Mayfair Witches strays quite far from the books both in terms of the story and the characters, so it’s obvious that fans of Anne Rice’s “The lives of the Mayfair Witches” aren’t too fond of the show. But to be fair, there’s more to the general dismissal of Esta Spalding’s show as a worthy addition to Immortal Universe than just the liberties it takes with the source material. Personally, I have a wildly varying opinion on the show depending on which episode I’ve seen last. And since Mayfair Witches goes from 0 to 100 within the matter of a single episode, it’s not the easiest thing to stick to the show. But now that the sophomore season has drawn to a close, I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty excited to see where the story will go should they greenlight a 3rd season. And judging by the fundamental significance of the story of the witches in the overarching lore of Anne Rice’s literature, something that ties all the Immortal Universe shows together, I’d say that there’s a strong possibility of a season 3 even if it hasn’t been announced yet.
Spoiler Alert
Season 2’s ending has gone into a lot of unfamiliar territory to look for new avenues to explore. I don’t know about you, but as someone who hasn’t read the books, (not that it really matters when it comes to this show) I’ve picked up on some things about the season 2 finale that give me hope about multiple crossover possibilities between Mayfair Witches, Interview with the Vampire, and the upcoming spinoff focusing on the Talamasca. The worlds are blending a bit too much for things to stay quiet for much longer. So let’s see how much of that explosive ending we can simplify and if we can predict what’s to come next for the complicated characters of the show.
Will Lasher Come Back?
Lasher’s been many things to us and the Mayfairs ever since the first season. When we first met him, he was a charming demonic spirit with a penchant for corrupting the Mayfair witches. Tied to the bloodline ever since Suzanne Mayfair summoned him so he could save her from the King’s witch hunters, Lasher and the Mayfairs have always had a mutually-manipulative, give-and-take dynamic. It was Julien Mayfair who’d both worked for and against Lasher. So much so that Julien had raised his son Cortland to be the kind of degenerate who’d rape his niece Deirdre and make sure that Rowan was born. As the 13th witch, Rowan was the gateway to Lasher’s physical re-emergence in the world. Rowan’s been forever stuck in a fruitful yet devastatingly complicated whirlpool of magic and emotions with Lasher. And because she feels both maternal and romantic attachment to Lasher, her search for him for the sake of saving the Mayfair family has been a rather daunting journey. What Lasher became by the end of this season was an embodiment of goodness. He reconnected with his fundamental purpose, the ideals he lived by back when he was Saint Ashlar centuries ago. He became one with the idea of being a Taltos and healing the world, only to be betrayed and killed by the Scottish Mayfairs. All Julien ever really needed Lasher to do was consummate his marriage with Emaleth and birth a litter of Taltos. And once he did his part, he had his throat slit open so Julien could collect his magic-bearing blood. Because power is Julien’s ultimate priority, he couldn’t miss out on getting even more of it with Rowan’s help. But Rowan getting her powers back also helped her bring Lasher back to life. Before he died again at the hands of the Mayfairs, Lasher fought for his children and somewhat avenged the betrayal he faced in this life and the life before. It’s almost as though he’s caught in a loop of being murdered by greed. As Ashlar, he’d been born an angelic being. He’d been sacrificed to the pagan gods for the nourishment of the glen.
When Lasher dies for the second time in the season finale, Julien isn’t even trying to mask his greed when he’s convincing Rowan to drink the blood. He inherited this greed from his mother, Marguerite Mayfair, the first Mayfair witch to go back to Donnelaith and study the magic of the Taltos. That’s what predominantly caused the shift in the Mayfairs’ priorities. And ever since, Julien has been trying to get Lasher to make babies for the Mayfairs to eat. Let’s face it, you don’t know if anything Julien says is true unless you see it with your own eyes (and sometimes not even then.) So even though he claims that drinking Lasher’s blood while facing Julien will give Rowan the power to resurrect the dead, it makes sense that Rowan doesn’t give in. Even if he was telling the truth, giving Julien that kind of power would be dooming the world to a terrible fate. Rowan does drink the blood when she’s by herself, which can only mean that while she does get the same powers as Julien’s, she can’t bring Lasher back to life. So as far as I can assume as of now, Lasher is dead. But since Rowan can summon his spirit and maybe even find a way to bring him back as a complete being, it’s not totally impossible that Lasher might be back in the foreground someday. Though if you ask me, I think it’s more likely that Lasher’s story ends here. The only silver lining is that Lasher didn’t die misunderstood. He’s been tormented by people and witches ever since he was born. This world was never meant for someone as beautiful as Lasher. It’s better that he rests now.
What Will The Talamasca Do With The Taltos Children?
