Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches (2023) s02e01 Episode Script
Lasher
1
Stay tuned after the show
for an exclusive look
inside the episode.
WOMAN: That house is
famous for its witches.
CIPRIEN: There is a being.
They call him Lasher.
Lasher is connected to
our family's bloodline.
- Are you frightened of him?
- Shouldn't I be?
You need to protect yourself.
There are some in this family
who will try to convince
you that he is a gift.
Everything that is happening
here is what you want.
I don't want any of this.
I want him gone.
He can be rejected. There is a choice.
DOLLY: The object of the ceremony
is to transfer the power
to a female next of kin.
He has chosen.
Tessa is not in her room.
Couldn't even sleep in her bed.
- It's time for me to play my part, sir.
- And what is that?
I need to keep Lasher away from her.
ROWAN: Tessa is dead.
LASHER: The 13th witch is the doorway.
Give him to me. I know how to use him.
- You give him to me!
- No! Stop!
- I'm here to help.
- You're lying.
You can't control him.
You can't control me.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[BARS RATTLING]
♪
[GATE SQUEAKING]
What the fuck are you doing here?
You invited me.
You stay away from him.
♪
[KNOB RATTLING]
[WHISPERING] Go away. Go away.
- Don't you know who he is?
- [GASPS]
♪
[GASPS]
No.
No. No.
No!
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Rowan?
More milk.
Yeah.
More milk.
Here you go, and when you're
done, it's time for a nap.
[CUP CLATTERS]
Give it to me.
I'd like it if you could ask nicely.
Can you say "please?"
I'm going to need you to
learn how to say "please."
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I hear you up there, tossing
and turning all night.
I told you to get out of my house.
What he gives you is not
worth the cost of your soul.
Don't listen to her.
She's not real.
You don't believe me.
Read the diary that Catherine wrote.
She knew what he was.
And it ate her alive.
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[ROWAN SIGHS]
Where's the fire?
What fire?
- Do you remember making fire?
- I gave it to you.
I gave you all of it.
You gave me so many gifts.
I want it back.
I can't do that. Just stay still.
Just stay there for one second, okay?
[EERIE RINGING]
What are you doing?
I can see inside you.
So, if I understand how you're
made, then I can help you.
Okay?
[PEN CLATTERS]
[DISTANT SHOUTING]
Lasher?
Lasher!
- Hey, open the door.
- [CRYING]
Tell me what's wrong. I can help you.
- Hey!
- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I have to open the door.
So please stand back so
you don't get hurt, okay?
Stand back. Are you standing back?
♪
Let's find you some new clothes.
[SNIFFS DEEPLY]
[EERIE MUSIC]
[VOICES WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]
♪
[VOCALIZING]
♪
- Hi.
- Thanks so much for coming.
I've been waiting for your call.
- Where is he?
- He's sleeping, finally.
You look like you could use some sleep.
There are things I need more than sleep.
Here, please, the dining room.
He's always hungry.
He's unbelievably strong.
And he grows in these wild spurts.
Like, he looks human,
but he can't be human.
He's something new, something magical.
But he's not, because I have the power.
He gave it all up to have a body.
- You said he can talk?
- Yeah.
Have you asked him why he's here?
Yeah, and he just looks at me.
I don't know if he doesn't
know or if he he knows
and he's not telling me.
But you knew about his coming.
You understand everything
about the prophecy
and how quickly this
was going to happen.
So tell me.
Tell me what's going on.
My mother used to say that when he came,
our powers would multiply.
And have they?
I mean, has anyone in the family
felt a change in their powers?
I'm sure they will soon.
We can trust him to
carry out his promise.
He's been with this
family for generations.
500 years spent conniving
and manipulating,
and in all that time,
no one stopped to ask him
why he was doing any of it?
Those who were closest to him must know.
Cortland, for instance.
[SIGHS] Well, I wish I knew where he was
so I could ask him.
Don't be so worried.
It's a miracle what you've done
his spirit made into flesh.
Very soon, he'll be a grown man.
And surely, then he will
tell all of us what he wants.
[TROLLEY BELL DINGING]
[STEADY MUSIC]
♪
Thanks.
[BIRDS CAWING]
[VEHICLE DEPARTING]
Hello?
Hello?
- Is anybody home?
- [RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]
Moira?
[GASPS] Moira. Mom said you were coming.
- But I didn't believe her.
- Of course!
Of course I'm here.
Mm.
How you doing?
You okay?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Oh. No, no, no, no.
That was not your responsibility
to hold off the funeral
until I got back, all right?
That is on Mom.
Don't tell her I let
you read my thoughts.
- I won't.
- [ROCK MUSIC PLAYS]
Sorry, but the last thing
I need is you in my head.
[SIGHS]
Heard you fell at the funeral.
I didn't realize that you had a cast.
[SIGHS]
Blame Father Guzman.
If he had repaired the
altar steps last year
like I asked him to
You don't use a hairbrush anymore?
It's a long flight, Mom.
♪
I can't believe that she's gone.
You know, I was going to go by her grave
on my way back from the
airport, but then I thought
maybe we could go together, yeah?
No.
You know, it's not all sorrow
and sadness around here.
Lasher's been born.
Your sister is a part of that.
Rowan called Lasher to rescue Tessa.
But he didn't rescue Tessa?
It happened as it was meant to happen.
Things always do.
♪
"Meant to happen"?
You don't really believe that, do you?
[SCOFFS] You've never had proper respect
for Lasher's place in the family.
How long are you in town?
♪
[FLAMES WHOOSH]
[DARK MUSIC]
♪
"Catherine Mayfair, August 12, 1946.
He urges me to bond with him
in a way I cannot allow myself.
To do so would be
dangerous and foolhardy.
I wake from dreams
certain he has used me
to perform grotesque deeds.
My heart races.
Terrified, I disavow him.
If he haunts my sleep,
I will not sleep again.
My brother has no such boundaries.
Julian wants Lasher to know
him in every possible way.
He gives himself to Lasher entirely.
And in doing so, he is changed."
[OPERA MUSIC PLAYING]
Millie?
♪
[GATE SLAMS LOUDLY]
♪
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[THUNDER BOOMS]
[TIRES SQUEALING]
♪
He appears innocent.
He looks like any human
child, but don't be fooled.
He is capable of evil.
I witnessed it in
Scotland, where he burned
a whole village to the ground.
And now that he has a body, I
I fear whatever it is that
he plans to do with it.
Sip, if you're touching this Bible
and seeing this moment
for the first time,
that means your memory has
been erased by Albrecht Escher.
[DISTANT INDISTINC
SHOUTING, DOGS BARKING]
I am preserving this memory for you
because your mission is crucial,
so you cannot forget it.
Lasher has insinuated himself
into Rowan Mayfair's life,
and she is doing everything
she can to protect him.
