With less than a month remaining until the return of Nancy Drew for season 3, speculation about the plot is ramping up as a result of trailer releases and new synopses. Much like the titular sleuth, fans have been connecting dots and making predictions for the new season. We here at Nerds & Beyond have been in full theory mode as well, and to get excited for the new season, I’ll be breaking down the information we know so far about the shenanigans our Drew Crew will get themselves into in season 3.
Note: this article will contain spoilers for the first two seasons, so be warned before diving in!
A Great, Great (Great, Great … you get the idea) Aunt of a Problem
The end of season 2 made it clear that Temperance Hudson was about to become the “big bad” of season 3, and the information we’ve been teased with so far confirms this. Temperance and her powers have been held back for seven generations, so it stands to reason she has had time to nurse her grudges and plot her revenge. But her true motivations are still unclear. Does she just want revenge for her treatment at the hands of the Women in White? Or is she planning to resurrect the group for her own purposes? Our season description only hints at a “dark agenda” for Temperance and that she will be a “season-long” enemy for the Drew Crew and Nancy in particular. No matter her intentions, she definitely means business and that can only spell trouble for Horseshoe Bay and the Drew Crew.
Deadly Predictions
Temperance doesn’t just come bearing ill will towards Horseshoe Bay. She also comes with several prophecies about the Drew Crew and Ryan Hudson, who we see in the trailer watching Temperance as she tells the group what she knows. The three verbal predictions we hear and the visuals accompanying them:
- “One of you will be the other’s demise”: Bess being thrown against the wall by mysterious women in white dresses.
- “One of you will betray your true love”: George and Nick under a trance holding electronics in a bathtub.
- “One of you will lose your heart”: Nancy and Ace kissing, only for Nancy to pull away with a confused look on her face. This may also play into the first episode, which is titled “The Warming of a Frozen Heart.”
Of course, the visuals accompanying the predictions could be an attempt to throw off viewers. But the cards alone give us a hint that turmoil is ahead for the Drew Crew. One of our writers, Haley, had this to say about the cards we can see in the trailer and their relation to the Drew Crew.
“Well, widow obviously indicates loss and grief. The other cards being upside down can signify a block before the card is fulfilled or the opposite effect of what the card means. The griffin is a symbol that was important to the ancient gods and it signifies wisdom, protection (like a spirit guide), and enlightenment. With it upside down, maybe someone is going to get in the way of the group and try to break them up. That would explain the pact being upside down as well … they’re definitely going to be tested to the limit as a group.”
The cards we see onscreen match the ominous predictions and parts of the season description, and interestingly, the fourth card is intentionally obscured by Temperance’s hand. Even more intriguingly, while we see Temperance put down four tarot cards, we only hear three predictions. What is that fourth prediction, and why is it too big a spoiler to reveal it in a trailer? Overall, it seems that the Drew Crew will be tested more than they ever have before.
Bess and the Occult
It seems that poor Bess just can’t catch a break. After finding love with Odette, who was trapped in George’s body, she was forced to give her up forever as Odette decided to hide herself away to give George the chance to live her life. As the season begins, Bess “becomes drawn into the long-lost practices of her occultist ancestors.” What is intriguing about this is Bess’ possible connections to the Women in White. After all, if Temperance Hudson was involved in the group, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for a Marvin to have been involved since we know Agnes Marvin was directly involved in the cover-up of Odette’s death.
This also ties to the season 3 trailer, where we see Bess with the women in dresses that match the photos we’ve seen of the Women in White. Could she have something to do with bringing back the original Women in White, or accidentally helping Temperance create a second group? And is Bess’ attempt to discover more about the occult an effort to bring Odette back? It’s clear that Bess’ journey this season will have big implications for Temperance’s plans and may set up a witchy journey for her as well.
New Characters, New Problems
As usual, Nancy’s not just dealing with the supernatural. A serial killer is targeting Horseshoe Bay in an attempt to get to Nancy specifically. Why is the killer going after Nancy? The season description teases a connection to Temperance and the Hudson clan, so it could be someone with a Hudson-specific axe to grind. Knowing Nancy Drew, we shouldn’t assume this serial killer is a human at all.
