Well, well, well… The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter’s Tale mid-season finale is here. Since this was a Christmas and Winter themed episode, this recap is obviously going up a little late. But it’s never too late if you were running frantic like a crazy person doing last minute Christmas shopping. I usually make time for Netflix, but the holiday season made our relationship a little complicated.
Most of you were on the right track. You finished binge watching the first season in less than 24 hours and were looking to fill that void before season 2. This episode came at the perfect time for those die-hard fans!
Happy Solstice, coven!
Set during the Winter Solstice – the longest night of the year; if you know anything about witches, you’ll know that they wild out and celebrate on this night, but not in a conventional way (of course).
Our Winter special starts off a week before the Winter Solstice. Sabrina and Susie head down to visit their local department store Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. Susie is reasonable and asks for a toy truck like her dad’s. Sabrina on the other hand tells Santa that she wishes to see her mother, Diana. Back at the mortuary, Hilda and Susie’s father discuss the case of a child who went missing in Greendale.
Sabrina’s Not-So-Sneaky Séance
Conflicted and confused, our favorite member of the coven mulls over her recent Dark Baptism. Reminding herself that her mother’s soul is currently in limbo, she willingly decides to hold a séance in order to get in touch with her.
Sabrina then obtains the Book of The Dead from Ms. Wardwell, who, in order to try and keep Sabrina from her mother, decides to wreak havoc on the séance. Sabrina turns to Susie and Roz for help, but they’re both busy due to the holidays and feel weird about the whole thing… Like any normal person would.
As a last resort, Sabrina then seeks help from the Weird Sisters who agree to aide with her endeavor. Ms. Wardwell extinguishes the Spellman’s yule log, which causes a ruckus by releasing a bunch of demons named Yule Lads. Zelda is rightfully upset and scolds her niece for being careless with dark magic again.
Hilda sits with Sabrina and explains that Zelda didn’t always treat her mother the right way, so when Sabrina’s parents passed away, she was filled with regret. This explains why Zelda is so protective of Sabrina now, which she sees in the way her aunt cares for Father Blackwood’s newborn daughter, Leticia.
A Summoning Gone Wrong
Yule Lads enter through the chimney (it’s not Santa this year!). A powerful witch named Gryla took the ghosts of abandoned children and they need to defeat her. The plan to get rid of them works until the baby starts crying. Since the child is considered abandoned, she has every right to claim Leticia as Zelda does.
Diana’s spirit returns, informing the coven that she has the power from the Church of the Night to decide the baby’s fate. To perform the ritual, the baby is put inside a circle of salt while Gryla and Zelda are told to take one of her arms and pull. The witch strong enough to release Letitia will keep her. Zelda refuses to participate which awards the other witch with the baby. In a surprise twist, we learn that that baby was fake and the real Letitia is safe. Relieved at how loved and cared for Sabrina is, Diana is finally able to be at peace.
A Christmas Catastrophe
Susie finally has the seasonal job she always wanted as one of Santa’s elves at the department store. After staying late to prepare the store for the next day, she finds that the mannequins are the kids who have gone missing. Out of nowhere, a demon shows up and heats wax to cover her with in order to store her soul.
When Susie’s father calls looking for her, the Spellmans summon Gryla back to send her to deal with the demon. Susie is freed and Gryla defeats the demon, using his body as the candle in their celebration for the Solstice.
At the end of the episode, Sabrina gives Harvey a present for Christmas and uses her magic to help his father get sober. He thanks her, but soon after rejects her gift. He reminds her again that he doesn’t want anything to do with magic.
What did you think of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Winter special? Are you excited for season 2?! Let me know down below!
If you missed my previous recaps, check out episodes 1-5 and episodes 6-10!
