Nicte Batan

* Original
* Alternate
* True

## Character Information

### Occupation

Founder and Leader of the SpreeSergeant of the Third Infantry Regiment (Formerly)

## Relationships

### Friends

Abigail Bellweather, Raelle Collar, Tally Craven, Scylla Ramshorn

## Portrayal

### Seasons

Season 2, Season 3

> No more lies. Who is Nicte Batan?
>
> Tally to General Sarah Alder, "Not Our Daughters"

**Sergeant Nicte Batan** is a recurring character in *Motherland: Fort Salem*. She is portrayed by Arlen Aguayo and also by Kandyse McClure in an alternate form in the third season.

She is initially introduced as an enigmatic figure from Alder’s past who helped shape her into who she is now.

## Throughout the Series

### Season 2

Tally, in the form of a nightmare, recalls one of Alder's memories with her old unit, including Nicte, in which they were ambushed in a jungle by a group who uses a seed to control massive, maggot-like creatures which they use to attack them. However, Nicte prepared a "surprise" for them, having anticipated the possibility of being overwhelmed by the enemy, and when the time came, she broke a bottle that somehow helped counter their enemies' tune. In another vision, Tally saw Alder ask Nicte about what she did, and Nicte explained that it was her own Working. Alder pointed out that it definitely was not Canon, and Nicte replied that "Maybe it could be." Alder said that the Hague would not approve, but she was still grateful that she saved them. Sarah went on to say that she'd been watching her and complimented her rare abilities, pointing out that it was too wild however and that she needed to put it in service of her will, and the two agreed to work on it together.

While observing an old photograph of General Alder and her old unit with Penelope Silver, Tally sees a shimmery image of a person on the left and says that a spell has been used on the photograph. She asks if Penelope can see the person in the photo, but she says she can't, making Tally realize that someone is trying to conceal the woman's existence.

In Tally's next vision of Alder and Nicte's past, she saw a devastated Nicte watching people kill themselves with her own work that had been stolen by Alder. Alder tried to explain to her that it had been necessary, which Nicte did not believe since the target had already surrendered. She told Alder that her heart was black and stormed off.

As Alder continues to lie about the Spree being responsible for attacks that were actually caused by the Camarilla, Tally grows tired of the situation. She storms into Alder's office and demands that Alder stop lying to her and tell her who Nicte Batan is. Alder asks Tally just where it was that she heard about Nicte. Rather than answering directly, Tally replies that she knows Nicte served under Alder in Liberia and it messed her up. Alder lies that she wasn't in Liberia at the time, but Tally tells her that she can edit photographs and redact history books, but she knows she was there. Alder tells Tally that the situation was one of her greatest regrets and as the situation devolved into chaos, she thought it best to obscure her involvement. She continues that Nicte deserted, something that for her was an even deeper moment of personal failure. Tally says that she's hiding her to protect her personal pride and Alder counters that everyone is like that. She asks Tally what makes her think she's owed any answers. Tally replies that they are connected, asking why she's been seeing these memories. Alder replies that she'll have Izadora give her something to fully sever the connection between them.

Despite this, Tally puts together the pieces of the puzzle, that Nicte had created forbidden Work and then, in turn, created the Spree. She realizes that Alder has known the truth about Nicte the entire time and has tried to redact all evidence of Nicte's existence to hide this. Afterwards, Nicte launches a distance attack on Alder, causing her to very nearly suffocate to death, despite the intervention of her biddies.

Thanks to an informant, Alder gets a bead on Nicte Batan's location. She then orders Tally Craven, Raelle Collar and Abigail Bellweather on a mission to find and eliminate her. The mission, however, does not sit well with Tally, who feels that Alder is using her as a means to get to announce the big victory of death of the Spree's founder, with the public not knowing the truth about what had really happened. When she expresses these concerns to Petra Bellweather, Petra agrees, stating that she is not alone in wanting the truth to come out, and changing the orders to bring Batan back alive.

The group then proceeds on the mission to capture Nicte Batan. Batan subjects them a series of mind-bending illusions, causing them to nearly kill themselves. Ultimately, however, they succeed in capturing her. She is then brought before General Alder, who declares that they have captured the leader of the Spree and that it is a victory that will go down in history. Batan, however, taunts Alder, telling her that she's looking surprisingly well.

