Wednesday, the spine-chilling supernatural hit, returns to Netflix for season 2 part 1. This time round, Wednesday Addams returns to Nevermore Academy with her family in tow and brother Pugsley joining as a student.
But, while season 1 saw the end of old adversaries, the mystery continues with a dangerous stalker, a new era led by a new principal and Wednesday's ongoing struggle to harness her psychic abilities.
Another year at Nevermore means another year of dark and spooky chaos and the Addams Family's world gets even more creepy.
With new teachers and Principal Dort, there's a lot more horror to navigate in a season of two parts. Part 2 is coming on September 3. Spoilers to follow.
Here's a recap of everything that happened in Wednesday season 2 episode 1.
The episode opens on Wednesday tied up and choked with black tears running down her face. She explains she’s in a serial killer’s basement and has been all summer as she sits at a dinner table filled with porcelain dolls for guests. Wednesday says the killer thinks she’s his next victim. It cuts to six weeks earlier.
Wednesday is practicing her psychic skills using Goody’s book of spells. She explains she’s now got control over her abilities, so is focusing on an obsession she’s had since she was six. A flashback shows a young Wednesday in a classroom giving a presentation on her favorite serial killer, the Kansas City Scalper. In the present day, she’s tasked Thing with getting a piece of evidence from one of his crimes so she can psychically locate him. Thing returns with a rubber duck encased in a large clear bowling ball, evidence from the killer’s 11th victim.
She locates him, but first she has to travel by plane to get there. At Newark Airport, Wednesday is flagged in security for her barrage of concealed weapons; knives, a taser, a knuckle duster and more. The guards then flag her bag and pull Thing out. She explains she’s heading to an embalmers convention. The guard is more concerned about the sun cream she’s packed, over the allowed limit.
In Kansas City, a man leaves his home and gets inside his van: “Chet’s Pooch Pampering”. Wednesday frightens him, popping up unnoticed, and asks him if his serial killer services are listed online, too. But, when she goes to taser him, he grabs her arm and her head is immediately thrown backwards and black tears pour from her eyes as she imagines the dolls around the table.
He enters his basement where Wednesday is tied up and wheels over his instruments for scalping. He tells her he’s made her a gift as he pulls out a small Wednesday doll. As he pulls the rope tied around her mouth down, she tells him she has her own handiwork to show him and looks to one of the dolls round the table. Its head turns and it opens its eyes. Suddenly, its head explodes and Thing jumps out, grabbing onto the man’s face.
Thing beats him up as Wednesday escapes from her ropes. Thing then points to the black tears on Wednesday’s face and she dismisses him, saying it’s a minor psychic glitch. Wednesday picks up a knife as the man wakes up and tells him it’s time to play dolls.
In Wednesday’s room back at home, she has the front page of the Kansas City Sentinel framed with the headline: “Scalper Scalped” as the killer has been arrested. She looks through Goody’s book of spells and finds nothing to do with the black tears she's suffered with. Morticia enters and tells her that Lurch has packed the car and it’s time to head back to Nevermore Academy.
Gomez, Morticia and Pugsley accompany Wednesday and as they drive along, Pugsley practices his own ability, the same as Uncle Fester; electrokinesis. Pugsley expresses that it’s weird it skipped Gomez and Morticia explains being an Outcast isn’t about what you can do. Wednesday is interested in his ability, purely on how it might help her in the future. She tells Pugsley there’s a stop sign coming up and he must hit the center of the O, or she’ll eject him. He does it and in the car’s wake, a huge crash happens resulting in a fiery explosion.
They pass a car heading the other way which drives into the woods and pulls up next to a man waiting on a picnic bench. He’s got champagne on ice and romantic music playing. A man is higher up in the woods, taking photos secretively. He notes as a woman gets out of the car and runs into the man’s arms for a kiss. The man keeps taking photos. He turns around and sees a bird with a red eye watching him. More and more birds arrive and they start to attack him. He gets inside his blue van, but they continue to smash into the windows. He calls someone and says they’re onto him and if he doesn’t make it, then the evidence is safe at the bullpen. All the birds are suddenly inside his van and they attack him.
