Nicholas Scratch seemingly takes his own life in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s series finale, proving that Netflix didn’t learn its lesson from the controversy surrounding 13 Reasons Why’s depiction of suicide. The ending to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which was cancelled by Netflix, was disappointing on several levels in terms of its character arcs and plot threads. However, it’s the fate of Nick that feels perhaps the most egregious (and dangerous), given Netflix’s past history.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 4, episode 8, “Chapter Thirty-Six: At the Mountains of Madness” sees Sabrina Spellman die in an effort to defeat the Void, the culmination of the eight Eldritch Terrors brought forth by Father Blackwood. Sabrina can’t be saved, but after her burial she is joined in the afterlife – here called the Sweet Hereafter – by her love interest, Nick. He has told her that they were “endgame,” and this moment was supposed to prove that.
Since Sabrina is in the Sweet Hereafter, it’s ostensibly not a place any living person could visit. Nick says that, since he couldn’t be without Sabrina, he went swimming in the Sea of Sorrows. While details are left vague, the implication is that Nick took his own life in order to have a happy ending with Sabrina. If there were to be a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 5, then maybe it could have setup both of their returns, but in its absence (despite talk of a comics continuation) then the fate is final. It’s not just that Nick takes his own life to be with Sabrina that is alarming, but that it is undoubtedly portrayed as a romantic gesture, and a good ending for the pair as they get to be together. In truth, it’s anything but, as it continues a dangerous trend of romanticising suicide, which started in 13 Reasons Why.
13 Reasons Why may have been one of Netflix’s buzziest original series, but it was also among its most controversial. That was somewhat inevitable, given the topics it covered – which included suicide and sexual abuse – and it garnered a particular backlash for its depiction of its central character, Hannah Baker, taking her own life. In particular, it was rightly criticized for showing the suicide in graphic detail, but it also played out as a teen revenge fantasy of sorts, and also indulged in things like laying blame for what happened. All of this served to romanticize the notion of suicide, without ever fully reckoning with the realities of mental health issues, that no one is to blame (but nor is it a selfish act), or the devastating impact it can have afterwards. Two years after release, Netflix edited 13 Reasons Why‘s suicide scene, after comments from various mental health experts and suicide prevention causes as to the dangers of showing it.
Nick’s death in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina does not go quite so far – it isn’t depicted on screen, and his comment that the Sea of Sorrows had a “wicked undertow” is all that’s given to what he did – but the fact remains that this is portrayed as a romantic gesture. It’s once again a glamorization of death, suggesting here that taking your own life so that you can be with the person you loved is choice worth making, when it should never be seen as the answer. The circumstances are different, but as another buzzy show with a big teen fanbase, Netflix is once again failing its audience.
In the United States, anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for free, 24-hours, on 1-800-273-8255. In Canada, the Canada Suicide Prevention Service can be reached at 1-833-456-4566. In the United Kingdom, the charity Samaritans provides support to anyone in need on its 24/7 crisis line on 116 123. A full list of worldwide suicide crisis lines is available via Wikipedia.