General Alder tries to force answers out of Nicte using a working known as rendition, but Nicte stymies her efforts. She then declares that she'll be able to answer questions, but only if Tally Craven is the one asking them. Tally is then brought to Nicte, who asks her how many Spree cells there are still in operation. Nicte, however, tells her that you can wipe out one or one hundred, but can't stop an idea. She suggests that Tally check just how many witches have died in military engagements globally. As the others watch outside, including Vice President Blanton Silver and President Kelly Wade, Tally tries to press Nicte, saying that Alder said she would answer questions. Nicte, however, tells her that she wanted someone who was interested in the truth, at which point Alder tells Tally that she is dismissed.

Rather than leaving, however, Tally says that if Nicte is interested in numbers, then just how many civilians were killed in the first Spree attack? Nicte replies that it was one for every one of Esterbrook's rebels in Liberia. She says that Alder forced them to kill themselves using her Work, Work which she then used to found the Spree. Hearing this, Kelly Wade tells General Alder that it's time the two of them had a chat.

In the wake of Nicte's revelation, General Alder is forced to step down. Tally then returns to Nicte and tells her the news. Nicte comments that this will be after her own execution and Tally asks her just what she thought was going to happen. She tells Tally not to let this end her, saying that she knows how much it hurts to believe in someone and find out they weren't the person you thought they were. Tally replies that they need to do something, that the whole messed-up system needs to change and they need to start fighting the real enemy. "Good luck with that," Nicte tells her, saying that her death will inspire a new Spree and she calls it a win that the "old crone" isn't calling the shots anymore.

Nicte Batan is brought up for execution, the first witch execution in over 200 years. Alder declares that she takes no pleasure in ending her life, but that her crimes against the United States cannot go unanswered. She states that with three strikes Nicte will meet the Goddess: one for the head, one for the heart and one for the soul. Tally, however, shouts for her to stop. Alder asks what she is doing and in Méníshè, she declares the Rite of Proxy, her life for Nicte's. Alder tells her that she doesn't want to hurt her, but she replies that she's going to have to unless she tells everyone why they're really there. She strikes at Alder's face with a whip and then the two face off. Alder readies herself fr a killing blow until Raelle shouts for her stop. She, Abigail and others then all step forward as well, stating that they too declare Rite of Proxy. Raelle then states that Nicte is guilty of everything of which she was accused, but that the world needs to know why she did what she did.

"Tell them," she says to Alder. When, however, Alder remains silent, Tally explains the truth of Alder's betrayal. "If Nicte is executed, it's one less witch in the world, and that's just what the Camarilla wants," states Abigail. Alder then apologizes for having brought them to this place, telling them not to make the same mistakes that she has, and to never forget that they are also human.

With the Camarilla attacking Fort Salem, the group's leader, Dr. Alban Hearst, personally comes before Nicte. He tells her that he wanted to pop by and pay his respects before the inevitable, quipping that he feels he owes her a debt of gratitude for having turned the tide of public opinion against witches and paved the way for the Camarilla's return.

During the attack, the Unit is forced to kill Penelope Silver, the daughter of the Vice President, in order to prevent her from spreading a dangerous witchplague on the grounds. In the aftermath, they are held pending trial and Nicte comments to Raelle that the pitchfork brigade is moving outside, chanting "Burn, witch, burn." She warns that they will soon be knocking on doors, rounding up both witches and everyone who's different. Tally agrees with what Nicte says, despite Nicte referring to her as "Red." The Unit is then hauled away, along with Nicte, for trial, but Petra Bellweather, now general, aids their escape. They decide to head west and disappear into the Chippewa Cession, along with Nicte.

### Season 3

Nicte and the others take refuge in a paper factory near the border of the Chippewa Cession that is used as a front for members of the Spree and other draft dodgers. Nicte uses a Spree working to disguise herself with a new look. A tension, however, springs up before her and the others. She feels that, given that they are all wanted as criminals, the members of the Unit should change their appearances as well. Abigail, however, is particularly against the idea of using any sort of Spree work.

Meanwhile, Nicte and Tally train on the factory's rooftop, Nicte teaching Tally to see much further into the future than she ever has before. She has her practice by sparring, telling her that she needs her to be able to see not just two or five moves ahead, but when they're in the bar afterwards, having a good time. The two, however, get careless, allowing their activities to be spotted by a concerned citizen below. The factory is raided and they are forced out, having to travel into the Cession into hide.

