The range of emotions the "Chucky" TV series has put me through made me feel almost as bats*** insane as the "Child's Play" franchise itself -- not that I'm complaining. Good media makes you feel things, and "Chucky" has made viewers feel a lot of things.
If you're one of those viewers, we can work through our emotions together as we attempt to make sense of the wonderful, whacky, and weird events of the "Chucky" season 1 ending with an in-depth look at what happened to the characters, how it all ties into the "Child's Play" universe, and some season 2 predictions.
Junior – He's Really Dead
As we saw in episode 7, Chucky has finally succeeded in acquiring a protégé via Junior, who was extremely pliable and ripe for corruption after witnessing his mom fall tragically to her death in what he has been led to believe was a suicidal act. Despite Lexy's statement in episode 5 that Junior "lacks the imagination" to learn about Chucky's true nature, it seems that Junior is accepting the reality of murderous possessed dolls with relative ease. In fact, he's so accepting that it took him no time at all to team up with Chucky and kill his own father with Chucky, literally. He hasn't even finished wiping his dad's blood off his face when Andy shows up, and he's unnervingly calm for someone who has just committed patricide and is now dealing with a strange man walking around his home and asking invasive questions about his family and his cousin's ugly doll -- even if said ugly doll has given him some basic info on Andy.
After Andy leaves, Junior and Chucky go to Chucky's old house, where he makes himself at home despite seeing Tiffany, Nica-Chucky, the Chucky army, and a captive Devon. It's clear that Junior has completely lost his mind to be going along with everything, and it's not really clear how much Chucky has actually told him about his devious plans. One weird thing about Junior joining forces with Chucky is that he doesn't seem to be bothered by or curious about Tiffany's presence, even though he was pretty angry about Tiffany kissing his dad at his mom's funeral and implying there was an affair. I guess Lexy was kinda right about Junior not being the sharpest tool in the shed after all.
We do witness Junior begin to come to his senses a bit when he fails to kill Devon and Nica after Chucky commands him to; however, by the time we get to the movie theater massacre, he's completely unhinged and working with Chucky (albeit a different Chucky) again, trying to convince Lexy -- at knifepoint, no less -- to join him in the chaotic killing spree. He meets his demise when Lexy is able to get through to him just long enough for him to save her from Chucky by killing one of the dolls, and being killed by that same doll in the process.
I felt bad for Junior, but he kind of turned out to be a bigger a-hole than Lexy was at the beginning of the series. He started off being kind of a d*** in episode 1, and then spiraled from there. Aside from gently scolding Lexy a few times about her abhorrent mean girl behavior, he never actually bothered to stand up for Jake. He even actively participated in further isolating Jake, going as far to blame Jake for his mother's cancer diagnosis and take his frustrations out on him unfairly. He dies apologizing for his actions, unaware of the full extent of Chucky's manipulation, so I guess that counts for something. His death is confirmed near the end of the episode when we see his gravestone alongside those of his parents.
Andy – He's Still Alive
Film Appearances: "Child's Play," "Child's Play 2," "Child's Play 3," and "Cult of Chucky"
After failing to find Chucky at Junior's house, surviving the explosion at Chucky's old house, and driving away victoriously with the truck containing the Chucky army, Andy finally meets Tiffany -- "the doll, not the person" -- who was hiding out in the truck. In "Child's Play," the movie that started it all, Andy was just a child when he was given Chucky as a gift. Even though Chucky has severely traumatized him for over 30 years, killing his babysitter, his friends, and several authority figures, Andy has managed to survive Chucky's antics ... but can he survive Tiffany's? Clearly, Tiff has been doing some soul-splitting voodoo of her own, and she's proven that she can be as cruel and cunning as Chucky, if not more so, so I'm guessing the Tiffany doll was her backup plan of sorts.
