#mfsri

[jaedyxe]

Runes and Symbols of Season 2-Part 1 of Who Knows

SO with the new poster for Motherland Fort Salem, Season 2…there is a LOT of information to digest…and in some instances, simply guess at. Let’s start front and center.  

Now, while the symbol is a little bit wonky with the poster  itself, it is quite obviously a triquetra; a very classic symbol that we are used to seeing in several different types of mythology. One of the oldest uses in this form dates back to use in Celtic mythology. It has been appropriated many times over, but commonly recognized use is to symbolize the maiden, the mother, and the crone. Maiden being new beginnings and life, mother being the passage of life and experience, and crone representing the closing of the cycle and learning life’s mysteries. However, the symbol above Raelle is not a complete triquetra: it is missing the top linkage. Was this interpretation meant to not be interwoven like the classic symbol, or was purely a design decision? Interestingly, this triquetra reiteration had appeared previously in season 1, on Libba’s scourge, though appearing upside down (see below). Now it could be up for interpretation which direction is up, so in this instance I am basing it on the symbol to the right of the triquetra.

While discussing with @theycallmestephlee the specific instance in the poster, she pointed out that the prominence of the center leaf could be an expression of Willa (the mother) and speak to the coming conflict arising from her non-death. The three points also could represent earth, sea, and sky. This could perhaps hint at the roles Abigail, Tally, and Raelle will take on this season particularly with the inclusion of a Navy and Air Force, or at the personalities of the ladies themselves. Over all, it could also simply represent unity between Raelle, Tally, and Abigail.

For season two, it could also lend more to what will be explored with Raelle’s connection to the “Mother” mycelium. In a way, the mycelium is long reaching and eternal; it has new birth, parts that may have existed for decades, or even centuries potentially.  

The shield knot; another rather simple to understand symbol as well as ancient. This symbol has dated as far back as Mesopotamia. In keeping with what seems to be a bit of a theme, I am going to stick with Norse and Celtic symbology just to keep things a bit simple. At its core, the shield is known as a symbol of protection, meant to ward the wearer from harm. Now the question is, does Abigail need protection or is she the protection? The course that she was going in season 1 indicates to me the latter, based on her reaction to wanting to save Raelle.

Or, it could also lend to how Abigail will behave this season. She was already showing a bit of transformation in season one; showing glee at the destruction elder witches were able to wreak, but then showing chastisement when Adil spoke of the after effects of that destruction. And with the Camarilla growing stronger (seemingly) there is going to be a lot of protection needed.  

And this now brings me to our little troubled child - Tally. This one is a little bit more challenging because you cannot quite get a good picture of this symbol. However, if you look closely to just above her head, you get a small glance of a second tail of her symbol. Thus far, our best guess is this being the rune Ēoh or Eihwaz. There is one small problem though, it is inverted. Some runes can allow for a symbology change, but Eihwaz is not one of the runes that does so because of its meanings.

The most literal reconstruction for Eihwaz comes from being a word for yew, whose symbology is rooted in death and rebirth. Perhaps from this meaning, it being reversed has shown how Tally will dodge death by being de-Biddyfied. She has been “reborn” through reverse aging, instead of death, breaking the cycle represented by Eihwaz. However, Eihwaz can also be a rune of transformation, endurance, and eternal life, maybe more so speaking to Tally’s connection to Alder and how that will be broached this season?

Now to speak just briefly on some additional new imagery for Season 2 (seen from set pictures): the future two additional Witch Military branches of Navy and Air Force.

One of the center focal points on the Navy emblem is, of course, the symbol for Venus and femininity, tied to the alchemical symbol for water. The trident further represents the number three as well as domination of the seas (though it is a slight juxtaposition being the symbol for Neptune/Poseidon). The wavy lines are a further symbol for water.

The Air Force emblem, while relatively basic, also has a good bit of potential symbology. Utilizing a basis for our traditional airman symbol, it could mean a closer tie to the civilian military than our other two forces. Front and center is our alchemical symbol for air. What I find interesting, is the additional usage of the lightning symbols, only otherwise used in the Army emblem. Could this mean a more wide usage of lightning powers (such as what Alder demonstrated in Witchbomb) by the Air Force? And while I could not find any explicit sources for the three lines at the top of the emblem, they could simply signify air and provide contrast to the Navy emblem.

