SDCC 2024: The Earpers Make A Triumphant Return For ‘Wynonna Earp: Vengeance’

For every year during its original run, Wynonna Earp enjoyed a packed Comic-Con International: San Diego panel previewing the new season. Then, to the dismay of its fans – the Earpers – the show was over. But you can’t keep Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano) down. Soon, she’ll be back in a Tubi original special, Wynonna Earp: Vengeance. To celebrate, cast, crew, and Earpers alike descended on Room 6A in the San Diego Convention Center to learn more about her return to Purgatory, the enduring qualities of the program, and more.

And the Earpers were so excited, they started cheering at a convention official placing the name cards for the panelists before the presentation even began.

The new special sees Wynonna and Doc Holiday (Tim Rozon) returning to Purgatory — a town on the US/Canadian border, after some time away. They find Waverly (Dom Provost-Chalkley) and her wife, Sheriff Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrel), still in at the Earp homestead, but something is decidedly wrong as a new supernatural terror threatens the family. It leaves the quartet wondering if they are experiencing a reunion or a reboot.

“I have so many more story. So ready to Earp,” showrunner and executive producer Emily Andras said when asked if it was easy to return to the characters and setting. But the real reason Wynonna is back? The fans. “You guys, you’re undeniable,” she continued. “Which Tubi is about to find out.”

“I mean … bonkers. It was the best feeling ever,” added Provost-Chalkley about the moment Andras revealed to the cast that the band was getting back together.

“It was the first time I got a call for a job and didn’t think about me,” Rozon said. “I thought about you guys [the fans] and how it was going to be when you found out. I’ve been telling you something’s been coming for years and now it did.”

As it happens, the actor always had faith the story was not over. It was a sentiment shared by the series’ star. “It’s hard to believe we wouldn’t come back in some way,” Scrofano explained. “So [learning we were coming back] was more ‘is everyone going to be able to come back?’ We all wanted it so much.”

“Calgary in February is such a huge draw,” Andras quipped.

As it turns out, the principle four actors are back with a few other familiar faces, including Greg Lawson as former Purgatory Sheriff Randy Nedley and Dani Kind, as, well … for the moment, she was just appearing at the panel as the moderator. But some teasing remarks suggest a sort of return as her initial character, Mercedes, always finds a way back to the Earps.

Following a screening of the Vengeance teaser — which does, in fact, feature Kind for a brief moment — Andras was invited to reveal a little bit more about the villain, but teased, “She’s serving … hair!”

Scrofano added, “And I don’t like it.”

“It was a hair-off,” Andras continued. “You are going to love-hate her.”

Besides the new villain, the special will also acknowledge the passage of time, most visibly noted by Waverly’s shorter hair, a preference of Provost-Chalkley in real life that is now part of the character’s progression. “I feel so grateful to be on a show where Emily really approached it with ‘We want to meet you where you at now after three years,’” they explained. “[I asked] was it okay if Waverly didn’t have her magical long hair anymore and Emily embraced it. Waverly has settled into her queerness and that maturity that came from the last three years meant a lot to me personally.”

Trying to find a single word to represent Nicole’s growth in the last few years, Barrell went with “Unclenched.” It led to several jokes on the dais and, eventually, Rozon learning what a diva cup really is.

“I love the imperfectness of the journeys of the characters,” she eventually continued. “Everyone is learning, but they’re having to do the doing. You’re never prepared, but your destiny is waiting, so giddy up.

During the Q&A with Earpers in attendance, Scronfano admitted the freedom the role affords her was the thing she missed most about being Wynonna. The others all agreed her fearlessness in the part is always a highlight of shooting an Earp story. Naturally enough, thirty minutes into the panel, Scrofano teared up – another tradition of the group’s panels at SDCC.

Barrell added that she feels like “a braver version of myself” when wearing Nicole’s Stetson and doing a scene.

The rest also agreed the sense of freedom and play is a big reason they will always come back to Purgatory. “It’s so nice to play a character who is so enthusiastic and so positive,” Provost-Chalkly said. “Waverly is such a firecracker. This show … there’s such an element of play and silliness and ridiculousness.”

Another fan asked if there would ever be room for Shamier Anderson to return as Black Badge agent/dragon-man Xavier Dolls. “Never say never. Shamier is off doing amazing things,” Andras replied. “But you never know. Just keep asking. And there might be some surprises in the special.”

A question about evolving Earp to a next generation led the cast to consider their favorite elements of their characters.

For Scrofano, it was “her open heart. She’s really guarded, but when she lets you in, she lets you in.”

Rozon said he always appreciated the opportunity Doc found for redemption. “Forgiveness is tough, but it’s always an option,” he said.

“Waverly’s love for life, love for her people and [how she] sees the light in life,” inspired Provost-Chalkley during the original run and into the special.

Barrell returned to that feeling of “bravery,” – although she noted for Nicole it is often “in difficult situations.” But she also enjoyed the character’s “ever-evolving acceptance of the crazy.” Clearly, a prerequisite when marrying into the Earp clan.

While the special is something of a victory lap for the program and a thank you to the Earpers, Andras has a bigger idea in mind. She wants to secure a future for Wynonna. “It is the characters and the show that you love,” she said of Vengeance. “But if your sexy aunt has never seen it before, they’re going to watch it and get it. It’s a self-contained story (with Easter eggs) and it’s about growing up and what happens after happily ever after.” Those notions should inspire more Earp tales with Andras admitting she wants the viewers to feel like “you’ll die if you don’t get more Earp.”

Wynonna Earp: Vengeance airs this Fall on Tubi.