Who was Wednesday's Spirit Guide in Wednesday season 2? Gwendoline Christie's character, explained

In the sinister hallways of Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Season 2 streaming now on Netflix, resurrects a now-familiar face in a personably horrific role. The character Principal Larissa Weems, played by Gwendoline Christie, the ethereal Spirit Guide to Wednesday Addams, brings a new icy chill to the gothic atmosphere of the show. 

In Season 1, Larissa Weems - played by Gwendoline Christie - metamorphosed as she ruled Nevermore as its enigmatic principal and wasn't horrible, regardless of the fate that ultimately fell upon her. Yet, Season 2 sees her return, this time not corporeally, but interestingly as a Spirit Guide to Wednesday played in all her dark glory by Jenna Ortega. 

This new form of Weems' form as Spirit Guide manifests in otherworldly visions, but playfully provides ambiguous hints as Wednesday unlocks a sinister mystery involving a shadowy cult threatening to destroy Nevermore. The ambiguous presence of Weems's Spirit Guide blends her former authoritative self with a more mystical presence. She wholly embodies this haunting, serpentine personality throughout the chilling story. 

Transforming Weems from a strict principal to a ghostly mentor was a bold move. Not only is the spirit of the Addams Family delightfully eerie, but Weems was designed after affliction with what the Addams Family love so much—the weird. Her ability to shape shift adds to the mystery of her wisdom, and Christie's powerful presence makes sure you remember every moment.

Gwendoline Christie shines as Principal Weems in Wednesday season 2:

Weems’ ghostly guidance drives Wednesday’s fight against a cult wielding dark magic. Her appearances tie into Nevermore’s shadowy history, revealing secrets about the school’s origins and her own past. The stellar cast—Emma Myers as Enid, Hunter Doohan as Tyler, and newcomer Thandiwe Newton as a cryptic professor—pairs perfectly with Weems’ role, as her advice pushes Wednesday into uneasy partnerships. Her interactions with other spirits, like a playful Addams ancestor, sprinkle humour and heart into the plot.

Weems was once a roommate of Wednesday's mother, Morticia Addams, while they studied at Nevermore Academy from the late 1980s to early 1990s. Weems and Morticia had a difficult dynamic, filled with Weems' jealousy and bitterness toward Morticia as she was a featured student, far surpassing anything Weems accomplished. Weems also developed an unrequited crush on Gomez Addams, Morticia's husband, which only served to heighten her bitterness.

Weems was killed in the Season 1 finale by Marilyn Thornhill (Laurel Gates) via nightshade poisoning. Her death is a significant moment, as Wednesday is unable to save her, and it marks a rare instance of vulnerability for the principal. In Season 2, Part 2, Weems returns as Wednesday’s spirit guide, replacing Goody Addams, Wednesday’s previous ancestral guide. 

Fans speculate that Weems might be a distant relative of the Addams or Frump family, possibly a cousin to Morticia through the Frump lineage. Through flashbacks and references to her shape-shifting lineage and ties to the dark origins of the cult, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar crafted a Weems’ arc that would honour her legacy from Season 1 and react appropriately to the Addams world, allowing her a plausible place in the Stack. 

Other roles played by Gwendoline Christie:

Gwendoline Christie - formerly recognized for her roles as Brienne of Tarth in HBO's Game of Thrones and Captain Phasma in Disney's Star Wars - has surprising heft in the part of Weems. Standing at already commanding 6'3", she still presents as an imposing spectre. In Season 2, Christie artfully occupies the lie of noble power and newly discovered ghostly melancholy, weaving the character's connection to Nevermore; the spellbinding combination of strength and emotional truth perfectly positions Weems to be exactly what Wednesdays is looking for in her descent into darkness.

Fans can watch all episodes of Wednesday, Season 1 and 2, streaming on Netflix. 

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