Sabrinas generally cheery teen life is contrasted by the darkness of her witch life.
the Dark Lords book, a.k.a Satans book).
One is blonde, the other is a redhead.
Credit: Diyah Pera/Netflix
One is warm, the other is cold.
One offers sympathy for Sabrinas mortal attachments, the other wants her to cut ties.
He enjoys meddling in affairs but also knows the pain of cutting oneself off from the mortal world.
Shipka nails the look and feel of the teenage witch, but her performance has been oversold.
But her delivery doesnt quite stick.
Just as significant as the character relationships surrounding Sabrina is the atmosphere.
The comic hinged upon the distinct style of artist Robert Hack, and the series offers its own spin.
The opening credits are an animated homage to his artistry that pulls images directly from his comics.
The innocent woman tries to help a seemingly traumatized young girl who appears on the side of the road.
The girl turns out to be Madam Satan, handmaiden of the Devil.
He keeps a lost age of chivalry and romanticism alive while allowing Sabrina to lead.
Refusal to do so must not be, he says.
What really happened to Sabrinas parents?
What does it really mean to walk the path of the night?
Were an episode in and already CAOS is setting up an interesting conversation about religion.
Sabrinas entire home life is wrapped up in the Church of Night.
Her aunts even claim her deceased parents made it clear that Sabrina should be inducted into the coven.
Is the Devil really the embodiment of evil?Fake news.
The Church is all about free will.
Sounds too good to be true.
Theres a reason Salem wouldnt enter the Spellman household with Blackwood on the premises.
Hilda is tucking Sabrina into bed when her auntie alludes to her own Dark Baptism.
Female witches didnt have options back in her day, signing the book was just what was done.
But this is 2018.
(Grimoire log: Astral projection = the ability to travel outside ones physical body through spirit form.)
So now theres going to be some sister-on-sister crime.
By the way, Your father couldve been a famous actor like cousin Montgomery?
Is Hilda saying Montgomery Clift was a warlock?
The next morning, Sabrina wakes to find Harvey sitting at her breakfast table.
But there are also certain dark delights that are hard to pass up.
If you notice, toxic masculine behavior is rarely rewarded in the world of CAOS.
And, unlike some other television witches, Sabrina revels in the devilish side of witchcraft.
So the combination often leads to some magical mischief.
Principal Hawthorne received his punishment and now its time for the boys tormenting Susie to get theirs.
So she summons the three baddest bes she knows, the Weird Sisters.
Shes crossing her fingers behind her back, of course.
Theyve come upon the invitation of Ambrose to inspect the embalming work on their son.
Ambrose is really using the occasion to poke around for information.
Its time for a game of Devil in the Dark.
As the boys run away in terror, Sabrina walks out to find a cage filled with four birds.
It was all a spell to capture the bullies manhoods as punishment.
Speaking of toppling the patriarchy… That stopped them in their tracks.
Why would the covens High Priest sit down with, of all people, a half-witch?
Again, what does the Devil want with Sabrina Spellman?
Sabrina doesnt understand why she has to choose either freedom or power.
Why cant she have both?
Prudence says the Dark Lord will never let that happen because a woman with both is his greatest fear.
The Devil is a man, isnt he?
As time passes by, mortals will age and place importance on matters that have little meaning for immortals.
Its full of Monster Mash music, Eddie Munster costumes, and a surprise cake for the birthday girl.
As the blood moon begins, Sabrina races off to the woods for the Dark Baptism.
The coven is already there, slaughtering animals and muttering spells.
Ms. Wardwell peeks out from behind a tree, watching as the ceremony begins.
Its only when the book signing comes that things take a turn.
Her father remains silent, but her mother commands her to run.
The coven pursues the young girl as she crashes through the trees.
If it wasnt for his bluff about a magical circle of protection, they wouldve taken Sabrina anyway.
But it doesnt seem to be enough for the Devil.
Your move, Sabrina.
Netflix has Sabrina facing a jury of Immortan Joe lookalikes in Death Eater cloaks.
Im here for this.
By the time she gets home, that image dissolves only to be replaced with a newfound rage.
She apparently made promises to join the Church of Night and then ran from those promises.
In the privacy of his attic loft, Ambrose suggests Sabrina get herself a lawyer.
Not just any lawyer.
Daniel Webster, the man said to have beaten the Devil in court.
Yes, Devils Advocate!
Turns out Daniel knows Sabrinas father, having recognized her last name of Spellman.