Andy, as unphased as ever, quips "you're not as cute as I thought you'd be" while Tiffany (the doll) holds him at gunpoint and instructs him to drive. This is the last we see of him as he drives, presumably, to the airport. It seems very likely that he'll be back for season 2 since we're left with such a cliffhanger concerning his character. He was also Charles Lee Ray's first "friend 'til the end" when he began his new life as a doll, and, as shown by Chucky's willingness to hide in a toilet rather than confront him, it doesn't seem like Chucky is too keen on parting with Andy just yet, for whatever reason. Chucky also tells Junior that he has "other plans" for Andy, so there's clearly some unfinished business between the two. If Andy does eventually die, it will probably be in an epic showdown befitting their decades-long game of cat and mouse.
Jake, Lexy, And Devon – The Trio Lives
In the partially scorched remains of the Wheeler residence, Lexy and Jake have just pieced together why Chucky spent all season trying to convince Hackensack's youths to kill. "Maybe it's a part of some voodoo spell?" Jake suggests. Almost immediately after this revelation, the previously harmless Good Guy doll they foolishly left unattended in the kitchen (you know, around knives and other pointy objects) comes to life and tries to murder them. Thankfully, Kyle shows up just in time to shoot the hell out of the doll and save the teens from a very anticlimactic demise. She then confirms Jake's earlier suspicion that Chucky's efforts were indeed "part of some voodoo spell," revealing that Chucky's goal was to "corrupt an innocent" in order to create an entire legion of Chuckies (over 70, to be exact). Following this reveal, Kyle attempts to keep the teens away from danger by leaving them in a drug-induced slumber at Lexy's house.
Meanwhile, Devon is bound and duct-taped at the old Ray residence. He doesn't really do much there given his physical and verbal restraints, so he is helpless as he witnesses the absolute insanity of the Chucky doll army, Nica-Chucky, corrupted Junior, and Tiffany all in one place. He gets to hear the details of Chucky and Tiffany's masterplan, witnesses Tiffany murder one of the Chucky dolls in a fit of jealousy and frustration, and escapes from an explosion (that may have killed Kyle, but definitely didn't kill Andy).
Jake and Lexy wake up to news regarding the explosion, and since they know Devon was at the Ray house, they assume he's dead. Thankfully, Devon appears shortly after, and the three reunite and go to the theater where the truckload of 72 possessed Chucky dolls has been transported. They arrive in the middle of a multi-Chucky killing spree that has been unleashed upon the audience during their viewing of "Frankenstein."
Jake encounters one of the Chuckys and talks about how his dad dying made him feel for the first time in the series, saying that he was angry that Chucky took away his chance for them to make up. He kills that Chucky doll with his bare hands, squeezing him until his eyeballs literally pop out of his little doll head and onto the floor.
Lexy, Jake, and Devon escapes from the theater in time to see Andy heroically drive off with the remaining Chucky, having hijacked the truck they were loaded onto. When we see them again, they're visiting the graves of Junior and his parents as Miss Fairchild and an unknown observer wearing black gloves watches over them.
Nica – Alive, But At What Cost?
Film Appearances: "Curse of Chucky" and "Cult of Chucky"
I feel really f***ing bad for Nica. I know it's a horror series, and one that leans into being completely, wonderfully absurd in every way. I also know it has never shied away from showing the extent of Chucky and Tiffany's cruelty, but hasn't Nica suffered enough? Since the events of "Curse of Chucky" and the subsequent "Cult of Chucky," Nica has been falsely accused of murdering her own family, imprisoned, sexually assaulted, brainwashed, tortured, and possessed by Chucky himself.
We also learned in "Curse of Chucky" that Chucky has been tormenting Nica since before she was born, having stabbed her mother in the stomach while she was still pregnant with Nica, resulting in Nica being paralyzed at birth. Now she's a quadruple amputee thanks to Tiffany, who went to such extreme measures because doesn't want to risk losing her or having Chucky take over again. So far, the only reason Nica is even still alive is because Tiffany has made her the object of her unstable, one-sided affection, but that almost seems worse than death.
