The ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 3’ begins with Sabrina (played by Kiernan Shipka) forced to make a game-changing decision, that will affect her friends, her family, and her destiny. Sabrina does the unthinkable and proclaims that she will accept the throne of Hell, while Prince Caliban (played by Sam Corlett) plans to challenge her divine right and take on Hell to his own image.

The second season of the ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ concluded with Lucifer (played by Luke Cook) journeying to Greendale to take the teenage witch as his bride and bring about the Apocalypse. To thwart those plans, Sabrina’s boyfriend, Nick (played by Gavin Leatherwood), sacrificed himself to contain the Dark Lord inside of him. That little piece of his soul left Nick stuck in Hell. In order to rescue her sweetheart, Sabrina and her posse of friends: Harvey Kinkle (played by Ross Lynch), Theo Putnam (played by Lachlan Watson), and Rosalind ‘Roz’ Walker (played by Jaz Sinclair) – must venture to the twisted fiery realm.

Sabrina and her friends are transported to Hell to seek out Nick, but the Netherworld is not meant for mere mortals or supernatural folk. As a result, each member of the gang experiences their own mental torment, beginning with Theo, then Harvey and Roz.

Regardless of the outcome Sabrina’s task is to free Nick, regardless of the consequences. The young warlock is in a dark place mentally and that severely impacts their relationship. This creates a hard patch between him and Sabrina. As you might suspect, having the Devil inside of you and being dragged to hell is definitely going to take a toll on Nick, getting lost in the darkness, fighting the influence of Lucifer, and trying to keep a level-head.

Despite Sabrina and Nick being couple goals, other romantic ties remain, and other sparks start to ignite. Her ex-boyfriend Harvey is still in the picture, and there is no denying the chemistry between Sabrina and the brooding Caliban. In the end, all three might only serve as a distraction. 

“I think the theme of this season is much less about romance than a lot of people might think or expect,” Shipka offers. “It’s really about Sabrina finding herself.”

Evil does not immediately embrace Sabrina as the heir to the throne, especially when there is a runner-up challenging her reign, namely the seductive Caliban. But he is not all fire and brimstone. In fact, when Caliban is first introduced, the so-called Prince of Hell comes across as more smoldering, charming, and mysterious. 

“On paper, the character was very enigmatic,” Corlett offers regarding finding his character’s voice. “You could go any way with it. I was going through a bit of a Doors phase, so I was welcoming Jim Morrison’s energy. A bit of Michael Hutchence from INXS. Then, I was reading a lot about Hell. There was a particular line from Dante’s Inferno that really inspired me. At the start, I didn’t feel like the writers even knew where it was going to go. You ask questions, but you haven’t got many answers.”

Sabrina often asks Caliban what he wants. The answer seems quite simple: To rule the infernal regions. That is why he was created. The line from Dante’s Inferno was ‘Justice inspired my exalted makeup of supreme wisdom, divine power and primal lust.’ So, it is that lust for power. Also, the realms are breaking down because of Lucifer’s absence leading Caliban’s desire to restore and rule Hell.

Meanwhile, Prudence finds herself at a crossroad. She is always consumed with gaining power. However, after Father Faustus Blackwood [Richard Cole] betrayed her, Prudence’s focus has shifted. Desperate times call for desperate measures and the coven and the Academy of the Unseen Arts remain in shambles. Prudence travels to New Orleans to seek the help of a Haitian witch, who practices magic similar to that of voodoo. Most people stereotype voodoo as sticking pins in dolls or raising the dead, but Mambo Marie is far more than the cliché. From the beginning, she is set on a prophecy, knowing something very bad and very evil is coming, which puts Mambo Marie on a mission to do what she can.

The carnival also comes to town this season, but it is not your ordinary fair. Pagan witches run this show, spinning a web of danger for Sabrina and the locals. Only pagan Robin rebels against his comrade’s old-school teachings and frightening agenda becoming the new kid at Baxter High.

In the absence of Father Blackwood, Zelda steps up, taking over the Church of Night, which comes with its own set of complications. The Church of Night is left in tatters after what happens at the end of Part 2. Zelda has to try and find a way to bring it back together and decide who they are going to worship if they do not worship the Dark Lord. They are trying to define what direction the church should go in and what is best for everyone. Throughout the season, Sabrina’s favorite frenemy, Lilith, stands by her side. Lucifer formerly chose Sabrina over her to rule next to him, now, Lilith reluctantly serves Sabrina. Although a hard pill to swallow, she rises to the challenge with grace and dignity. In Part 3, we really see Lilith at her most broken attempting to find stoicism and strength, but she is definitely depleted.

Completing the Spell

Rating: 9/10