Daniel moved to Greendale because of Edward, who taught him all about witch law.
Zelda isnt too happy about Daniels presence, but shes hiding her own demons.
Instead of innocent until proven guilty, its guilty until proven innocent.
Instead of addressing the judges as your honors, its your dishonors.
Instead of order in the court, its furiously banging the gavel and screaming disorder in the court.
And theres plenty of dramatic murmuring, clapping, and Hail, Satans from the peanut gallery.
He then calls Zelda, sporting a chic head wrap and sunglasses (at night!
Meanwhile, Ms. Wardwell is trying to influence Sabrina to drop Daniel as her lawyer.
She follows it until she reaches an album of news clippings manufactured by Wardwell.
Its full of stories calling Daniel the Defender of the Damned.
(Seriously now, is this secretly the sequel to Keanu ReevesDevils Advocate?)
But all the cases he won involved the most sadistic murderers.
One day, one of the clients he set free killed his daughter.
So now he helps good people.
He moves to have a jury of mortals decide her fate based upon mortal law.
If she drowns in a lake, shes mortal.
If she survives, shes a witch.
Another option, if she has a witchs mark, it proves her witchiness.
As they mull over their options, Blackwood visits the Spellman family.
Sabrina doesnt take the deal.
Sabrina reasons this legal fight is her own personal struggle against a seemingly unbeatable force.
Plus, she had Harvey check her body for a witchs mark and she doesnt have one.
Take that, Satan!
As the test is about to commence in court, theres another gasp-able moment when Hilda storms into court.
She presents Sabrinas Christian baptismal record to the court.
On the other hand, Edward is a POS in the comics, so maybe he really was evil.
This revelation, along with an added outburst from Sabrina in court, prompts the Dark Lord to answer.
Something else that happened thats less significant but still important, Ambrose got a hookup!
The sad part is that the iguana dies the next day, unable to live without its witch master.
Although, how do we know it wasnt Luke?
He leaves before Ambrose wakes up and now Conners familiar is dead?
Also like Harry, the first years arent immediately thrust into apparition and Patronus charms.
Instead, shes forced to go to choir rehearsal, which is run by Blackwoods wife Lady Constance Blackwood.
Not even the fact that Sabrina is better at singing than Prudence puts a smile on her face.
She does meet a warlock hottie named Nick Scratch who can keep her preoccupied until its Harvey time again.
Nick is even studying her fathers journals in The Sanctum (i.e.
the forbidden section of the library), which intrigues her.
Nick, however, is also a warlock slut.
That comes from Prudence, whos jealous so maybe shes biased.
But also, can Sabrina really trust anyone at a school for Devil worshippers?
On top of that, Sabrina learns the horrors of the hazing phase of initiation.
Its called The Harrowing.
(It seems these were the witches Sabrina saw hanging from the tree after biting the Malum Malice.)
Only the Greendale 13 actually made it to the noose.
Others killed themselves after wallowing in their own waste.
They didnt have Salem.
But even he has his own horrors to deal with.
Needing some closure for his own sanity, Harvey comes over to Susies with them the next night.
The uncle is definitely not all right.
Even when they check on him later, they spy boils sticking to his red skin like rotting barnacles.
After her first Harrowing escape, Sabrina is called into Blackwoods office with Zelda for fighting with students.
Salem has been found and cast out since familiars are apparently not allowed at the Academy.
But Zelda, for all her icy exterior, reveals herself to be fiercely maternal.
She knows she cant just outright blab on the Weird Sisters to Blackwood, so shes strategic.
Test her, she says.
So Blackwood, being Blackwood, does.
If she solves it, she can learn conjuring.
He mentions that the Acheron in her hands is the same configuration her father was working on.
As Sabrina plots her mischief, so too does Ms. Wardwell.
Then theres The Dweller in the Abyss, which doesnt sound like someone anyone should ever meet ever.
But when Zelda starts acting all high and mighty, Hildas like, F it.
Wardwell, upon the suggestion of Blackwood, takes advantage.
So Sabrina must stand shoeless, coat-less in her nightgown and stare at the hanging tree.
If she turned for whatever reason, something unknown but bad nonetheless would happen.
Quentin is there in the light of day to signal the trials end.
Sabrina has no other choice but to call her aunties.
Zelda may be a devote witch, but shes not an idiot.
She and Hilda follow Sabrina to the ghosts of dead children.
