8 ‘School Spirits’ Couples & Potential Relationships, Ranked
School Spirits has some killer romances (pun intended). Even though Maddie (Peyton List) and her friends — living and dead — are always preoccupied with solving some mystery or another in their purgatory of a high school, they manage to make at least some time for love. They deserve it amidst all of the turmoil that comes with living in Split River.
In addition to the Paramount+ drama’s canon couples, there are also plenty of fan ships that have yet to set sail. Anchoring it all, of course, is Maddie’s relationship with Wally (Milo Manheim), a popular jock who died in the ’80s. On paper, Wally and closed-off loner Maddie couldn’t be more opposite, but their circumstances lead to a transcendent bond that’s only gotten deeper over the past three seasons.
They aren’t the only shippable couple in the School Spirits universe, of course, so we’ve ranked them all below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments at the end of the page!
School Spirits, Season 3, Streaming Now, Paramount+
8. Nicole & Xavier
Yeah, Nicole (Kiara Pichardo) and Xavier (Spencer MacPherson) get a HUGE no from us. Thankfully, the writers seemed to agree, steering a different course in Season 3 after their sort-of romance in Season 2. In case you forgot, Xavier and Nicole grow close via an anonymous messaging platform, not knowing who the other is. It fizzles out when they do discover each other’s identities. After Xavier cheats on Maddie back in Season 1, it simply wouldn’t make sense for either of them to date each other since Nicole is Maddie’s close friend. Xavier’s had a stellar redemption arc since then, but he should probably date outside the friend group for everyone’s sake.
7. Claire & Diego
Claire (Rainbow Wedell) and Diego (Zack Calderon) are so lukewarm as a couple that we don’t have much to say about them (in favor or against). Diego seems like a nice enough guy, and he helps out the Living gang on occasion, but he simply needs to have a bigger role to make us care about him — let alone ship him with Claire. It’s not his fault! We knew their Season 3 kiss was coming from a mile away, but it was just a little underwhelming. This couple just didn’t move us — not like Claire and a certain someone else. (More on that later.)
6. Xavier & Maddie
Xavier and Maddie are the couple that start the show, and we think they should remain firmly in the past. Xavier has proven himself to be a reliable, caring ally to Maddie since his cheating days, thankfully. We can admit that, by Season 3, we don’t really hold any resentment toward him — he’s proven time and time again that he’s truly changed for the better. But getting back together with Maddie would just be a step in the wrong direction.
5. Simon & Maddie
Simon (Kristian Ventura) and Maddie are a tricky case, simply because it’s so, so rare to see such a strong platonic bond between people of opposite genders on screen. Simon and Maddie’s relationship is, without a doubt, the heart of the show. Their link is so strong that it’s why Simon can see Maddie’s spirit in the first place! They literally go to the ends of the earth to save each other, with Simon getting Maddie back to her physical body and Maddie returning the favor in Season 3. They’re integral to each other’s healing from their trauma; they know each other better than anyone else. We’d seriously hate to see a potential romance ruin their friendship. Still, their bond could maybe create a strong foundation for a romance — so we’ll put them right around the middle of our ranking.
4. Claire & Nicole
We know we aren’t the only ones who see Claire and Nicole’s potential. It’s been strictly friend vibes ever since the duo became unlikely partners-in-crime, after Claire started out as a mean popular girl and Nicole as the uncool loner. In Season 3, especially, Claire and Nicole have spent pretty much all of their time together, helping investigate the goings-on in Split River. Whereas Nicole always felt like the outsider in her trio with Maddie and Simon, she and Claire have a much healthier friendship. It’s the perfect foundation for a relationship. (Plus, Claire is living at Nicole’s house! Hello.)
3. Charlie & Yuri
There’s no doubt that Charley (Nick Pugliese) and Yuri (Miles Elliot) are totally adorable together. We love an opposites-attract moment, and Charley’s insecure, nerdy boy energy meshes well with Yuri’s mellow, cool guy one. Even though they’ve had their misunderstandings, they always come out the other side stronger, realizing what they need to work on helping each other grow. But School Spirits has a lot of characters to juggle, and sometimes, we feel like it could spend more time on Charley and Yuri’s relationship. It could’ve been a bit slower of a burn, too, but we understand the need for speed. We wouldn’t waste time, either, if we’d been stuck in limbo for decades. Still, there’s no doubt that they’re one of School Spirits strongest couples. (Plus, their love confession in the Season 3 finale! No notes.)
2. Quinn & Rhonda
We’ve seen the Quinda vision from the very first moment they interact towards the start of Season 2. It’s Rhonda’s (Sarah Yarkin) screaming at the marching band that makes Quinn (Ci Hang Ma) wake up from a years-long trance, which is a perfect set-up for a romance if we’ve ever seen one. Rhonda has put walls up since her death 62 years ago, which was the last time she allowed herself to be kissed. Quinn is the only one she feels that she can open up to, and it’s clear that Quinn is different with Rhonda compared to the rest of the gang, too. Their vulnerable, one-on-one scenes are stunning, especially the one when they kiss in Season 3’s “Raiders of the Lost Scar.” We would rank Quinda at the top, but they just need more time to marinate. More Quinda scenes in (a potential) Season 4, please!
1. Wally & Maddie
No couple comes close to Mally. It is the ship of the show. We’ll be the first to admit that we’re suckers for a doomed romance (though we’re holding out hope that somehow Wally and Maddie find a way to be together). It only gets even more deliciously angsty in Season 3, when Maddie returns to her living body, and Wally remains in the ghost world. Being able to see and talk to each other, but not touch? And deciding that they make each other’s lives so much better, they decide to stay together anyway? Not to mention, Wally helps Maddie open up after keeping her guard up for so long, and Maddie, in turn, helps Wally become more attuned to his vulnerable side. We could go on for ages about Mally, seriously. (We could also write a whole essay about how beautiful their reunion scene is in the Season 3 finale when they can touch again.) Even if they’re forced to part ways in the end, we’ll always appreciate Mally’s journey.