As the Unit flees into the Cession, Nicte continues tutoring Tally on her gift to see into the future. She warns her that while what she can do can change the world, this type of Work comes at a price. She tells Tally that the price she herself paid was terrible and Tally asks how she an even trust her, given that was the leader of the Spree. At this, Nicte gives her a glimpse of her true face to show her just how she was scarred by it. To her surprise, Tally smiles, telling her that she saw this on the roof days before. Nicte is stunned, as no witch has ever seen this far into the future before.

The group attacks a chemical plant that is being used by the Camarilla to poison the Mycelium. They end up losing Raelle, who is absorbed by the Mycelium to heal, and Adil's sister, Khalida, who is apparently captured by the Cession Marshal. They then discover Khalida within a tavern, as well as General Alder, who has been resurrected by the Mycelium to search for the stewards of the First Song. During this time, Nicte begins butting heads with Scylla Ramshorn, whose activities to search for Raelle she feels may be drawing unwanted attention. The group is eventually caught and captured by the Cession Marshal and Nicte chastises Scylla, telling her that now she'll have all the time in the world to look for her missing girlfriend.

Though the group's captivity is unpleasant at first, the Marshal soon grants the group a little more freedom, explaining that it's Yule soon and the Council of the Great River wishes to meet with them. During the merry-making, Nicte and Scylla finally bury the ax. Nicte admits to Scylla that Yule season always makes her cranky. She explains that as a child her grandmother told her that if her mother ever came back, it would be on Yule, if she sang the Yule song until sun came up. She never could, but, of course, no child of that age ever could have, it being the longest night of the year.

As the Unit prepares to meet with the Council of the Great River, Nicte takes her leave to head off on her own, telling them their situation is much different than hers and that she's not interested in meeting with the Council. Tally asks if she's really just going to leave, wondering where exactly she'll go. Nicte seems touched, but tells her not to worry, that she always lands on her feet.

Now working on her own, independent of the Unit, Nicte meets with Thelma Bearkiller of the Council, determined to get to the bottom of the disappearance of Kelly Wade. Kelly survived an assassination attempt, but was forced to go into hiding in the Cession and had since gone missing. The two of the, however, get into an argument over whether Wade is even on their side. Nicte argues that Wade is their only hope to stop everything that is happening, but Bearkiller argues that Wade isn't even a witch. She says that it doesn't look like Wade is on anyone's side and that Nicte shouldn't be pinning their hopes on a politician.

Nicte ignores this and succeeds in finding Wade. Wade then arrives in time to put a stop to a show trial being held against the Unit back in Washington D.C. Following the trial, Raelle and Scylla decide to get married. They ask Nicte to stay and she pleads that she doesn't even have the right clothing before finally agreeing. Nicte and Wade then talk. Wade tells Nicte that while she's thankful for the part she played in her rescue, it doesn't erase her crimes. She continues that Nicte's day of reckoning is at hand and Nicte tells her that she knows and that she won't run from it. Wade asks her if she's really supposed to believe she's had a change of heart and Nicte replies that everything she did was to save witches. She asks that Wade just use her power to fight the Camarilla. Wade tells her that a pardon is off the table and she agrees. The wedding ceremonies then go forward, Abigail and Adil having decided to wed as well. During the festivities afterwards, the news comes that the Camarilla have launched an all-out invasion of Fort Salem.

Nicte joins the forces in battling the Camarilla. As the Unit reaches the room containing the Mycelium, Nicte arrives, telling them that Wade sent her. She tells them that she and her forces will fight off the Camarilla while they do what they need to do. This turns out be using both the power of the First Song and the witchbomb to change the world, making it so that everyone on Earth has a small part of the witch within them, even the Camarilla. In the aftermath, Sarah Alder meets with Nicte. "Do you mind?" she asks and Nicte changes back into her original form, but as she looked when she was still young. Alder tells her that she's sorry for what she did, that she what it did to her and that she did not deserve it. In return, Nicte tells her that she's sorry that she wasted so much time hating her instead of enjoying life, that she's actually a rather fun person. "Have you met yourself?" quips Alder. She comments that she's heard Nicte's been working with Wade and asks if she's trying to make amends. "Like you're trying to do with me?" wonders Nicte.

## Relationships

### Sarah Alder

Nicte Batan and Sarah Alder were once comrades, but Nicte came to feel betrayed by the Work that Alder made her do. She ended up starting the Spree in direct opposition to the Army and even tried to kill Alder. Ultimately, however, the two would reconcile.

### Tally Craven

Nicte Batan and Tally Craven have an unusual relationship, as Nicte sees something herself within Tally and recognizes the doubts that Tally has about Alder. She calls her by the nickname "Red" and trains her in the art of farsight.