She knows all the ghosts want more than anything even beyond escaping the grounds is permission to take revenge.
So she gives it to them.
During the binge-watching process, so many things are flying at you.
Neither can sleep peacefully until they know their niece is okay and safe from the Harrowing.
Its a time of reflection for Zelda.
She may never have biological children of her own, but Sabrina is her child.
Now, back to the binging!
But the ghosts of the Harrowed kids are there.
I drown you in your own blood.
He says the Dark Lord wanted her taught at the Academy, but that didnt mean she couldnt suffer.
Zelda then traps the entity inside a vase, believing that to be that.
And thats exactly what happens.
Each nightmare begins with each persons fantasy, if only to make the tragic fall hurt so much more.
He awakens as paralyzed as the dead body that appeared on his own slab.
Unable to move or speak, he endures the pain of being ripped apart by himself.
Even in her dreams, Hilda cant escape Zelda.
Hilda slaps her across the face, unwittingly planting a seal on her mouth to silence her.
As for Zelda, she fantasizes about Satan taking human form and visiting her house for dinner.
Shes forced to listen from the kitchen as the Dark Lord laughs and dances with Hilda.
Wardwell tells her to run away from the house when she wakes up before projecting back to her body.
But Sabrina isnt running.
She isnt strong enough to pull it off, though, and the configuration is destroyed when Batibat attacks.
Regrouping, Sabrina decides to be more strategic.
Zelda is completely incapacitated by the illusion, so thats a bust.
You catch a nightmare the same way you catch a dream: a dream catcher.
So Sabrina gets Ambrose to distract the demon while she sets up a trap.
When Batibat grows wise to her plan and confronts Sabrina, its too late.
Why would Edward trap such a powerful sleep demon in a configuration that could one day be opened again?
Zelda claims he had been battling insomnia and now assumes he was really fighting Batibat.
Still, something doesnt feel right.
Is the jig really up?
Actually, make that mostly subject matter.
She may very well be telling the truth.
I mean, whos to know her background other than the Dark Lord himself?
Sabrina doesnt know what to do with this information.
Theyre all talking about it when Sabrina meets them in the school library.
Yet, shes shaken to hear theyve all been visited by something in the guise of Jesse.
Neither aunt truly believes Sabrina because, they say, actual possessions are rare.
That, Sabrina knows, has already happened.
Despite his warnings, she astral projects into Jesses room to confront the demon.
The only thing she does get out it is confirmation that it is indeed demonic possession.
The demon gives her a name, but it turns out to be an anagram for ice cream.
He tells her some higher level demons have the ability to lay hands on a witchs astral form.
Whatever the name, the demon did a lot of talking and revealed that Jesse was a convenient vessel.
The midnight excursion wasnt a loss.
Sabrina ended up finding a stone tablet split in two with the image of a coiled serpent.
Wardwell noted its a trapping stone that traps demons.
Sabrina finds the same snake symbol in one of Ambroses books to learn the demons true name: Apophis.
She learns Apophis, a.k.a.
It then will jump to another host and repeat the cycle.
It would seem the its okay to be gay mantra holds true.
Ambrose and Susie are both loved and supported.
At the same time, though, Apophis calls Jesse an abomination for being a sodomite.
So it would seem the Devil sees LGBTQ people as his children.)
She told them everything well, the false version of everything including how Sabrina went to the mines.
She just so happens to have such a spell in her purse.
Sabrina calls on the names of historic witches for the incantation, but it doesnt seem to be working.
Turns out its called the Devouring Worm because its an actual wriggling worm.
Wardwell disposes of the creature down a well, followed by the trapping stones.
The day is saved, even though Sabrina is now grounded.
It also seems as though Wardwells mission was complete.
Her actions brought her back into Sabrinas good graces and furthered her mission.
He needed her to perform an exorcism on a mortal, which she now did.
(Click ahead to episode 7)
EPISODE 7: Feast of Feasts
Gather around, witches.
Its time for a history lesson.
While mortals in America celebrate Thanksgiving, the Church of Night celebrates the Feast of Feasts.
At worst, its an archaic tradition.
Each then draws a slip of paper and whoevers burns black shall be crowned Queen of the Feast.
Even through Zeldas devout ramblings about time-honored religious traditions, she cant shake the anxiety.
Since Hilda has been excommunicated, either herself or Sabrina must submit themselves as tribute.
Seven episodes in andCAOSbegins to fumble on the path of night.
Sabrina finds the rite archaic and outdated.
