Summary
Chapter 14, “Lupercalia”, is slow and intimate to match the theme, but timely and dramatic when it needs to be.
This recap of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 2, Chapter 14, “Lupercalia”, contains spoilers. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.
Chapter 14, “Lupercalia”, reveals the red-blooded, sexual side of Sabrina’s (Kiernan Shipka) world. Lupercalia is the witches’ equivalent to Valentine’s Day, but instead of soppy, commercialized gifts, warlocks and witches partake in a matching ceremony, which to be frank, ends with sex. Chapter 14 explores Sabrina’s view on sex, and the old-age theme of finding the right person to lose her virginity to. Zelda (Miranda Otto) wants her to ravage someone, but Hilda (Lucy Davis) is much more balanced; Nicholas (Gavin Leatherwood) on the other hand, as a gentleman, explains there is zero pressure for her to take part in the process.
“Lupercalia” provides a thematic breakthrough for Susie, who is now named Theo (Lachlan Watson). In a defining moment, the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 2 tackles the awareness of gender change, as Theo explains the changes to her Dad. You can see his confusion and his hesitance to adjust, but it was a heartwarming moment where father and daughter (now son) embrace a change, an acceptance.
Love is brewing in “Lupercalia”, with Sabrina paired with Nicholas at the sensual matching ceremony. This was without a struggle, however, as Dorcas tries to steal the man. Back at Baxter High, Rosalind (Jaz Sinclair) and Harvey (Ross Lynch) finally cross a bridge, accepting each other’s proposal to attend the Valentine’s Day dance together. Chapter 14 establishes the new romances, with Sabrina-Harvey appearing to be well and truly dead. Rosalind does bravely tell Sabrina, and the witch accepts it, blushing at her newfound romance with Nicholas.
Mary Wardwell (Michelle Gomez) is in trouble in “Lupercalia” as her true identity as Madam Satan is in jeopardy; her fiance shows up, only giving her a small window to adjust into the life she didn’t know the original Mary had. After initially wanting to kill the man, she decides against it, realizing his utmost loyalty to their relationship. It’s strangely creepy how much he likes kissing her feet. At least let her shower first. Anyway, Hilda has an issue too; her crush is a secret sex demon and only discovers this when trying to hunt him sexually. She now has to find ways to tame him.
“Lupercalia” explores the tradition further, with Sabrina and Nicholas enjoying the moon, but the second phase is hijacked with nearby wolves. Instead, they attend the Baxter High dance, but trouble follows them, as a beast tries to attack them as they get sweaty in the library. Nicholas reveals that the beast is his “familiar”, Amalia, who is insanely jealous. Wardwell explains that he “must put the bitch down”.
Before the dramatic conclusions, Father Blackwood (Richard Coyle) proposes to Zelda, but she confesses to Hilda that she does not love him and that their marriage will be advantageous to both. Rosalind admits to Harvey that she has premonitions and later that day, in a moment of panic, she tells him that she has gone completely blind.
“Lupercalia” ends with intimacy nipped in the bud by a violent turn of events; Sabrina and Nicholas take part in the third phase of Lupercalia, where the witch hunts the warlock, and assume to have sex. Unfortunately, Nicholas lies about killing Amalia, and she turns up, attempting to intimidate Sabrina. Amalia attacks Nicholas, and Sabrina has no choice but to kill the beast. Nicholas explains his lies; that Amalia was family. In an understanding moment, Sabrina joins him in an emotional embrace.
You can read the recap of Part 2, Chapter 15 by clicking these words.