[transmanwitch]

Headcanon: Alder and the Mycelium

Alder knew what the mycelium was *the whole time* but let Izadora study it as if she knew nothing. Maybe she always knew what would happen when her time came, as long as she could get to the mother. Maybe it's a backup plan to survive.

[junkonthebrain]

Can we talk about the song WLCM by Lydia Ainsworth used for the Raylla dance scene? Omg I splurged on the Amazon unlimited music to get access to the MFS original Score and this one song WLCM.... Looking at the lyrics as I listen it... my brain function was completely paralyzed and I’m overwhelmed with feels. 😭 The way the dance was filmed and what Syclla must be thinking at the time stabbed me in the heart multiple times. 💔

“Save our time together

Stranger in the mirror

How did I not know you, know you 🔪💔

When we dance together

I feel the space between us

Holding on don't lose me, lose me”🔪🔪💔

[useless-les-bien]

What if the peeps at Fort Salem uploaded some tutorials for all your witchy needs and knowledge?

Huge shoutout and credits to the crackheads at the MFSRI for their collective genius and creativity! 😂 you guys are seriously the best part of my day!

[isailonships]

With 4 weeks left until the seas 2 premiere of Motherland: Fort Salem, count down with us here and enjoy the beautiful artwork made by the talented and amazing fans from this show we all love so much! If you’d like your art featured, you can submit one on the site! Thank you to the MFSRI for letting me make all of these apps under their name! So glad to be part of this community!

[mfs-research-institute]

Let’s talk about witch genetics (2.0) and the benefits of Outcrossing

Okay. Last season we began our debate about how witch traits were passed down the matrilines (witch genetics 1.0). In Season 2, we learn a bit more about the matrilines and the customs the American military relies on for “replenishing the troops”. We now have a significant amount of information (new and old) that allows us to ponder how witch traits are passed from mother to offspring via the matriline and outline why the Imperative is a prejudiced movement. Let’s recap before we get into the details.

This theory was co-written and developed by: @smallfrost, @queerscifinerd, @jaedyxe, @theycallmestephlee, and @here4rizzles

This one is a long one, folks. Strap in and more below the cut.

First. What makes a witch a witch? As of now, we know that witches are witches because they have a unique vocal apparatus and a different ear structure. While there may also be other physiological differences that have not yet been revealed, this nonetheless strongly implies that genetics contribute to who possesses the ability to produce work (magic); because these body structures need a different blueprint compared to civilians or non-witches.

Izadora and co. completing the autopsy on the Bellweathers after the Camarilla attack

Second. We know that these traits are inherited from the mother, not the father, making this a matriline. Remember, Alder specifically states that male witches are incapable of passing witch traits to their offspring in episode 1 of season 2.

Alder educates VP Silver, and the nerds of the MFS fandom

Third. The Imperative and the Imperatrix are tasked with strengthening the bloodline, ensuring the stability of witch families, and the availability of sufficient numbers of witches to fill out the military’s ranks (at least in the USA ).

Mhmmmm ain't this some heteronormative bullshit

--

Now the science!! Biology 101: the central dogma of life. DNA (our blueprint coded as ‘genes’) is required to make RNA (a blueprint copy), which is needed to generate proteins (the functional structures of the cell). Proteins are made up of amino acids, whose unique combination creates different machines which work together. Think of amino acids as lego blocks and proteins being the different combinations you can make. Our cells and bodies are therefore nothing more than a unique combination of proteins (lego structures) built together to produce a functioning unit. If you have different blueprints, you’ll get different legos which when combined, create machines that function differently.

Genetics 101: Humans are diploid organisms, meaning, we have two copies (termed pairs) of our blueprint packed into structures called chromosomes. We have 23 pairs of chromosomes, coding over 20,000 genes (lego structures), with one pair being the “sex” chromosomes. We are formed by two haploid cells (gametes: egg from the mother, sperm from the father). Importantly, all of the cellular components (organelles) and nutrients come from the egg while sperm only contain genetic information. For more background as to why, here is a great explanation on the process of meiosis. Disclaimer: For the remainder of this post we are using “female” and “male” in reference to biological sex only, and in no way are we implying that gender contributes to this process.

Blueprint → Copy → Legos!!!

So where does the blueprint for “witch” reside in order for it to be matrilineal (passed only on the mother’s side)?

There are two options to consider.