For them, its an honor.
For Sabrina, its murder sanctioned by a religious institution.
To her surprise, Zelda acquiesces to Sabrinas demand.
Prudence is the one picked to be Queen.
Susie goes through a trunk of Uncle Jesses family possessions and discoverers her ancestor, Dorothea Putnam.
What if thats not what happens?
What if youre sacrificed and its just over?
I dont know what happens when you die.
How sad for you, not to have faith in anything, Prudence says.
What begins as a questioning of religious faith turns into a comparison between two kinds of faith.
Prudence believes the events of the Feast will transpire the way her church tells her.
Sabrina holds similar faith in Harvey.
Dezmelda tells her tragic tale of being picked as Queen when she was just a child.
Dezmelda fled before he got the chance and has been living in the woods ever since.
He may have an agenda.
Then they hear a gunshot, forcing Dezmelda to panic and the other women to flee.
Harvey was in the woods on a hunting trip with his family when they spotted a deer.
They cast a spell to remain unseen when they hear someone coming.
Upon seeing Harvey, Prudence and her sisters demand blood atonement for the death of the familiar.
The story isnt trying to prove the value of different forms of faith.
Instead, it argues against the idea of blind faith.
Zelda told Sabrina that Constance must believe Faustus to have other children.
In the witch world, even illegitimate heirs of a High Priest can vie for the throne.
So, with Prudences blessing, Sabrina hatches a plot.
(Not the other two Weird Sisters, though.
Youre just orphans, he says.
Prudences biological mother killed herself when Faustus wouldnt marry her.
Praise Satan for Sabrinas quick-thinking protection spell.
(Spoiler warning forRiverdaleseason 3!
But, according to witch law, she cant interfere with such things.
This is her test.
This will ultimately determine how far shes willing to venture to the darker side of her nature.
Harveys okay, thanks to the protection spell Sabrina had the foresight to cast, but Tommy isnt.
Hes still trapped inside, along with multiple other miners.
Volunteers have gathered, including Susie and Roz, alongside rescue workers when Sabrina arrives.
Its not what youre thinking.
Hilda warns that resurrection must never be tried on mortals, though.
Tommys funeral, meanwhile, is a s show.
Harvey becomes overwhelmed when he gets up to speak, so Sabrina casts a spell to boost his might.
It works in the sense that he achieves the fortitude to deliver a beautiful eulogy.
It fails in the sense that he lashes out publicly at the perceived lies in his fathers speech.
The two physically brawl until Tommys empty casket crashes to the ground and the lone hard hat falls out.
Sabrina sits with Ms. Wardwell at Cerberus after Harvey goes to be by himself for a while.
She openly wonders to her teacher what would happen if Tommy came back by magical means.
And Sabrina couldnt do that, could she?
Hottie McHotstuff, had aninwith Faustus and used his influence to gain an audience.
We also learn a little bit more about Ambrose.
That remark about plotting to blow up the Vatican was totally accurate.
Ambrose referred to this man as the young Crowley.
In the meantime, at least someone is having a good time with everything thats going on.
Since the reveal with Constance, shes been denying her husband any sexual gratification.
Its a wakeful apparition.
When she picked up Tommys hard hat, she had a vision of the mines.
Sabrina then summons Prudence to the woods to plot a new plan.
Dorcas is quick to rat out Agatha as the mastermind upon confrontation.
Nick, being a necromancy ho, overhears and definitely wants to watch.
That night in the woods, Sabrina heads down a path from which she can never return.
Ms. Wardwell watches as the young witch slits Agathas throat on the pentagram circle containing Tommys clothes.
As we quickly find out, Sabrina performed this ritual impulsively.
Thinking she can cheat the sacrificial element of the spell, Sabrina buries Agatha in the Cain plot.
The Weird Sister comes back fine, which Ambrose witnesses.
Hes furious, warning Sabrina of all the dark forces shes tampering with.
Tommy, however, doesnt resurrect immediately.
The spirit would return to the body, which means Tommy wouldve resurrected inside the mines.
Sure enough, Sabrina finds the wooden barriers covering the entrance shattered.
That night, Harvey and his dad are enjoying a meal when a knock comes on the door.
He sees the outline of a body pressing against the glass door, pounding, pounding, pounding again.
Oh the arrogance of youth.
Hes not speaking or eating, which Harvey believes is just his brother overcoming the trauma from the accident.
Ambrose isnt so convinced when Sabrina relays his condition.