## Physical Appearance

Nicte has a fair complexion and black hair, slicked back. Her face shows signs of age, but is still far younger-looking than one would expect from a woman of her age, most likely due to a Work of some sort. When in disguise while on the run, she takes on the appearance of an African-American woman with curly black hair and a more youthful appearance. Her true face is heavily scarred as a result of the dangerous Work that she has used. When appearing as Alder once knew her, her face shows none of the wear of age and her hair is long and flowing over her right shoulder.

## Powers and Abilities

**Witch Physiology:** As a witch, Nicta possesses enhanced vocal chords that are capable of creating change in the physical world by singing different seed sounds and songs, as well as enhanced ears -- as stated in *Up is Down:* eardrums with "five mallea", compared to a regular human's one, that are capable of sensing subsonic and ultrasonic frequencies far beyond the capabilities of normal humans. She was evidently strong enough to create a whole new Working and claim it as her own -- although Alder had noted that it would most definitely be outlawed by the Hague.

* **Pushing:** Pushing work allows her to manipulate people’s actions through her voice, putting them in a trance-like state where they are open to her suggestions. This is Nicte's specialty, as she was able to develop various off-canon Work using this form of work.
	+ **Weaponized Pushing**: Pushing work can be contained within anything that can contain a volume of air -- a container, a bottle, or a balloon. When the air is released, it compels everyone who hears the sound trapped within to carry out the orders in the work, usually directed towards self harm. She is shown in *A Tiffany* -- in Liberia fighting alongside General Alder -- trying out her newly-created Work which is highly successful.
		- **Mass Pushing**: After escaping from Fort Salem, Nicte goes on to use this original working to create the Spree, which utilizes Nicte's signature "weaponized pushing" to influence large groups of people/animals.
			* **Vespertilionine Pushing**: Nicte can channel her pushing Work through bats due to their ability to echolocate, which she affectionately refers to as her "choir." Channeling her work through a large swarm of bats takes up a lot of her concentration and energy though, preventing her from using other Work simultaneously until she stops, as shown in *Delusional*. In *The Price of Work*, realizing that Hearst is attempting to escape, the group rushes outside to find him in a helicopter that is taking off. Nicte summons a cauldron of bats to swarm the helicopter, interfering with the blades, causing it to crash and explode. In *Petra's Favorite Pen*, she is seen summoning a swarming cauldron of bats, which she refers to as "[her] Army", to show Anacostia. Later in the episode, she uses a Spree balloon to push her "Army" of bats to search for Wade and the Marshall within the Cession.
				+ **Lethal Hallucinations:** Nicte can push powerfully compelling hallucinations onto her victims, making them hallucinate being attacked, when in reality they are hurting themselves. This hallucinogenic Work can be paired with mass pushing technology to create The Spree's suicide bombs. This Work is seen specifically used on the unit in *Delusional*, and again in *Revolution, Part 1* when she pushes two Camarilla members to kill eachother -- after Petra undoes her collar.
				+ **Anger Inducement**: In *Delusional*, Nicte is seen using this ability to make Raelle, Abigail, and Scylla more hostile towards each other; however, Tally is unaffected. Used to amplify the judgments people have towards each other in hopes of causing infighting or separation -- this ability is woven into her hallucinogenic Work.
* **Linking:** Nicte uses linking to transfer injuries from one victim onto a target. Links between witches are able to cross warding circles --as long as the witch maintaining both connections is within the circle -- allowing work to cross with them.
	+ **Sympathetic Attacks:** In *Irrevocable*, Nicte and other Spree witches attempted to assassinate General Alder -- twice -- by using willing Spree participants as living voodoo dolls, inflicting lethal injuries and torture to mirror the damage onto General Alder. Unlike Raelle's initial healing Work where the injury is transferred from the injured body to the healthy one, the witch who initially receives the injuries in this working retains them.
		- **Heat Transference:** By melting the metals of her and the witches participating, and then pouring it down Jonas' throat, the same heat is transferred to General Alder's throat.
		- **Pressure Transference**: By stringing up a nameless Spree witch by her arms and legs, the same binding is transferred to General Alder's arms and legs, physically stringing her up in the air.
* **Weather Manipulation**: Dubbed "weatherwork' by the witches of Fort Salem.
	+ **Windstrike**: In *Delusional*, Nicte windstrikes Tally during the fight the two have -- her's being notable stronger than Tally's, winding her. In *Homo Cantus*, Nicte uses this against Tally when the two are training on the roof to knock the baton out of her hand, in retaliation to her windstrike. The two are seen later in the episode firing a volley of shots back and forth, dodging each others' shots. In *The Price of Work*, at the chemical plant, Nicte fires of a windstrike which is scattered by Scylla to blast the Camarilla operatives loading the truck with a rapidly expanding gust of wind. In *Oh Elayne...*, after being confronted on the bus by the Marshall, she and Scylla windstrike the bus window together, shattering it and allowing them to escape. In *Happy Yule!*, while being held in The Marshall's house, Abigail, Tally, Scylla, and Nicte all emerge from their rooms at once to attempt to surprise him with a collective windstrike; he is barely affected and notes that it felt like "a baby's cough". In *Petra's Favorite Pen*, Nicte windstrikes the Spree balloon she brought with her to the woods to pop it.
* **Pyro-Shapeshifting**: Another work seemingly created by Nicte for the Spree which is very commonly used among them. By holding a lighter up to her chin, she can burn away her face and regrow another person's face and body beneath. Nicte uses this in *Delusional* to swap faces with Tally in order to fool the rest of the unit so that she could get onto base and close to Alder. She is able to use this ability in many versatile ways, including to change the outer appearance of the van the group took at the end of *Revolution, Part 1*. In *Homo Cantus*, in order to shapeshift back into "the face she had when she met General Alder" while on the roof with Tally. Again in *The Price of Work* to show Tally what her true face looks like. In *Oh Elayne...*, while on the run from the Marshalls with Scylla, the two change their faces before purchasing two tickets to the border; however, the Marshall intercepts them before they arrive and their "masks" are negated by his whistle.
* **Precognition**: Unseen through her perspective, Nicte tells Tally in *Homo Cantus* that a bird will "shit on [her] head in about 48 seconds", to which it does.
* **Heat Generation**: In *The Price of Work*, with Scylla backing her up -- after noticing the pipes running throughout the facility -- they boil the water in them, causing it to evaporate and build up pressure within, which bursts them, raining down scalding water upon the opposing Camarilla using necrotized voice boxes of other witches to attack.
* **Disintegration**: In *Oh Elayne...*, after bickering with Scylla about whether to leave or not, Nicte is pushed by her, infuriating her and causing her to disintegrate the crow's corpse that Scylla was working with to reach Raelle.
* **Warding**: In *Cession in Session*, Nicte tells the group that her situation is different than theirs and that her plan, since The Council of the Great River will be arriving soon, is to drop the wards and hit the road on her own, saying that she "always lands back on her feet".