She's fortified the house
with charms and spells,
and I've yet to find
a way past them, but
there must be one.
[SIGHS]
She needs you, Sip.
She can be saved from him,
but you have to do it
before Albrecht gets to you.
Don't let anything stand in your way,
and don't trust anyone except the person
who gives this to you.
♪
Tessy
Can you hear me? A-are you listening?
♪
Just say something, okay? I'll
I'll try to hear it.
♪
[SNIFFLES]
I'm going to find out
what happened to you, okay?
♪
[SQUELCHING]
[GASPS]
[LASHER LAUGHING]
♪
- [GASPS]
- [LASHER CONTINUES LAUGHING]
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
♪
[LOCK CLICKS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
[GRUNTS]
♪
"Marguerite Mayfair, June 11, 1912.
Julian lit a man's clothes on fire
and told me that it was
Lasher who had done it.
I scolded him,
but he said Lasher
had entered his body."
[DISTANT CLATTER]
- We played that game when you were little?
- Lasher?
The one with your fingers and toes?
Lasher?
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed home.
Better do it before he gets too big.
This little piggy went wee, wee, wee,
all the way home.
Hey.
Where'd you find that?
Marie Claudette, the
ring she used to wear
is still on her finger.
Mary Beth's fingers are here, too.
So you remember them, your witches?
I remember them in
pieces that fall apart
when I look too hard.
Part of Julian's in that doll.
You were very close with him.
Did you ever tell him why
you wanted to be alive?
Why are you here, Lasher? Tell me.
- What if you don't like it?
- I like everything about you.
That's not true.
If you don't tell me what you want,
I can't help you achieve it.
♪
They don't want me to tell you.
Of course they do. I'm one of them.
Yes.
- Give it back!
- You can have it back when you tell me.
- Give it now!
- [GRUNTS]
[GASPING]
I'm so sorry.
- I didn't mean to do that.
- Yes, you did.
No, let me see.
Let me see. Show me.
Wait, don't move.
♪
[INDISTINCT WHISPERING]
♪
You fixed it.
Yeah, I can do that now because of you.
♪
[DISTANT TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hi. I'm Dr. Fielding.
I'm a guest of Josephine Mayfair.
I'm here to, um, use the lab.
It's all right. I know who you are.
Oh, thank you so much. Okay.
♪
[SIGHS]
♪
The results were unbelievable.
We were able to counter the
mutations in 96% of the cases.
Why the hell would you cancel
the next phase of the trial?
We ran the numbers.
And the profit margin isn't big enough.
We're talking about a gene-therapy cure
for blindness, Paul.
The trials are expensive, Sam.
Ultimately, the market
for this particular therapy
is just too small.
Does the board know about this?
We have plenty of other trials going
- for plenty of other diseases.
- Great, cool.
I'll just find something else to cure.
- I have to take this.
- I'm calling the board.
I know they're going to back me on
[SIGHS]
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]
Uh
Rowan, my God, are you
Is everything okay?
It's fine. I'm fine.
What, do I have to
be unwell to call you?
It's been a really long time.
It has been, yeah. How are you?
Fine, uh, great, great.
Uh, Rowan Fielding
[CHUCKLES]
I, um
I'm so sorry to hear about Ellie.
- Did you did you get my
- I did, yeah. Thank you.
It meant a lot that you thought of me.
Of course I did.
I do.
Yeah, look, Lark, I-I wish
I was calling to catch up,
but the truth is, I-I
need a favor from you.
Okay.
Um, I'm wondering if
you'll run genetic testing
for me on a blood sample.
There's definitely some
kind of genetic anomaly
in the patient.
I need to know what it is.
I run 1,000 samples a
day. That's hardly a favor.
I need you to do this
one off the record.
I don't I don't think
that's a thing for geneticists.
[CHUCKLES] Um
but I'll tell you what
I'll I'll run it myself,
keep it out of the firm's data bank.
- How about that?
- Thanks, Lark.
I owe you.
No, no, you don't.
You you really don't owe me anything.
How's Mosley?
Uh, yeah, great, great.
Still, uh [SIGHS]
Chasing squirrels, doing his thing.
He must be old now, like, what, 8 or 9?
He's he's 12, Ro.
♪
It was good to hear your voice.
Thank you.
I'll, uh I'll call you when I run it.
Okay, bye.
♪
[SCOFFS]
[DISTANT TELEPHONE
RINGING, INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[PERSON CRYING, SNIFFLES]
Sorry.
Um, can you overnight this for me?
- Sure.
- Thank you so much.
Is it okay if I
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[PERSON CRYING]
[DISTANT TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hi.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Is that your mom out there?
Yeah?
Do you know why she's upset?
The scan said I'm going to die.
Did a doctor tell you that?
[MONITOR BEEPING]
No, but I can tell.
Yeah?
I hate when she cries.
Well, that's because
moms want to fix things
for their kids.
And she doesn't know how to fix this,
and that's really scary for a mom.
Is it okay if I examine you?
Okay.
[EERIE MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
♪
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
[CHUCKLES]
Why are you smiling?
[SOFT MUSIC]
Because I know something
your mom doesn't know.
♪
You're going to be fine.
Okay?
[SIGHS]
♪
Oh.
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[MUFFLED FOOTSTEPS]
♪
Rowan?
- Hi.
- [SCOFFS]
- Hey, are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Um, do you want to
come back to the house?
Dolly Jean's there with Lasher,
and we have a bunch of stuff
that we need to talk about.
- Mm.
- But not here.
You want to talk about our father.
Well, yeah, I think
it's time, don't you?
I didn't want to push
you, but, yeah, I do.
[MUFFLED LAUGHTER]
[SOFT MUSIC]
That neurosurgery job you offered me
- what happened with that?
- It's still available.
♪
Then tighten it up like this, see?
I've always worn them,
but I've never touched one.
- Hmm.
- I'm old, but I'm new.
I'm a riddle.
You'll have to explain it to us.
Well, now I have a
heartbeat thump, thump.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Are dreams memories?
They can be, but not always.
Hmm.
Tell me what you know
about yourself, Lasher.
- I grew up near a church.
- Mm-hmm.
I love music.
And sometimes when I fall asleep,
I see a veil being lifted
and then the face of a girl.
I don't think Rowan would like her.
Then don't tell her.
[CLAPS HANDS] Let's go. Time to wake up.
- There you go.
- [GROANING]
Yeah
Hello. Over here.
Ciprien, hi.
Good to see you.
Have I been erased?
Not by me.
Oh, you're not well. Here
I'm sorry about the quelling.
I couldn't see another
way to bring you in
and convince you I have no interest
in erasing your memories.
Why don't you?
I'm a loose end.
I could go to the elders
and tell them everything.
The elders already know everything.
