On Oct. 19, Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil dropped, following the tale of two best friends Sophie (Sophia Anne Carus) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie) that is based on Soman Chainani’s series of books by the same name. Like all movie adaptations of classic books, there’s some clear variations between the original and revamped storylines. Let’s take a look at seven of the most notable differences between the book and movie for The School for Good and Evil. Spoiler alert: This story contains spoilers for The School for Good and Evil.
- No one knows who won the historic battle between the School’s two founding brothers.
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Though both stories eventually showcase one single School Master, the book uncovers that before the School’s founding brothers battled to the death, there were two School Masters for both the Good and Evil schools. No one really knows who won the fight, but it is assumed that the Good School Master won due to the fact that Good has continued to beat Evil in conquests throughout the years. In the movie, though, everyone assumes that the Good brother won, but this is quickly debunked at the very end of the film.
- Enrollment to the School is more distinct in the book.
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In the movie, the School for Good and Evil chooses to enroll students depending on their family lineage. You know, Cinderella’s son would clearly attend the Good school, whereas Maleficent’s daughter would be placed in the Evil school. Sophie and Agatha don’t have a fairytale background, so they are labeled Readers: students from the outside world that get selected to join the school. However, in the book, the selection process for admission is a little different.
In the book, every four years, two children from Sophie and Agatha’s hometown of Gavaldon are kidnapped by a mysterious creature. These two students are then enrolled in either the School for Good or Evil. As the years go on, Gavaldon is given a few new fairytale books that encompass these stolen children.
- Sophie’s Evil powers are not provoked by Evil brother Rafal in the book.
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Another key discrepancy between the book of The School for Good and Evil and the movie are the recurring visits that Evil brother Rafel makes throughout the film. In the book, Rafal doesn’tt warn Agatha to stay away from her friend or urge Sophie to tap into her true powers with his forbidden Blood Magic. Instead, Sophie discovers her potential on her own, wreaking havoc and conflict without the influence of the Evil School Master.
- In the book, the School Master gives Sophie and Agatha a riddle to solve in order to change their fate.
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Sophie and Agatha seek the School Master’s advice to change their story written by the Storian in both the book and movie plot. However, their solution is led up to more interpretation in the book. In the movie, the Good School Master (or so we thought) explains to the girls that true love’s kiss can rewrite their story. This is very different from the book’s plot, where the School Master gives out a riddle that Agatha ends up solving further along in the story.
- The conflict at the Evers Ball and Trial by Tale in the movie is the split between three events in the book.
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Yes, that’s right: There’s no Evers Ball in the book’s plot, and the Trial by Tale is a little modified. Consisting of the Snow Ball, the Trial by Tale, and the Circus of Talents, each event ignites more trouble. Though the book and movie stay true to the idea that Sophie wants to be with Tadros, there are various events that lead to his decision to “choose” Good Agatha over her Evil friend throughout these various tests.
The Trial by Tale is used as an event in the movie for Sophie and Tedros to showcase their undying love for one another. The book’s trial, however, doesn’t place as much emphasis on the pair’s love, but more so on if Sophie can truly prove her Good abilities. Like the movie, Agatha does attempt to help Sophie prove her goodness, but this backfires, leading Sophie to become more jealous of Agatha.
- The final battle between Sophie, Agatha, and the School Master is completely different in the book.
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The final action of the stories might be the biggest notable differences between the book and movie for The School for Good and Evil. Though the Evil School Master still takes Sophie in as his true love, in the book, the two Evils begin to decay together after sealing their love with a kiss. Agatha then storms in to find the pair, swiftly pulling them down to a river where she saves them from death. Sophie is still struck and shot dead by an arrow mistakenly given by the Evil School Master, but in a shocking turn of events, a professor at the school embodies the spirit of the Good School Master and battles his Evil brother to a final death. This differs from the plot in the movie where Sophie and Agatha work together to take down the Evil brother.
- The girls leave abruptly without a goodbye in the book.
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At the climax of the movie, both Sophie and Agatha say goodbye to their friends at the School. Agatha even gives a final kiss to Tedros, and then the two girls step into a portal that brings them back to their hometown of Gavaldon. Not to mention, we’re left with a shocking cliffhanger that alludes to the fact that Tedros is going to do whatever it takes to be with Agatha…
In the book, though, after the final fight that ends in the Evil School Master’s death, Sophie and Aagatha randomly disappear into thin air. I mean, both alternate endings leave us with unanswered questions, so I guess that part checks out!