Is it a coincidence that Seder and Sin Eater kind of sound the same? Probably. But Nancy Drew Season 4 Episode 11 managed to deliver compelling storylines that involved supernatural shenanigans and a religious feast, at the same damn time, proving that both things can co-exist.
It’s rare to see religion embraced on a supernatural series that dabbles in death and curses and all things that go bump in the night, but Nancy Drew, despite providing more than a few jump scares over the years, always follows a moral compass, so it didn’t feel out of place either.
While Ace was leading his very first Seder at The Claw, Nancy was trying desperately not to die in a ritual that would sacrifice her life to break the Sin Eater curse and free Tristan. I know Nancy never wants to worry anyone, but it was slightly alarming and offputting that all of her loved ones were just enjoying the ritual feast while she was fighting for her life.
In her final moments, she needed to know what sin she spoke into existence and had erased, which was impossible after Ryan broke the Ambyth while rescuing her. Instead of focusing more on figuring out a way to deactivate the bomb that Shelby implanted in her spine before it paralyzed and killed her, she was hellbent on clearing her conscience, and much like the idea of religion and the supernatural going hand-in-hand, this very much aligns with who Nancy is as a person and what her morals are. Nancy couldn’t live with the fact that she did something and used the Sin Eater to cover it up because it meant she didn’t know herself as well as she thought she did; she was disappointed in herself. And to be quite honest, she was definitely being a little too hard on herself. After everything that she’s been through lately, between Ace and Tristan, she deserves a break.
Of course, it somehow all connected back to Jane Doe, the mystery ghost that Ace formed a pretty intense bond with, in the end, though that part is kind of throwing me for a loop. We now know that Ace and Jane Doe’s connection likely wasn’t a coincidence and was connected to the Sin Eater situation, even though it seemed to have no connection at first.
As Nancy obsessed over her visit to the Black Door, she realized that she went to the basement at the Yacht Club immediately after her heart-to-heart with Ace, and her working theory is that they both somehow led to Jane Doe’s death, though, again, I have no idea how that would have happened.
We’re getting so minimal #Nance moments this season—and yearning for them desperately—that we’re out here trying to romanticize a potential murder… even though I’m truly hoping that she’s mistaken about their involvement in Jane Doe’s demise. Could their love for each other really have killed someone else? Is this part of the curse?
In some mad way, it does explain Ace’s deep feelings for her, which felt very similar to what he experienced with Nancy. Personally, I’m glad she made this discovery because, for starters, audiences need to know what Nancy’s sin was before the series concludes, but it also seemed as though the series was really going to pivot and make Ace find love with someone other than Nancy, and honestly, that simply can’t happen. There was so much focus on his feelings for Jane that it almost felt like he didn’t actually care about the fact that Nancy was moments away from death, and I wasn’t a fan of that. He should’ve been there, front and center, fighting for her against the Glasses.
Jane Doe’s feelings for Ace were so strong that they seemed to bypass the mortal plane as they were able to physically touch and feel each other in a scene that seemed like it was pulled straight from 1990’s Ghost.
Again, I don’t exactly know how—Nancy Drew always finds a way—but I think that Jane Doe will be the key to breaking Temperance’s curse and finally allowing Ace and Nancy to be together. After all, he can’t date a ghost forever, and while the series can stretch the limitations of what’s possible, it can’t exactly bring back to life someone whose physical body was burned beyond recognition. The purpose of Jane Doe’s soul sticking around and attaching to Ace must be to help him find a way to be happy.
And let’s face it, any shot of Tristan and Nancy having a real relationship has gone down the drain after his parents attempted to kill her—and nearly got away with it. If it wasn’t for the Drew Crew, including Ryan, they likely would’ve succeeded.
Everyone played an integral part in saving Nancy, coming through for her in the end despite enjoying a night of brief reprieve at the Seder.
Bess risked everything by breaking into the Historical Society to find something to remove/diffuse the paralytic chip, but in the process, she also ran into Callie Farquar, her nemesis, who turned out to be the Sin Eater’s minder. Generations in her family have been tasked with protecting the legacy of the Sin Eater, stopping those who want to do it harm, which really throws a wrench into the whole anti-supernatural front. It makes sense that she wouldn’t want anyone to have access to this information, but she’s very clearly not a girl’s girl; she may have helped Nancy out of a bind, but don’t mistake that moment of kindness for anything other than a self-serving action as she benefitted from shooing Tristan away from harm.
George and Nick managed to eventually get on the same page, though it was rocky at first as desperation almost got the best of George (she almost let Judge Abbott utter a sin and put a target on his back before Nick reminded her that you can’t exchange one life for another!) and they had the cops there moments later to arrest the Glasses for attempted murder. Supernatural situations call for real-life consequences.
Tristan will have to carry this burden alone for a little longer until Nancy and the Drew Crew are able to find a cure, though I have no doubt that they will.
As for Ace and Nancy, their roads just merged once again, which proves that no matter how much they try to stay away from each other or move on, they are soulmates that are simply meant to be.
There was also a pretty big storyline that had nothing to do with the supernatural—Jean is pregnant with Carson’s baby.
She tried to cover up her hospital visit after running into Nancy, but we all know you can’t lie to the ultimate sleuth. Nancy immediately knew something was off, but she had enough problems of her own to deal with.
Jean was forced to blurt out the big news at the Seder in front of everyone—after Carson hilariously wouldn’t stop talking about the supposed bunions on her feet—and the revelation took him by surprise, but he also didn’t seem against welcoming another child. I love that his reaction was that he will support whatever Jean wants to do because he’s a modern man, but it was also nice that she took into consideration how it would impact both of them rather than just thinking about herself. It shows that they are both mature adults who can handle this unexpected turn of events, whichever way it goes, though, solely based on Carson’s facial expressions, I actually think he’s kind of excited about the house being full again.
As for George and Nick, unfortunately for anyone shipping their reunion, it seems as though that ship has sailed and they are both content with their paths diverging under the circumstance that they always remain close friends. It’s nice seeing how supportive they are of each other and their new respective relationships—it’s giving healthy ex vibes and we need more of that in this world.
Also, props to Ryan for going above and beyond for his daughter several times throughout the episode. He doesn’t get enough recognition for all the times he jumps into action, but not only did he save her twice, but he also came through with Huevos Rancheros while checking in on her well-being and mental health. That’s pure fatherly love.
What did you think of the episode? Did you enjoy how high-stakes everything was? Did you have full faith in the Drew Crew that they’d be able to untangle the mess the Glasses created? And what does Nancy’s Sin Eater confession mean for her relationship with Ace? And how does Jane Doe play into it?