## Quotes

"*I'm sorry I wasted so much time hating you instead of enjoying life. I'm actually an incredibly fun person.*"

"*(chuckling) Have you met yourself*?"

- Nicte Batan and Sarah Alder

## Trivia

* Most likely has some form of youth or anti-aging Work that allows to appear the same as she was during the Liberia Martyrdom and lead the Spree for over twenty years.
* Nicte appears in almost all episodes of Season 3, but remains credited as a guest star character. Her character is absent only from the episode "Book Club."

## References

1. ↑ Season 2, Episode 1: "Of the Blood"
2. ↑ Season 2, Episode 2: "Abomination"
3. ↑ Season 2, Episode 3: "A Tiffany"
4. ↑ Season 2, Episode 4: "Not Our Daughters"
5. ↑ Season 2, Episode 5: "Brianna's Favorite Pencil"
6. ↑ Season 2, Episode 6: "My 3 Dads"
7. ↑ Season 2, Episode 7: "Irrevocable"
8. ↑ Season 2, Episode 8: "Delusional"
9. ↑ Season 2, Episode 9: "Mother of All, Mother of None"
10. ↑ Season 2, Episode 10: "Revolution, Part 1"
11. ↑ Season 3, Episode 1: "Homo Cantus"
12. ↑ Season 3, Episode 2: "The Price of Work"
13. ↑ Season 3, Episode 3: "Oh Elayne...
14. ↑ Season 3, Episode 4: "Happy Yule!"
15. ↑ Season 3, Episode 5: "Cession in Session"
16. ↑ Season 3, Episode 8: "Petra's Favorite Pen"
17. ↑ Season 3, Episode 9: "But I Don't Even Have a Dress..."
18. ↑ Season 3, Episode 10: "Revolution, Part 2"