They even know what you've been up to.
And I'm happy to report
you've impressed them,
so much so that they want you to take
the lead in a covert operation
of the highest urgency
to capture Lasher.
The Talamasca doesn't want Lasher.
I'm told we do.
Now that he's embodied,
he's a serious threat
to the balance of the
supernatural world.
Will you take a sip, for Christ's sake?
Sometimes a glass of water
is just a glass of water.
What are we planning to do with him?
Mm-mm, there's a protocol.
I can't tell you until
I know you're on board.
I don't know.
Um, Lasher's in the First Street House.
No one outside the family
can get in without permission.
I've tried every counter-jinx there is.
I'm aware.
Then tell me how you plan on getting in.
We've identified someone who
has a vendetta against Lasher,
someone who can get in and
out of the house with ease.
A Mayfair?
We believe she can
be turned to our side.
And we think you're the
one who can turn her
if you're willing.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[OPERA MUSIC PLAYING]
Please, just tell me where he is.
I will not.
How dare you come
crashing into this house
without so much as a by your leave?
- Have you forgotten yourself?
- Please, Mayfair etiquette
you know, when your sister is murdered,
it really makes you reassess
- your priorities a little
- Hello?
Hi, I'm Rowan.
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
Who are you?
I'm Moira.
Moira is Tessa's sister.
Oh.
Moira, it's so nice to meet you.
I'm so sorry. I'm so,
so sorry about Tessa.
I feel completely responsible for that.
That's good. I'm glad to hear that.
But I don't want to talk to you.
I want to talk to Lasher.
He is the one who owes me answers.
Oh, uh, maybe another day.
He abandoned my sister
when she needed him.
And I want to know why.
The Lasher upstairs isn't the
Lasher you're talking about.
He's a child. He doesn't
remember anything.
He wouldn't even know
your sister's name.
That's convenient. [SCOFFS]
Okay, I get it. [SCOFFS]
He gives you a shit ton of power, right?
If you're going to be
in town for a while,
why don't you come back and you
can meet him when he's ready?
It's a reasonable request, Moira.
♪
I'll show you out.
♪
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- She's a mind reader.
You have to protect yourself.
Make sure you have music
playing anytime she's near.
Well, what was her plan?
Just to go up there and snoop
around Lasher's thoughts?
Maybe.
That's what she's usually up to.
She is nobody's favorite cousin.
I feel for her.
Headphones on all the time
to block out the world,
that gift is a curse.
Is it?
I don't know.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[WHOOSHING]
I brought you something to eat.
You look so grown up
very refined.
Who's Tessa?
Tessa was my cousin.
She was a young Mayfair woman who died.
She said I hurt Tessa.
And I don't want to hurt anyone.
No, you didn't hurt anyone.
You just chose her to
wear the key necklace,
and then
she got into trouble.
Do you remember any of that?
I used to play with
it when I was a baby.
Yes.
It's just a toy now. [CHUCKLES]
Isn't that funny, how things change?
I mean, you used to be this
powerful, magical being,
and you gave it all up to have a body,
and you still haven't told me why.
To tie a tie
to jump
To smell.
I like your smell, Rowan.
But it wasn't just those
things that you wanted.
It was something bigger.
And I have a guess what it is.
Can I guess?
Okay.
Do you remember how I healed you?
Well, I can do that
to other people, too.
And it's hard when you're far away,
and it's easy when you're near.
So I think that your purpose
is to help me do good.
And it would be good for our family.
Does that sound right?
You think that's right?
No.
No?
Mm-mm.
Okay.
[CHUCKLES]
So then what is it?
I can tell you.
Okay, tell me.
No.
Don't ever do that.
- But I love you.
- No.
Don't ever do that again, ever.
♪
[DISTANT INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Do you know the truth?
Do you know why he's here?
What does he want?
He must've confided in you.
- Rowan?
- Did he ever tell you what he wants?
Rowan, is that you?
Let me out of here. Let me out of here!
♪
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[DISTORTED VOICES]
No. No, no!
No, no, no!
["FAST [MOTION]"]
Fast, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that gas ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that ♪
My body, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that gas ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that ♪
Locomotion, we causing a commotion ♪
I put it in, I put it
in, I put it in motion ♪
I put it in, I put it
in, I put it in motion ♪
Locomotion, we causing a commotion ♪
Iciest in the whole damn land ♪
I hit the road in an all-white Lam' ♪
I keep a fresh set upon my hands ♪
You don't like me,
but you on my 'Gram ♪
How you look, how you
look, how you sound? ♪
I'm a boss, I'm a
brat, hard to handle ♪
I'm a real life
mood, a real life muse ♪
Got some pretty toes in my sandals ♪
I can't help I was born like this ♪
Ain't my fault that you want my drip ♪
Little bitter []
could have been my friend ♪
Now you got to listen
while I pop my [] ♪
Fast, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
[MUSIC CONTINUES MUFFLED]
[DARK MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFS]
My back is aching, my bra too tight ♪
You mad as hell that
I shine so bright ♪
My back is aching, my bra too tight ♪
[] jiggling, I know that's right ♪
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[CLATTER, GATE SQUEAKS]
[GASPS]
♪
[GASPS]
Oh, my God, what happened?
I don't know. You have to fix her.
Lay her down.
Please, please, I'm saying please.
She's had a hemorrhage.
She's dead. There's nothing I can do.
I didn't mean to hurt
her. I didn't mean to.
No, no, no, no, don't do that.
This isn't your fault. How
could this be your fault?
She hemorrhaged.
- Who saw you with her?
- [CRYING]
Lasher, put her down. Tell
me who saw you with her.
Fix her. Give her back to me!
Put her down.
♪
[SNIFFLES]
Lasher, I need your help.
I need you to go get
something for me downstairs.
[CRYING]
Please.
What?
♪
Scissors, a pair of scissors.
Hurry.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
They should be on Antha's table.
[DOOR SLAMS]
Rowan?
♪
Mommy, mommy!
[POUNDS ON DOOR]
Let me out!
I'm going to take care of it,
and then I'll come back,
and you're going to tell me
exactly what happened, okay?
♪
[BREATHING HEAVILY, CRYING]
[SOBBING]
♪
[INSECTS CHIRPING, ANIMALS CHATTERING]
[WATER SPLASHING]
♪
[WATER ROILING]
[WATER LAPPING]
[GRUNTING]
♪
[INSECTS CHIRPING, ANIMALS CHATTERING]
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
♪
WOMAN: I always knew
you'd come back home.
Lasher's out there
hunting Mayfair women.
LASHER: I can't control myself.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[GASPS]
Where would he go?
Julian Mayfair, the family's in trouble.
My father never was
bothered by a body count.
♪
WOMAN: I'm really glad you're here.
I ran your DNA. What are you?