Then again, "Child's Play" is a franchise in which the primary antagonist has been shot, dismembered, and blown up, but still manages to come back time and time again. Additionally, for all its graphic violence and utter insanity, the "Chucky" TV series has a lot of heart. Amidst all the homicide and horror, we've also had a queer coming-of-age tale complete with a wholesome first kiss, a heartwarming redemption arc for Lexy (though I'm still entirely not over the "cosplaying Jake's dead dad for Halloween" thing), and some genuinely sweet moments involving "chosen" family and the power of friendship.
All things considered, there's no reason to think Nica won't be able to somehow overcome her current predicament, especially since Don Mancini himself recently confirmed in an interview with Fandom that Nica will be a major character in "Chucky" season 2. As we've seen in the movies and throughout the TV series, Nica's survival instincts are strong, and there's a chance she may be able to use Tiffany's infatuation to her advantage -- maybe season 2 will have Nica using some voodoo magic of her own. There's no way she hasn't learned something in the time she's spent with Tiffany and Chucky. There's also the fact that Devon and Andy are both still alive and aware of Nica's predicament to an extent. Here's hoping she'll be able to wriggle her way out of Tiffany's clutches in "Chucky" season 2.
Tiffany – Alive And Awful
Film Appearances: "Bride of Chucky," "Seed of Chucky," and "Cult of Chucky"
Tiffany has been actively playing a role in the raising of the Chucky army, but she also has motives and secret plans of her own. She's tired of Chucky's narcissistic s**t, and desperately wants someone to love and be loved by. Her warped idea of romance and longing for companionship have caused her to fall in love (if we can even call it that) with Nica, which finally causes her to sever ties with Chucky -- for now, anyway. She decapitates one of the Chucky dolls, declaring that her relationship with Chucky has come to an end. She also reveals that she is the one who originally called the police on Chucky, aka Charles Lee Ray, on the night he was shot, resulting in him transferring his soul into a Good Guy doll. This means Tiffany is somewhat responsible for "creating" Chucky.
Tiffany then leaves Devon and the decapitated Chucky in the house after setting up a trap in the form of a bomb. Notably, she remarks that Glenda, the child she conceived with Chucky in "Bride of Chucky," is the one who gave her bomb. Tiffany then drives off with Junior to the theater in order to do her part in unleashing the possessed Good Guy dolls on the unsuspecting public.
There, Tiffany -- acting as Jennifer Tilly since she has possessed and been living as Tilly since "Seed of Chucky" -- attends a press conference in front of the theater, stating that she is donating vintage Good Guy dolls (yes, the ones that are all possessed by pieces of Chucky's soul) to hospitals all over America. Mayor Wheeler, Lexy, and Caroline are also in attendance since the event is being hosted by the Mayor. Tiffany gives a spare Good Guy doll to Caroline, who is clearly still suffering from a severe Chucky fixation.
When we see Tiffany again, she's in her get away car and witnesses Andy drive off with the Chuck-truck. Later, she is in an unknown location with the long-suffering Nica, whose arms and legs have now been amputated. It's a major "WTF?!" moment that completely destroys any lingering sympathy one may have felt for Tiffany. Can I also say that one of the most terrifying things of the entire season is the way Tiffany infantilizes Nica? She doesn't even seem regard her as a fellow adult or real person, and now we've seen just how far her unhealthy desire to have someone who can never leave her goes.
Kyle – Is She Really Dead?
Film Appearances: "Child's Play 2" and "Cult of Chucky"
I don't think so. While we know Kyle opened the door and unknowingly detonated the bomb Tiffany left behind as a trap, we don't actually see Kyle's demise, so it's hard to believe she died in the explosion. If Devon and Andy managed to escape, why wouldn't she? She's also known of Chucky almost as long as Andy has, since she first encountered him in "Child's Play 2" when she entered the picture as Andy's foster sister and saved him Chucky's wrath. She's proven herself to be more than capable of surviving Chucky's deadly games, and it so the explosion would be an incredibly anticlimactic end for such a badass character and fan favorite. Additionally, the "Child's Play" franchise has never been shy about onscreen deaths, so it wouldn't make sense to suddenly switch things up when it comes to Kyle.
