The season finale of School Spirits left fans with few questions about what would unfold in Season 2. Throughout the season, Maddie (Peyton List) struggled with the possibility that her mother may have been responsible for her death. The mystery surrounding her demise consumed the series, and in the finale, this question was resolved in an unexpected way.
Prior to the finale, Maddie suspected several individuals, including her ex-best friend Claire (Rainbow Wedell) and Mr. Anderson (Patrick Gilmoe), but both were proven innocent. The tension surrounding her mother’s potential guilt, along with Maddie’s incomplete memories, added layers to the intrigue.
A crucial detail in the plot suggests that Maddie’s death might not have been what everyone assumed. Throughout the season, she was unable to remember how she died, a key element that foreshadowed the twist. When Dawn (RaeAnne Boon) crossed over, strange electrical disturbances in the school’s lights occurred, which raised suspicions among Wally (Milo Manheim), Charley (Nick Pugliese), and Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin).
These disturbances did not happen when Janet crossed over, leading the group to question whether Janet had truly moved on or whether something else had occurred. By the end of the season, it became clear that Janet had not crossed over, and many other mysteries were unraveled, including the truth about Maddie’s death.
The most significant revelation in the finale was that Maddie had never died. All season, viewers were led to believe she had been murdered, but it turned out Maddie was alive throughout the entire series. Subtle clues, such as her body being controlled by a different spirit, hinted at this shocking truth.
One of the key indicators was her ability to communicate with Simon, despite the fact that other spirits could not communicate with the living. This ability was explained when it was revealed that Maddie was not dead—her body was being possessed by another spirit, specifically Janet, who had never crossed over. This realization turned the entire mystery on its head, as it clarified why Maddie could interact with Simon and other spirits despite being alive.
Janet’s Possession of Maddie (Photo: School Spirit Season 1/Paramount+)Janet’s Possession of Maddie
The mystery surrounding Janet’s fate was another central plot point that was addressed in the finale. Earlier in the season, it was unclear whether Janet had crossed over after her death. The finale clarified that Janet never crossed over; instead, she had possessed Maddie’s body. This possession explained the unusual lack of electrical disturbances when Janet “left” the spirit world, as Dawn’s crossing over had triggered such effects.
The other spirits had not witnessed such an event, and Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) had brushed aside their suspicions. In reality, Janet had been trapped in Maddie’s body, an outcome connected to both Janet’s tragic death and Mr. Martin’s involvement in the fire that caused it. This revelation deepened the intrigue surrounding the characters and their unresolved traumas.
At the start of the season, Maddie’s mother was a key suspect in Maddie’s apparent murder. This suspicion grew when Simon discovered the necklace Maddie had worn the day she died in her mother’s drawer. However, Maddie’s flashbacks during an emotional confrontation with her mother revealed that she was not the killer.
In the scene, Maddie’s mother, struggling with alcoholism, revealed that she had used money Maddie’s father had left for her college savings to buy a cabin for them to live in. Maddie, furious about her mother’s choices, had taken off the necklace as a symbol of her anger and gave it to her mother. Maddie’s realization that her mother was not responsible for her death brought a sense of relief, even though the strain of their relationship remained.
Throughout the season, Mr. Martin is portrayed as a suspicious character, particularly due to his insistence on helping spirits move on without revisiting their traumatic pasts. In the finale, Mr. Martin finally revealed the tragic circumstances of his own death. He explained that he had caused a fire in his classroom, believing his own negligence led to the deaths of students.
Despite his efforts to save others, he could not save himself. The guilt of surviving while others perished was a heavy burden for him. However, the spirits uncovered conflicting reports about the fire and its aftermath, suggesting Mr. Martin might be hiding the truth about his involvement in Janet’s death. His reluctance to revisit the past, combined with his guilt, pointed to deeper secrets that remain unresolved, leaving fans with lingering questions.
Mr. Martin might be hiding the truth about his involvement in Janet’s death (Photo: School Spirit Season 1/Paramount+)Unanswered Questions and Season 2 Possibilities
While the season finale answered many questions, it also set the stage for several unresolved mysteries, most notably about Mr. Martin’s role in Janet’s death and his troubled past. His actions and the circumstances surrounding the fire in his classroom were left unexplained, creating a compelling storyline for a potential second season.
The finale also raised the question of whether Maddie would be able to reclaim her body from Janet’s possession, a plotline that could evolve in the next season. Additionally, with Maddie’s survival now revealed, there are plenty of directions for the show to explore, such as how she will confront her new reality and whether she can regain control of her body.
Following the success of School Spirits Season 1, Paramount+ announced that the series would return for a second season, which is expected to delve deeper into the unresolved mysteries of the first season. Production for the new season began in January 2024, and the main cast, including Peyton List, Milo Manheim, Nick Pugliese, and others, will reprise their roles.
Josh Zuckerman, who played Mr. Martin, has been promoted to a series regular, hinting at a larger role for his character in Season 2. New cast members, including Cihang Ma as Quinn and Jess Gabor as Janet, are also joining the show. The storyline for the upcoming season remains largely unknown, but it is likely to focus on Maddie’s struggle with her possession and the deepening mystery surrounding Mr. Martin.
With School Spirits Season 2 officially confirmed, fans are eager to learn what happens next in Maddie’s journey. The first season built a compelling foundation filled with intriguing mysteries, complex characters, and emotional stakes, which has set high expectations for the upcoming season. While the exact release date for Season 2 remains unannounced, the continuation of Maddie’s story and the deepening of the show’s central mysteries promise to captivate fans once again. As the cast prepares for the next chapter, viewers can only speculate about the twists and turns awaiting them in the next installment.
