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"Welcome, welcome, Nevermore Academy. Now, on behalf of the entire Jericho community, we are so, so pleased to have you all here today. Your generosity and hard work are truly... outreaches."
-Noble Walker to Nevermore Academy Students

Chapter III: Friend or Woe is the third episode of the first season of the Wednesday series. It aired on the 23rd of November in 2022, on Netflix.

Synopsis[]

"Wednesday stumbles on a secret society. During Outreach Day, Nevermore's outcasts mingle with Jericho's normies in Pilgrim World. Fudge, anyone?" - Official summary from Netflix

Plot Summary[]

As the bag is lifted from her head, Wednesday finds herself surrounded by hooded figures. It does not take her long to realize that Bianca is their masked leader, and the teens all begrudgingly reveal their true identities. While they chat, she is already untying her binds. As it turns out, the students have revived the infamous Nightshade Society, which was disbanded thirty years ago when a normie kid was killed. The club is a lot more harmless these days, made for social events and the occasional skinny dip. Xavier invites Wednesday to join their elite club, but she refuses.

Wednesday continues to investigate the many mysteries of Nevermore, such as Rowan rising from the dead, the prowling monster in the woods, and the foreshadowing drawing in the Nightshade book. But school just keeps getting in the way. On "Outreach Day," the Nevermore students volunteer in the local community of Jericho. Wednesday has been assigned to an antique shop, while most are set to work at Pilgrim World. Principal Weems has also signed Wednesday up for a performance with the local marching band at a ceremony later that day, stating how impressed she was with Wednesday's cello playing.

The students are dropped off in Jericho, ready to attend their jobs for the day. This gives Wednesday time to catch up with Xavier. They discuss Rowan's odd disappearance. Xavier is still pretty sure that his old roommate is still very much alive and scoffs at Wednesday's conspiracy theories. She shows him the drawing, and he points out that the other figure in the picture is Joseph Crackstone, the founding father of Jericho. Wednesday decides to swap jobs and attend Pilgrim World to gather more information. She trades her antique shop job with Enid, who is desperate to date Ajax, the gorgon.

At Ye Olde Fudgery. Wednesday scares off the customers by speaking German and then sneaks out to inspect the Old Meeting House for further clues. In the cordoned-off building, she finds a painting that features that blonde Wednesday look-alike and a book called Codex Umbrarum (translated to "Book of Shadows"), but it turns out to be a replica. Her new boss, Mistress Arlene, finds her snooping and orders her to leave.

In the end, Wednesday ditches her duties and heads to the coffee shop. She asks Tyler for the location of the original meeting house, which is positioned in the woods. He warns her of the ruins and how they attract homeless people or meth heads. She declines his assistance and heads off in the rain with Thing. Her trusty sidekick strangles a squatter, Fabian, and Wednesday inspects the grounds. There is nothing of any interest there, but she has another vision as they leave. This vision explains how the meeting house originally burned down. Joseph Crackstone burned all the town's outcasts alive in this building, including the family of the girl from Wednesday's visions. As it turns out, the blonde Wednesday look-alike girl was Goody Addams, Wednesday's ancestor, who was labeled a witch but escaped the burning to later exact her revenge.

In the present, Wednesday glimpses the monster once more, but the creature soon disappears. In a surprise twist, she spots how the monster's footprints turn back into those of a human. Xavier then appears, but her evidence is lost in the rain. He now believes Wednesday's theory about Rowan, having received some unusual text messages from his old roommate. They discuss Wednesday's psychic abilities, and he confesses that his father, Vincent Thorpe, is a famous psychic. He advises her to not fully trust in these visions. Xavier explains that, according to his dad, they are not rooted in logic but are triggered more by emotions. Wednesday is not deterred, as she needs to stop the ensuing tragedies from becoming a reality.

The rain clears, and it is time for the unveiling ceremony for a new town monument. The mayor, the headmistress, and the press are all in attendance for this significant event. Crackstone's bronze statue is revealed, and the band plays a Fleetwood Mac cover. Thing lights a match, and the statue is dramatically blown up. As the crowd disperses, Wednesday continues to play, this time playing "Winter," from Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". Principal Weems gives her an evil glare as the chaos erupts around them, with sirens blaring in the distance. Wednesday is clearly the prime suspect.

A furious Principal Weems scolds Wednesday for her obvious involvement in the explosion, but the student says her hands are clean. The principal calls Wednesday a trouble magnet and warns her that she is on thin ice. While they argue, Fabian is attacked and killed by the monster in the original meeting house.

Elsewhere, Enid organizes a date with Ajax, but he gets caught up when he accidentally turns himself into stone after looking at his reflection in the bathroom's mirror. Meanwhile, Marilyn sneaks into the secret lair of the Nightshades, whereas Xavier tries in vain to hide some large claw marks on his neck. Sheriff Galpin and Deputy Santiago both arrive at the old pilgrim meeting house, where they find the corpse of Fabian next to a camera. Galpin takes the camera and reveals the pictures inside, one of which clearly depicts the monster's face.

Cast and Characters[]

Starring[]

Guest[]

Additional Cast[]

Uncredited[]

Other Characters[]

Mentioned[]

Quotes[]

"All proceeds go to uphold this pathetic whitewashing of American history. Also, fudge wasn't invented for another 258 years."
-Wednesday Addams to the tourists

Trivia[]

  • Pilgrim World appears to pay homage to the Addams Family movie, Addams Family Values, in which Wednesday was cast as Pocahontas in the Thanksgiving play.
  • The developing of the photograph, as the sheriff watches, is reminiscent of a similar scene in Jaws.
  • In Weathervane, Wednesday hits a bell, and Tyler comes out saying, "You rang?" a reference to Lurch and his catchphrase.

Artifacts Shown[]

  • Good's Book of Shadows

Deaths[]

Music[]

  • Nothing Else Matters - Apocalyptica (Metallica cover)

Ooky Food[]

  • Fudge

External Links[]

Gallery[]

References[]

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