandra’s body? Where is Sandra? Did Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price ever get back into her body? With the boundary down will the ghost see their families they haven’t seen in decades? How will that affect their relationships? Will Wally, Janet, Dawn and Dave be stuck in the ley lines? Is there no way for Wally and Maddie to get a happily ever after? Yes, we ship Mally over here and even if it’s unrealistic expectations we want to see them together.
Van Heidt doesn’t make idle threats and his plan has begun. The question remains: how can you defeat an enemy that seems to be unstoppable? Here’s hoping we won’t have too long to wait for a renewal announcement.
The possibilities for what a fourth season of ‘School Spirits’ can explore are endless. The creators Nate and Megan Trinrud and Oliver Goldstick really have expanded on the afterlife in such a beautiful way that truly feels real.
All episodes of ‘School Spirits‘ are available to stream on Paramount+.