Option 1: The witch blueprint is located on the X chromosome (a.k.a. the ‘female’ chromosome), and is a recessive trait (requires both copies of the gene from each of the chromosomes in the particular pair to be expressed). This would be termed “X-linked” and would mean that female witches (XX) would need to mate with male witches (XY) to get witch daughters, because they would need BOTH X chromosomes to come from witches. This obviously isn’t the case because Raelle’s father, Edwin, is a civilian, yet Raelle is a witch (and a powerful one at that). This also would mean that male witches, while they wouldn’t be able to produce a witch if they bred with a civilian, could produce what are called carriers. Their daughters would not be witches but would still “carry” the blueprints for “witch” and therefore could reproduce with a male witch and have witch children. This also doesn’t seem to be the case as Alder states that male witches cannot further the bloodline. It should be noted that recessive traits on the X-chromosome express in male offspring if they have the gene(s) in question, since they only have one copy of the X chromosome, and no other dominant allele from the Y chromosome would interfere with the expression of the recessive trait on the X chromosome.

Tables showing the potential offspring of some different witch/civilian combinations if we assume Option 1 (the witch genes are recessive genes on the X-Chromosome). Capital X signifies the X-chromosomes of civilians, lower case x signifies the X-chromosomes of witches. For offspring to be a witch they must have either the xx or xy genotype. A carrier would be Xx or xX.

Overall, X-linkage is unlikely because Edwin is a civilian but Raelle is obviously a witch.

Consequently, based on the contextual information from the show, we are leaning more towards Option 2.

Option 2: The Witch blueprint is located on mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria are cellular organelles that are responsible for converting energy, providing our bodies with energy in a usable form. Simply put, these little guys turn our food into fuel to power our bodies. They originated from symbiotic bacteria and have their own blueprints (mitochondrial genome). In short: humans co-evolved to rely on these tiny workaholics. The mitochondrial blueprint is different from the rest of our blueprint which resides in the nucleus (nuclear genome). Most importantly, all of our mitochondria originate from our mothers since all the cellular components come from the ‘female’ gamete after meiosis. For more background as to why, here are some great explanations on the process (video 1 & video 2). Thus, since males do not pass mitochondria to their children, if the blueprint for “witch” is mitochondrial, that would indicate that only the mother can pass these traits on. Voila: matriline! To quote smallfrost from witch genetics 1.0, “This would be pretty cool, considering that the mitochondria represent the “powerhouse” of the cell - so nifty source for witches’ “power” in a literal way.”

Therefore, it is likely that the blueprint for “witch” is mitochondrial, providing a clear path towards maternal inheritance.

But, it isn’t that simple! There can’t just be one gene and POOF you’re a witch. There needs to be a lot of interconnected things happening to influence the physical structure and function of a witch’s body to the extent seen on the show. No one gene can change the vocal apparatus AND the ear structure. Genes don’t work like that. Further – the mitochondrial blueprint is SMALL. It contains only a handful of genes that are for mitochondrial function (metabolism) and that help decode the “legos” from RNA (tell the cell what amino acids to use to build proteins). How can these influence the overall biological structure of a witch? This is where it gets super fascinating, (though, a bit complicated). After some investigating, we believe there are a few key ways that mitochondria may influence how cells function and therefore how they may impact development (The first two recently reviewed here).

1) Epigenetics. Epigenetics is how the structure, or ‘landscape’, of our DNA blueprint in the cell’s nucleus influences how we make the lego structures (gene expression). If we change the landscape, we may not be able to make the blueprint copy (RNA) to produce the structures (proteins). Think of our chromosomes as newspaper. You can't read the text when it is crumpled up; it is more inaccessible than text (i.e. genes) on a flattened page and therefore turned “off”. Epigenetics would be changing the landscape to make the text on the inside of a crumpled newspaper more accessible so genes residing there could be turned “on”. The energy and byproducts produced by mitochondria can alter the landscape of our DNA, leading to an increase or decrease in the copies of genes being made. Could it be that witches’ mitochondrial genes function more efficiently? This would increase the output of mitochondria potentially altering the landscape of the nucleus more than civilians to access genes hidden in the 'crumpled newspaper' needed for developing the vocal apparatus and ears or witches?

The output from mitochondria can alter the genetic landscape in the nucleus. This could allow for genes that are “off” (crumpled ball of newspaper) in civilians to be turned “on” (flattened page of text) in witches. (image source).