Agatha is also vomiting up graveyard soil from the Cain pit.
Nick astral projects to inform Sabrina, but she plays dumb about Tommys condition.
But with Ambrose now heading to the Academy to help Blackwood, things rapidly unravel.
On a side note, it would seem Blackwood has some sort of master plan that involves Ambrose.
Regardless, the situation is bleak.
The earth demands a soul in exchange for the one brought back.
Its either Agatha or Tommy, and Agatha will suffer until one is chosen.
As Ambrose confesses the entire situation to his auntie, Sabrina and Roz arrive at the Kinkles.
Harvey is fixing soup while Roz psychically investigates.
She sees Tommy wandering through a forest shrouded in fog.
That last part she leaves out of her recap, but Sabrina senses something is up.
Based on Rozs description, Sabrina learns that Tommy suffers from soul separation.
But then theres Hilda to deal with.
Hilda confronts Sabrina but the girl refuses to hear reason.
Her window of opportunity is slowly closing.
The Weird Sisters and Nick confess everything to Faustus, whos prepared to take care of the resurrected man.
Zelda uses up one last favor with the High Priest for handle the matter herself.
Her blowout with Sabrina back at home puts the hour back into perspective.
Sabrina is still a child.
When Zelda gives her a reality check, she brings out the classic youre not my mom line.
In her vulnerable state, Sabrina goes to Ms. Wardwell for assistance and her teacher obliges.
The first soul she encounters is that of her mother.
Potential spoiler alert… CAOS has already proven to be drastically different from the source material.
They took the child, cast a spell on her, and locked her up in an insane asylum.
With Diana dead on the series, the witches couldve taken even more drastic action.
They are about to jump back through the portal when it disappears and severs the string.
With few options left, Sabrina makes the one move shes been dreading.
Yes, the misogynist finally faced a real man-eater and felt the sting of witch-ly justice.
It begins with Sabrina confronted by Susie and Roz in the girls bathroom at Baxter High.
Instead of pulling apart, this revelation brings the friends closer together, much to Wardwells un-amusement.
So the 13 were sacrificed so the coven could live on.
In bringing them back, Wardwell tells them to summon their Crimson Avenger.
This is not the latest Marvel movie.
The witches let them live so they could bring the message back to the coven.
The Spellmans, however, are determined to save the mortals by similarly gathering them in one spot.
Susie, meanwhile, goes to be with Roz.
Blackwood teleports Zelda from Baxter High to the Academy where Constance is going into labor.
Luke also binds Ambrose to the Academy, confessing his love for the warlock.
Sabrina follows her mentor into the woods to the same spot of her ill-fated baptism took place.
To her surprise, the Book of the Beast is splayed out on an altar before a fire.
Obviously, Sabrina has a problem with this, but Wardwell is convincing.
All women are taught to fear power, she says.
Dont accept the Dark Lord.
Take it, wield it.
Is her pissing contest with Satan more important than the lives of those she loves?
Sabrina succumbs, and the Devil appears behind her in true Black Phillip fashion to make it official.
With her new power boost, Sabrina goes to the hanging tree, where the Greendale 13 were killed.
That was the vision she had from the Malum Malice in the premiere.
She must set the tree on fire to banish their spirits.
When Sabrina evokes Edward Spellmans name, the spirits shocked reaction suggests he was one of them.
Now Sabrina makes four.
In the aftermath of the event, the angel vanishes along with the 13.
This will seemingly throw a chink in Blackwoods plans.
As Dr. Cerberus turns to leave the Spellman house, his eyes glow a demonic shade.
Then theres the matter of Sabrina.
Looking back, its a little unclear as to why Sabrina felt such a desire to remain good.
This is a witch who revels in the craft.
Charmed always taught us to not use magic for revenge or to pass down judgements.
Sabrina bathed in that space.
The world was hers to shape for those she loved, consequences be damned.
Is that technically a goodness?
Will she go full time at the Academy now?
With no mortals by her side, what will anchor her humanity?
Wardwell, revealed to be Lilith before eating Hawthorne alive, also has plans.
Despite a fair bit of chop, forgettable story arcs (what was the purpose of Susie seeing Dorothea?
), CAOS delivered a strong first season and an addictive alternative to the Stranger Things craze.
MVP goes to Michelle Gomez.
Mildly confused by what this hellfire hath wrought?
For what its worth, season 2 has already begun filming.
Long live the Riverdale cinematic universe.