The next clue concerning Kyle's status is that, after the episode, Chucky himself gave viewers a spirited fireside chat in which he gleefully tallied up his kills for this season, complete with pictures of each victim. Kyle was not pictured among the dead. Sure, one could argue that if Kyle died, the reason why she wasn't shown in Chucky's kill count is because the explosion was technically Tiffany's doing -- but again, that'd just be such a disappointing and unsatisfying end for her. The black-gloved hand shown at the end of the episode is also an indication that Kyle is still alive; in episode 7, Kyle bought black gloves for herself and Andy at the gas station, right before Andy ditched her. Kyle is seen putting on the gloves in that same episode, and we see her wearing them throughout her screen time in the finale. All things considered, Kyle is probably alive and hopefully returning for season 2.
Miss Fairchild – Alive And Mysterious As Ever
Rachel Fairchild makes a brief appearance at the end of the episode, and it's implied that she may be acting as a guardian and/or confidant for Devon, Jake, and Lexy (although Lexy's mom is still alive, as far as we know). We hadn't seen much of the kind and mysterious science teacher since her arrest in episode 6, when she was accused of murdering the school principal by Devon's mom. She's obviously free now, and she's still alive! And that's pretty much it, but there are some intriguing details about Miss Fairchild that are worth mentioning.
We don't learn anything new about her in this episode, but we do know that she's a redhead, like Chucky ... and Tiffany, whom the show points out is a natural redhead who began dying her hair blonde at Chucky's behest. Rachel also has a secret past as a juvenile delinquent. Interesting. Both of these details lend credence to the increasingly popular fan theory that she may actually be Glen and/or Glenda, Tiffany and Chucky's genderfluid, redheaded doll offspring whose soul was split and put into a redheaded set of human twins in "Seed of Chucky."
Further fueling this theory is the fact that Tiffany mentions Glenda by name earlier in the episode, stating that Glenda supplied her with the explosives she used to blow up the house. "My darling Glenda gave it to me; they have exquisite taste!" The use of the "they" pronoun for Glenda could be an indicator that the twins are inhabiting a single body again, or that Glenda is gender non-confirming and uses "they/them" pronouns. Either way, it's something to think about, and there's no way all these clues will lead to nothing.
Chucky (And Everyone Else)
As far as we know, Lexy's gross mayor mom and little sister are still alive because we saw them escape from the theater during the massacre. Lexy's dad, unfortunately, is not. Besides Junior, no other major character deaths occur except for a few Chuckies, but since Chucky's soul is split amongst dozens of dolls and Nica, do those deaths really count? Chucky is ultimately still alive, many times over. We don't yet know the details and extent of the theater massacre, but since the "Chucky" TV series has been renewed for a second season, we're certain to find out soon enough.
Thoughts & Theories
There's a weird, recurring theme of twins that I suspect (and hope) will be explored in season 2. The very first episode opens with a song about twins, Jake's Dad and Uncle are twins, Glen and Glenda are twins, and now Chucky has created an identical murder-doll army. Speaking of the Chucky army, the dolls made a point to mention the possibility of encountering twins during their meeting in the basement, saying that twins are creepy and can easily gang up on you. It definitely seems like the writers intentionally dropping hints at the possibility of Glen and Glenda entering the story, especially since the series has done an amazing job of tying in 30 years' worth of movies and their characters into one TV show. I'm seriously impressed and giddy over how much they've managed to keep relative continuity in terms of returning characters and callbacks to all 7 of the films of the "Child's Play" franchise (not counting that unfortunate reboot).
Another thing that stuck out to me was when Kyle was explaining Chucky's plan to Jake and Lexy. She mentioned that there are limitations to the spell Chucky uses to fragment and transfer his soul, stating that Chucky can only transfer his soul into other Good Guy dolls ... and Nica. She doesn't elaborate on why Nica is an exception, so we're left to wonder. I have some theories of my own that I'm not quite ready to share, so I'm looking forward to an explanation in 2022 when "Chucky" season 2 premieres.
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