‘Sleepy Hollow’ To Return And So Will Its Deadliest Villain

Warning: This article may contain spoilers for season 4 of Sleepy Hollow.

When Season 3 of Sleepy Hollow ended, Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) had been lost and Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) had been assigned the task of seeking out the second witness, but, more importantly, it had been assumed that Sleepy Hollow had seen its last days. Now with news that a fourth season is in the works, Sleepy Hollow showrunners reveal that fans will get to follow Crane as he seeks out that second witness. Surprisingly, it won’t be who most Sleepy Hollow followers might assume. The series executive producers also teased the news that a fan favorite villain would again be on the loose, though his reign of terror may be short-lived.

Sleepy Hollow Will Once Again Be Terrorized By The Headless Horseman

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When comparing the upcoming Season 4 of Sleepy Hollow to previous installments, the series promises to amp up the emotional intensity, reports Game n Guide, which is a bold statement, considering the heart-wrenching experience of watching Abbie Mills survive an alternate hell dimension, only to be killed a few episodes later. From its beginning, Sleepy Hollow has successfully drawn viewers into the supernatural realm, giving lessons on history and demons in equal measure, and now the writers for Season 4 are preparing to revisit some of those lessons, as the series prepares to bring back the Headless Horseman.

When last seen, the Headless Horseman had been trapped in the box possessed by Pandora (Shannyn Sossamon), but, at the last moment, Crane released his nemesis to help him in dealing with Pandora, herself.

Sleepy Hollow showrunners now tease that the first episode of Season 4, drafted with an early title of “Heads of State,” will involve a Headless Horseman story arc. There’s no word on how long the Headless Horseman will be a feature on Sleepy Hollow, so he may be a one-episode plot device or a major theme throughout the season. That much remains to be seen when the series returns.

Ichabod Crane’s Search For The Second Witness Leads Him Astray

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One important story arc for Season 4 of Sleepy Hollow will revolve around Crane’s search for the second witness, and, as Entertainment Weekly reveals, that search will lead Ichabod away from Sleepy Hollow. Season 4 is set to take place in Washington, D.C.

While we know there is a second witness, Sleepy Hollow showrunner Clifton Campbell promises that any guesses from fans are almost certainly wrong.

“There is no chance it will be somebody that’s already in the show.”

It has also been revealed that the new witness will be a member of Abbie’s extended bloodline, though not her sister Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) and that it would be someone who knew Abbie well. Even so, it has also been shared that this will be an entirely new character.

While Nicole Beharie won’t be returning to Sleepy Hollow, she isn’t the only loss. Zach Appelman (Joe Corbin), Nikki Reed (Betsy Ross), Shannyn Sossamon (Pandora), Lance Gross (Daniel Reynolds), and Jessica Camacho (Sophie Foster) have all been written out of the show, though Ms. Camacho is set for a return as a guest star on Sleepy Hollow.

Also set to play into the fourth season of Sleepy Hollow as a guest star is True Blood‘s Janina Gavankar, who will play Scully to Tom Mison’s Mulder and is suspected to be the second witness. Things change when Diana (Gavankar) loses her partner in the line of duty, leading her to become more accepting of the supernatural realm. Ultimately, Diana and Crane will connect over some common ground.

Sleepy Hollow is set to return to Fox in 2017, midway through the season.

[Image via Fox]