♪
They took Lasher. I'm
trying to find out where.
WOMAN: This is how it starts.
This is where he wants us.
Brother. [CHUCKLES]
We're all that stands
between order and chaos.
I fear that we may be in over our heads.
This is a trap.
ROWAN: I'll do whatever I
need to do to protect my family.
Then join us!
[SCREAMS][CRIES]
He's here.
He's always hungry.
He's unbelievably strong.
And he grows in these wild spurts.
Like, he looks human,
but he can't be human.
Well, he's something new.
Something magical.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
Action!
The second season, or the second book,
you have to understand
that nobody's safe.
Anything can happen to anybody.
And that makes for great television.
Anne Rice gave us such a
rich world to play with.
This season really gives us
something unique that
people haven't seen before.
Anne Rice's book "Lasher" is
such an incredibly wild book.
It goes to extraordinary places.
HUSTON: They've managed
to sort of carve out
such an interesting journey
for all the different characters.
Lasher specifically
he's somebody who's just
come into his human form.
CHIRISA: For people to
see just how much more
we've delved into the world,
especially the Mayfair family,
to see how far and wide
the Talamasca
organization actually goes,
so it's been great to see the
expansion of the story lines.
DADDARIO: It's really nice to come back
to a second season and know everyone.
We had most of the same crew.
And I love the new cast,
and I got to play with
my old cast, as well.
It felt like Rowan was coming home.
[EERIE MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
SPALDING: We start in our
very witchy, strange world
of New Orleans and the
Mayfairs of New Orleans.
And the house is a
real set piece in this.
[GATE CREAKS]
The house is kind of living a life
based on what's happening to Lasher.
[GATE SLAMS]
HUSTON: When me and Esta
first spoke about this season,
we were like, "How can we show
a different side of
Lasher the human side,
somebody who isn't used to this world,
doesn't understand his purpose?"
So in essence, we thought
of Frankenstein's monster.
No!
You're dealing with
characters in a family,
all who have these incredible powers
and who are also very
human at the same time.
That's what was fascinating
with the Greek gods, for example,
is you have these
really powerful creatures
that still are lustful and
angry and jealous and greedy.
More milk! Give it to me!
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: We have Lasher's various ages.
When you're working with
babies, small children,
you don't always know
what you're gonna get.
Rowan?
Lighting was one of the
first things we talked about.
We cannot ever, ever, ever
light this baby in bright light.
We have to keep this
baby always in shadow.
One of my favorite moments
in the first episode
is a moment where baby Lasher
pulls out his own teeth.
Children do. They, you know,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
and pull out their teeth.
But for a mother watching
that, is that normal?
It was really fun for me as an actor
to see Lasher grow up so quickly
and to play with all these young actors.
Where's the fire?
There were some metaphors
for the shock and unknown
of being a new mother.
[GRUNTS]
Although Rowan is maybe dealing
with far more than most mothers
because her child is a demon.
You look so grown up.
Very refined.
Who's Tessa?
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
SPALDING: One thing we
wanted to do in season 2
was to really inhabit the
space of the Mayfair family
and get to know some
of the other witches
and get to know the emotional
journeys of other Mayfairs
in addition to Rowan.
And that took us into
some very strange and dark places
in the best possible way.
Better?
A wonderful character in the second book
called Mona Mayfair
we didn't use all of
the attributes of Mona,
so it felt unfair to
call our character Mona,
but we leaned in that
direction with the name Moira.
Hello?
Hello?
- Is anybody home?
- [FOOTSTEPS]
- WOMAN: Moira?
- SPALDING: Alyssa was
She just popped out of the audition.
She's amazing.
You could just feel the Moira in her.
And, then, as often happens,
as soon as she was on
set, being our Moira,
we started writing
towards her and her voice.
When your sister's murdered,
- it really makes you reassess your priorities a little.
- Hello?
Making her a mind reader gave
her an incredibly strong power,
one that could rival
some of Rowan's powers.
So we felt her power needed
to be absolutely significant.
- Who are you?
- I'm Moira.
Moira is Tessa's sister.
It seems like when they first meet
that she's gonna be this adversary.
I'm so, so sorry about Tessa.
I feel completely
responsible for what happened.
That's good. I'm glad to hear that.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: As far as the
character of Lark goes
Rowan? My God.
Are you Is everything okay?
It's fine. I'm fine.
Rowan goes to him in the second book
to get information about Lasher.
She's trying to figure
out Lasher's blood type.
I'm wondering if you'll
run genetic testing for me
on a blood sample.
SPALDING: We really wanted
there to be the feeling
of a love triangle,
that Cip is there, still
having feelings for Rowan,
but that this person
comes onto the scene
who also has a kind of
romantic feeling for Rowan.
It meant a lot that you thought of me.
Of course I did.
I do.
Cip, if you're touching this Bible
and seeing this moment
for the first time
that means your memory has been erased
by Albrecht Escher.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: The theme really
for the season is about family.
- And when we thought about Cip
- [GATE SLAMS]
it really felt
like his story of family
was a story of being in the Talamasca
Don't let anything stand in your way,
and don't trust anyone
except the person who gives this to you.
the Talamasca, who discovered him
and discovered the gift he
had and kind of brought him in
and said, "This is who you are.
This is what your gifts are."
And we find him at the
beginning of the season,
having separated himself for
the first time from that family,
living on his own, on his own mission,
because he's so obsessed with Lasher.
CHIRISA: Cip's relationship with
the Talamasca is not good right now.
I mean, he's hiding, essentially.
I think he's hiding because
there's a lot of questions
that have been left unanswered.
There's a lot of emotions that
are just bubbling up inside him.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS]
- The Talamasca doesn't want Lasher.
- ALBRECHT: I'm told we do.
Now that he's embodied,
he's a serious threat to the balance
of the supernatural world.
♪
There's a place down by the lake ♪
Down by the lake, down by the lake ♪
- For the monster I can see ♪
- Action.
Is inside me, is inside me ♪
Ooh, ahh ♪
SPALDING: I had from the
very beginning in my mind
the idea that if our heart
is gonna be with Rowan
as she basically vanishes this body
that her child has killed
Lasher, lay her down.
- Tell me who saw you with her.
- Fix her!
doesn't go to the police
and report him, whatever,
if we're gonna be with
her when she does that,
it has to be beautiful.
So if she does this
with respect and beauty,
then the audience will go with her
and will not judge her
for what she's done.
And it felt like such
extraordinary witchy power.
She can control all of these elements,
and here she is, moving the water down
to sink this body away.
It's like the culmination of the
power that Lasher has given her,
but, also, of the crimes
that he's committed.
That was a very interesting
place to take Rowan's story
and take her relationship with her son
and the complicated nature
of their relationship.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Stay tuned after the show
for an exclusive look
inside the episode.
