School Spirits had one big change going into season 3: Maddie Nears, who spent most of seasons 1 and 2 in the ghost realm, had returned to her body in the world of the living. However, the conclusion of season 2 also saw that her best friend Simon, while still alive, had taken her place in the ghost realm, leading to season 3's main storyline: saving Simon.
For all of its mysteries and revelations about a creepy and forgotten Church that exists in the ghost realm under the school, the Paramount+ series is about relationships and how important they are to the main characters. Maddie and Simon's dynamic had mostly been based on separation, with her in one realm and him in another, and season 3 is no different.
Now alive, Maddie's main focus regarding the ghost realm isn't just getting messages through to Simon; it also takes advantage of the friendships Maddie had made with Wally, Rhonda, Charley, and the rest of the ghosts.
Throughout season 3, School Spirits asks one main question of Maddie and Wally: Just how far can a human and ghost romance go? Logically, not far.
Without the ability to do as much as hold hands, let alone interact beyond the school perimeter boundary, their relationship is literally contained to the school grounds, and only in spaces where Maddie can actually interact with him. However, neither is quite ready to let go yet. Their reunion in a forest in the ghost realm that exists beyond the school purgatory shows there is still a hint of an undeniably strong connection. But this connection can only last so long, given that Maddie would eventually have to continue with her life, while Wally would, in theory, need to find peace in the afterlife.
School Spirits also devotes time to showing the character development that both Maddie and Xavier have undergone when most of season 3 pairs them together. While they definitely had a rocky start at the beginning of the show, the two have grown since then, and their relationship, as shown throughout the third season, is in a much better, healthier place for the two exes. Xavier even gets a taste of what it had been like to be Maddie in season 3, or Simon in seasons 1 and 2, as he finally gets the chance to interact with ghosts at Red Pine County Hospital.
As a messenger, Xavier forms friendships with Maddie's father and a former Split River High band performer, Kyle, whose body ends tying into the mystery of the remains of the Church, and a very dangerous spirit.
The core relationship of the show, Maddie and Simon, gets plenty of screen time throughout season 3, but none more emotional than their reunion in the living realm, where they are finally in the same place at the same time, and can actually interact with each other. This is a moment that has been built up for three seasons, and its execution shows just how significant their relationship is to the show. However, the one downfall is that while Simon's reunion with Maddie is treated as an integral element of the season finale, Simon's reunions with the rest of his friends are basically written off as not being as important, even though Xavier slaps Simon on the back in recognition of his return.
Rhonda and Charley are also both offered moments of character development through their relationships with others. Rhonda's discussion with Wally about what it would mean to leave the Split River High afterlife, along with her opening up to a relationship with Quinn, shows a softer, more supportive side of Rhonda, who valued those around her.
Meanwhile, after Charley is forced to reckon with the idea that he may not allow Yuri to have the space he needs to truly address his feelings about the circumstances they are facing, Charley aims to step up, trying to give Yuri that space to let out his emotions. Even Mr. Martin's past relationships are explored beyond his history with Janet, as the season briefly explores his childhood friendships and how that impacts a decision he makes in the season finale to stay behind as the Church collapses around him.
At the conclusion of season 3, School Spirits pushes the envelope even further, continuing to test the struggling relationship that Maddie has with her mother, Sandra. With the final moments of the finale teasing that Alfred Van Heidt, season 3's big bad, had taken possession of Sandra's body, the series asks several questions about what happened to Sandra, how long it will take Maddie to realize that her mother is not the person walking around their home, and how can Maddie and Sandra's relationship evolve in the future with both of them fully aware and experiencing the supernatural aspects of the ghost world.
That is not the only teaser, with season 3 revealing that the boundary keeping the ghosts at Split River High has disappeared, supposedly allowing them to wander the world beyond, which may even open the doors for letting them gain closure in ways they never could have before, when being confined to the school grounds.
While it is uncertain if Simon will have the ability to see Charley, Rhonda, Quinn, and Yuri now that he has lived in and exited the ghost world, the ghosts of the school being able to wander the town does create a stronger potential for merging the living and dead characters. This opportunity, with the potential of Maddie, Xavier, and Simon being able to see ghosts, offers the chance for a stronger merger between the worlds and a real chance for the spirits to find peace.
Stay tuned for more news about the future of School Spirits on Paramount+!