Wednesday and the rest of the Addams family arrive at Nevermore. Wednesday tells Morticia she’s going to control the chaos this time round. Pugsley is joining Nevermore, too. As Wednesday walks in, the other students take her photo and ask for her autograph. Bianca walks over and uses her ability to bid the students away. She explains to Wednesday that she’s popular now after she saved the school and that if she tries to ignore how popular she is, it’ll only get worse.
Barry Dort, the new principal, comes over and introduces himself. He’s carrying stickers that say: “Outcast Pride” and he’s wearing a badge to match. He tells her he’s reinstating the Founder’s Pyre ceremony, an old Outcast tradition. He invites her to be the student of honor and she dismisses him. He pleads and says he wants her to help return Nevermore to its glory days. But, while he says he doesn’t want to speak ill of the dead, referring to Weems, Wednesday says she’d rather demonize the living.
Wednesday and Thing head up to her old dorm and she’s met with drawings of her all over the door and students partying inside. Enid greets her and she asks everyone else to leave. Bruno, from her pack, stops to talk to Enid before he goes and she gets flustered. Enid wants to talk to Wednesday about their summer vacations. She hands Wednesday a gift from Lupinpalooza; a t-shirt with a Beowulf pun on it. Wednesday gives Enid a gift, too; one of the lifestyle dolls wearing the human hair from the Kansas City Scalper.
Enid tells Wednesday of her goals for the year. She wants to secure her place in the pack, become dance troupe captain and join the Nightshades. Wednesday wants to avoid people and work on her new Viper de la Muerte novel. She shows Enid her last novel which a publisher has littered with notes. There’s a knock on the door. It’s Ajax looking for Enid, but she hides and Wednesday lies for her. He hands over a pink fluffy unicorn.
After he’s gone, Enid tells Wednesday she’s not sure how she feels about Ajax anymore since she’s changed so much. But, their conversation is disturbed when Wednesday opens her closet door and a crossbow fires out an arrow directly at them. Attached is a photograph with the note: “Welcome back, Wednesday. I’m still watching.” The photo is of her talking to Barry Dort earlier that day. Wednesday tries to use her psychic abilities holding the photograph, but a black tear leaks from her eye and she tells Thing she didn’t see the stalker.
Gomez and Morticia take Pugsley to his new dorm. His roommate, Eugene, tries to introduce himself, shaking hands and getting electrocuted by Pugsley. Morticia introduces herself to Eugene’s mother, Janet. Janet says her and Sue weren’t sure they wanted Eugene to come back to Nevermore, but he wanted to. Pugsley asks what it was like getting gutted by a Hyde to which Eugene says he still has nightmares.
As their parents leave, Pugsley asks about Eugene’s bug collection and he explains that he could only control bees to begin with, but his powers are going further. He shows him how he can make them form into the words: “Bug off.” Pugsley quips about eating them and Eugene tells him they’re his pets, not food. Pugsley then tries to invite himself along to meet Eugene’s friend, but Eugene makes excuses. He tells him he only agreed to be his roommate because he likes Wednesday. Ajax arrives and explains that he’s the new resident advisor and welcomes them to Caliban Hall.
As Wednesday walks through the grounds, the students continue to fawn over her. The Addams family are talking to Principal Dort. He’s asking Morticia to be the chair of the Gala Fundraising Committee, since Vincent Thorpe won’t be doing it anymore after Xavier’s false murder accusation. He says Vincent pulled both his funding and Xavier from Nevermore, to which Wednesday is surprised to hear. Instead, he’s going to Reichenbach Academy in Switzerland. As Gomez and Morticia talk about leaving, Principal Dort says he wants to keep them closer.
