When it comes to Western films and television, the genre isn’t usually mixed with horror, but when it is, it often involves monsters lurking beneath the scorching ground. The upcoming 90-minute Tubi special, Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, fits this pattern but stands out as a continuation of SYFY’s 2016 series Wynonna Earp.
The show is about more than just monsters; it follows the beloved characters of Team Earp, who fans have missed since the series ended in 2021 after four seasons. Although the original series wrapped up on a somewhat happy note, Team Earp is back in action. Before we see them return to Purgatory for Vengeance, let’s remember what happened in the last episodes of Wynonna Earp.
Wynonna Earp is a Western horror series based on the comic book series by Beau Smith. It follows Wynonna Earp (played by Melanie Scrofano), who is the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. After returning to her hometown of Purgatory, near the Canadian Rockies, Wynonna learns she has inherited her family’s curse to fight revenants—demonic reincarnations of the outlaws her ancestor had killed.
She also gets Wyatt’s magical gun, Peacemaker. Early in the series, Wynonna reunites with her sister, Waverly (played by Dom Provost-Chalkley), and they work on mending their strained relationship after being apart for many years.
Wynonna soon joins the Black Badge Division, a secret government agency that keeps an eye on the supernatural events in Purgatory. She teams up with Special Agent Xavier Dolls (played by Shamier Anderson) from the BBD, Doc Holliday (played by Tim Rozon), who is immortal and ageless and was an ally of Wyatt Earp, and Purgatory Deputy Sheriff Nicole Haught (played by Kat Barrell), who later becomes Waverly’s girlfriend.
Wynonna Earp: Vengeance picks up right where Season 4 of Wynonna Earp ended, and fans can expect to see the same characters return, along with possible new faces. One key detail is that Wynonna and Doc have a daughter named Alice, born in Season 2.
Still from the series (Tubi)
For her safety, Alice was taken out of the Ghost River Triangle because she was next in line for the Earp curse. Also, Wynonna and Waverly are only half-sisters through their mother. Waverly’s father is an angel named Julian, which gives her supernatural powers. They also have an older sister, Willa (played by Natalie Krill), who dies at the end of Season 1.
The original ending of Wynonna Earp includes some important events. Waverly and Nicole, who have been together since Season 1, finally get married in the Season 4 finale. However, this is also the episode where all the main characters decide to go their separate ways. Waverly and Nicole choose to stay in Purgatory, while Wynonna and Doc leave, hoping to one day reunite with Alice.
With Nicole becoming the new sheriff of Purgatory and Waverly’s supernatural abilities, the town seems to be in good hands. From the trailer of Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, it looks like Wynonna will return quickly. While Wynonna’s main job is to deal with revenants, demons aren’t the only supernatural threats in the Ghost River Triangle.
Wynonna and her team have also faced zombies, witches, vampires, and even angels. The new special, Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, promises a new enemy with a personal vendetta, but it’s likely that more monsters will show up in Purgatory. Given Team Earp’s past successes with various creatures, it will be interesting to see how they handle these new threats.
Monsters aren’t the only reason fans, who call themselves Earpers, love the show. Wynonna Earp also features strong female leads with great representation. Wynonna may be tough and full of wit, but she has a softer side for her family and loved ones, which will likely be seen again, especially if viewers get to watch Doc and Wynonna reunite with their daughter, Alice.
Wynonna Earp and Team Earp Are Back with a Vengeance (Tubi)
Meanwhile, Waverly and Nicole are equally strong characters, both powerful women in their own right and shining examples of LGBTQIA+ representation on television.
Wynonna Earp was never a show that took itself too seriously. While it had its share of dramatic and serious moments, it was mostly light-hearted, funny, and action-packed. It’s a fantastic show with well-developed characters, a unique setting, and lots of surprises. There’s no doubt that Wynonna Earp: Vengeance will deliver more of the same excitement.
The Watchers uses elements from old stories to make a scary film. This movie takes inspiration from myths and legends around the world. Films like The Ritual and Midsommar use old tales to create terrifying monsters and strange behaviors.
The Watchers, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, is based on Irish folklore. It is popular on Max and tells the story of Dakota Fanning and Georgina Campbell trapped in a dark forest.
In The Watchers, Dakota Fanning plays Mina, who is stuck in an Irish forest after her car and phone break down. She tries to leave but always ends up back where she started. Mina eventually meets other people trapped in the forest and joins them in a mysterious safe place.
The story’s main focus is not on what the creatures are but on what they want. The creatures are shapeshifting fairies who want to learn about humans.
These fairies are not the cute, friendly ones from stories. Instead, they are tall, thin, and move on all fours. They come out only at night and live in big holes in the ground called burrows. They are dangerous and attack anyone who breaks their rules.
The Watchers is based on a book by A.M. Shine from 2021. Shine is from Ireland and studied Irish folklore. He said in an interview that superstitions are common in rural Ireland. The movie uses parts of many myths rather than sticking to one specific legend.
Still from the movie (Max)
Fairies are common in Celtic myths and can mean different magical creatures, not just the ones with wings. Celtic fairies were once seen as gods or goddesses with magical powers. Over time, these fairies were pushed away by humans. The fairies in The Watchers are monstrous and have lost their wings.
The round holes where the fairies live in the movie are similar to ancient fairy mounds in Ireland. These were believed to be fairy homes long ago. The movie’s forest shares similarities with mythical places where fairies live, full of magic and hard to escape from.
The fairies in The Watchers can shapeshift, which connects to old stories about fairies. In Celtic folklore, fairies used enchantments or “glamour” to disguise themselves. There is also the idea of changelings, where fairies would swap babies with enchanted objects or other fairies. The movie’s fairies mimicking humans might relate to this changeling myth.
Though The Watchers adds its own twist to the old myths, there are clear links to traditional fairy tales. The film creates a spooky atmosphere with its version of fairies, even if it doesn’t always succeed in being truly frightening.
