Emma leads a group therapy session using a magical artifact created by the real Professor Vardemus, putting Hope, Lizzie, Josie, MG, Rafael, and Jade into a simulation that would allow them to leave after they've achieved their breakthrough. Emma is the only one to be aware of herself in the simulation, while everyone else is playing a role. The simulation turns out to be that of a noir movie, with MG as a private detective looking for his partner, Hope as the owner of a club called Landon's, Lizzie as a washed up movie star, Josie as her sister/publicist, Jade as a reporter, and Rafael as a photographer working for Jade. Emma herself is a singer at Landon's. MG arrives to the club and asks Hope where he can find his partner Vardemus. Hope tells him to go ask Emma, but when he enters her dressing room, he sees Emma dead, with Vardemus standing over her body. Except Vardemus claims to be Sherlock Holmes. Emma wakes up in the real world, realizing that something has gone wrong. MG tries to convince Vardemus that he's not Sherlock Holmes by giving him a book about the character. Vardemus reads it and gets his escape word, remembering everything, just before being shot by an unknown person. In the real world, Emma finds Vardemus in a locker. He explains that Clarke hid his body there, while his mind was trapped in the artifact. He also tells Emma that pulling out the kids could be dangerous to their psyche. MG finds Vardemus's body in the simulation with Josie's name scrawled in the book. Josie meets Jade, who is blackmailing her sister with photos taken by Rafael. Josie seemingly poisons Jade just before MG arrives. He brings her back to his office and interrogates her. She claims to be the killer but gets some details wrong, so MG believes her to be innocent. Josie admits that Lizzie could be the killer, just before both she and MG are shot. Meanwhile, Rafael convinces Hope to leave the city and join Landon in California, while she tells him to develop the photos he took at the club. Rafael does that and remembers everything, right before waking up. MG survives being shot and goes to confront Lizzie. Lizzie admits that Josie was always the talented one and that she was too full of herself to see that. This turns out to be her breakthrough and she remembers everything. She then gets MG to have his own breakthrough. MG is then shot, and Lizzie run away. She flees to the club, but Hope is about to leave for the bus station and doesn't let her in. Lizzie is trapped in an alley and is confronted by Dark Josie, who explains that she has been rewriting the rules of the simulation in order to trap Lizzie's mind in it, thus allowing Josie to absorb Lizzie's body during the Merge. Hope saves Lizzie and shoots Dark Josie. Her breakthrough is realizing that she can't allow herself to be happy if that means putting someone else in danger. Everyone but Josie wakes up. Emma and Dorian decide to leave the school. Rafael remembers the figure he saw in the photos - it was the Necromancer. Hope realizes that her relationship with Landon is doomed. Everyone gathers in the dungeon to see Josie wake up. Lizzie reveals that she can feel all the dark magic inside her, so Dark Josie comes to the surface. She then sets fire to the school and leaves.
- Black Eyes of Evil: Dark Josie has them, along with dark veins on her face and, occasionally, a case of Evil Sounds Deep.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Dark Josie outright tells MG that every Super Team needs a villain, clearly indicating herself.
- Dream Emergency Exit: Dying in the simulation causes a person to wake up. Except Josie, since only a part of her was killed in the simulation with Dark Josie remaining in control.
- Dream Episode: Sort of. The shared dream is magically-induced and parts of the episode take place in the real world. All but Emma are playing roles and don't remember who they really are. When they achieve their psychological breakthrough, a red word appears. The moment they say it, they remember everything.
- Evil Costume Switch: Once Dark Josie reveals herself in the real world, she changes her clothing from a school uniform to a more revealing black outfit with a literal handwave.
- Film Noir: This is the form the simulation takes. Naturally, it's black-and-white (except for the escape word, which is red) and features narration.
- I Never Said It Was Poison: While interrogating Josie, MG tells her that she poisoned Vardemus, Emma, and Jade. Josie confirms that she did poison all three. MG then counters that Vardemus was actually shot, so Josie isn't the killer.
- Jerkass Realization: The simulation helps Lizzie realize just how much of an egotistical bitch she's been to Josie, Hope, and MG. She realizes that she could have noticed that Josie was still full of dark magic but was too focused on herself. She also admits to MG that it was unfair of her to ignore him when things were good and to run to him when they were bad.
- No-Sell: After Dark Josie reveals herself in the real world, Hope tries to put her back to sleep. Not only does it not work, but Dark Josie casually puts Hope to sleep instead.
- Not Quite Flight: Dark Josie lifts up the concrete in her cell with a spell and leaves that basement that way.
- Put on the Bus: Emma once again leaves the school, this time for good, and she takes Dorian with her.
- The Reveal: The real Rupert Vardemus has spent the entire season stuffed in a gym locker, well, his body did anyway. His mind was trapped in a simulation with him imagining he was Sherlock Holmes.
- Wham Shot: Rafael remembering seeing the Necromancer in the club, possibly recalling something about his own kidnapping.
- Your Mind Makes It Real: Dark Josie modifies the rules of the simulation so that if Lizzie dies in the simulation, her body stays in a coma.