But there’s another interesting new character arriving on the show: an FBI profiler who will reportedly have some romantic sparks with Nancy. If I know anything about this show, it’s that no character is who they say they are initially. Could it be someone from The Road Back trying to get close to Nancy? After all, the shadowy criminal organization with ties to both Ace and Nancy is still out there. And more importantly: how will this new love interest shake up our existing relationships?
Some Ships Are Sailing, Some Are Sinking
As leading lady Kennedy McMann said herself, this season is all about romance! Let’s have a quick “state of the ships” discussion, shall we?
Fanson (George and Nick): All appears to be well on the surface with George and Nick, having just gotten engaged. Nick is building his business to help the at-risk youth of Horseshoe Bay, and George has her life back due to Odette taking a step back. But George still has her supernaturally shortened lifespan to deal with, giving her just 10 years to live. That would certainly put a damper on wedding planning, and with those ominous predictions, Fanson is going to have a lot to deal with this season.
Amace (Amanda and Ace): While the two were just leaving on a romantic trip together in the season 2 finale, it’s clear that their happiness won’t last long. With season 3 starting just one week after the finale, it seems the two will be back in Horseshoe Bay sooner than expected. Ace doesn’t know about Nancy’s new feelings towards him, but his remark that he felt like he was leaving something behind by going on his trip with Amanda indicates that spark may not be one-sided. This could spell doom for Amace, especially if Gil tries to come between them.
Nace (Nancy and Ace): I don’t know about you, but when I have hyper-realistic dreamscape experiences where I almost kiss one of my best friends, it changes the relationship. While Nancy may not have gotten to tell Ace how she feels in the finale, it remains to be seen if she will open up to him when we return. After all, Nancy’s not the best at putting her heart out there, and knowing he left with Amanda will likely cause her to shut down emotionally. But the trailer teases at least one very steamy scene between the two, which begs the question: Is it real? A dream? Supernaturally manufactured? What will happen when Ace meets the mysterious profiler also competing for Nancy’s heart? Hang in there, Nace shippers — I anticipate the slowest of slow burns.
Namura (Nancy and Tamura): Sparks were flying after Nancy’s brush with the lust dress revealed Tamura may have feelings for Nancy. We know that he had a fiancé who canceled their wedding but almost nothing about what happened or what Tamura’s story is beyond that tiny piece of information. With very little backstory to go on, there’s so much more to explore with both Tamura as a character and as a potential relationship. Nancy’s going to have a hard time deciding between her many options, that’s for sure.
Carson and …?: Poor Carson Drew hasn’t been able to catch a break in the romance department lately. But apparently this season Carson will, “spark a romance that evolves him both personally and professionally.” Could this be a relationship with District Attorney Rosario, who we first met in season 2, episode 12? The two clearly had sparks then, and it would fit the description. Regardless, I hope Carson gets to enjoy himself with minimal chasing after his wayward daughter (right, Nancy?).
Bess and Someone Who Is Alive: The only person unluckier in love than Carson is Bess. Bess can really only go up from here in terms of romance. After her quasi-relationship with Odette ended at the end of season 2, we saw Bess attempt to move on by putting herself out there on dating apps. After breaking up with Lisbeth and losing Odette, Bess deserves to find someone who adores her … and is also ideally a living breathing human person who is not trapped in her best friend’s body. Here’s hoping season 3 gives our favorite kleptomaniac someone who will buy her all the shiny things her heart desires and treat her like the queen she is.
Ryan and Val: Last but certainly not least, we have Ryan and Valentina Samuels. When we last left Ryan and Val, Val was leaving Horseshoe Bay for her own protection after it was revealed that she was helping the Drew Crew take down the Hudsons. Now that Everett is behind bars, will she make her way back to Ryan?
This Is My Dad … And This Is My Dad
Finally, now that the secret about Nancy’s origins as a Hudson has been revealed to the public, the Drew-Hudson trio of Nancy, Carson, and Ryan will need to figure out how to move forward together. This will likely be complicated by the fact that Ryan is now living with Nancy and Carson. If Nancy Drew wanted to pivot to a My Two Dads-style sitcom focusing on Carson raising Nancy and attempting to teach Ryan how to be an adult, I would champion it. Ryan will reportedly “find himself tempted by his previous life as the morally compromised scion to an empire,” and something tells me Carson will have his hands full managing both Ryan and Nancy this season.
What are your Season 3 theories? Let us know in the comments! Nancy Drew returns on October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. You can find our coverage of the series here.
