So the finale picks up precisely where we left the last episode, with Sabrina, Nick and Ambrose bursting in to tell Zelda and Hilda that Sabrina has inadvertently fulfilled a prophecy designed to bring about the Earth’s subjugation to the Dark Lord. It’s reassuring to see that even Zelda will stand up to the Dark Lord in favour of protecting Sabrina. It’s a bit of a surprising U-turn, but I suppose everyone has their limits, especially when Satan wants them to become the head of an enslaved planet that scripture did not foresee.

Meanwhile, I am going to Hell. I say this because The Dark Lord emerges from the mines in his original form of Lucifer Morningstar and wearing nought but a loin cloth, and can I just say mother may I. I mean, I knew that the Devil was meant to be seductive, but there is clearly one hell of a personal trainer in the Underworld. Can I be the Queen of Hell? I’d enjoy that very much, please. Kindly enjoy the aesthetics of the said ruler of Hell, so that I can get it out of my system and try and conceptualise him as a bad person again. It’s tricky right now.

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So the Spellmans set about protecting the house from the Dark Lord and Sabrina dispatches her mortal friends to close up the entrance to Hell in the mines. Ultimately, the protection is fruitless as Ms Wardwell merely walks straight into the house and asks Sabrina to come with her to meet the Dark Lord. She finally reveals her true identity to the Spellmans, which is enough to convince Sabrina to accompany here.

Lucifer makes his deal very clear to Sabrina. He intends for her to sound the Horn of Gabriel and open the gates of Hell to release the powerful demons that lie there in order to enslave witches and mortals alike with Lucifer and Sabrina being their rulers. Simple, right? If this wasn’t convincing enough, he also drops not one but two life-altering bombshells on Sabrina: that firstly, she is his son and not Edward Spellman’s, and secondly that darling Nick (my poor shipper heart) was actually working on his orders this entire time. Nick appears to confirm this story, but reveals to Sabrina that his love for her was real. Sabrina responds, appropriately, by spitting in his face and leaving.

Meanwhile, Faustus receives a dressing down from The Dark Lord at breaking away from the rest of the Church to create his Church of Judas. Lucifer is displeased at the way that Faustus has treated Sabrina and, while Prudence hopes that this will change his ways and therefore she won’t need to kill him, he instead returns to the Church and announces an Unholy Communion. He then intends to flee, inviting Prudence along with him. She refuses and vows to track him down and kill him. Returning to the chapel, she discovers the entire of the coven has been poisoned and teleports to the Spellmans to help. Zelda and Ambrose set about trying to revive as many of the coven as they can.

Lilith, realising that her post as Queen of Hell is never going to come and that Lucifer views her as lesser than instead of his equal, formulates a plan with the Spellmans to get rid of Lucifer. This plan revolves around Sabrina appealing to his ego while Hilda and Zelda stab him in the wounds from his severed wings. Predictably (seeing as this is only halfway through the episode), this fails to work, and Sabrina is compelled to blow the Horn of Gabriel lest Hilda and Zelda be slain. Thanks to Roz, Harvey and Theo, however, the gates of Hell remain closed due to Roz’s cunning allowing her to see runes (or symbols? Or sigils?) that Harvey draws that keep the door locked.

It is now time for Sabrina’s coronation and she arrives in a slightly out-of-place rendition of Masquerade. Sabrina is crowned as the Queen of Hell, and announced as Lucifer’s daughter. While they dance, Sabrina distracts Lucifer while the rest of the assembled guests begin ominously chanting. The element of surprise would have been stronger had Prudence not been painfully obvious behind her tiny mask. Lucifer realises, too late, what is going on with their chanting, just as Ambrose throws an Acheron at his feet, seeming to entrap him. The group smile, satisfied that they have rid themselves of the Dark Lord. Suddenly, he bursts forth from the Acheron, too powerful to be held by such a device. Lilith uses her magic to freeze him where he stands, while revealing that the human body contains much more powerful Acheron energy and will be able to contain the Dark Lord. Nick, still feeling guilty – and apparently guilty enough to sacrifice himself – offers himself to bind the Dark Lord. Nick absorbs Lucifer’s consciousness and is then put to sleep by means of a sleeping spell.

The group return to the mines to bid Lilith and Nick’s body farewell. Lilith takes the crown from Sabrina’s head, finally achieving her dream of being Queen of Hell. She says that she is going to grant Sabrina two gifts: the first being her witching powers being given back. She does not reveal the second, but rather takes Nick’s body and opens the gate so that she can return to Hell.

The closing sequence hints at Season 2 and Part 3 of the Netflix series. Ambrose and Prudence head off on a journey to track down and kill Faustus, Zelda becomes High Priestess of the Church of [Name Yet to be Determined] and Sabrina allies with her friends for a dangerous mission: to go to Hell and get Nick back.

So there we have it. Part 2 and Season 1 are complete. It’s hard to say how the series will build upon what has happened here. After all, you can hardly have a faith built around the Dark Lord when he no longer exists, so it gives a lot of freedom as to what to fight for next. However, lots of the tension caused by Sabrina’s manipulation by Lilith will be lost going forward, as well as the inevitability of the prophecy. It will be intriguing to see how the dynamic shifts going into the next wave of the show, where Zelda is in charge. Maybe there will be more facets of Edward’s vision for the Church in the rebuilt version. It will also be interesting to see how it works with Sabrina working alongside her mortal friends. We shall find out, soon enough!

Musings

• Technically, I was not wrong: Sabrina never did become Queen of Hell. I mean, she sort of had a coronation, but she did not bring around the Apocalypse. So I suppose I was slightly right on that front.
• It’s laughable that Sabrina claims that Ms Wardwell was her favourite teacher. If she was that close to you Sabrina, how could you fail to notice that she’d suddenly become some sort of batshit crazy Satanist when before she had been a mild-mannered librarian sort? Open your eyes, Sabrina.
• Secondly, I very much doubt that the real Ms Wardwell’s return is the second gift that Lilith had in mind. It would be stupid for it to be revealed so quickly. It might be forgotten about for a while, but I’m sure it will be great when it turns back up.
• Furthermore, poor Ms Wardwell. She’s finally come to and she’s going to have to deal with a missing fiancé and also suddenly being the principal of a school. What if she didn’t want to be the principal of the school? What if she can’t handle the responsibility? What is she going to do? Justice for Mary Wardwell, guys.
• I’m slightly worried that Theo might in fact be a psychopath. He was far too proud of the fact that he killed those poor, innocent Mandrakes. Like literally they were babies. Have a heart, Theo! What is wrong with you? And then he just throws himself towards the Gates of Hell. Think it through, Theo. This isn’t a playground. THEY ARE THE GATES OF HELL. Jeez!
• Dorian Gray flirting with The Dark Lord is my new favourite thing. I swear, at this point, The Church of Night is essentially just a bisexual orgy and I am living for it. If that’s what Satanism is about, then sign me up. I am down.
• Also, poor Nick. I know that he broke Sabrina’s trust and everything, but I’m so done with the whole “WHAT WAS EVEN REAL BETWEEN US” thing. He was definitely in an impossible position: The Dark Lord commanded him to do something, and he had to follow that instruction. Sure, immoral, but what did he have to gain by lying about whether or not he loved you after it had been revealed Sabrina? Absolutely nothing! Go get him back.
• I have found, overall, this second part of Sabrina to be incredibly well paced. There was no “Netflix slump” that I usually experience, though I suppose it benefitted from the first part being able to set up the premise. Not only that, but there was a clear difference between each episode. Incredibly well-plotted and thought out. Other TV programmes should take note – you can have a story arc while still being episodic. Just saying.

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