2) Alternative splicing. When we make copies of our blueprint as RNA, it still needs to go through a series of changes before that copy can be used to make protein. One of these changes is splicing. Most of our blueprint is excess code and much of it needs to be “cut out” in order to have a rendered set of instructions to produce proteins. This is called “splicing” – removing the unnecessary code to properly render the blueprint to be used to create the lego structures. For many genes, the same unrendered blueprint can be rendered/spliced in many different ways, called “alternative splicing”. This allows for one gene to code different versions of the same protein that might function differently even though they are coming from the same blueprint. Think of this as the base model of a car versus the sport version. Same basic blueprint, but some versions have slightly different features that make the machine function slightly differently. If altered mitochondrial function influences alternative splicing/rendering, it could suggest that witch traits are simply already coded in our genes but it is the small alterations in how our bodies render the information that are influencing the final function.

(image source)

3) Different Amino Acids (legos). Some of the genes coded into the mitochondrial genome are known as transfer RNA (or tRNA). tRNA is the translator who knows what amino acids (lego blocks) match the instructions in the blueprint (RNA) and can fetch the appropriate piece for the appropriate location. Humans have 20 unique amino acids (lego blocks) whose different combinations are used to make our diverse range of proteins. Each amino acid has a different chemistry which influences how our proteins are structured and function, the same way that different lego blocks would end up making different structures. If mitochondrial DNA contains the code for tRNA, could witches have a different cypher, and therefore use different combination of amino acids/legos to match the blueprint instructions? Alternatively, do they have an entirely different type of amino acid that replaces one of the 20 we know? This could greatly influence the function of the final protein products, thereby potentially impacting the way our bodies form and function. However, the chances of witches having one or more different amino acids is highly unlikely as all eukaryotic life as we know it (nucleus-containing organisms) have the same 20 legos (bacteria and archaea do as well, but some use an additional 1-2 amino acids). This is most likely because all organisms on earth evolved from the same common ancestor. Therefore, the only ways witches could have different amino acids would be either an incredibly rare mutation or they evolved from a different common, extraterrestrial ancestor. The former has an extremely low probability of happening based on our current knowledge of evolution yet we cannot exclude the latter possibility of a different, other-worldly common ancestor, which could support the "witches as aliens" theory.

If witch mitochondrial DNA codes for different tRNA cyphers than civilians, this could influence protein synthesis. (image source)

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All in all, no matter how the mitochondria may be influencing the expression of different traits, one thing is clear. Everyone could theoretically have the blueprint for “witch” – they just don’t have the power supply needed to turn it on (the mitochondria). If this is the case, then there is no reason why female witches need to reproduce with male witches and keep a “pure” blood line. It is very possible that civilian men have the blueprint and just need the metaphorical (and literal, in this case) mitochondrial ‘power supply’. By limiting the genetic diversity to a small pool of men who have “desirable traits'' that can’t actually influence whether or not a witch may be more or less powerful, witches (in America at least) are unintentionally narrowing their genetic diversity and probably, as a consequence, limit their diversity of work (explained more below). Further, a breeding program like the Imperative is going to sooner or later select against desirable traits and in worst case scenarios even select for undesirable traits (e.g. like hemophilia in European royal families).

It probably hasn’t happened with the matrilines in the army yet because matrilines used to be abundant (showcased below with Tally’s family tree), but if they continue doing this, it could happen. The first signs could already be there: The Imperatrix mentioned that fewer witches are being born. This could be because of their excessive use of work, as Adil has pointed out in season 1 episode 7, but it could also be because of the breeding program itself, inadvertently selecting against fertility.

Tally’s family tree shows that matrilines used to be very abundant.

The point though is, that the Imperative is a eugenics approach that is baseless. That is, the selective breeding of “desirable” traits that is not based on genetics, but rather on prejudiced preconceived notions of “witch is desirable, civilian is not”.

And the Imperative’s prejudices go even further than that: The Imperatrix even has something against Abigail handfasting with Adil, someone who is canonically described as a powerful witch and probably possesses many traits that a program like the Imperative would call desirable. The Tarim are considered an old and powerful tribe, focused on tradition. If power and tradition were indeed the Imperatrix’s interests, she would have been happy to match them. But that is not the case, and further demonstrates that the Imperative’s breeding program is purely based on prejudice.