WOMAN: That house is
famous for its witches.
CIPRIEN: There is a being.
They call him Lasher.
Lasher is connected to
our family's bloodline.
- Are you frightened of him?
- Shouldn't I be?
You need to protect yourself.
There are some in this family
who will try to convince
you that he is a gift.
Everything that is happening
here is what you want.
I don't want any of this.
I want him gone.
He can be rejected. There is a choice.
DOLLY: The object of the ceremony
is to transfer the power
to a female next of kin.
He has chosen.
Tessa is not in her room.
Couldn't even sleep in her bed.
- It's time for me to play my part, sir.
- And what is that?
I need to keep Lasher away from her.
ROWAN: Tessa is dead.
LASHER: The 13th witch is the doorway.
Give him to me. I know how to use him.
- You give him to me!
- No! Stop!
- I'm here to help.
- You're lying.
You can't control him.
You can't control me.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[BARS RATTLING]
♪
[GATE SQUEAKING]
What the fuck are you doing here?
You invited me.
You stay away from him.
♪
[KNOB RATTLING]
[WHISPERING] Go away. Go away.
- Don't you know who he is?
- [GASPS]
♪
[GASPS]
No.
No. No.
No!
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Rowan?
More milk.
Yeah.
More milk.
Here you go, and when you're
done, it's time for a nap.
[CUP CLATTERS]
Give it to me.
I'd like it if you could ask nicely.
Can you say "please?"
I'm going to need you to
learn how to say "please."
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I hear you up there, tossing
and turning all night.
I told you to get out of my house.
What he gives you is not
worth the cost of your soul.
Don't listen to her.
She's not real.
You don't believe me.
Read the diary that Catherine wrote.
She knew what he was.
And it ate her alive.
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[ROWAN SIGHS]
Where's the fire?
What fire?
- Do you remember making fire?
- I gave it to you.
I gave you all of it.
You gave me so many gifts.
I want it back.
I can't do that. Just stay still.
Just stay there for one second, okay?
[EERIE RINGING]
What are you doing?
I can see inside you.
So, if I understand how you're
made, then I can help you.
Okay?
[PEN CLATTERS]
[DISTANT SHOUTING]
Lasher?
Lasher!
- Hey, open the door.
- [CRYING]
Tell me what's wrong. I can help you.
- Hey!
- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I have to open the door.
So please stand back so
you don't get hurt, okay?
Stand back. Are you standing back?
♪
Let's find you some new clothes.
[SNIFFS DEEPLY]
[EERIE MUSIC]
[VOICES WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]
♪
[VOCALIZING]
♪
- Hi.
- Thanks so much for coming.
I've been waiting for your call.
- Where is he?
- He's sleeping, finally.
You look like you could use some sleep.
There are things I need more than sleep.
Here, please, the dining room.
He's always hungry.
He's unbelievably strong.
And he grows in these wild spurts.
Like, he looks human,
but he can't be human.
He's something new, something magical.
But he's not, because I have the power.
He gave it all up to have a body.
- You said he can talk?
- Yeah.
Have you asked him why he's here?
Yeah, and he just looks at me.
I don't know if he doesn't
know or if he he knows
and he's not telling me.
But you knew about his coming.
You understand everything
about the prophecy
and how quickly this
was going to happen.
So tell me.
Tell me what's going on.
My mother used to say that when he came,
our powers would multiply.
And have they?
I mean, has anyone in the family
felt a change in their powers?
I'm sure they will soon.
We can trust him to
carry out his promise.
He's been with this
family for generations.
500 years spent conniving
and manipulating,
and in all that time,
no one stopped to ask him
why he was doing any of it?
Those who were closest to him must know.
Cortland, for instance.
[SIGHS] Well, I wish I knew where he was
so I could ask him.
Don't be so worried.
It's a miracle what you've done
his spirit made into flesh.
Very soon, he'll be a grown man.
And surely, then he will
tell all of us what he wants.
[TROLLEY BELL DINGING]
[STEADY MUSIC]
♪
Thanks.
[BIRDS CAWING]
[VEHICLE DEPARTING]
Hello?
Hello?
- Is anybody home?
- [RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]
Moira?
[GASPS] Moira. Mom said you were coming.
- But I didn't believe her.
- Of course!
Of course I'm here.
Mm.
How you doing?
You okay?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Oh. No, no, no, no.
That was not your responsibility
to hold off the funeral
until I got back, all right?
That is on Mom.
Don't tell her I let
you read my thoughts.
- I won't.
- [ROCK MUSIC PLAYS]
Sorry, but the last thing
I need is you in my head.
[SIGHS]
Heard you fell at the funeral.
I didn't realize that you had a cast.
[SIGHS]
Blame Father Guzman.
If he had repaired the
altar steps last year
like I asked him to
You don't use a hairbrush anymore?
It's a long flight, Mom.
♪
I can't believe that she's gone.
You know, I was going to go by her grave
on my way back from the
airport, but then I thought
maybe we could go together, yeah?
No.
You know, it's not all sorrow
and sadness around here.
Lasher's been born.
Your sister is a part of that.
Rowan called Lasher to rescue Tessa.
But he didn't rescue Tessa?
It happened as it was meant to happen.
Things always do.
♪
"Meant to happen"?
You don't really believe that, do you?
[SCOFFS] You've never had proper respect
for Lasher's place in the family.
How long are you in town?
♪
[FLAMES WHOOSH]
[DARK MUSIC]
♪
"Catherine Mayfair, August 12, 1946.
He urges me to bond with him
in a way I cannot allow myself.
To do so would be
dangerous and foolhardy.
I wake from dreams
certain he has used me
to perform grotesque deeds.
My heart races.
Terrified, I disavow him.
If he haunts my sleep,
I will not sleep again.
My brother has no such boundaries.
Julian wants Lasher to know
him in every possible way.
He gives himself to Lasher entirely.
And in doing so, he is changed."
[OPERA MUSIC PLAYING]
Millie?
♪
[GATE SLAMS LOUDLY]
♪
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[THUNDER BOOMS]
[TIRES SQUEALING]
♪
He appears innocent.
He looks like any human
child, but don't be fooled.
He is capable of evil.
I witnessed it in
Scotland, where he burned
a whole village to the ground.
And now that he has a body, I
I fear whatever it is that
he plans to do with it.
Sip, if you're touching this Bible
and seeing this moment
for the first time,
that means your memory has
been erased by Albrecht Escher.
[DISTANT INDISTINC
SHOUTING, DOGS BARKING]
I am preserving this memory for you
because your mission is crucial,
so you cannot forget it.
Lasher has insinuated himself
into Rowan Mayfair's life,
and she is doing everything
she can to protect him.
She's fortified the house
with charms and spells,
and I've yet to find
a way past them, but
there must be one.
