Christina Braithwhite

**Christina Braithwhite** is the main antagonist in *Lovecraft Country*. She is portrayed by Abbey Lee.

She is the daughter of a leader of a cult-like secret organization, who has mysterious abilities and a fixation on achieving unmitigated power.

## History

### Biography

Christina was born to a distant father, who cared more for accomplishing his own goal than he did for her.

## Throughout the Series

### Season 1

#### Sundown

Christina follows Tic, Letitia, and George to Simmonville, where they are chased out of town by a lynch mob. Driving a silver sedan, Christina merges in between Leti and lynch mob. Christina comes to a sudden halt, which causes the group of men to mysteriously flip over the sedan without having even touched it. Christina exits the silver sedan and looks at Tic before he drives away.

#### Whitey's on the Moon

Christina finds Tic, Leti, and George in the woods surrounded by monsters. She blows a whistle and causes the monsters to flee. She orders Dell to escort Ticto her father’s lab and George and Leti to their rooms. And just like that, George and Leti have no memory of what just occurred.

Before long, Christina and Samuel are joined by Tic. Samuel points to one of his favorite paintings by Josef Tannhauser of Adam. It is "Genesis 2:19." Christina recites the biblical verse associated with it, which details how in naming these creatures, Adam is assigning them their final form and putting them in their place. At the dawn of time, everything was the way it should be, but then Eve brought entropy and death into the world, Christina adds. Samuel compares himself to Adam, stating that he’s worked a long time to return to Paradise. Christina believes that Tic can help in her father in his mission.

Christina warns Tic that her father, along with the other arriving lodge members, can be very dangerous and suggests that Tic look into making friends. Tic accuses her of performing a spell to make George and Leti forget what they saw. Christina explains that the spell wasn’t specifically targeted towards them, rather anyone who would encounter their guard dogs and lives to tell about it. Tic persuades Christina into removing the spell from George and Leti. As they’re memories return, they scream out for Tic, but Christina has used a spell to lock him in his room.

Christina then gets word from a stable boy that "it’s time." She rushes to the barn, where one of the cows have gone into labor. She reaches inside and assists with the birthing process. Rather than giving birth to a baby calf, the cows give birth to one of the creatures that protect their home.

The lodge members arrive and they orchestrate illusions for Tic, Leti, and George, however, Christina appears unwanted.

Upon learning that Tic, Leti, and George rescued Montrose, they spelled an invisible barrier near the bridge, causing the Freemans to crash. Christina and Samuel approach them and Samuel shoots Leti, who bleeds out in seconds. Tic calls out to Christina for help, but she is unable to caught. Samuel then gives Tic a choice of who he will shoot next. When Tic doesn’t choose, he shoots George.

Christina informs Tic that her father plans to open the door to the Garden of Eden, to a time when man was immortal. He believes that he can step through it into eternal life, and with Tic being a direct descendant of Titus, his blood will help Samuel accomplish this goal. Tic asks why Christina tries so hard to help her father when he clearly doesn’t care about her. Christina explains that while the things they’ve done are unforgivable, she still comes running whenever they need help. Admittedly, it’s pathetic. Tic watches through a portal as Leti resurrects. Christina assures Tic that her father will heal George as well, but only after Tic has willingly participated in the ceremony. Christina then hands over the official ring of members of the Order of the Ancient Dawn. She tells Tic that their destinies aren’t decided by their fathers or grandfathers. The smallest thing could take them on a new course.

#### Holy Ghost

Christina arranged for Leti to be sent a large sum of money under the guise that it's an inheritance from her dead mother and moved her into the Winthrop house. Tic confronts her after discovering what she did. He figured it out because of the name Winthrop. He saw it carved on one of her father's favorite paintings. Christina explains that Horatio Winthrop, the former owner of Leti's house and one of the founding members of the Sons of Adam. He was banished after stealing pages from the Book of Names. He didn't like that Titus Braithwhite had the only cipher to read the Language of Adam and tried to develop his own from the stolen pages. Hiram Epstein was one of his followers. Tic pulls a gun on Christina, planning to kill her, but she uses her magic to control him, completely immobilizing him.