Another thing is, you WANT to bring more variability into the genetic pool. It helps select against potentially detrimental traits and allows new, potentially optimized codes to form. Within the MFS universe we have two great examples of this: Raelle Collar and Penelope Silver. Both have civilian fathers. Both are incredibly strong witches. If outcrossing was so bad, how do you explain their powers? Further, Alder tells Raelle in 2x03 that new work is exceedingly rare, yet both Raelle and Penelope, our outcrosses, have created new work (Raelle and the Witchbomb and Penelope and the seed that melts glass). YES, the military matrilines are powerful; the stories we heard about Jem Bellweather and what we’ve seen Abigail and Petra do prove that. But why limit witches to just certain sets of work, no matter how powerful, and close yourself off to new work?

Just take a crash course from Scylla, she seems good at "cooking up" small bits of new work.

YES, Raelle is able to do what she does because of her connection with the mycelium, but as Izadora said in 2x02, Raelle is the only person who interacted with the mycelium and came out relatively unscathed. It is entirely possible that the mycelium CHOSE Raelle because of certain traits she has which would be due to her specific genetics.

So, in summary:

The matrilineal code is likely stored in the mitochondria, passed mother to daughter.

The Imperative is misinformed (or informed and bigoted).

It is highly likely that the outcrossing of witches with civilians will lead to the production of new work and potentially even an increase in witch strength overall.

There should be no shame in having a civilian father and maybe moving forward, the observed strengths of our outcrosses will help guide witches away from handfasting and the Imperative and towards supporting love in any form.

[ao3feed-raylla]

by conspicuously_empty

The very comprehensive title pretty much tells you what this is about. Inspired by the fascination some members of the MFSRI have.

Words: 944, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F

Characters: Raelle Collar, Scylla Ramshorn

Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn

Additional Tags: Fluff

[transmanwitch]

Theory: Willa Collar and the Army's lies

How did the army not know that Willa Collar deserted the army? She wouldn't have reported for deployment, nor would there be a body to identify.

Also, Raelle tells her dad that her mom had been sneaking out at night before her last "deployment" and denying it.

Theory: Willa was meeting with Spree members on those nights. Also, the army knew she deserted and lied to Edwin about it for some reason. Willa knew what she was about to do. Rather than her last letter and her leaving the combat charm because she was foreseeing her own death, it was because she knew she couldn't go home after deserting and joining the Spree. "I will always be close" wasn't mom talk for death, it was literal. For all we know, Willa spent at least part of the year between her desertion and Raelle's enlistment in the area, keeping an eye on her.

In short, the army lied to the Collars about Willa's death in combat, and Willa left her charm because it was the only way for it to get it to Raelle.

[useless-les-bien]

If MFS uploaded Youtube tutorials and videos (Part 1):

I did a rough version earlier but i decided to clean it up and make it a little easier for you guys to read. 

Once again, a huge shoutout to the MFSRI crackheads for their genius and creativity! You guys are truly the best part of my day! 

[mfs-research-institute]

Season 3 is officially on its way!

We’re so excited we get another season of this beautiful universe (and make sure to sign the petition to have season 3 not be the final season).

To celebrate, we’ve opened our submissions! If you have a theory or analysis, feel free to submit directly to us. Alternatively, make sure to tag us in your posts if you want to be featured on our page (use @mfs-research-institute, #MFSRI, or #MFS Research Institute).

And as always, if you’d like to join the conversations on our Discord server, please don’t hesitate to shoot us a DM or Ask. We’d love to have you to help pass the coming hiatus - we have all sorts of community events to make the time move quicker.

Finally, a reminder that we have MFSRI merch! If you’d like to rep us (and MFS in general), feel free to visit our Fort Salem Exchange Bonfire store – all profits go to various charities (including, Trevor Project, Wounded Warrior, ACLU, and more!)

[transmanwitch]

Theory: Trans Witches

So we know that only AFAB witches can pass the Work down to their children. We also know that AMAB witches have the work and can be powerful, but don’t pass it on to their children. Hence matrilines are what matters and why children inherit their mothers’ family names rather than their fathers’.

So what about trans witches? We don’t have any examples (yet! *crosses fingers*). So here are my thoughts, as incomplete as they may be. 

