Wynonna Earp Season 3: What Kind of Villain Will Bulshar Be?

Heading into Wynonna Earp Season 3, which premieres on July 20th, there’s still so little we actually know about Bulshar Clootie, the season’s apparent Big Bad whose rising Wynonna and friends spent all of Season 2 trying to prevent. (Spoiler alert: They were unsuccessful.)

What do we know about Bulshar? During the ATX TV Festival’s wonderful Wynonna Earp panel, moderator Mo Ryan asked showrunner Emily Andras: “Is [Bulshar’s] motivation pretty much like every supernatural or Buffy demon ever, just like, I wanna do demon-y things [or] is it more complex than that?”

“Yep,” Andras responded, cheerfully evading the question. (Personally, as always with this show, I think it’s safe to err on the side of nuanced complexity.) Andras did confirm that Bulshar Clootie is the “OG demon” who cast the curse on the Earps (after Wyatt killed Bulshar’s two sons, according to legend).

“He’s serious, he’s classic, traditional,” Andras said, which makes him sound a bit like the racist, misogynist, homophobic uncle you try to avoid at family holidays. “He’s a formidable foe.”

Den of Geek spoke to Kat Barrell (Nicole) and Tim Rozon (Doc) on the Bulshar subject, though both actors also seemed committed to preserving the details of Bulshar’s motivations and villainy for the viewing experience (which I can respect).

“Bulshar’s coming,” teased Rozon.

“Bulshar’s definitely coming, yeah,” said Barrell, gushing about the actor Wynonna Earp has cast in the role, but eschewing mentioning the thick Bulshar file Nicole was perusing in the closing moments of Season 2. What does Nicole know? Is she personally, as well as professionally, interested in this case? Does she have prior experience with the Cult of Bulshar? Do we have prior experience with the Cult of Bulshar? All questions that seem extremely relevant heading into the new season.

“We had to raise the stakes,” said Rozon of the Season 3 villain. “And we’re all gonna feel the effects of the coming Bulshar, that’s for sure.”

Doc in particular often has complicated relationship to the figures resurfacing from the past, given that he was around when Wyatt Earp and his descendants were first cursed. Back then, Bulshar was the sheriff of Purgatory, and apparently didn’t get along with Wyatt… even before Wyatt killed his sons. Given that Doc was firmly Team Wyatt, I’m guessing there was no love lost between Sheriff Clootie and Doc, as well? But you never know with Wynonna Earp. This show tends to zig when you think it’s going to zag.

Hopefully, we’ll get Nedley’s opinion on the Bulshar Clootie issue, as well, in a potential face-off between the former Purgatory sheriff and the current one. We know from the Season 3 trailer that Nedley will be back in Season 3. When asked what some of the Nedley moments in Season 3 might look like, Barrell teased the evolution of his and Nicole’s relationship…

“I think we get some more beautiful Nedley moments [in Season 3], especially [between] Nedley and Nicole. We have some really beautiful development of their relationship and their partnership as coworkers, but also as friends.”

Yep, I am here for the Nedley/Nicole love… Let’s just hope Bulshar Clootie gives the gang enough time for plenty of family game nights in between his nefarious, still mysterious villainy.

What do you think Bulshar is up to in Season 3? Share your best theories in the comments below!