Christina explains that most of the Order never created their own spell. They don’t have the discipline or talent. Those that do usually get one spell in their lifetime. Her father's spell was invulnerability. He thought that if he couldn’t be harmed then he’d live forever. But he had to remove it when he attempted to open the door to the Garden of Eden. Every spell the Sons have created come from just one deciphered chapter of the Book of Names, orally passed down by Titus. The Book is gone and Titus locked his pages in a booby-trapped vault that only he could access. But if Horatio Winthrop’s pages were to be found, the Language of Adam could finally be decoded in its entirety. Before leaving, Christina slips her card into his pocket and tells Tic to call her when he's ready to discuss their family’s legacy.

#### A History of Violence

Christina pulls up to Leti’s house unexpectedly. An invisible barrier prevents her from entering the home. The seal of protection from the priestess holds true. Leti comes to realize that the money wasn’t an inheritance from her money but rather Christina. She tells Leti how Tic showed up at the realtor’s office and tried to kill her. If he continues on this path of destruction, he will get them killed. Christina has come to claim Hiram’s orrery — a gold model of the solar system. However, Leti tells Christina to leave.

#### Strange Case

Christina tasks Ruby with hiding a mysterious talisman in Captain Lancaster’s office during a meeting of the Order. Ruby is initially reluctant, but Christina convinces her after explaining that William is the rightful heir to the lodge. Captain Lancaster tried to kill him to take his seat. They shot William in the back and dumped his body in the river like trash. Lancaster believes that he succeeded but William survived with Christina’s help. And with Ruby’s help, William will have his revenge.

Christina comes from out the basement and locks the door behind herself. She finds Ruby sitting on the couch, covered in blood. Ruby questions why it’s the only door in the house that locks and what’s in the basement. Christina doesn’t answer. She claims that she’s been where Ruby is, but Ruby is certain that Christina couldn’t possibly relate to her problems. Ruby has also learned that white people are disillusioned with themselves. They want to be black meanwhile black people want to be white and have the privileges of being so. Christina admits this is true. She explains that William’s invitation wasn’t just to be white — it was an invitation for Ruby to do what she wants. That’s the currency of magic: unmitigated freedom. She asks who Ruby truly is when she’s uninterrupted.

#### I Am.

Christina takes Ruby into the basement. William’s and Hillary’s real bodies are attached to machines and their blood is drawn to create the metamorphosis potion. Christina explains that what Ruby knows of William is true. He was killed by Captain Lancaster. Not only does Christina want vengeance, she also wants power. She goes on to explain how the Order of the Ancient Dawn doesn’t accept women, so she sought William out and seduced him into being her teacher. The more she learned, the more power she wanted to. William’s spell, which she completed, was the beginning of bigger ambitions. Christina tells Ruby that she never lied to her. The words may have come from William’s mouth, but they were her words. Ruby then demands the truth in its entirety, and Christina reveals that it involves lost pages from the Book of Names and Ruby’s family.

#### Jig-A-Bobo

Christina meets with Tic, who wants her to teach him how to cast a protection spell. She congratulates him on recovering Titus’ pages. Tic then shows her the key to Hiram’s time machine and uses it to persuade Christina into teaching him. She informs him that an incantation isn’t a spell. To cast, he needs energy, intention, and a body. She outlines a protection sigil in dust and tells him to trace it around the location he’s going to cast the spell in. Tic hands over the key as promised and asks what’s going to happen during the autumnal equinox. She tells him that she’s going to achieve immortality.

Christina returns home disguised as William to find Ruby being hassled outside. She sees Ruby inside, gets her undressed, and helps her into the tub. Afterward, Ruby takes the metamorphosis potion, and they have sex. Towards the end, the potion wears off, and Ruby returns to her natural state mid-sex.

Ruby tells Christina how Emmett Till, a 14 year old boy, was beaten and shot to death, then tied with barbed wire by the neck to a cotton gin fan and cast into the Tallahatchie River. She asks Christina if she cares. She replies that she doesn’t. She doesn't care about Emmett Till, Roy Bryant, J. W. Milam, or any unfortunate souls who shared their fate. Nor does she care that half the city is on the brink of chaos. When she was having sex with Ruby, she saw someone being reborn. In truth, Ruby took the potion because she wanted to hide from the fact that she was a woman who wanted what she wanted.