An AFAB trans witch would have the ability to pass on their Work, should they choose to bear children (which some trans men do). Where and how would they be trained? With the men, which is how they identify? Or with the women, where stronger and different work is taught? My theory is that they would be trained with the women, so that their Work could be as strong as useful to the military as that of the other AFAB witches. They may later be relegated to male status as caregivers, depending on how they do in basic training. Or they may be encouraged by the Imperatrix to procreate in order to continue the line and hopefully have daughters to conscript later.

An AMAB trans witch would likely be trained with the men, as they cannot pass on the Work to future children. They would be the few mothers whose main status was that of a caregiver rather than a soldier, although we know there are some male witches who can ascend to War College. 

That’s what I’ve got. Feel free to message/comment with additional theories or contradictions in mine. I wrote it rather fast and furious, so I may have left things out.

[mfs-research-institute]

I'm curious about the male witches. I understand that they're lower in the witch hierarchies, both Military and Spree, but the difference between the male witches we got during season one and season confuses me. We saw the boys during Beltane all decked out in khaki uniforms, but then Gregorio shows up in the same all black uniform. Were thr Beltane Boys in their version of Fort Salem (ie: bootcamp)? Or a different class of military training altogether? Because they were geared more toward seduction and weapons maintenance, whereas the boys (boy) we've seen at War College is focused on the same combat techniques ans strategies as his female counterparts.

@queerscifinerd snatched this question up. Here are her thoughts:

"Alright so here’s my theory about male witches at war college (Disclaimer: I am talking about biological sex/AFAB & AMAB in my entire comment here, NOT gender!):

In an interview last year Eliot mentioned that male witches are apparently born much less than female witches (so instead of a male:female ratio of biological sex of about 50:50 as normal humans have, witches maybe have a ratio of e.g. 80:20 or even less than that! (He doesn't actually mention the ratio, just that male witches are very rare). This theory is also supported by the ratio of attendance at Libba’s funeral (A LOT less male witches there than female witches!). 

I think male witches have about as much of a chance as female witches to attend war college based on their numbers (maybe a little less or a little more, because apparently in war college a coven consists of 2 units + 1 male witch + coven leader. But we could still be proven wrong on this, we only have one example so far!). And in war college male witches and female witches go through the same program but everyone also still has their individual tracks as M mentioned in 2x02.

The BIG difference is how the rest of the military is treated, i.e. those that don’t make it into war college, i.e. “War Meat”. The female witches get deployed to the front. Male witches on the other hand stay at home to build weapons, get married off (considering there are so few of them, they are probably in high demand of hand fasting, I mean they have freaking Pokémon cards of them), take care of the kids, etc. That’s why their basic training looks so different. 

I’m guessing after war college male witches still do different things than female witches, i.e. they don’t get deployed to the front (Eliot mentioned in the same interview that male witches have been removed from the front for about 100 years now!), so they probably stay in administrative positions at home. This is very possible since in war college everyone is on a different track. So I’m guessing Gregorio is on a track specific for male witches.

So that’s my guess based on what we have so far. I could be proven completely wrong."

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Thank you for the ask! As always, if you would like to join the conversations on our Discord, please shoot us a DM for an invite!

[mfs-research-institute]

i just rewatched the Bellweather wedding for the nth time now but just now noticed, all of the witches in the wedding on their uniform have scourges on them.. except for Scylla. does this mean that she skipped basic combat training altogether? also relaized when the unit are on war college they still have room mates, their whole coven bunks together while Scylla has her own room as we see during season 1.. just wondering how it wotks for necros, dont they have a coven in war colege? a unit? or they seem to get some special treatment it seems

Ahhh... this is definitely an inconsistency that has been the topic of many many debates. How exactly is Necro training different from the "general populace"? - A few thoughts below (side note, coincidently these three all identify as Necro :D):

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@isailonships: The room on her own I'm guessing is in part because the Bellweather bootcamp time was the first time they were pre-assigned units, right? So, one assumption is all soldiers had their own barracks until these units.

Maybe Necros don't have scourges because they are perhaps a non-combat, Military occupational specialty (MOS)? They'd be brought in only after the fighting is over (to deal with the dead).

I wouldn't call it special treatment that they're alone… I'd say it's kinda lonely, no? And they're somewhat outcasts for being weird?

But, I’d definitely say they have to go Basic first. If it's anything like the real army they HAVE to, in order to get the basics [heh] down. So, Basic before they venture off into their Necro training. They need to know how to protect themselves and others around them.