It cuts to Rotwood Cottage. Principal Dort has brought the Addams family there and tells them Marilyn Thornhill lived there before, but since her arrest, it’s free and they can stay in it for the night. If Morticia chooses to be chair, she can stay there whenever she pleases. Morticia tells Wednesday she won’t do it if it makes her uncomfortable, but Wednesday says she’s always uncomfortable.
Morticia then tries to speak to Wednesday about Goody being gone and how she could help her instead and be her new guide. Wednesday says she’s a Dove and Morticia is a Raven, but Morticia says she’s had experience with Ravens. Wednesday turns and asks if she means her mom’s sister, Aunt Ophelia. Morticia says she reminds her a lot of her. Wednesday tells her not to worry about her, but to worry about Pugsley instead. As she leaves, Morticia tells Gomez she knows Wednesday is hiding things from her.
As Wednesday and Thing walk through the woods, she dismisses him. But then, she hears a police siren. Looking through the trees, she sees them gathering around the blue van that the man was attacked in by the birds. The police remove his body, his eyes have been fully removed, and they address him as Carl Bradbury, a local private investigator. The officer points out the two witnesses to Sheriff Santiago, the couple he was taking photos of, who are speaking to the police.
He explains the man, Greg, is the manager of the Piggly Wiggly and Debbie is one of his cashiers. The crows' bodies all lie dead around the van. Wednesday approaches Sheriff Santiago and notes her promotion. As the Sheriff walks off, Wednesday spots a man in a hood watching who quickly runs away when he notices her looking.
Wednesday chases him through the woods and kicks him in the face, revealing his identity; ex-Sheriff Galpin. He says he knows the victim and that they were working a case together. He tells her that Bradbury stumbled on something which he said could affect all Outcasts. When Wednesday is surprised by him caring, Galpin says his son, Tyler the Hyde, is an Outcast. He tries to blame Ms. Thornhill, but Wednesday corrects him. He wants her help and notes she was drawn to the crime scene, so she’s clearly interested, too. He tells her to find him if she changes her mind about helping and he looks up at the crow with the red eye watching him. She hesitates then walks away.
That evening, Ajax is telling stories by torchlight. He tells the students around him that it’s Caliban Hall tradition to recite the story of the Skull Tree. It begins at a hospital. A brilliant boy with a fragile heart. He stayed in bed all day, drawing the machines he wanted to build. One of which was a new heart for himself and while it worked, it also changed him. He was cold and ambitious and came to Nevermore to show off his skills. Until, he started inventing more dangerous things, which ended up killing him. Legend has it that the boy is buried at the foot of the Skull Tree in an unmarked grave. But, if you put your ear to the hollow left eye, you’ll hear his heart ticking. Pugsley listens and smiles as Ajax proposes that only the bravest would go to try and find it.
Bianca goes to see Principal Dort. He tells her he’s been watching her and wants to use her charisma for good. He says he’d like her to be the fundraising gala’s student liaison. Bianca says she doesn’t have the time, but Principal Dort threatens that if the school doesn’t have funds then he might have to let some of the scholarship students go, like Bianca. He tells her he knows how people feel about sirens, but he doesn’t agree with them. He thinks instead she should use her powers for the cause. He asks her again and asks for her to decide by tomorrow. At the dorm, Enid heads out to the balcony and talks to Thing. Thing is sad that Wednesday was mad at him and Enid gives reassurance before introducing him to a home she’s made for him.
Wednesday plays her cello as Morticia sits in the cottage reading her sister, Ophelia’s, diary. Inside, sketches of a screaming woman with black tears down her face. At Caliban Hall, as Eugene sleeps, Pugsley looks at a map to find the Skull Tree. He electrocutes one of Eugene’s spiders back to life. Thing finds a ring in his new home, with a chess piece symbol, and puts it on.
Galpin sits at home drinking, watching home videos of his son. And, a hooded figure cuts out the eyes of Wednesday from a photo. As Wednesday plays her music, she falters at the intensity, and a woman walks in. She introduces herself as Miss Capri, the new head of music. Wednesday notes she’s heard of her before given her fascination for child prodigies. Miss Capri tells Wednesday it wasn’t her hand that stopped the music, but Wednesday says she doesn’t want a lesson. Miss Capri carries on and tells her not to try to control it. Wednesday insists she doesn’t succumb to chaos.