[SIGHS]
She needs you, Sip.
She can be saved from him,
but you have to do it
before Albrecht gets to you.
Don't let anything stand in your way,
and don't trust anyone except the person
who gives this to you.
♪
Tessy
Can you hear me? A-are you listening?
♪
Just say something, okay? I'll
I'll try to hear it.
♪
[SNIFFLES]
I'm going to find out
what happened to you, okay?
♪
[SQUELCHING]
[GASPS]
[LASHER LAUGHING]
♪
- [GASPS]
- [LASHER CONTINUES LAUGHING]
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
♪
[LOCK CLICKS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
[GRUNTS]
♪
"Marguerite Mayfair, June 11, 1912.
Julian lit a man's clothes on fire
and told me that it was
Lasher who had done it.
I scolded him,
but he said Lasher
had entered his body."
[DISTANT CLATTER]
- We played that game when you were little?
- Lasher?
The one with your fingers and toes?
Lasher?
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed home.
Better do it before he gets too big.
This little piggy went wee, wee, wee,
all the way home.
Hey.
Where'd you find that?
Marie Claudette, the
ring she used to wear
is still on her finger.
Mary Beth's fingers are here, too.
So you remember them, your witches?
I remember them in
pieces that fall apart
when I look too hard.
Part of Julian's in that doll.
You were very close with him.
Did you ever tell him why
you wanted to be alive?
Why are you here, Lasher? Tell me.
- What if you don't like it?
- I like everything about you.
That's not true.
If you don't tell me what you want,
I can't help you achieve it.
♪
They don't want me to tell you.
Of course they do. I'm one of them.
Yes.
- Give it back!
- You can have it back when you tell me.
- Give it now!
- [GRUNTS]
[GASPING]
I'm so sorry.
- I didn't mean to do that.
- Yes, you did.
No, let me see.
Let me see. Show me.
Wait, don't move.
♪
[INDISTINCT WHISPERING]
♪
You fixed it.
Yeah, I can do that now because of you.
♪
[DISTANT TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hi. I'm Dr. Fielding.
I'm a guest of Josephine Mayfair.
I'm here to, um, use the lab.
It's all right. I know who you are.
Oh, thank you so much. Okay.
♪
[SIGHS]
♪
The results were unbelievable.
We were able to counter the
mutations in 96% of the cases.
Why the hell would you cancel
the next phase of the trial?
We ran the numbers.
And the profit margin isn't big enough.
We're talking about a gene-therapy cure
for blindness, Paul.
The trials are expensive, Sam.
Ultimately, the market
for this particular therapy
is just too small.
Does the board know about this?
We have plenty of other trials going
- for plenty of other diseases.
- Great, cool.
I'll just find something else to cure.
- I have to take this.
- I'm calling the board.
I know they're going to back me on
[SIGHS]
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]
Uh
Rowan, my God, are you
Is everything okay?
It's fine. I'm fine.
What, do I have to
be unwell to call you?
It's been a really long time.
It has been, yeah. How are you?
Fine, uh, great, great.
Uh, Rowan Fielding
[CHUCKLES]
I, um
I'm so sorry to hear about Ellie.
- Did you did you get my
- I did, yeah. Thank you.
It meant a lot that you thought of me.
Of course I did.
I do.
Yeah, look, Lark, I-I wish
I was calling to catch up,
but the truth is, I-I
need a favor from you.
Okay.
Um, I'm wondering if
you'll run genetic testing
for me on a blood sample.
There's definitely some
kind of genetic anomaly
in the patient.
I need to know what it is.
I run 1,000 samples a
day. That's hardly a favor.
I need you to do this
one off the record.
I don't I don't think
that's a thing for geneticists.
[CHUCKLES] Um
but I'll tell you what
I'll I'll run it myself,
keep it out of the firm's data bank.
- How about that?
- Thanks, Lark.
I owe you.
No, no, you don't.
You you really don't owe me anything.
How's Mosley?
Uh, yeah, great, great.
Still, uh [SIGHS]
Chasing squirrels, doing his thing.
He must be old now, like, what, 8 or 9?
He's he's 12, Ro.
♪
It was good to hear your voice.
Thank you.
I'll, uh I'll call you when I run it.
Okay, bye.
♪
[SCOFFS]
[DISTANT TELEPHONE
RINGING, INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[PERSON CRYING, SNIFFLES]
Sorry.
Um, can you overnight this for me?
- Sure.
- Thank you so much.
Is it okay if I
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[PERSON CRYING]
[DISTANT TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hi.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Is that your mom out there?
Yeah?
Do you know why she's upset?
The scan said I'm going to die.
Did a doctor tell you that?
[MONITOR BEEPING]
No, but I can tell.
Yeah?
I hate when she cries.
Well, that's because
moms want to fix things
for their kids.
And she doesn't know how to fix this,
and that's really scary for a mom.
Is it okay if I examine you?
Okay.
[EERIE MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
♪
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
[CHUCKLES]
Why are you smiling?
[SOFT MUSIC]
Because I know something
your mom doesn't know.
♪
You're going to be fine.
Okay?
[SIGHS]
♪
Oh.
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[MUFFLED FOOTSTEPS]
♪
Rowan?
- Hi.
- [SCOFFS]
- Hey, are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Um, do you want to
come back to the house?
Dolly Jean's there with Lasher,
and we have a bunch of stuff
that we need to talk about.
- Mm.
- But not here.
You want to talk about our father.
Well, yeah, I think
it's time, don't you?
I didn't want to push
you, but, yeah, I do.
[MUFFLED LAUGHTER]
[SOFT MUSIC]
That neurosurgery job you offered me
- what happened with that?
- It's still available.
♪
Then tighten it up like this, see?
I've always worn them,
but I've never touched one.
- Hmm.
- I'm old, but I'm new.
I'm a riddle.
You'll have to explain it to us.
Well, now I have a
heartbeat thump, thump.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Are dreams memories?
They can be, but not always.
Hmm.
Tell me what you know
about yourself, Lasher.
- I grew up near a church.
- Mm-hmm.
I love music.
And sometimes when I fall asleep,
I see a veil being lifted
and then the face of a girl.
I don't think Rowan would like her.
Then don't tell her.
[CLAPS HANDS] Let's go. Time to wake up.
- There you go.
- [GROANING]
Yeah
Hello. Over here.
Ciprien, hi.
Good to see you.
Have I been erased?
Not by me.
Oh, you're not well. Here
I'm sorry about the quelling.
I couldn't see another
way to bring you in
and convince you I have no interest
in erasing your memories.
Why don't you?
I'm a loose end.
I could go to the elders
and tell them everything.
The elders already know everything.
They even know what you've been up to.
And I'm happy to report
you've impressed them,
so much so that they want you to take
the lead in a covert operation
of the highest urgency
to capture Lasher.