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@queerscifinerd: Yes – this was the first-year conscripts were pre-assigned units. The Necro thing though has been bothering me since FOREVER and I've kinda come up with a theory about it, which is independent of whether the year the girls started was the first year of starting as units or not.

I'm pretty sure EVERYONE goes through Basic. Like not 100% but I can't really see how they would already KNOW who is Necro or not right from the get go when everyone gets to Fort Salem. For example, Scylla knows the classic windshear. Might be that that's so basic that everyone knows that. But might also be an indicator that she went through Basic. Plus, they made it pretty clear that she's a second year. Would be weird to specify that if she didn't go through Basic in my opinion.

So, based on a comment Scylla made in the Pilot: "I'm Necro. We work with the Dead. They keep us away from the general populace." I think that Necros go on a COMPLETELY different track than everyone else after Basic. If you have the affinity for Necro in Basic, my guess is you get one year of EXTRA training (the second year Scylla is in) instead of going straight to War College. And after that, they probably decide if you get into War College or get sent to the front lines. In War College, they still stay separated though I think, based on the comment Scylla made in the Pilot.

This is DEFINITELY something I hope the show will explain better at some point though.

But related to this: I wonder if Covens were made up differently before the year that our beloved Unit started. Because everyone was competing on their own. However, we know from Bridey in 1x06 that Units did in fact exist before the year the our beloved Unit started. So, what I think is that Units got introduced in War College before and the make-up of the Covens is probably the same as before (2 'units', 1 male, 1 leader). But Necros probably form their own Covens, separate from everyone else (also sidenote: it would be REALLY cool if the Necro's Covens are named after Death Goddesses!!! E.g. like Hel/Hela or Nephthys.)

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@smallfrost: Yep I agree with these two. I think Necros are just a different, independent training branch after Basic. We’ve definitely submitted this question for Q&As with the cast and Eliot before. AND THEY HAVE YET TO ANSWER!

But a thought just also occurred to me. It could be that Scylla DOES have a scourge (if she went through Basic, she had a Beltane and was likely gifted one too). Her goal in Bellweather Season was to infiltrate the wedding and her tactic was to go undercover as waitstaff, and it was already obvious she was wearing different pants. Now, We all know that Scylla is The Worst Spy in History, but wearing a scourge might have been a bit too much of a give away EVEN for our little murder nugget. I doubt the waitstaff were witches - they in fact turned out to be Camarilla so they were definitely civilians and likely a civilian catering company.

But yeah, seeing as [Necros] work with the dead, I don’t think they’d have to train with a scourge as much as other disciplines would and since it’s not needed for Necro work, they probably aren’t required to carry it with them.

Tl;dr: Necros probably just train differently after Basic due to their unique affinities and maybe we give Scylla some spy points for once!

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[mfs-research-institute]

The Season 2 premiere of Motherland is only a few days away!!! Are you ready????? Come theorize with us on our MFS Research Institute Discord Server! Here is another open invite to join:

https://discord.gg/B3kUkpUJZA

As with the previous links, in attempt to manage traffic flow, this invite has a limited number of uses. If the link has expired by the time you get to it, no worries! You’re always free to DM us for an individual invite. We will also be posting open invites intermittently throughout the season, so keep an eye out if you would like to join that way!

We're excited to meet you!

[mfs-research-institute]

I know this is not the case, I mean until this point the information we have got from the series is that Alder may be responsible for the surge of the spree but not directly. Yet isn't it a little bit fucked up that in someway Alder ( or the witches in general) needs the spree and the caramilla to justify their existence, like if they don't exist, if there is not a tangible enemy, witches are not necessary and sometimes I think that Alder plays a major game manipulating the perception of these enemies with the purpose to keep the army necessary, cause civilians are the true and biggest enemy of witches and maybe ALders the only one who knows exactly what happens when civilians turn against witches.

Oooof this is a loaded question! Let's see what people are thinking:

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Dan on our Discord: My first instinct is that isn't that the basic vibe of all major conflicts? Both in the MFS Universe and our own timeline? Armies only exist to 'protect' nations from other countries and vice versa, which only in turn creates more conflict in its own fucked, self-sufficient cycle.

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@Jalehh: Yes, Alder and her actions in Liberia (forcing dodgers to conscript, them resisting, Alder deploying Sgt. Nicte Batan's new work and making surrendered people kill themselves) seem directly responsible for the formation of the Spree to me.