Christina meets with Leti, and they briefly discuss the similarities between miracles and magic. Perhaps her father considered himself God-like when he resurrected Leti, but he was a mere mortal. Most men with god complexes want to live in heaven and not hell, failing to understand that God is both. Leti questions if Christina means to be God, but the real reason she called her was to make her a proposition. She offers Christina photos of Titus’ pages in exchange for her putting an invulnerability spell on Tic. Christina won’t do it for Tic, but she’s willing to place the spell on Leti. Christina gives her the Mark of Cain — her father’s invulnerability spell. Christina was the first to realize it could also be used to heal someone.

Christina brands herself with the Mark of Cain and pays two men to beat her and shoot her before tying a barbed wire around her neck and casting her into the river, mirroring Emmett Till’s death. She emerges from the water seconds later, sobbing and laughing.

#### Rewind 1921

Christina discovers that Dee was cursed by Captain Lancaster. From the well detailed pictures drawn by Dee, she concludes that the curse is a combination between Titus’ pages and Horatio’s stolen ones. However, she can’t remove it without the Book of Names. Though she can perform a restoration spell to reset the curse’s cycle, buying Dee another 24 hours. Christina will perform the spell only if Tic agrees to come back with her to Ardham on the night of the autumnal equinox. She’ll also need all of their help to channel intention. She adds that births make locations ripe for spell casting, so better they do it in the apartment, where Dee was born. Before leaving to tend to personal matters, she hands Tic a symbol to trace around the apartment and tells them that the blood of Dee’s closest relative will be needed for the spell.

Christina eventually returns and uses Hippolyta's blood to perform the reset spell. Afterward, she leaves with Ruby. Later that evening, Ruby asks Christina about Dell, who was her father’s groundskeeper. Christina reveals that Leti hit her over the head with a shovel and put her in a coma. Ruby then questions if Christina only helped Diana to get to Tic. Ruby believes that she was merely Christina’s plan b, but Christina assures her that isn’t true, though she does admit that her plan for autumnal equinox is to kill Tic. Ruby makes Christina promise that no matter what, she won’t hurt Leti.

#### Full Circle

Christina drives into a light pole as Titus appears in the middle of the road. She crashes through the windshield but is back on her feet in a matter of seconds. She approaches Titus, who reveals that Tic has the Book of Names before being summoned back to the circle. And so, Christina goes to Tic and asks for the Book of Names. She tells Tic that it’s not personal. His death is merely a consequence of the spell she’s attempting to cast. There’s no other way for it to work, at least not without the Book of Names. Christina gives her word that she’ll leave Tic and his family alone if they hand over the book, but Tic declines her proposal. As she’s leaving, Christina removes the invulnerability spell she put on Leti.

Ruby asks Christina about her spell. Christina has been reviewing the details to ensure it's perfect. Intention, location, the body combined with an incantation — those are the elements of magic. The first time Christina created the potion was on the bridge Lancaster shot William on. She used the energy of his death for his rebirth. For the body, she combined parts of her blood, hair, and nails with his. This is why she keeps him in a comatose state rather than just letting him die. She warns Ruby just how delicate a spell can be and if it doesn’t work, then she killed the last of her family for nothing. Ruby assures Christina the spell will work and kisses her.

Christina catches Ruby trying to steal her blood to hijack her spell. So she kills Ruby and uses her blood to create a metamorphosis potion to pose as Ruby and join Leti and Tic. They eventually arrive in Ardham. Still disguised as Ruby, Christina and Leti use blood to draw symbols on the watchtower to complete the binding triangle. leti then realizes that Ruby is actually Christina using the metamorphosis potion. Christina reveals that she caught Ruby trying to steal the potion and killed her. In a fit of rage, Leti punches Christina and a fight ensues, ending with Leti being thrown off the tower to her death.

Christina arrives with the Book of Names in hand as Tic is strapped onto the sacrificial altar. She reveals that she’s aware of his plan and that it might’ve even worked if not for Ruby. Tic asks about Leti, but Christina’s silence is all the confirmation Tic needs to fears that she’s dead. The spell begins. Christina cuts open both of Tic’s wrists and bathes in his blood. The spell appears to work as Tic’s life force is transferred into her. Leti then sneaks up from behind and stabs Christina with her blade, but she is unharmed given her recently acquired immortality. Despite the fact that they failed to make the blood connection, Leti still recites the spell, causing a dark cloud to form. With Ji-ah's help, Leti makes the blood connection and not only strips Christina of her immortality but of magic overall.

