The January 28 premiere of School Spirits Season 3 brought viewers back to Split River High, and the February 11 episode “Raiders of the Lost Scar” finally connects the 1912 church flood to the ghostly rules that trap students today. Episode 5 confirms Alfred Van Heidt as the “White Eyes” villain, reveals a second spirit possessing Kyle’s body, and gives Rhonda her first romance in 60 years.
The Paramount+ series starring Peyton List as Maddie Nears reached its midpoint with the most detailed flashback yet. For the first time, audiences saw the basement of the old church where eight children drowned alongside the man now known as White Eyes.
Split River’s dark history is no longer a rumor. Episode 5 proves that Alfred Van Heidt caused the 1912 tragedy, and his spirit has been manipulating Simon Elroy since Simon got trapped in the afterlife. The episode also introduces a major threat: the school demolition will permanently trap every ghost who has not crossed over.
The Eyeless Curse and the 1912 Church Massacre Explained
Episode 5 opens in 1912. Children sing a hymn in the church basement. The walls show strange drawings. Heavy footsteps come from above. Someone locks the door from the outside.
This is the moment the “eyeless curse” of Split River began. The children drowned when the church flooded. Alfred Van Heidt died with them.
Inside the scar—the supernatural time loop that replays the tragedy—Martin realizes the walls are recording everything. The drawings are not random. They are messages written in blood. One wall asks directly: “Do you know who I am?”
Van Heidt was not a victim. According to a woman who confronted Julia-Price at the Harvest festival, Van Heidt was a greedy man who tried to steal land from villagers. When they refused to leave, he killed the children to force them out.
The episode confirms that Van Heidt intentionally caused the flood. He is not a trapped soul. He is the original predator of Split River High.
Simon’s Childhood Memories and White Eyes’ Real Goal
Kristian Ventura’s Simon spends most of the episode processing the mind-meld he experienced with White Eyes in Episode 4. At first, Simon believes Van Heidt was showing him memories of the 1912 drowning. Then Simon realizes the memories are his own.
Van Heidt accessed Simon’s childhood. Simon finally confesses to Charley (Nick Pugliese) that he never replied to his birth sister Sabrina’s messages. He was afraid she resented him for being born after their mother died.
Ventura explained in a February 10 interview that Simon’s backstory will “play a role in uniting teams and solving problems” . The episode makes this explicit: Van Heidt is using Simon’s personal pain to keep him trapped. The villain does not just want a host body. He wants someone who understands isolation and rejection.
Rhonda and Quinn Finally Kiss: Sarah Yarkin Breaks Down Episode 5’s Romantic Turning Point
Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin) has spent 60 years avoiding emotional connections. Episode 5 changes that.
Quinn (Ci Hang Ma) confesses their feelings again—this time while completely sober. Rhonda admits she is scared to let anyone in. But she is also tired of being scared.
The kiss happens at the end of the episode. It is quiet, intentional, and nothing like Quinn’s drug-induced attempt in Episode 4.
Yarkin told The Direct on February 11 that the scene changed how she understood her character . She originally thought Rhonda had romantic experience in the afterlife. The writers clarified: Rhonda only pretended. She has never actually been close to anyone since her death in the 1960s.
“Rhonda getting some romance is very sweet,” Yarkin said. “There are so many of her scenes that are just wrapped around processing trauma. To sort of have a scene that’s not about that—it’s really sweet.”
The kiss is not just romance. It is Rhonda choosing connection over self-protection.
Kyle’s Body Is Possessed by an Unknown Spirit
Xavier (Spencer MacPherson) visits Kyle at the hospital hoping to learn more about Tracey. Instead, he discovers something worse.
Tracey told Xavier that Kyle “changed after the accident.” Episode 5 confirms what that means. Kyle is not recovering slowly. Kyle is gone. Another spirit is wearing his body.
The hospital therapist mentioned Maddie’s Alice in Wonderland syndrome, but the real medical mystery is Kyle. He cannot remember his friendship with Tracey clearly. He only recalls asking her to prom and worrying that he startled her.
The identity of the spirit possessing Kyle is not revealed in Episode 5. However, the timing suggests a connection to Van Heidt’s network. If a spirit can leave Split River High in a living body, the rules of the afterlife are more broken than anyone realized.
Maddie’s Visions Worsen and the School Demolition Threatens Everyone
Maddie’s PTSD from the afterlife is getting worse. She sees Simon falling from the sky. She hears his voice on the radio. She zones out in crowded spaces and cannot control when the visions start.
Xavier gives Maddie advice in an exclusive clip released February 9 . He tells her to stop carrying the weight alone. But Maddie cannot rest. Dave passed a message from the retired nurse: once a building is demolished, the spirits inside lose their chance to cross over. Forever.
The Split River High demolition is moving forward. Julia-Price supports it. Claire’s stepdad will not help. Maddie, Nicole, and Claire are running out of time to save every ghost trapped inside the school.
Martin Stays Behind in the Scar and Yuri’s Shortcut Is Revealed
Martin (Josh Zuckerman) refuses to leave the scar when the others flee. He believes the wall recordings hold answers about the 1912 deaths. He is right. But his obsession is dangerous.
Yuri (Miles Elliot) offers his scar as a shortcut for the group. This is the first time Yuri has volunteered access to his personal trauma space. It signals trust—or desperation.
Quinn accidentally hits Simon with a piece of wood while trying to attack Van Heidt. Simon falls unconscious. The group is no closer to freeing him from the afterlife.
Global Release Information for School Spirits Season 3 Episode 5
Episode 5 streamed on Paramount+ on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The episode became available simultaneously worldwide at the following times :
- United States: 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET
- Canada: 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET
- United Kingdom: 8:00 a.m. GMT
- India: 1:30 p.m. IST
- Singapore: 4:00 p.m. SGT
- Australia: 7:00 p.m. AEDT
- New Zealand: 9:00 p.m. NZDT
The season has eight episodes total. The first three dropped January 28. Episode 4 aired February 4. Remaining episodes release weekly:
- Episode 6: February 18, 2026
- Episode 7: February 25, 2026
- Episode 8 (Finale): March 4, 2026
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What Episode 5 Confirms About Split River’s Curse
The eyeless curse is not supernatural in the way fans expected. Van Heidt did not summon a demon. He was the demon. His greed killed eight children. His spirit remained because he refuses to leave.
The church basement recordings prove that trauma repeats. The walls show the same events over and over because Van Heidt’s victims cannot stop reliving their deaths.
Simon is not just a random living person who got stuck. Van Heidt chose him. Simon’s adoption, his guilt about his birth mother, and his fear of rejection make him vulnerable. The villain uses emotional wounds as weapons.
Rhonda and Quinn’s kiss does not solve the mystery. But it proves that 60 years of fear can be undone. If Rhonda can finally let someone in, maybe the other spirits can also change.
Also Read: Wi Ha Joon Chooses Siren’s Kiss for Its Tense Script and Explains His Character’s Hidden Warmth
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