School Spirits (Season 1 Finale) Episode 8: The new episode of School Spirits, which also serves as the season 1 finale, gives us a clear-cut answer about Sandra’s involvement in Maddie’s death.
However, in what could possibly be the most twisted episode of the entire series thus far, we see a narrative-altering final twist that changes everything that we questioned and believed about Maddie’s disappearance.
School Spirits (Season 1 Finale) Episode 8 Recap:
In the opening of episode 8, Simon frantically searches for money at Maddie’s house, assuming that Sandra must have hidden it somewhere. As per Maddie’s instructions, he eventually finds an envelope in her room’s chest drawer. As he’s about to leave, Sandra asks if he found the history book he was searching for. He confirms and leaves.
Back at school, Simon reveals that he found Maddie’s necklace in the envelope that Sandra had hidden. Maddie claims she remembers wearing it before her memory got all foggy. Simon suggests there could be a ‘non-murderous’ explanation for Sandra’s actions. On the other hand, at the afterlife meeting, Mr. Martin is anxious about the pile of questions Rhonda, Charley, and Wally have regarding Dawn’s crossing over.
How did Mr. Martin die?
As the trio continues to question Mr. Martin about his memories of Janet crossing over, he suddenly flips out and snaps at everyone, urging them to stop dwelling on the past and focus on moving forward.
He then reveals that he’s been helping wandering spirits because of his own death. Mr. Martin explains that he died in a fire while attempting to save his students. His only regret is that he couldn’t save himself, forcing his students to bear witness to his death. He admits that he wishes he could provide answers to all of their questions, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have any.
What was the reason for Dawn crossing over?
In the hallway, Wally questions Maddie about Dawn’s final moments before crossing over. Maddie explains that the two spoke about how Dawn didn’t deserve to be mistreated by her friends and that she was a good person. She shares that perhaps Dawn crossed over because she needed to “hear” someone say it.
Maddie confesses to Wally that she’s scared to confront something she’s not prepared for. She asks him how to handle the idea that “the one person who is supposed to protect you ends up hurting you.” Wally hugs her, assuring her that she’s the one who’s taught him to confront his fears and that she’ll be okay.
The English Fall Award
After class, Ms. Fields asks Simon if he’s willing to accept the English Fall Award on Maddie’s behalf. Simon suggests that Maddie’s mother should be the one to accept the award, as it would provide an opportunity for Sandra to come to the school and allow Maddie to determine if her mother is lying about her whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Xavier, Claire, and Nicole discuss whether or not Nicole should confess about the money. Nicole argues that they lack sufficient evidence to support their claim, and that would eventually land her in trouble. However, they’re also worried that Mr. South, who’s being framed and defamed by everyone, will eventually be held responsible for Maddie’s death.
Later, at the police station, Xavier becomes angry with his father for not doing his job effectively. He informs him that he went to the house where Maddie’s backpack was found and saw someone jumping out of the window. He claims that Mr. South couldn’t have been the culprit, as it would be impossible for someone wearing a kneecap to make that jump. Before leaving the station, he discovers an address that could be a potential clue.
What did Wally and Charley find out?
Next, Charley is seen questioning Rhonda about her strange behavior ever since Dawn crossed over. He asks her to be straightforward and tell him what she knows or wants. They have a small argument, and Charley storms out.
Later, Wally and Charley look through old documents and news articles for clues that could help them. Charley suggests that looking into their past might be the key to unlocking things about Dawn’s crossing over.
While searching through news clippings, Wally discovers that Split River High School was selected for a national program that would protect students and teachers in the event of a nuclear strike. The article also reveals that two people died in a fire on January 14th, 1958. This information contradicts Mr. Martin’s claim that he was the only one who died in the fire. Wally and Charley realize that Janet is the other person who died in the fire.
Why did Sandra have Maddie’s necklace?
Simon lures Sandra to their classroom, saying they need to work on the speech she will give on Maddie’s behalf. Maddie pressures Simon to ask Sandra about the day she went missing, and eventually, Sandra confesses that she came to the school to meet Maddie after running away from rehab.
Sandra explains that she returned to take Maddie with her to a retreat that a guy from rehab had suggested. It had angered Maddie as Sandra had used the money that belonged to Maddie’s college for her little endeavor. Their argument leads them to the boiler room, where Maddie confronts Sandra about her bad parenting and how Maddie always has to be the one taking care of things.
Their interaction ends with Maddie giving her necklace (the last thing her father gave her) to Sandra, who then leaves her there. Maddie confirms that this incident did happen and that Sandra is telling the truth.
Later, Sandra is taken to the school gym, where she gives a moving speech about how Maddie was always a caregiver and a person who always wished well for everyone. In a way, Sandra’s speech sounded like a goodbye to her daughter. Mr. Martin remarks that it’s a good thing Maddie received this speech, as many of them were not so lucky. Maddie says that she is now ready to write her obituary.
What happens at the house that Xavier, Nicole, and Claire were staking out?
While staking out the house they found out through the clue at the police station, Nicole and Xavier decide to investigate further. As they search the house for signs of a human presence, Claire spots someone breaking in.
In her haste to catch the intruder, she rushes out of the truck, leaving the keys on the dashboard. The intruder quickly runs out of the house, jumps into the truck, and backs into Xavier, knocking him out.
What do Wally and Charley discover in the underground fallout shelter?
Meanwhile, Wally and Charley reach the fallout shelter that feels pretty untouched for a long time. However, they also discover notebooks that feel like Mr. Martin’s therapy notes that he had been jotting down about the kids in the afterlife group.
School Spirits (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Ending, Explained:
Is Maddie really dead?
The final moments of School Spirits Season 1 leaves us with some intriguing new developments.
Maddie finishes writing her own obituary, and Simon enters the school looking for answers. Maddie reads her obituary to Simon, expressing her gratitude for him being the only one who can communicate with her in the afterlife due to their close bond.
Simon is moved but shows her a snap that he had just received from Nicole, which reveals that Maddie was the driver who almost ran over Xavier.
Meanwhile, in the fallout shelter, Rhonda confesses to knowing about Mr. Martin’s therapy notes on the afterlife group and shows Wally and Charley all the things that Mr. Martin has been hoarding in the shelter, hiding key information about everyone’s death from them.
The ending of Episode 8, i.e., the Season 1 Finale of School Spirits, shows us the twisted nature of the tale that is still pretty unanswered. From what I can make out, it feels like the fallout shelter is some kind of portal between the dead and the living. Since Wally, Rhonda, and Charley are now stuck in the shelter locked in by Mr. Martin, Maddie is able to trace back to the time when she probably swapped spirits with Janet when she was in the boiler room after the interaction with her mother and opened the hatched upon hearing the argument between Mr. Martin and Janet.
It is possible that Janet has been squatting in abandoned houses all over the town in Maddie’s body. And due to the interaction with Xavier, Nicole, and Claire, she is trying to escape town since we see her buying herself a ticket mistaking her name for Janet and not Maddie.