Christina remains under the rubble from the explosion when Dee arrives accompanied by Tic’s shoggoth. She reveals that she didn’t come to save Christina. She exposes her robotic arm and uses it to savagely murder Christina, who finally is helpless.

## Personality

Despite her wealthy and privileged upbringing, Christina has not shown the same disdain towards black people as many like her have. However, Christina is still willing to sacrifice and exploit anyone (black or white) necessary for her and her father's pursuits. She displays little empathy for others.

## Physical Appearance

Christina is a statuesque young white woman, with an elegantly dignified appearance and demeanor matching her elite class. She is has high cheekbones, blue eyes, and blonde hair, and a slender but very tall figure.

## Relationships

* Samuel Braithwhite - Christina's father who didn't pay her as much attention a she would've liked. He was consumed by his life's mission to access the Garden of Eden with the Order of the Ancient Dawn, a society that does not permit women.
* Ruby Baptiste - Christina's lover, who is the sister of Letitia Lewis. Ruby began her relationship with William, but discovered Christina and William to be the same person when William transformed in front of her.

## Appearances

Season One
* *Sundown*
* *Whitey's on the Moon*
* *Holy Ghost*
* *A History of Violence*
* *Strange Case*
* *I Am.*
* *Jig-A-Bobo*
* *Rewind 1921*
* *Full Circle*

## Quotes

> Challenging entropy is perilous work, and the Language of Adam is a tricky thing to get right. Many men have suffered greatly trying to wield it. But the spelled blood of the man who wielded it best might just give my father's spell the advantage it needs.
>
> Christina to Tic, Whitey's on the Moon

> What I know is, our destinies are not decided by our fathers or grandfathers or, in your case, great-great-great-great grandfather. The smallest, most inconsequential thing can take you on a new course.You just have to see it... and seize it.
>
> Christina to Tic, Whitey's on the Moon

> Call me when you're ready to learn more about our family legacy. And Tic, really, you... Have to be smarter than this. You know you can't just go around killing white women.
>
> Christina to Tic, Holy Ghost

> You're right. We want to be you and you... you wanna be us. But you misunderstood William's invitation. It wasn't just to be white. It was an invitation to do whatever the fuck you want. That's the currency of magic. Unmitigated freedom. Who are you really, uninterrupted?
>
> Christina to Ruby, Strange Case

> I don't care about Emmett Till. I don't care about Roy Bryant or J.W. Milam, who'll never see justice for what they did. I don't care that half this city's on the brink because of it, and I don't think that you really do either. Pain. "It's like being unmade." That's what you said about the transformation, but that's not what I saw when I was fucking you. I saw someone being reborn. You took that potion because you wanted to hide from the fact that even on today of all days, you were a woman who wanted what she wanted.
>
> Christina to Ruby, Jig-A-Bobo

> Perhaps my father considered himself godlike when he resurrected you, but he was just a mortal, confused that being powerful and being able to manipulate those around him made him more. Most men with god complexes wanna live in heaven, but not hell, failing to understand that God is both.
>
> Christina to Leti, Jig-A-Bobo

> Going over the details of my spell. Intention, location, the body combined with an incantation... those are the elements of magic. First time I created the potion was on the bridge Lancaster shot William on. I used the energy of his death for his rebirth. For the body, I combined parts of my blood, hair, and nails with his. That's why I have to keep William in a comatose state.
>
> Christina to Ruby, Full Circle]]

## Trivia

* In the Lovecraft Country novel, Samuel Braithwhite doesn't have a daughter; but he has a son named Caleb.

## References

1. ↑ *Sundown*
2. ↑ *Whitey's on the Moon*
3. ↑ *Holy Ghost*
4. ↑ *A History of Violence*
5. ↑ *Strange Case*
6. ↑ *I Am.*
7. ↑ *Jig-A-Bobo*
8. ↑ *Rewind 1921*
9. ↑ *Full Circle*