That was a whole lot of sacrificing going on.
The dead bodies started to pile up on Motherland: Fort Salem Season 3 Episode 8, with too many coming from Team Witch.
And, in the end, the Camarilla got precisely what they wanted: the Bellweather Unit in custody.
Still, there were several positive developments for the witches as well.
For instance, Tally caught on quickly to going back in history with her sight, considering how she had been struggling with her future scrying up until now.
Just listening to a little piece of the song off of that music box, and she was back watching the steward getting encased in ice far in the past.
Being a fugitive has made Tally more outspoken when it comes to offering her opinion rather than just going along as she did as a new cadet. There’s no time for hemming and hawing now.
Tally took a look at the big picture, and she was correct. It was most important for her to go with Alder to resurrect a First Song steward from the past.
The First Song might be the only spell to keep Raelle’s witch bomb from blowing up the world. So, yes, Tally helping Alder with her First Song mission trumps her being part of the team to rescue Scylla.
Besides, at that point, they didn’t even know where the Camarilla had taken Scylla. A location would be a crucial part of any rescue plan.
It’s a shame that events worked out as they did in that long-ago ice cave. Tally was willing to sacrifice herself but that was not the way that things turned out.
Although the unit joked about it, Tally had been getting a handle on her powers and was becoming more dependable during missions.
Unfortunately, the steward they found was angry at the world. She had been ignored for millennia, so it’s hard to blame her.
Tally gave up her sight in exchange for the missing song piece, therefore becoming its new steward. Hopefully, stewarding comes with directions.
Circumstances were precisely the opposite as Tally feared, with Alder saving the new steward but getting buried in the ice-cave collapse. But Alder has survived for centuries, and The Mother still has plans for her, so she’s likely not gone for good.
While Tally was dealing with tragedy, Raelle, Abigail, and Adil had an effortless time freeing Scylla.
It was heartbreaking when the Army deserter that the Cession militia rescued explained that the Camarilla sent no healers on the invasion. Further proof that the witches were being used as cannon fodder came later.
Still, the trio got inside the Camarilla’s main P.O.W. facility simply. Abigail and Adil pretended to be drunk teens while Raelle snuck in.
It was hilarious how Raelle was able to intimidate the Camarilla interrogator, as dumb as the box of rocks he was carrying, by describing the effects of the witch bomb on the human body. She kept her promise to Tally while saving Scylla.
The reunion between Raelle and Scylla was heartwarming. It was too bad they didn’t have time to enjoy it.
Their exit strategy was as well thought out as their entry: run like hell. It was a good thing that Bearkiller showed up with her militia to make the Camarilla think twice about entering a battle with them.
Unfortunately, the Camarilla didn’t think twice about using their stolen powers to punish the young cadets who tried to retreat from what promised to be a bloodbath against the Cession witches. Only Lupe dared fight back against the Camarilla, but that effort was too little too late.
After watching the cadets get slaughtered, Abigail cut loose with her sky powers, using shards of hail to cut down the Camarilla leaders before the rest fled.
What was strange was that while it was expected that Thelma and her militia would be surprised by Abigail’s power, her teammates seemed just as shocked. Hadn’t her ability to control the weather come up before?
Abigail and her unit made the right call to surrender themselves. That decision will free Petra’s hand somewhat. After Petra arbitrarily declared the occupation over in front of the media, the Camarilla leadership couldn’t operate on a wartime footing anymore.
Colonel Jarrett made a big mistake condescending to Petra. That big bag of wind discovered the hard way that he shouldn’t have pissed her off as she took him out with a tap of her favorite pen.
How long can Petra cover up the fact that Jarrett is now a bloated corpse?
Also, what will Silver’s next move be to keep the Army under the Camarilla’s heel?
The reason that Anacostia went along to The Cession became clear.
The reason she returned undercover to The Cession became clear. She wanted to enlist Nicte to find the head marshal Horse for her.
You would think the Spree would throw in with the Army for simple self-preservation. The enemy of my enemy etc.
Still, Nicte rejected Anacostia at first. Old habits die hard, I guess. But she changed her mind, expecting to receive a pardon afterward.
Having all the witches on the same side has to make a difference, doesn’t it?
To follow the search for the First Song, watch Motherland: Fort Salem online.
Is Alder gone?
Did the unit do the right thing by surrendering?
How much of a difference will an agreement with the Spree make?
Comment below.
Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.