Contributors: Jules, Brianna
A show like Nancy Drew always has several storylines running at once, and this season is no exception. Once again, the writers have managed to take several story threads that seemed completely separate and weave them together, leading to a finale that will deliver on a number of fronts. Temperance’s last stand will leave the fate of Horseshoe Bay in the balance. With the season 3 finale of Nancy Drew coming this Friday, we wanted to discuss the many theories we have, from The Road Back to those pesky tarot card predictions!
Fanson: The Sinking Ship
Relationships have remained at the forefront of our minds in these final episodes and I have to talk about how quickly George and Nick went from engaged and ready to get married to fully imploding from one truth spell. While there’s no doubt they still love each other, their whole relationship has been under the constant threat of imminent danger. With that threat removed, the duo need to take time to grow as individuals and confront their trauma. Both are under immense pressure as the Drew Crew race to beat Temperance to the final piece of Charity’s soul. Nick had a breakdown in the penultimate episode, blaming himself for nearly getting the children at the youth center killed.
Meanwhile, George’s sisters are struggling to accept the break up, Nick was the longest stable male figure in their lives. As George grapples with pulling her family together and Nick falls apart (see our section on the Tarot Cards for more here), it’s clear they are not in any place to reconcile. For those reasons I’m not foreseeing some grand reunion in the season finale unless one or both of them are literally facing down death again (which could definitely happen). When the series gets a season 4 (yes I said when) I wouldn’t be surprised if we see trauma arcs for them both and a new type of slow burn in the form of reconciliation as they grow.
New Witch in Town
Episode 10 saw Hannah step down as head of the Horseshoe Bay Historical Society. The Drew Crew have all taken a vested interest in it (rightfully so, considering how helpful those archives are) but Bess has stepped up even more so this season. She’s digitally archiving the records, researched for clues on George’s situation and the Copperhead, and filled in Hannah’s shoes without missing a beat. As Hannah steps away from her role, it feels like a natural transition for Bess to take the initiative and take over. If we don’t see a firm decision on this in the finale I feel it’ll definitely happen in season 4.
Additionally, Bess’ confidence in both herself and her magic has grown exponentially this season. Though more than one spell has gone awry (truth spell and poor Ace, anyone?), but that has yet to deter her from working harder to improve. With the battle against Temperance coming to a head, Bess will likely try to work one or more spells beyond her level of experience. The Drew Crew do hold one advantage, the latest episode revealed that Ace holds the final piece of Charity’s soul. And what does Bess have ample success with? The soul splitter. She will use the soul splitter to extract the final piece of Charity’s soul from Ace. Now whether that will be successful or deter the Copperhead (remember, he operates by scent and Ace will likely still smell of Charity to it) will be the big question. Whatever the episode holds for Bess, her magic will likely play a major role.
The Road Back
The Nancy Drew writers have proven time and time again that no plot thread is dropped, even if it may recede into the background. Many fans have wondered why The Road Back, which was teased as being a major part of season 3, has largely been a background antagonist this season. Some of this has to do with spin-off Tom Swift, which is set to feature the shadowy organization as its main focus. But when (if?) the Drew Crew manages to defeat Temperance in the finale, The Road Back will almost certainly make an appearance to set up season 4.
After all, both Nancy and Ace have ties to the group, and even if Tom will be the character dealing most directly with them, that will need to be established prior to the premiere of the spin-off. Additionally, Everett’s trial is coming closer and closer, which will bring the group back into Horseshoe Bay dealings. The group would likely be keeping an eye on the trial after Celia’s murder — and potentially on Nancy herself. For those of us who still think there’s something suspicious about Agent Park, having the agent be secretly working for The Road Back could be a way to keep beloved guest star John Harlan Kim involved in the Drewniverse, either on Nancy Drew or on Tom Swift.