The Talamasca doesn't want Lasher.
I'm told we do.
Now that he's embodied,
he's a serious threat
to the balance of the
supernatural world.
Will you take a sip, for Christ's sake?
Sometimes a glass of water
is just a glass of water.
What are we planning to do with him?
Mm-mm, there's a protocol.
I can't tell you until
I know you're on board.
I don't know.
Um, Lasher's in the First Street House.
No one outside the family
can get in without permission.
I've tried every counter-jinx there is.
I'm aware.
Then tell me how you plan on getting in.
We've identified someone who
has a vendetta against Lasher,
someone who can get in and
out of the house with ease.
A Mayfair?
We believe she can
be turned to our side.
And we think you're the
one who can turn her
if you're willing.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[OPERA MUSIC PLAYING]
Please, just tell me where he is.
I will not.
How dare you come
crashing into this house
without so much as a by your leave?
- Have you forgotten yourself?
- Please, Mayfair etiquette
you know, when your sister is murdered,
it really makes you reassess
- your priorities a little
- Hello?
Hi, I'm Rowan.
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
Who are you?
I'm Moira.
Moira is Tessa's sister.
Oh.
Moira, it's so nice to meet you.
I'm so sorry. I'm so,
so sorry about Tessa.
I feel completely responsible for that.
That's good. I'm glad to hear that.
But I don't want to talk to you.
I want to talk to Lasher.
He is the one who owes me answers.
Oh, uh, maybe another day.
He abandoned my sister
when she needed him.
And I want to know why.
The Lasher upstairs isn't the
Lasher you're talking about.
He's a child. He doesn't
remember anything.
He wouldn't even know
your sister's name.
That's convenient. [SCOFFS]
Okay, I get it. [SCOFFS]
He gives you a shit ton of power, right?
If you're going to be
in town for a while,
why don't you come back and you
can meet him when he's ready?
It's a reasonable request, Moira.
♪
I'll show you out.
♪
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- She's a mind reader.
You have to protect yourself.
Make sure you have music
playing anytime she's near.
Well, what was her plan?
Just to go up there and snoop
around Lasher's thoughts?
Maybe.
That's what she's usually up to.
She is nobody's favorite cousin.
I feel for her.
Headphones on all the time
to block out the world,
that gift is a curse.
Is it?
I don't know.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[WHOOSHING]
I brought you something to eat.
You look so grown up
very refined.
Who's Tessa?
Tessa was my cousin.
She was a young Mayfair woman who died.
She said I hurt Tessa.
And I don't want to hurt anyone.
No, you didn't hurt anyone.
You just chose her to
wear the key necklace,
and then
she got into trouble.
Do you remember any of that?
I used to play with
it when I was a baby.
Yes.
It's just a toy now. [CHUCKLES]
Isn't that funny, how things change?
I mean, you used to be this
powerful, magical being,
and you gave it all up to have a body,
and you still haven't told me why.
To tie a tie
to jump
To smell.
I like your smell, Rowan.
But it wasn't just those
things that you wanted.
It was something bigger.
And I have a guess what it is.
Can I guess?
Okay.
Do you remember how I healed you?
Well, I can do that
to other people, too.
And it's hard when you're far away,
and it's easy when you're near.
So I think that your purpose
is to help me do good.
And it would be good for our family.
Does that sound right?
You think that's right?
No.
No?
Mm-mm.
Okay.
[CHUCKLES]
So then what is it?
I can tell you.
Okay, tell me.
No.
Don't ever do that.
- But I love you.
- No.
Don't ever do that again, ever.
♪
[DISTANT INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Do you know the truth?
Do you know why he's here?
What does he want?
He must've confided in you.
- Rowan?
- Did he ever tell you what he wants?
Rowan, is that you?
Let me out of here. Let me out of here!
♪
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[DISTORTED VOICES]
No. No, no!
No, no, no!
["FAST [MOTION]"]
Fast, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that gas ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that ♪
My body, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that gas ♪
I'm hitting that, hitting that ♪
Locomotion, we causing a commotion ♪
I put it in, I put it
in, I put it in motion ♪
I put it in, I put it
in, I put it in motion ♪
Locomotion, we causing a commotion ♪
Iciest in the whole damn land ♪
I hit the road in an all-white Lam' ♪
I keep a fresh set upon my hands ♪
You don't like me,
but you on my 'Gram ♪
How you look, how you
look, how you sound? ♪
I'm a boss, I'm a
brat, hard to handle ♪
I'm a real life
mood, a real life muse ♪
Got some pretty toes in my sandals ♪
I can't help I was born like this ♪
Ain't my fault that you want my drip ♪
Little bitter []
could have been my friend ♪
Now you got to listen
while I pop my [] ♪
Fast, I'm coming in fast ♪
First place, you coming in last ♪
[MUSIC CONTINUES MUFFLED]
[DARK MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFS]
My back is aching, my bra too tight ♪
You mad as hell that
I shine so bright ♪
My back is aching, my bra too tight ♪
[] jiggling, I know that's right ♪
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[CLATTER, GATE SQUEAKS]
[GASPS]
♪
[GASPS]
Oh, my God, what happened?
I don't know. You have to fix her.
Lay her down.
Please, please, I'm saying please.
She's had a hemorrhage.
She's dead. There's nothing I can do.
I didn't mean to hurt
her. I didn't mean to.
No, no, no, no, don't do that.
This isn't your fault. How
could this be your fault?
She hemorrhaged.
- Who saw you with her?
- [CRYING]
Lasher, put her down. Tell
me who saw you with her.
Fix her. Give her back to me!
Put her down.
♪
[SNIFFLES]
Lasher, I need your help.
I need you to go get
something for me downstairs.
[CRYING]
Please.
What?
♪
Scissors, a pair of scissors.
Hurry.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
They should be on Antha's table.
[DOOR SLAMS]
Rowan?
♪
Mommy, mommy!
[POUNDS ON DOOR]
Let me out!
I'm going to take care of it,
and then I'll come back,
and you're going to tell me
exactly what happened, okay?
♪
[BREATHING HEAVILY, CRYING]
[SOBBING]
♪
[INSECTS CHIRPING, ANIMALS CHATTERING]
[WATER SPLASHING]
♪
[WATER ROILING]
[WATER LAPPING]
[GRUNTING]
♪
[INSECTS CHIRPING, ANIMALS CHATTERING]
[EERIE MUSIC]
♪
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
♪
WOMAN: I always knew
you'd come back home.
Lasher's out there
hunting Mayfair women.
LASHER: I can't control myself.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[GASPS]
Where would he go?
Julian Mayfair, the family's in trouble.
My father never was
bothered by a body count.
♪
WOMAN: I'm really glad you're here.
I ran your DNA. What are you?
