You can always count on Nancy Drew to deliver a mind-bending plot twist—and Nancy Drew Season 4 Episode 9 did not disappoint.
The whole episode led up to the major reveal, setting the scene for the bombshell that’s bound to shake Nancy Drew to her core, after she sighs and mutters, “Again?!”
Much of the scene has been focused on the Late 8, who rose from their graves and infected the town’s water supply, eventually leading to the rise of the Sin Eater, who the Drew Crew is now determined to kill. It’s pretty ambitious writing as, in the process, it paints the town of Horseshoe Bay in a pretty ugly light, all while proving that the supernatural aspect—which the FFTH is trying to erase and deny—is what the town was founded on… along with plenty of sins, lies, and the blood of Native tribes. And this, friends, is why history is important and needs to be preserved.
Through plenty of research—and it’s so nice to see Nick dedicated to the cause and no longer fighting it with every fiber of his being—Nick and Bess made the connection that the founding fathers used the kidnapped children as test subjects to keep the Sin Eater alive by fusing their essence with it. When the first one, Nishua Kipp, died, the soul passed on to the next person and then the next until the present day, and when Nancy takes a shot of the poison—created by bottling up the first sin ever uttered into liquid form (because they somehow knew how to do that, right along with Nick’s ability to create a device to rewind the mirror logs… but I’m not going to question it)—she doesn’t know that she’s actually killing a person whose soul is tied to the Sin Eater.
Bess and Nick try to warn her, but it’s too late, though, I guess it’s a good thing her aim was completely off because it’s revealed that the person she’s actually been plotting to kill this whole time is her uncomplicated love interest Tristan Glass.
We definitely should’ve made the connection when she celebrated how uncomplicated things were between them. And now that I’m thinking about it, the Sin Eater definitely made its presence known around the same time Tristan got into town.
Nancy is doomed— no romantic interest in her life is ever uncomplicated, especially not one so closely tied to the supernatural, to begin with.
It’s unclear if Tristan’s parents know about his alter-ego of sorts, but it would explain why they’d want her to stay away from their son, aside from the whole family feud fueled by the competitive quest for supernatural artifacts.
Admittedly, I was convinced that the Sin Eater was going to be Addy as the storyline had a personal connection to her family and tribe, however, this outcome does throw a wrench into Nancy’s romance with Tristan while also complicating matters between the families, so it makes sense.
What’s the next step now that the Sin Eater is a monster with a soul? Will they be able to find an anecdote that separates him from the curse? Will the parents unite for a common goal?
And is any of that even possible without Bess’ access to the Historical Society? George assured her that once a Keepeer, always a Keeper, and it helps that she has Ryan on her side who has made it his life’s mission to hunt down these artifacts, but is it enough for her to remain resourceful for the Drew Crew?
Nancy Drew — “The Memory of the Stolen Soul” — Image Number: NCD409b_0222r — Pictured (L-R) : Scott Wolf as Carson Drew, Maddison Jaizani as Bess Marvin, and Leah Lewis as Georgie Fan — Photo Credit: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Then there’s the little problem of Callie, the spokesperson for the FFTH, who I’m convinced has ulterior motives. You can just tell she’s a sneaky snake. How much do we want to bet that she paid the judge off because why would anyone ever just give the keys to a person determined to erase history, no matter how ugly?
This cannot be about keeping the town safe from supernatural history because she doesn’t want anyone to know about it in the first place. It’s a smart approach—make people think something is dangerous so you can wield its power for selfish reasons.
She knew exactly what she was doing by convincing everyone that Bess Marvin is someone that she should fear as it gave her the power to control the narrative, and in the process, got her access to the Historical Society. It was the perfect ploy to get her hands on all of those power artifacts, but why? Is she working with the Glass’? It’s the only other family in town that has it out for Bess (via Ryan), and getting her removed legally would be beneficial to them.
No matter what, Bess was a boss in court, and she stood behind what she believed in and became a beacon of truth. When people don’t believe you about the supernatural, the next best thing is to show them. And she not only put a spotlight on the supernatural, but she also showed that it could be used for good by unearthing the crimes and atrocities committed by the founders of the town, including stealing the land and kidnapping the children while driving the tribes, those who survived the battle, at least, across town lines.
It brought to light so much that needed to be addressed, whether the town was ready to face the truth or not. There was no longer a reason to glorify those who caused so much pain and heartache.
It wasn’t just important to Bess to preserve historical accuracy and show the potential of the supernatural, but it was also important because it emphasized that knowledge is power and gave a platform for all of those that were silenced and expected to remain silenced, including Addy’s parents. They waited their whole lives for this moment—and seeing it pan out in such an unprecedented way in court was marvelous. I guess there’s a reason they call her a Marvin.
As for Addy, I feel like through this storyline, they finally figured out how to incorporate her into Bess’ life in a meaningful way that also lends itself to the Drew Crew. Nick may have decided not to pursue a seat on the City Council but it leaves an open spot for Addy, who can finally get some justice and reparations by holding people accountable.
I mentioned previously that Nick is finally embracing his destiny, and while that may be figuring out a way to deal with the Sin Eater right now, he will eventually play an integral role in setting up a Historical Society from the ground up that Bess will spearhead. There are people willing to fight for what’s right; the Drew Crew is on the right side of history.
Nancy may have taken a shot in the dark at the Sin Eater without having all of the facts, and while that’s unlike her, I can understand her desire to simply put an end to this supernatural dilemma once and for all.
But it’s only just beginning because Ace is now talking to dead people, which is fitting for someone who works at the morgue. The ghostly spirit, whomever it may belong to, found the right person for the job, though I hope she doesn’t have any malicious intentions. The way the ghost’s reflection was eerie and didn’t exactly give me a good vibe about the situation, so I hope the supernatural entity isn’t taking advantage of Ace in any way.
And finally, Bess mentioned that the Sin Eater was a reincarnation like Charity Hudson, so maybe this is also the clue they need to figure out how to break the curse placed upon Nancy and Ace by her mother, Temperance. Where there’s a connection, there’s a solution.
Other than that, it was badass to see George in court defending her friend—practicing law looks good on her! And both Carson and Ryan are getting in on the supernatural action in their own way, which is fun to see.
What did you think of the episode? Were you shocked by the reveal of the Sin Eater’s identity?