Nancy Drew came to a close with a remarkable final stretch that gave longtime followers something to remember. The show, which had been reshaping the iconic character with a supernatural flavour, had to wrap up its storyline abruptly when Nexstar acquired The CW and cleared out most of its programming.
Despite the abrupt circumstances, the team behind Nancy Drew managed to pull together a finale that tied up key elements, especially the arc around the Sin Eater, and interwove it with Nancy’s own origin story.
Rather than forcing a neat conclusion, the final episode, titled The Light Between Lives, honoured the spirit of the series and expressed gratitude to its loyal audience. The conclusion leaves space for imagination, hinting that the characters could live on in fans’ minds — or fan fiction — well beyond the show’s last scene.
A soul-separating ritual reveals more than anyone was ready to face (Photo: Nancy Drew/Warner Bros.)Facing the Sin Fog in Horseshoe Bay
The final episode continues from where the last one stopped, with chaos breaking out in Horseshoe Bay following the Sin Fog’s release. The Drew Crew — this time without Ace but with the addition of Tristan — heads to the Historical Society only to discover that Callie has disappeared.
Bess believes there’s a chance for Tristan to counter the fog’s effects by triggering what she describes as a “soul supernova.” To do that, they put their collective knowledge to use and build a device capable of spreading the supernova’s power across town.
Jade, Nick’s partner, refuses to leave and joins the group as they construct the machine. Ace arrives just in time, prompting a wave of emotions between himself, Nancy, and Tristan. Once Tristan is connected to the machine for the ritual, it doesn’t work, and Nancy loses consciousness.
In a vision that feels like déjà vu, she relives moments from previous lives, confirming that both she and Tristan have lived multiple times before. This spiritual connection leads them to believe they are soulmates, further complicating their dynamic with Ace.
Because their linked souls are blocking the soul supernova, the group realises they must break that connection. Based on details from Nancy’s dream, they identify the point of origin where her soul and Tristan’s became entangled.
While searching for it, they are confronted by people affected by the Sin Fog and must flee. Eventually, they locate the area and dig up shears that belonged to Lucia Kipp, who was married to Tristan in a past life. This discovery suggests Nancy was Lucia.
The new approach involves using the shears in a soul-separating ritual. However, both Tristan and Nancy need to be near death for it to work, and Ace offers to accompany them as a guide. In a touching moment, Bess reminds Nancy, “Ace will always be able to find you.”
A Ritual with Weighty Consequences
Bess performs the ritual, and the three find themselves transported to a field where they meet Nashua Kipp and August Pritchard, both figures from past lives. As they watch the scene play, August tries to convince Nashua to help him spread the Sin Eater practice beyond the town, but Nashua resists and kills him with the shears.
Their souls become connected not through love, but revenge. This reveals Nancy to be the reincarnation of August, a realisation that unsettles her deeply, especially as someone who spent her life protecting Horseshoe Bay. Her distress destabilises the dreamscape.
Ace comforts her, and she learns that August had already succeeded in spreading the Sin Eater practice. These revelations prompt Tristan to reassess his feelings and release Nancy from their romantic bond.
Nick retrieves a remnant of August’s body, allowing Bess to resume the ritual. Meanwhile, a crowd arrives outside the Historical Society, intending to destroy the building because of its association with dark history.
As Bess severs the soul link between Nancy and Tristan, Nancy’s soul becomes damaged and trapped. Ace steps into the circle to rescue her, also injuring his soul in the process. While both of them are wounded spiritually, it seems their curse may be fading as well.
Tristan heads off to complete a final act that will safeguard the town. As Nick tries to hold off the angry mob, Bess, Nancy, and Ace escape the building before it is completely engulfed by flames. Tristan’s final act disperses the fog, saving Horseshoe Bay.
Looking Ahead After Darkness
With the danger now gone, the Drew Crew gets ready to move on from the town. Nancy’s fathers decide to stay and put down roots, while Bess informs both Nancy and Ace that their damaged souls will not allow them to reincarnate in the future.
Nancy confronts the darkest part of herself in a dream that feels all too real (Photo: Nancy Drew/Warner Bros.)Before parting, the friends reflect on their next steps: George plans to attend law school in Seattle, Bess is set to travel the globe to restore the Historical Society’s treasures, Nick and Jade head to Atlanta to work with Tom Swift, and Nancy decides to dedicate her life to ending the Sin Eater practice across the country.
Tristan, free from his curse, announces that he will leave town by boat. Although Ace is absent during these plans, he eventually meets Nancy again and shares his own intentions.
Ace surprises Nancy at the office while she’s tidying up, having just come back from visiting Alice the ghost’s relatives in North Carolina. Throughout this finale, Ace faced emotional ups and downs — both from his romantic issues and the thought that he may never live another life.
After doing some digging, he comes to the conclusion that the Sin Eater curse might have been lifted when both he and Nancy nearly died. He proposes that they take a chance on their relationship and go on this next journey together.
Nancy agrees, and they share a heartfelt embrace. As they kiss again, the camera lingers on a glowing flashlight, a subtle sign that the curse is likely gone.
An Ending Full of Meaning
The last moments show the Drew Crew saying goodbye to The Claw, dressed in colours that match their outfits from the very first episode. Ace carves their initials under the counter, revealing his full name — the long-awaited clue that he’s a Hardy.
Nancy then delivers a touching voiceover, recalling advice from her father Carson about soulmates. She reinterprets that wisdom to refer to chosen family rather than romance alone, naming Ace, Nick, George, and Bess as her soulmates.
As she turns off the lights and steps away from The Claw, the series concludes — leaving fans emotional and grateful for the journey.
