Here’s How The Wednesday Season 2 Premiere Explains Xavier’s Absence

Spoilers for Wednesday Season 2 ahead. Wednesday Addams has successfully repelled all of her romantic suitors — for now. The premiere episode of Wednesday Season 2, which hit Netflix on Aug. 6, explains Xavier Thorpe’s unexpected absence from Nevermore Academy after actor Percy Hynes White exited the series following Season 1.

Last season, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) meets Xavier after he rescues her from a falling gorgon statue, and he explains that he wanted to repay the favor after she saved him from burning alive in a crematorium when they were children.

Over the course of the season, Xavier finds himself increasingly drawn to Wednesday (much to the chagrin of his ex-girlfriend, Bianca). He has dreams about her getting killed by the monster she’s investigating. Instead of telling anyone, he channels it into art and paints what he saw. After she discovers his secret artist’s shed, Wednesday becomes suspicious that he is the monster.

After the monster’s true identity is revealed to Tyler (Hunter Doohan), Xavier forgives Wednesday for accidentally framing him. He even gives her a smartphone to keep in touch over the summer, showing that his crush is reignited. However, White confirmed his exit from the series in May 2024 as production on Season 2 commenced, leaving his character’s future a mystery. Here’s how Xavier was written out.

How Is Xavier’s Absence Explained?

Xavier’s absence from Season 2 is addressed directly in the first episode, when Wednesday receives a special gift from him, and Enid reads his note aloud. “I tried texting, but I guess you lost the phone I gave you,” she said, prompting Wednesday to say she dropped it in the bath (aka intentionally tossing it in a pot of boiling water).

“Consider this my goodbye gift,” Enid continued. “The image suddenly flashed in my head. Don’t ask me how I know or what it means, but it’s connected to you for sure. Who’s Wednesday Addams without a mystery to solve, right?” Wednesday unwrapped the package to reveal Xavier’s last painting, which Enid accurately describes as “a creepy crow on a headstone.”

While Xavier did not explain his reasons for not returning to Nevermore Academy, he does set her next mystery in motion. His painting confirms Wednesday’s suspicions that birds are a huge clue in her next mystery — and potentially play a huge part in Enid’s impending death that she keeps seeing in her visions.