'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' Part 4: Is Ambrose underrated? Sabrina's cousin is the real star of the show
Spoilers for 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' Part 4
Netflix's 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' may be named after the lead character, Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka), but if anything has been made clear over all four seasons, it is that she is not the star of the show, no matter how much the writers may try to make it so. That spot, we feel, best belongs to Ambrose Spellman (Chance Perdomo). While Ambrose has existed in the Archie Comics for a while, he is new to the television audience, who had gotten used to seeing Sabrina Spellman (played by Melissa Joan Hart in 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch) with a talking cat, Salem. Ambrose's arrival in 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' was meant as a replacement of Salem, who is still present in the Netflix show, albeit without words.
Many of us wondered whether Ambrose would live up to Salem as 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' rolled its seasons out -- and suffice to say, he may be one of the best characters of the dark television series helmed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacaso. As Ambrose, Chance Perdomo gave one of his best performances, being the witty, sagacious warlock who often suffered from loneliness and depression because he was confined to the Spellman household as a punishment for trying to blow up the Vatican many years ago.
In Sabrina's life, Ambrose was the one she went to every time she needed a little magical help. That role, of course, grew over the past four seasons and we could not help but wonder that it is Ambrose who seems to be the one who is responsible for each and every one of the Eldritch Terrors. It is Ambrose's research and magic and efforts that help Sabrina to defeat the Terrors unleashed by Father Faustus Blackwood (Richard Coyle) -- so we were a little miffed when characters continued to say she was stronger than anyone else and that she defeated the Eldritch Terrors on her own. We know that this Sabrina would be nothing without Ambrose.
Ambrose also often played the voice of reason in Sabrina's life. Being her cousin, he would be more aware of the mischief that Sabrina would be up to rather than her aunts -- take her choosing to stay with her alternate self in the same universe so they could both rule Hell as well as live life as a normal teenager. Ambrose had warned her in Season 3 that it was a bad idea and that came to fruition in this season. And yet, while Ambrose was really angry at Sabrina for her actions, he still insisted on defending both Sabrinas' lives as Metatron showed up saying that one of them had to die. In his devotion to his family and especially Sabrina, Ambrose never wavered -- and that made him stronger.
Let's not forget -- Ambrose is easily one of the sexiest characters on television, unashamedly sexually attracted to men and women. While there is not much focus on his relationships -- except for when he and Prudence Night (Tati Gabrielle) were together -- it still formed a major part of his character and made him a fun character to look out for. It is no wonder then, that we would have much rather preferred to see the "Chilling Adventures of Ambrose."
'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' Part 4 is now streaming on Netflix.