This article contains spoilers for season two of Motherland: Fort Salem.
Season 2, Episode 2 "Abomination" aired June 29, 2021.
The Bellweather unit made it to War College. As if basic training wasn't intense enough, Raelle, Abigail, and Tally are thrust into the next phase of their witch education amid rampant rumors about their credibility. Some seem to think their acceptance letters are attached to the Bellweather name.
It turns out that Raelle's premonition of her and Abigail becoming test subjects for the army wasn't too far off. Alder and head Necro instructor Izadora attempt to recreate the "witchbomb" phenomena to no avail. Alder is none too happy. It seems she prematurely promised members of other nations that the U.S. witch army had a formidable weapon to use against the Camarilla. Abigail promises that the two of them will keep working on it, and any mention of their mission is silenced. Alder and Izadora step aside to open a shipment from the epicenter of Raelle and Abigail's blast- a fungus-covered head. A key to figuring out what the hell happened over there.
THE SPREE
Willa and Scylla continue to strengthen their mother-daughter relationship as they discuss the Spree's reorientation. Scylla's been busy with recon, attending civilian memorials honoring those killed in their terrorist attacks. But the events seem to be more than just a remembrance; Scylla's made friends with a well-connected couple to try to peer through the veil. Could the Camarilla be behind them? It would make sense. They have the most to gain from the downfall of these warring witches. While their eyes are trained on each other, civilians who lost people to the Spree's violence are primed to do anything to keep those they love safe. More people are likely to turn on witches when word gets out about Alder's stunt with the president. Soon, the Camarilla might not be the only people who want to see witches gone.
But, enough about her duties. Scylla pops the most pressing question: Why haven't you reached out to Raelle?
Duty called, but beyond that, Willa's superiors frowned upon her marriage to Raelle's civilian father. They kept her busy and forced her to watch Raelle grow up without her mother. She faked her death to get out of it to the same end. What would she even say?
Scylla revisits the mall where she sent 1,600 people to their death. Anacostia may have been right when she said she sensed remorse after peeling through Scylla's mind late last season. Scylla's contrite as she moves through hundreds of families paying respect to the victims. Scylla meets with her contact- the wife of a man who eulogizes the event- giving a quick hello before a familiar voice comes through the loudspeakers.
Seargant Anaocostia Quatermaine. Who very convincingly spins a tearful story about parents lost in the attack as she holds eye contact with the young insurgent.
"Is there anything human left in her?" she asks, before meeting Scylla offstage.
Despite her protests, Anaocostia still believes that Scylla isn't a lost cause. She quickly figures out that the Spree have focused their efforts on a new enemy, and says she wants in. Some things she's seen the army- Alder- do doesn't sit right. Including the decision to send Scylla to prison.
The pair go out for drinks with Scylla's civilian consorts. They don't want to work together, but they realize how beneficial the partnership could be. (Especially since Anacostia seems to be way better at thinking on her feet while incognito.)
WAR COLLEGE & SARAH ALDER
In War College, the trios assigned at Fort Salem combine to form covens, each named after a different war deity. The Bellweather unit joins Sekhmet, whose senior members are more welcoming than expected.
We meet coven leader M (Ess Hödlmoser) and male witch Gregorio (Praneet Akilla), who hails from the same upper echelons of witch society as Abigail.
Alder personally meets with the coven to wish them well at War College. Her rousing speech is laced with warning- most pointedly the reiteration of one line of the army's oath: all secrets keep. Sounds like she's got something to hide.
And maybe she does. Tally continues to experience strange visions of Alder- memories from an unspecified time beside a witch without a name. Alder mentions her use of "off-canon" work and it's potential benefits.
The episode juxtaposes Alder's openness toward this work with the Bellweather unit's first introduction to off-canon at War College. The army forbids using it, but its members need to be able to recognize and understand the work because the Spree utilizes it.
There was mention of the phrase in season one; usually as an insult when Raelle used the homegrown fixing abilities she learned from her mother. When and why did these fringe abilities get banned from the military? The Spree had to learn their work somewhere.
The Bellweather unit gets their first taste of it as their instructor, Major Magda Verder, takes control of the class- literally. The students put cloth bags over their heads and march themselves to a magical escape room.
Tally is able to figure out the puzzle with help from Alder's memories. Seeing how off-canon worked in there helps her identify the source of the illusion. The satisfaction is short-lived as the test ends and she realizes Raelle and Abigail are missing.
The two girls wake up in separate chambers. Izadora stands outside, seething over their interference with the mycelium wall. Her life's work ruined by two nosy girls. Raelle watches in horror as she begins gassing Abigail. It's enough to trigger the power- just through Raelle this time. The unit and viewers quickly learn that it was an experiment sanctioned by Alder. The danger needed to be real for it to work.
And Raelle? She's now one of the army's greatest assets.
Alder used that exact word. An asset, a tool for the army to use. To what end? Tally got permission from Alder to take the vice presidents daughter under her wing after she noticed Penelope having trouble adjusting to life at Fort Salem.
As they walk through the school's miniature history museum, Tally notices that a person was magically scrubbed from one of the photos- the unnamed witch from Alder's memories. The one who used off-canon work, same as Raelle. Is this what Alder is trying to hide? Did she use her friend the same way she's hoping to use Raelle?
It couldn't have ended well if she's tried to erase this woman from history. If she didn't learn her lesson the first time, Raelle's future in the army may be short-lived. There's also the revelation that Abigail has no connection to the power. She takes it hard. Raelle and Tally are grappling with their new abilities. While she has much to be proud of, the illustrious Bellweather name probably feels small in comparison right now. She's got strengths of her own, and I wonder if we'll see Abigail tap into new powers this season. Raelle is the fixer. Tally is the seer- able to sense invisible threats. Perhaps Abigail will become the group's defensive lead. She doesn't deserve to have her ego bruised when she's got so much to bring to the table.
Check out the trailer for episode three below:
Watch new episodes of Motherland: Fort Salem on Freeform Tuesdays at 10PM. Stills accessed from dgepress.com. All rights reserved to Motherland: Fort Salem and Freeform.
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