It also seems like America in this 'verse still has colonies (the showrunner called the conflict in Liberia a colonial war) and is a major player in world politics with India and China being at different stages of rivalry. Even if there aren't open wars among nations, and no asymmetrical conflicts like with the Spree, a well-maintained military will help to secure a powerful position on the world stage... plus you never know who wants to be the next bully on the world stage. Si vis pacem, para bellum. Pretty sure there would be enough to do for witches... even if it's 'just' training exercises or civil aid works done by the military or some 'good' old gunboat diplomacy.

Of course, it would be nice to prepare for peace and maybe transform the witch army into a peace or technical relief corps. But, being the Army/Armed Forces seems to have given at least some witches quite some power - Alder and Petra Bellweather come to mind and with the past they had (Burning Times) - and anti-witch sentiments still very widely accepted, I understand why they would be afraid to give that up. Plus, witches in the army are organized and no longer scattered all over the land... which makes them a bigger target, but also allows for a strength and unity that would otherwise be lost.

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@baby-horse: Same coin but different side - I wonder if the civilians want to keep the army around, purely because it puts (almost) all the witches in one spot; easily handled. I think it's mutually beneficial, but not necessarily for the obvious reasons.

That kind of answers the question as to why the civilians don't just abolish forced constriction for witches, since they're so upset about their 'daughters' being taken. Because the obvious answer to "not our daughters" is to just get rid of that law. But once you do that, then witches would be in the community, which is Bad News.

I guess the question of 'what happens when the world discovers they no longer need witches' is being answered this season. Spoiler alert = it's not good for witches.

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@crazyintheeast: Personally, I was wondering about a different direction. If civilians would actually be in favor of witches. We know little about the general attitude of people. Yes of course there is the Camarilla and we know of others bigots like the guy who got into Tally's face. But we have also seen another side. The man who proudly gave Tally his ticket, the women who came to Raelle for healing and were extremely grateful, the large parades in honor of witches. Even with the protest against them I felt that only some of them were actual bigots while the others merely hated the army and didn't want their daughters enslaves.

I would find it really interesting if a significant portion of the civilian populace is actually in favor of witch liberation. Some out of moral principle because they oppose slavery but also many out of purely practical reasons. Imagine if instead of being limited to the military they had Fixers in every hospital who could save countless lives. We already know that witches assist in disaster areas but they could do even more if allowed. Witches actually being a part of society instead of being isolated in the military could be something that many want.

But also, I was left with the impression that China and not Spree are the main adversary and not all nations are in The Hague. I am not exactly sure, but I always saw Spree as merely assisting local witches in various countries rather than leading themselves. Similar to how CIA would train various guerrilla fighters and try to destabilize countries.

But I could actually see a full-blown civil war emerging. The current situation in the MFS strongly reminds of the historic situation of the Ottoman Empire where their slave army had become so powerful that they had serious influence on all rulers. And when new technology emerged the Sultan used the new tactics to attack his salve army and eliminate it.

Although, considering the existence of the Hague, this may even grow into a World War if Wade is removed from Alder’s influence and Silver becomes president. Maybe he’ll try to use the Camarilla and other troops to eliminate US witches? And without nukes to go full MAD this could be a massive war that has been building for a long time.

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Thank you for the ask! As always, if you would like to join the conversations on our Discord, please shoot us a DM for an invite!

[mfs-research-institute]

Who’s ready for Season 2?? To help us get HYPED, the MFSRI R&D Department whipped up a little surprise for all of you fine folks out there… *drumroll please* AHEM-- Do timezones cause you trouble? Do you find yourself staring at your calendar waiting for MFS Season 2 to start? Do you struggle with counting? THEN WE HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR YOU! We are happy to bring you… A SEASON 2 COUNTDOWN, complete with both MFS fanart and fic features! Let’s enjoy some of the amazing works created by the beautiful and talented fans of @motherland while waiting for our show to return to us! We're almost there; we've nearly made it through an extra long hiatus. Enjoy this in the meantime, and if you'd like your art or fic (sfw please, so anything but mature + explicit AO3 ratings for written works) featured, please use the form linked on the page! A major round of applause to @isailonships and @here4rizzles from our our R&D Department for all of their hard work bringing this to life. And of course, thank you to all our amazing fan creators out there! This fandom would not be the same without you all.

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And as always, our MFSRI Discord Server doors are open to new recruits. Send us a DM if you’re interested in joining the conversation!