The Bad Seed Returns

Six years after her father's death, Emma lives with Aunt Angela and her husband Robert, masking her psychopathy behind school, friends, and dance. She presents a normal teenage façade while hiding darker impulses. The fragile family balance is strained by Robert's constant presence.

Robert notices his camping knife is missing, stirring suspicion and anxiety at home. Emma keeps up the pretense of normalcy, but the tension hints at darker schemes. She later tries to lure Cade into the pool, prompting Angela to intervene to prevent harm.

Emma discovers a boarding school brochure and learns that Robert wants to send her away to St. Crispin's. The prospect of being separated from her control triggers her manipulative instincts. The idea of being shipped off heightens the tension at home.

A new student, Kat, arrives at Emma's school and immediately clashes with her. The rivalry intensifies Emma's need to dominate social dynamics. Kat's presence foreshadows further confrontations.

Robert finds the missing knife in Emma's drawer and uses it to justify transferring her to St. Crispin's. Emma pretends to accept the plan, but internally she resents losing control. The transfer becomes a turning point that deepens her internal plotting.

Emma has a meltdown and begins spying on Robert, trying to anticipate his next move. She continues to mask her manipulation with a veneer of the normal teenager. The act marks a shift toward more calculated scheming.

Emma meets with her therapist, who advises her to solve her own problems instead of letting others guide her. The session underscores her self-awareness, even as she resists true change. The advice fuels her resolve to handle threats on her own terms.

Pretending to make peace, Emma sabotages Robert's car jack, causing it to fall on him. He is injured, and she walks away whistling, showing how little remorse she feels. This act cements her willingness to hurt others to protect herself.

During a sleepover, Kat needles Emma during a game of Never Have I Ever, escalating the tension between them. Emma is taken to the hospital to see Robert, then retrieves his knife while comforting Angela. Robert wakes, writes Emma's name, hinting at lingering memory.

The night before the dance captain election, Emma kidnaps Steph's dog. The next day, Steph is absent due to the pet, and though Steph still wins captain, Emma's rage grows. Robert returns in a week, heightening the sense that control is slipping away.

Robert comes home in a wheelchair with a home nurse and does not remember what happened. Emma uses the memory gap to her advantage while continuing to manipulate Angela and others. The uneasy peace at home remains fragile.

Emma steals Steph's seizure medication, and Angela receives CCTV footage showing Emma's dog being taken. Before she can process it, she learns Steph has died from a seizure triggered by Emma, and Angela confronts Emma who denies involvement.

Emma stages a scene to steal Robert's painkillers and appears to call a classmate, triggering Robert's memory. He gives her an ultimatum to go to St. Crispin's or face imprisonment. Angela confronts Emma and discovers that she has antisocial personality disorder.

Emma drugs Kat's hot chocolate and confesses to her crimes. She calls 911 and frames Kat for the attack and arson. A house fire kills Angela and Robert as Emma carries Cade to safety and pretends innocence; the ending shows her smiling wickedly at the camera.