♪
They took Lasher. I'm
trying to find out where.
WOMAN: This is how it starts.
This is where he wants us.
Brother. [CHUCKLES]
We're all that stands
between order and chaos.
I fear that we may be in over our heads.
This is a trap.
ROWAN: I'll do whatever I
need to do to protect my family.
Then join us!
[SCREAMS][CRIES]
He's here.
He's always hungry.
He's unbelievably strong.
And he grows in these wild spurts.
Like, he looks human,
but he can't be human.
Well, he's something new.
Something magical.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
Action!
The second season, or the second book,
you have to understand
that nobody's safe.
Anything can happen to anybody.
And that makes for great television.
Anne Rice gave us such a
rich world to play with.
This season really gives us
something unique that
people haven't seen before.
Anne Rice's book "Lasher" is
such an incredibly wild book.
It goes to extraordinary places.
HUSTON: They've managed
to sort of carve out
such an interesting journey
for all the different characters.
Lasher specifically
he's somebody who's just
come into his human form.
CHIRISA: For people to
see just how much more
we've delved into the world,
especially the Mayfair family,
to see how far and wide
the Talamasca
organization actually goes,
so it's been great to see the
expansion of the story lines.
DADDARIO: It's really nice to come back
to a second season and know everyone.
We had most of the same crew.
And I love the new cast,
and I got to play with
my old cast, as well.
It felt like Rowan was coming home.
[EERIE MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
SPALDING: We start in our
very witchy, strange world
of New Orleans and the
Mayfairs of New Orleans.
And the house is a
real set piece in this.
[GATE CREAKS]
The house is kind of living a life
based on what's happening to Lasher.
[GATE SLAMS]
HUSTON: When me and Esta
first spoke about this season,
we were like, "How can we show
a different side of
Lasher the human side,
somebody who isn't used to this world,
doesn't understand his purpose?"
So in essence, we thought
of Frankenstein's monster.
No!
You're dealing with
characters in a family,
all who have these incredible powers
and who are also very
human at the same time.
That's what was fascinating
with the Greek gods, for example,
is you have these
really powerful creatures
that still are lustful and
angry and jealous and greedy.
More milk! Give it to me!
It's not a sin to kill the devil.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: We have Lasher's various ages.
When you're working with
babies, small children,
you don't always know
what you're gonna get.
Rowan?
Lighting was one of the
first things we talked about.
We cannot ever, ever, ever
light this baby in bright light.
We have to keep this
baby always in shadow.
One of my favorite moments
in the first episode
is a moment where baby Lasher
pulls out his own teeth.
Children do. They, you know,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
and pull out their teeth.
But for a mother watching
that, is that normal?
It was really fun for me as an actor
to see Lasher grow up so quickly
and to play with all these young actors.
Where's the fire?
There were some metaphors
for the shock and unknown
of being a new mother.
[GRUNTS]
Although Rowan is maybe dealing
with far more than most mothers
because her child is a demon.
You look so grown up.
Very refined.
Who's Tessa?
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
♪
SPALDING: One thing we
wanted to do in season 2
was to really inhabit the
space of the Mayfair family
and get to know some
of the other witches
and get to know the emotional
journeys of other Mayfairs
in addition to Rowan.
And that took us into
some very strange and dark places
in the best possible way.
Better?
A wonderful character in the second book
called Mona Mayfair
we didn't use all of
the attributes of Mona,
so it felt unfair to
call our character Mona,
but we leaned in that
direction with the name Moira.
Hello?
Hello?
- Is anybody home?
- [FOOTSTEPS]
- WOMAN: Moira?
- SPALDING: Alyssa was
She just popped out of the audition.
She's amazing.
You could just feel the Moira in her.
And, then, as often happens,
as soon as she was on
set, being our Moira,
we started writing
towards her and her voice.
When your sister's murdered,
- it really makes you reassess your priorities a little.
- Hello?
Making her a mind reader gave
her an incredibly strong power,
one that could rival
some of Rowan's powers.
So we felt her power needed
to be absolutely significant.
- Who are you?
- I'm Moira.
Moira is Tessa's sister.
It seems like when they first meet
that she's gonna be this adversary.
I'm so, so sorry about Tessa.
I feel completely
responsible for what happened.
That's good. I'm glad to hear that.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: As far as the
character of Lark goes
Rowan? My God.
Are you Is everything okay?
It's fine. I'm fine.
Rowan goes to him in the second book
to get information about Lasher.
She's trying to figure
out Lasher's blood type.
I'm wondering if you'll
run genetic testing for me
on a blood sample.
SPALDING: We really wanted
there to be the feeling
of a love triangle,
that Cip is there, still
having feelings for Rowan,
but that this person
comes onto the scene
who also has a kind of
romantic feeling for Rowan.
It meant a lot that you thought of me.
Of course I did.
I do.
Cip, if you're touching this Bible
and seeing this moment
for the first time
that means your memory has been erased
by Albrecht Escher.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
SPALDING: The theme really
for the season is about family.
- And when we thought about Cip
- [GATE SLAMS]
it really felt
like his story of family
was a story of being in the Talamasca
Don't let anything stand in your way,
and don't trust anyone
except the person who gives this to you.
the Talamasca, who discovered him
and discovered the gift he
had and kind of brought him in
and said, "This is who you are.
This is what your gifts are."
And we find him at the
beginning of the season,
having separated himself for
the first time from that family,
living on his own, on his own mission,
because he's so obsessed with Lasher.
CHIRISA: Cip's relationship with
the Talamasca is not good right now.
I mean, he's hiding, essentially.
I think he's hiding because
there's a lot of questions
that have been left unanswered.
There's a lot of emotions that
are just bubbling up inside him.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS]
- The Talamasca doesn't want Lasher.
- ALBRECHT: I'm told we do.
Now that he's embodied,
he's a serious threat to the balance
of the supernatural world.
♪
There's a place down by the lake ♪
Down by the lake, down by the lake ♪
- For the monster I can see ♪
- Action.
Is inside me, is inside me ♪
Ooh, ahh ♪
SPALDING: I had from the
very beginning in my mind
the idea that if our heart
is gonna be with Rowan
as she basically vanishes this body
that her child has killed
Lasher, lay her down.
- Tell me who saw you with her.
- Fix her!
doesn't go to the police
and report him, whatever,
if we're gonna be with
her when she does that,
it has to be beautiful.
So if she does this
with respect and beauty,
then the audience will go with her
and will not judge her
for what she's done.
And it felt like such
extraordinary witchy power.
She can control all of these elements,
and here she is, moving the water down
to sink this body away.
It's like the culmination of the
power that Lasher has given her,
but, also, of the crimes
that he's committed.
That was a very interesting
place to take Rowan's story
and take her relationship with her son
and the complicated nature
of their relationship.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