A graduate of the University of London, John was raised on a small island by television and movies. Before that, he had articles published across a number of different outlets. John Atkinson has been a news and feature writer for Screen Rant since late 2018. More: Why Nancy Drew Season 2 Recast Everett Hudson In the meantime, the debate between whether he's Frank or Joe can rage. Now that Ace has officially made that fateful phone call, however, those dominoes will likely fall later in Nancy Drew season 2. Whether that will be the next spinoff or one that the show will continue to merely tease and build toward shall remain to be seen. As such, expanding the Drewniverse to include the Hardy Boys would be a logical step. Equally, it was confirmed that a backdoor pilot will introduce Tom Swift.
The series already featured the Bobbsey Twins in an earlier episode.
Whatever the case, the fact he even has a brother (and that it was revealed so dramatically) would lend itself to Ace being a Hardy over any other explanation. Either that or the show amalgamated aspects of Phil into whoever Ace may turn out to be. As such, those details were probably a red herring. However, Phil wouldn't be as exciting for fans or account for the intentional secrecy about his surname. That idea was lent further credence by Ace being Jewish. Given Ace's hacking skills, it was thought that he might be Phil Cohen, an associate of the Hardys. Ace previously revealed that his mother, too, worked at the Horseshoe Bay library. Furthermore, in recent stories, their mother was retconned as being a research librarian. Fenton was such a good detective that he was sometimes referred to as an "NYPD ace" and inspired his son's own mystery-solving careers. Described by Carson Drew as " a legend on the force," that would fit the reputation of Fenton Hardy - at least in the earlier books. Like the Hardy Boys, Ace was revealed to have a police detective father. However, the fact it was a brother that's wrapped up in something that necessitated witness protection felt even more so. The fact that Ace has a secret brother felt significant in and of itself. " I think that I'm your brother," he said, leaving a message. Later in the episode, Ace was glimpsed finally calling it.
Ace then elaborated that he'd been retrieving a phone number. He revealed that he'd owed McGinnis for getting the charges dropped when he was caught hacking a witness protection database. Lamenting his initial deceptions, Ace opted to add context to the situation. As they waited for their fates to be revealed, Nancy and friends became overtly forthcoming with their feelings. With their seven days up, Nancy Drew season 2, episode 5, "The Drowned Woman" saw the Aglaeca come to claim their souls. Related: Nancy Drew's Stephen King Reference Hints At The Show's Future And Nancy Drew season 2 just served up further evidence that it might actually be correct.
That theory would suggest that Ace is actually Joe or Frank Hardy. As a result, a far less murderous theory about him has emerged. Fortunately for fans, details about his life have slowly started to be revealed. Regardless, the character remained shrouded in mystery. As well as lending his hacking skills, Ace has often supported everyone (collectively and individually) in other ways. He has remained a loyal member ever since. When his reporting on the group was uncovered, he successfully fought to redeem himself in the eyes of the Drew Crew. Initially having a crush on Bess, he was every bit the understanding friend when she didn't reciprocate. Over time, however, that was revealed to be far from the case.
As a result, many pegged him early as Nancy Drew season 1's killer. Among them was that he was a skilled hacker, served as a spy for Chief McGinnis because of a mysterious debt, and even his surname. Serving as the establishment's dishwasher, it soon became apparent that he had a wealth of secrets. Seemingly not based on anybody from the titular books, Ace was introduced as working with Nancy Drew at the Bayside Claw. Played by Alex Saxon, the character has been a bit of a question mark since the series began. The latest Nancy Drew served to wrap up several stories and set up elements for the future - including further hinting that Ace might actually be a Hardy Boy.