Who is the villain on Wednesday Season 2? Explained

Netflix’s Wednesday continues to mix gothic mystery, dark comedy, and supernatural thrills, and its second season has already left fans stunned. Season 2, Part 1, which premiered on August 6, 2025, dives deeper into Nevermore Academy’s shadows, expanding Wednesday Addams’ world while introducing shocking new twists. The biggest question has been: Who is the villain in Wednesday Season 2? The answer doesn’t just subvert expectations, it flips them upside down.

The villain of Wednesday Season 2: Judi Spannagel’s shocking reveal

When Wednesday Season 2 begins, suspicion immediately falls on Willow Hill Psychiatric Facility, where outcasts with supernatural powers are being held. Wednesday suspects Dr. Rachael Fairburn, the sharp-tongued psychiatrist who runs the asylum, and her investigation soon points toward a hidden underground program called LOIS (Long-term Outcast Integration Study). Viewers were led to believe Fairburn was behind the sinister crow attacks and abductions. But by the end of Part 1, the truth comes out, and the real villain is none other than Fairburn’s chipper assistant, Judi Spannagel, portrayed by Heather Matarazzo.

Judi initially appears harmless, greeting patients with sugary smiles and praising her boss at every turn. But beneath the cheerful exterior lies a terrifying secret. She is revealed as the “Avian killer,” capable of controlling a murder of crows and running the underground LOIS experiments. Her backstory deepens the horror: Judi is the daughter of Augustus Stonehurst, Willow Hill’s former chief psychiatrist and a disgraced Nevermore science teacher. Her father obsessed over harnessing outcast powers, kidnapping and experimenting on them to no avail. Though his work never granted him abilities, Judi inherited avian control and carried on his twisted legacy.

This reveals and reframes every earlier interaction. Judi’s faux enthusiasm and constant deference hid a manipulative villain who had imprisoned outcasts in a secret laboratory beneath Willow Hill. The moment she is unmasked, cloaked in black and grinning maniacally, becomes one of Season 2’s most striking images. The episode crescendos as Wednesday and Uncle Fester free the tortured prisoners, who immediately turn on Judi, chasing her into the night. Yet the chaos also frees Tyler Galpin, the Hyde from the first season, who violently reenters the narrative by attacking Wednesday herself.

The misdirection is what makes Judi’s reveal so effective. As co-creator Miles Millar explained, the writers deliberately built red herrings around Dr. Fairburn and even the new teacher, Isadora Capri.

What is the series all about?

Wednesday is an American supernatural mystery comedy series created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the iconic Addams Family character by Charles Addams. The show stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, alongside a sprawling ensemble including Emma Myers, Hunter Doohan, Thandiwe Newton, Gwendoline Christie, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Christina Ricci, and more. The first season, released in November 2022, was a breakout hit, earning Emmy wins and Golden Globe nominations while becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched English-language series.

The second season raises the stakes by sending Wednesday into even darker territory. Now split into two parts, the season launched its first four episodes on August 6, 2025, with the concluding four set to drop on September 3, 2025. Part 1 sets up multiple threads: Wednesday is trying to protect her roommate, Enid Sinclair, uncovering who controls the murder of crows, and navigating Nevermore’s increasingly dangerous ties to Willow Hill.

For those new to the series, Wednesday combines coming-of-age drama, macabre humor, and a murder-mystery format. It continues Tim Burton’s involvement, who directed four episodes in the first season and remains an executive producer. Fans can stream both seasons exclusively on Netflix, which renewed the show for a third season in July 2025.

With Judi Spannagel unmasked as the villain of Part 1, Part 2 promises even greater twists. Tyler’s return as the Hyde complicates everything, while Wednesday herself faces one of her most personal battles yet. As always, the series proves that nothing at Nevermore Academy is ever what it seems.

Stay tuned with us for further updates.