Summary
A much slower instalment, “Witch” suffers from a repetitive formula and a lack of standout moments. The final scenes pack a punch though, with some creepy imagery and tender words from the club members.
This recap of the Netflix series The Midnight Club season 1, episode 6, “Witch,” contains spoilers.
We get two ghost stories for the price of one in “Witch”. Kevin continues his gruesome serial killer story, and Ilonka introduces a new tale about witches and witchcraft. This tale links precisely with the main event, as Anya’s health deteriorates and the gang tries more desperate strategies to elongate her life expectancy. The Midnight Club descends into the full-on supernatural as the gang performs a last-ditch ritual.
The Midnight Club season 1, episode 6 recap
The first ghost story comes from Kevin, who dives straight in with his serial killer opus. Poor Dusty is positioned next to another teen girl’s bed again, ready to bludgeon them to death with his trusty hammer. He kills the girl and then subsequently the girl’s brother, who walks in on Dusty as he leaves his calling card. The silent screaming ghosts haunt Dusty at every turn and his creepy mother is on hand to only add to his woes. There’s some nifty scares as his mother demands that Dusty kills his next victim.
The Midnight Club analyze Dusty’s behavior and are saddened by his lust for bloody murder. Kevin defends his character, explaining how the voices force him to commit these heinous acts against his will. Dusty starts dating school girl Sheila, but the mother wants her dead next. Sheila’s been doing her own investigating and may be getting close to unravelling the whole mystery. The gang are frustrated by Kevin’s cliff-hanger ending as he teases Sheila’s imminent death.
Ilonka asks to share her own story and the gang are treated to a double bill. Ilonka’s tale, titled “Witch”, is about a family of witches, centering on teenager Imani. She is a young, naïve witch, learning to hone her powers. Her mother teaches her to predict the future, although she warns Imani that you cannot change the future, only learn from it. Imani’s mother, a doctor, dies whilst bringing a stranger back from the dead. Imani grieves her mother’s passing and falls for a boy called Ben. She has a premonition of Ben’s death and tries to change the future, but his fate is already sealed.
Just as Ben is shot in Ilonka’s story, Anya passes out in the real world, landing on the table with a thud. Dr. Stanton reveals the next day that Anya has sepsis and is being treated in isolation. Her infection is contagious, but Ilonka still wishes to visit her friend in the recovery room. Dr. Stanton discusses the ordeal in group therapy and pleads with Ilonka to use this remaining time preciously. She warns her not to waste this time fighting death, when she could be saying goodbye properly instead. There’s some great dialogue in this sequence as true emotions come to the forefront.
Ilonka visits Anya, who then wakes from her slumber, stating that she wants to live. Enraged by Stanton’s cold remarks, Ilonka vows to save Anya and heads into the woods with her diaries. There she meets Shasta once again and they discuss the healing nature of Brightcliffe. Shasta believes Ilonka is right and proposes a ritual to save Anya’s life. Proving her dedication to the cause, Shasta cuts her hand there and then, bringing to mind the Paragon cult.
The club members are skeptical of this proposal and call Ilonka crazy for suggesting such a notion. Ilonka defends herself, adding that they have nothing to lose, they have to give this a try. Kevin signs up first for the ritual plan and the others follow one by one. It only leaves Sandra, the religious outcast, to make her decision. She rants about the ritual being blasphemous and against everything godly in the world. Sandra believes this ritual will bring about dangerous and ungodly creations. Unfortunately, Shasta states that they need five females to orchestrate the ritual accurately, Sandra is vital.
Natsuki speaks with Sandra in private and convinces her to at least bear witness to this event. She agrees to be a spectator, but refuses to join in. That night, Sandra has awful dreams, in which she watches as Ilonka is attacked by hooded cult members that surround her in the basement.
The ending
Ilonka breaks Anya out of the recovery room, and they head to the basement. In a creepy twist, on Ilonka’s arrival, she spots a sign on the floor. Written in sheets is the word ‘don’t’. This is an unnerving moment that Ilonka quickly disregards and then keeps completely to herself. The other members descend the elevator and join them for the ritual. They dress in robes, light candles and form a circle with a fire in the center.
The gang sacrifices their most important possessions one at a time, stating what the item is and its significance to them. The items are then tossed into the fire. They then cut themselves with a knife and let their blood drip into the open fire as well. To finish off the ritual, each member presses their bloodied finger onto Anya’s forehead. It’s a sweet and tender exchange, as each individual shares their story and expresses their undying love for Anya. As the ritual draws to a conclusion, Anya looks upwards as a shadowy figure descends upon her from the ceiling.
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