Second Coming (Ash vs Evil Dead)

The episode was written by co-producer Luke Kalteux, and directed by co-executive producer Rick Jacobson. It was Kalteux's first writing credit, and Jacobson's fourth directorial credit.[1]

The original idea for the episode was different from the final version, according to executive producer Craig DiGregorio. In the original version, Ash would kill Henrietta and retrieve the Necronomicon, just as his younger version arrives at the cabin, preventing the events from happening and bringing Pablo back to life. As Ruby and Kelly head to the woods to destroy the book, Ash and Pablo would visit Brock Williams and discover what was his "secret" mentioned at the end of the season's third episode. The past Ruby would kill the present Ruby and chase Kelly, who fled with the book. Ash would go to a bar and have sex with a woman, who would turn out to be Kelly's mother. This event causes the Necronomicon to acknowledge Kelly as Ash's daughter. The trio would jump back to the present, where Kelly is abducted by Ruby, Baal and their spawns, with the third season intending to follow Ash rescuing her.[2] DiGregorio constantly fought with executive producer Rob Tapert over creative differences, causing him to step down as showrunner and the finale to be re-written.[2]

In its original American broadcast, "Second Coming" was seen by an estimated 0.269 million household viewers and gained a 0.14 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. This means that 0.14 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode.[3] This was a slight increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 0.266 million viewers with a 0.14 in the 18-49 demographics.[4]

"Second Coming" received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8.5 out of 10 rating and wrote in his verdict, "'Second Coming' was filled with violence and gore galore, wrapping things up in a triumphant Army of Darkness-type way. Kelly's seasonal journey didn't quite stick the landing, and it'll be a "wait and see" deal with regards to evil Ruby returning to the fold, but in the end this was a solid way to seal up Season 2."[5]

Michael Roffman of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "C–" grade and wrote, "Sadly, 'Second Coming' recklessly plows through that magic, splattering everything with jarring, discombobulated results. Without pause, strands of narrative logic are tossed aside for frustrating action, rickety dialogue, and speculative motives. Granted, this franchise has always been fueled by a warped fusion of breakneck pacing and unforgiving gore, but there's always been a structured finesse to the chaos. 'Second Coming' is like watching a sugar-rattled six-year-old playing with his sticky action figures, or even worse, a stack of questionable fan fiction that's about as smooth as Gene Parmesan."[6]

Stephen Harber of Den of Geek wrote, "'Second Coming' follows some very sloppy logic for a season finale, but it's a fitting denouement for an oddly paced year. All of the events the past nine episodes have bombarded us with gel together here, even if there is not much explanation for why certain big wishes are granted."[7] Steve Ford of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.8 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Now that is how you do a season finale!"[8] Merrill Barr of Forbes wrote, "Last year, Ash was very much a show with singular vision and drive, built on the backbone of a single character. This year, as all great shows do, that vision was expanded. Ash wasn't the star of the show. He was just a major player. Kelly and Pablo and even Ruby were equally as important to the success of the story. The further we got in the fight against Baal, the more interesting everyone became."[9]