Look, not much is holding me back from saying that Mayfair Witches’ treatment of the Talamasca was pretty lame. Not only did the agency and its envoys not get enough screentime to even make an impact, the only side that was explored was the bad. But that’s something that can be chalked up to the fact that the Talamasca will soon get a show of its own. So they might be trying to not give away the farm just yet. Representing the good side of the Talamasca, Ciprien Grieve has been a part of Rowan’s journey the whole time, even from the background. While his feelings for Rowan had the possibility of getting in the way of things, Ciprien has always handled himself and the power that he wields with a rational mind. If it wasn’t for him, the Talamasca would’ve failed to understand the Taltos, or more specifically, Lasher. It was Sip who recognized Lasher’s goodness when he touched his body from his previous life. And even though Agent Polina has been a fairly inactive part of the whole ordeal, she did help Sip get the trust chip on the guard when they were both locked up in the Mayfairs’ dungeon. So if you think about it, the fact that Sip revives an unconscious Rowan in the finale of season 2 basically means that the Talamasca has a hand in her subsequent success. The agents quickly banded together to arrive at the fortified wall keeping Donnelaith guarded against their influence. And by switching the spell, they tipped the scales in their favor. All thanks to the combined efforts of the Talamasca agents, Lasher and Emaleth’s Taltos children avoid being consumed by the cunning Mayfairs. It’s also this act that distracts Julien and buys Rowan the time to make up her mind about her next step. When Polina lays her life down to protect the Taltos children, it really shows just how dedicated some of the Talamasca agents are to the cause. Sip will have his hands full dealing with the children and making sure that they’re protected against Julien’s claws. With Ian dead, I think the Scottish Mayfairs will throw in the towel. So it’s really only Julien that the good guys need to worry about. And boy is he more than a handful! It will be interesting to see how Sip performs as the head of the New Orleans branch. Freshly betrayed by the last man who held the position, his subordinates might find it difficult to trust him.
A possible season 3 of Mayfair Witches is likely to explore what the Talamasca plan to do with the Taltos children, who’ll be growing faster than they can imagine. So far, the only thing special about the Taltos seems to be their blood. But there might be untapped potential to their magic that will flourish under the right kind of care. They’re the bringers of hope. And the agents of chaos will be keeping an eye on them. On a side note, wouldn’t it be pretty cool if Interview with the Vampire gets a blood connection to the world of the Taltos? If Taltos blood can be beneficial to witches, who’s to say that the fanged ones won’t be looking for them?
What will Rowan do going forward?
Rowan’s lost a lot of herself ever since she’s kind of accepted the truth about her feelings for Lasher. And after giving birth to him and feeling the instinct to protect him from harm, she’s put most of her emotional effort into helping him discover himself beyond his demonic existence. That’s transformed Rowan in more ways than she realizes now. But her changes are too obvious for us to turn a blind eye to. She didn’t stray from her pursuit to find a way to save Jojo, Daphne, and the Mayfair family, but when push came to shove, she did prioritize Lasher’s well-being, because what she feels for him is love. Lasher is family to Rowan, however peculiar the nuances of their relationship might be. But it’s hopeful to see that Rowan’s love for Lasher didn’t cloud her judgement when Julien gave her that tempting deal. She could either go through the mirroring process with Julien and get the gift of resurrection at the cost that Julien also gets it, or she could make peace with losing Lasher. Just the thought of the damage he’d do with such power must’ve kept her from falling into his trap. It’s not that Rowan didn’t want to save Lasher. But by drinking the blood alone, she made sure that the gifts she received didn’t come at the steep price of her conscience. Rowan can now levitate and make lightning strike down her enemies. And lucky for the world, her aim is better than Julien’s.
If you’re wondering about Emaleth, I don’t think Rowan’s put any thought into helping her out. Since we don’t really know anything about her powers, there’s no telling what her reaction will be when she finds out that the Mayfairs have killed her husband. Her search for her children might mark the first time she’ll set foot out of the glen in centuries. If Mayfair Witches does take that route in the 3rd season, a lot of intriguing aspects of the Taltos can come to light. Coming back to Rowan, she can’t really force Lark to accept her with all her witchy baggage. Rowan’s finally achieved her true powers as a healer, and she’ll put it to good use when she’s back in New Orleans. That’s not something Lark can hold against her. But what he does draw the line at is the war Rowan’s about to start with Julien. She can’t be expected to sit on her hands and let Julien hunt down the Taltos children. So it’s an admirable thing that Lark sacrifices all his memories of Rowan for her safety. What better way to part ways than to forget you ever even met them? I don’t think we’ll meet Lark again. But we did like him a fair amount. As for the Mayfairs, Rowan’s able to wield the magic of Lasher’s blood and pull Jojo and Daphne out of the thrall. I think she has it in her to bring the house back to its former glory too. But Rowan will have her work cut out for her in the 3rd season. She’s got Julien’s victrola with her. So I can say with some amount of certainty that Rowan will try to communicate with Cortland and come up with a plan to get him out of there. But what might complicate things are the changes the blood will cause in Rowan’s emotions and instincts. She’s already got a glow in her eyes when she talks about the blood. So in a possible season 3, we might see her struggle with the instincts that don’t do anyone any good. Julien’s one step ahead of Rowan as of now. She probably doesn’t even know that he’s keeping an eye on her. Now, before I pack up, I’d like to leave you with a possible crossover theory that’ll be pretty cool to see if it comes to be. With at least two witches with the power to levitate and basically fly, I think the distance between witches and vampires are further removed. Should a more significant crossover between Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches take place, the Mayfairs’ growing powers might play a part in that. Who knows? Maybe Rowan and Julien will find a few fanged friends to back them in their war for power.