The next day, select students are building the pyre with their skills. Principal Dort asks Morticia if she wants to be chair, but she says she’s still thinking about her decision. He says he’s looking for the perfect liaison and Bianca approaches and says she’ll do it. He invites her to the pyre that evening. As Wednesday returns to her dorm, Enid reads her a letter sent from Xavier. He says he tried to text her on the phone he gave her, to which it cuts to Wednesday boiling the phone in a pot, and continues with him giving her a gift; a painting of the red eyed crow sitting on a headstone.
He says in his letter that he doesn’t know why, but he can tell it’s connected to her. Enid invites her to the Founder’s Pyre and Wednesday notes Thing next to her typewriter. The page reads: “Read any good books lately?” She thinks of her novel and opens the drawer, but it’s gone. Instead, another note with the photo with her eyes cut out underneath reads: “Higher, higher, higher, I am demon of the fire and each blazing roof’s my pyre!” She realizes the stalker is going to burn her script at the pyre, her only copy. She goes to stop it.
At the Founder’s Pyre, Pugsley tells Eugene and his friends he’s going to sneak off to the Skull Tree and dig up the dead kid when the pyre is lit. No-one else wants to come. As Wednesday tells Thing to keep a lookout, students bump into her. She reaches into her pocket and it cuts her hand. She pulls out a note covered in razor blades, it reads: “If you don’t want your novel to go up in smoke, meet me under the pyre! P.S. I found a few more typos.” Wednesday finds a way inside and as Enid tries to stop her, she gets distracted by Ajax who wants to know what’s going on. She tries to make excuses and Bruno comes over to invite her to watch the pyre. But, she runs off to help Wednesday as she crawls into the bottom of the pyre.
Miss Capri opens the Founder’s Pyre and plays the piano as the choir sings. Principal Dort plays music and comes on dancing. He shouts to the crowd and tells them to celebrate a new era. Meanwhile, Enid shouts into the pyre to get Wednesday to come out. But, Wednesday crawls far enough inside to find her manuscript. Before she can get it, Principal Dort shoots fire to the pyre and lights it. At this, Puglsey creeps away. Wednesday, still inside, reaches her manuscript. The bird at the top of the pyre comes to life and burns brightly as it swoops down incredibly close to the crowd before exploding in the sky. The crowd cheers.
Wednesday continues to crawl out the pyre and Enid runs to Principal Dort and tells him she’s trapped inside. But, she walks out and towards the front of the crowd to which Principal Dort introduces her as the student of honor. He unveils a painting of Wednesday, Enid, Bianca and Eugene to commemorate them saving the school. He asks for words of inspiration and everyone chants her name. She heads to the stage and gives an empowering speech, but quickly turns sour on those cheering. She tells them she’s not their hero and that she only cares about herself. She tells Principal Dort to not put her on a pedestal as she burns the painting in front of everyone. Enid’s upset and Bianca laughs.
In the woods, Pugsley searches for the Skull Tree. When he finds it, he listens for the ticking heart, he hears it but a crow scares him as it flies out the eye. As he drops to the ground, he electrocutes the earth, bringing to life the corpse of the boy underneath. Pugsley smiles as the boy climbs out of the ground.
Meanwhile, as Wednesday walks away from Enid, Enid grabs her arm and it throws Wednesday’s head back bringing out black tears and she drops to the ground. Instead, she finds herself in a vision standing in a graveyard, surrounded by crows. One sits atop a headstone holding a white rose in its mouth. The headstone is for Enid and Wednesday hears Enid saying she died because of her. Suddenly, she turns round and a bloodied Enid strangles her. In the real world, Wednesday is convulsing on the floor and Morticia and Enid gather round her.
All episodes of Wednesday are available to stream on Netflix. Part 2 arrives on September 3.