Tamura’s Back, Tell A Friend
Poor Tamura really chose the worst possible weeks to be away from the Bay. With Everett’s trial set to kick off soon (maybe even in the finale), it’s safe to say everyone’s favorite sassy detective should be back soon. And with actor Ryan-James Hatanaka completing filming on The Fairly OddParents reboot before the end of Nancy Drew season 3 filming, it’s no surprise that fans are hoping Tamura returns to help fight the utter chaos Temperance has brought to Horseshoe Bay. After all, anyone who can deliver a line about Ace being a “walking haircut” with a straight face needs to make another appearance.
The Tarot Card Predictions
With the finale set to show the endgame Temperance teased back in episode 1, it’s time to revisit her predictions and our picks for which prophecy fits which Drew Crew member.
One of you will be the other’s demise: George
George’s (unintentional) brutal honesty the night of the dance rattled Nick to his core. Aside from leading to their breakup, it caused Nick to reevaluate his entire life’s plan, which was already in a bit of a crisis after he and Addy talked about their trauma. It’s this moment that pushes Nick to the edge, which could lead to his demise (whether a literal demise like his death, or simply another spiral that leads to him leaving Horseshoe Bay).
One of you will betray their true love: Nancy
As we’ve now established, Nancy is in love with Ace and as of the end of episode 12, planned to tell him. But with the new information that Ace is the final piece of Charity’s soul comes difficult questions about how to save him. Nancy has done something against her moral compass before to save Ace, working with Celia despite Ace’s express wishes for her not to do so. While Ace would like to live, he would never ask Nancy to compromise Horseshoe Bay and would willingly sacrifice himself to save her. We think that in order to save Ace, Nancy will do something that will betray Ace’s trust or go against his desires: a classic trope.
One of you will lose your heart: Ace
Whether this is literal or figurative, all signs point to Ace being the person this refers to. The Copperhead is after his heart, and Nancy had a dream about his heart being frozen and cut out before. We don’t believe this show would kill Ace permanently, but there could certainly be a moment he is in peril and “loses” his heart. Crucially, if something happens to Nancy when she tries to save him, or he feels hurt after she saves him against his wishes, this could strain their relationship and cause him to effectively “lose his heart.”
One of you will wreak havoc on this town: Bess
Bess is great at magic, but we’ve seen her spells backfire several times this season, from her protection spell for Ace to her truth spell at the ball. It’s understandable that if she thought a spell could save her friends or Horseshoe Bay, she’d try it no matter the risks.
One of you will forsake what is dearest to you: Nick
As we saw at the end of the last episode, Nick is going through a major crisis of confidence. His relationship with George is on the rocks, and he feels that he led the kids of the youth center into danger. He’s giving up on everything that is dear to him: his role as a mentor for the children, and his love for George. We believe his fears will cause him to make a devastating choice that will lead to harm coming to either Horseshoe Bay or George.
Only one of you will fulfill your destiny. And that one will cause the rest to fall: Ryan
Ryan Hudson has had the biggest character arc of any of the Drew Crew members. If you showed a clip of his first scene and his latest without context, it would not seem like the same person. He’s made major strides and tied up many of his loose ends … which makes him the perfect candidate to either die or be seriously sidelined in the finale. Even more worrisome? His words to Carson about his uncle Josiah’s wish for him to “outrun the family curse and avoid a gruesome demise.”
Ryan is also a Hudson, and while Nancy’s status as the seventh generation Hudson makes her essential to Temperance’s plan, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that his blood would also be important. Ryan could also sacrifice himself to save Nancy, the daughter he adores, in a full circle moment that allows him to make up for failing to save Lucy all those years ago. If something happens to Ryan, either from Temperance or an outside force, it would be fulfilling the destiny Josiah mentioned. It would also have a profound and devastating impact on Nancy, not to mention the rest of the Drew Crew — it could cause “the rest to fall.”
What do you think of our theories? Let us know by filling out our pre-finale survey here! Nancy Drew‘s season finale will air Friday, January 28 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. You can find our other coverage of the series here!
