Alright Switches, time to dive into another spectacular episode of Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem! Episode 302 gives us heartbreak with Raelle going into the Mycelium, danger when going to the chemical plant, and intrigue when Penelope is brought back. “The Price of Work” was written by Brian Studler and directed by Amanda Tapping.
The Cession | The episode begins in Iraq where Alban Hearst (Bob Frazer) has a team drilling for the mycelium. They find it, and begin to poison it. We know there is more drilling and poisoning like this happening to the mycelium all around the world on the orders of The Camarilla.
On the other side of the world, we see our squad sneak into the Cession. Raelle (Taylor Hickson) tells the group about the Marshals that patrol, and that the government and military aren’t allowed in. We see Raelle and Scylla (Amalia Holm) discuss their dreams of sneaking away and being free of all this, and Abigail (Ashley Nicole Williams) overhears. Tally (Jessica Sutton) goes off with Nicte (Arlen Aguayo Stewart) and is warned about what can happen to her if she uses her work too much. Nicte shows Tally her true face, how it’s almost rotted away, and Tally realizes this is the moment she saw days ago at the paper factory. When she tells Nicte this we realize just how strong Tally is becoming, no other witch can see that far ahead.
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Raelle begins to fall ill, and it’s a mystery as to why until Scylla has a mirror meeting with Anacostia (Demetria McKinney) and learns what the Camarilla is doing to the Mother Mycelium. Raelle is getting sick because of her connection to it. Scylla rushes back to camp to tell everyone, but is too late. She gets there just in time to tell Raelle she loves her before Rae is sucked into the ground to presumably be healed by the mycelium.
The group has to move on and assume Raelle will be alright, and go to a nearby chemical plant to check it out on Anacostia’s orders. When they arrive they spot Hearst and decide to change their plans and take him into custody. In order to do that they have a badass fight scene where Nicte uses bats to bring down a helicopter and we see what happens when Earth and Sky combine their powers. They become formidable and liquify the guards standing in their way. They find Hearst and take him into custody.
When they arrive back at camp with their prisoner the group notices Khalida (Kylee Brown) is gone. They suddenly hear an odd whistling sound and see where it’s coming from: The Marshals. Adil (Tony Giroux) uses his invisibility work to try to get closer to them, but the lead Marshal (Michael Horse) can not only see Adil, but he can also step into his invisible space. Adil runs back to the group terrified, and in all this confusion and with their wards broken, Hearst gets away.
Dinner with the Bellweather’s | At Fort Salem, Petra (Catherine Lough Haggquist) and Anacostia need to learn where President Wade (Sheryl Lee Ralph) stands on Silver’s (Victor Webster) new witch genealogy bill. Petra uses her mother, Minerva (Liza Huget), to speak with Wade and get all the deets. They also use a bit of work to have Izadora (Emilie Leclerc) figure out if she’s telling the truth or not. M (Ess Hödlmoser) is now on Presidential Detail and takes their job very seriously. They don’t want Wade to figure out they’re giving intel to the military. By the end of the dinner Wade states her position on the bill and by doing so becomes the Camarilla’s number one target. She does not support the bill and will veto it if it ends up on her desk. Izadora confirms she’s telling the truth.
They’re Back | Remember that black rain from last episode? Izadora realized she could use music to collect it and place it into a large chamber and bring Penelope (Mellany Barros) back! She does this, but the girl seems confused and attacks Izadora once learning where she was. Once returned back to the chamber she dissipates and is once again gone.
Raelle wakes up in her bedroom, but there’s some stuff growing on the walls. Her mother, Willa (Diana Pavlovska), opens the door. She wants Raelle to stay there with her and ignore the “S” on her hand Scylla keeps sending her. This scene gives off some real Coraline vibes.
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Motherland: Fort Salem airs Tuesday nights at 10pm on Freeform.