Happy Yule!

**Happy Yule!** is the fourth episode in Season 3 of the Freeform series, *Motherland: Fort Salem*. It aired on July 12, 2022.

## Synopsis

The Unit spends the Yule holiday plotting their next steps. Alder seeks out another steward of the First Song. Hearst, President Silver and Kara Brandt celebrate a victory.

## Plot

In the wake of the assassination of President Kelly Wade, Blanton Silver is sworn in almost immediately as the 46th President of the United States. Meanwhile, in the Chippewa Cession, the Unit, along with the others, discuss their current situation. They talk about the absence of Raelle Collar, taken by the Mycelium to heal, and the fact that General Alder is alive and searching for something called the First Song.

Back at Fort Salem, Petra Bellweather is forced to greet President Silver and a group of individuals he describes as "Civilian Oversight." He explains that these people are there to ensure the American people that things are running smoothly during the transition, including her own personal oversight, Colonel Jarrett. Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Camarilla, Alban Hearst announces that they will soon be hosting a dinner for the new President, but that he first has entertainment. He unveils cages, and within them are witches, including Anacostia Quartermain and Sterling Woodlot. Seeing her situation, Anacostia tries to attack using a Work, only to discover the cage has been reinforced to deflect against it. Hearst announces that it's to the death and then introduces President Silver.

At Fort Salem, Petra manages to shake her Civilian Oversight in order to gain access to Izadora's lab. She shows Petra that she has revived Penelope Silver. She explains how this happened: that the strain of Witchplague she was infected with was designed to keep her alive so that she could spread it throughout the base. It actually worked a little too well, allowing her to remain alive in the atmosphere, riding the humidity, fully sentient. Petra asks if they can unveil her before the world, but Izadora explains that she needs more time because Penelope is still exhibiting violent impulses.

Back in the Cession, the group again tries to break out, but finds that their Work has no effect against the Cession Marshal's wards. He tells them to go to bed. The next morning, he wakes them, telling them that they've been busy. He shows them a newspaper headline saying that President Wade has been assassinated, and fingering Raelle Collar as the culprit by use of the witchbomb. They tell her that there's no way she would assassinate President Wade. He tells them in return that the Council of the Great River is interested in meeting with them. He says that together they can eat, drink and be merry for Yule and as a gesture of trust he's moving the wardings to the outward grounds so that they can stretch and get some fresh air.

As they do so, Tally encounters General Alder on the grounds. She reveals that she has come to take Khalida, in order to reunite her with the other stewards of the First Song. Tally asks her if the Song will heal Raelle and she tells her, using her first name, that she doesn't know. Tally pleads with her to tell her something, anything, but she tells her only that they must trust the Mother. She then visits the Cession Marshal, who is unsurprised to see her alive. She returns the song stolen by Elayne. Adil confronts Khalida, asking her if she really expects them to just let her leave after it took so long to find her. She asks him to honor her decision and respect that she knows what's best.

Petra then arrives at the Marshal's place. Abigail is delighted to see her mother, but asks what's going on and tells her that Wade was assassinated. She says that they need to fight back and in response comes Wade's voice, saying that this is exactly what she intends to do. Petra then explains the truth: they knew that Wade's life was in danger, so Izadora created a golem to serve as a doppelganger for Wade and they allowed the assassination to take place. The deception worked, thanks to some timely work from M. Petra explains that the plan is for them to all stay there, with President Wade, under the protection of the Marshal and M until they can meet with the Council of the Great River. She asks that they let President Wade do the talking with the Council.

Alder meets up with another steward of a piece of the First Song, Noodin, and helps her to fight off the Camarilla. Back in the Cession, Scylla again tries to make a connection with Raelle. She talks with Nicte Batan and the two of them finally bury the ax. Nicte admits that Yule season always makes her cranky because her mother dodged when she was five and left her with her grandmother. 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. It being the longest night of the year, she never could and her mother never came back. Meanwhile, Tally and M bond over shared feelings. Tally tells M that she sometimes feels like she is in-between worlds without belonging to any of them. M tells her that when they first joined the army, they felt the same way: that it was either weapons-building with the men or Basic with the women and they didn't felt like they belonged in either. Alder saw something in them and encouraged them to go for War College and eventually become a Coven leader. Afterwards, Tally finally has a vision of Raelle, but it is a scary one, one that causes her to think Raelle might cause the end of the world.

Back at the Camarilla headquarters, Alban Hearst announces a fight to death between army and Spree. He releases a member of the Spree into the cage holding Anacostia and Sterling and demands that they fight. Anacostia told the Spree member they didn't need to fight, but she wasn't having any of it and attacked. Sterling, however, rather than allowing it, began stabbing himself in the gut. Enraged, Anacostia attacked and killed the Spree member, before going to Sterling and telling him he was going to be okay.

In the Cession, Kelly Wade and the others watch as Blanton Silver gives Wade's eulogy, but it quickly becomes clear that it isn't so much a eulogy as an inauguration speech. He declares that the decay of witches is running rampant in the world. Just then, Kelly Wade and the others are rushed away, it having been determined that it isn't safe for them there. The Unit protests, as Wade is supposed to back them up with the Council, but she tells them to stand down, saying the patient hunter spends most of his time in the blind. On the television, Silver declares that the time to fight is now, stating that he break the bonds of the Salem Accord and silence the witches' songs of murder and chaos forever.

## Cast

### Main

* Taylor Hickson as Raelle Collar
* Amalia Holm as Scylla Ramshorn
* Demetria McKinney as Anacostia Quartermain
* Jessica Sutton as Tally Craven
* Ashley Nicole Williams as Abigail Bellweather

with

* Lyne Renee as General Sarah Alder

### Recurring

* Catherine Lough Haggquist as Petra Bellweather
* Victor Webster as Blanton Silver
* Tony Giroux as Adil
* Kandyse McClure as Nicte Batan

and Sheryl Lee Ralph as President Kelly Wade

* Kylee Brown as Khalida
* Ess Hödlmoser as M
* Emilie Leclerc as Izadora
* Bob Frazer as Alban Hearst

### Guest

* Michael Horse as The Marshal
* Luc Roderique as Sterling Woodlot
* Mellany Barros as Penelope Silver
* Emilie Ullerup as Kara Brandt
* Aaron Douglas as Colonel Jarret
* Sarah Dawn Pledge as Noodin

**Co-starring**:

* Linda Ko as Clary
* Melanie Rose Wilson as Vira
* Kindall Charters as Marshal Deputy #1
* Aqqaluu Meekis as Marshal Deputy #2
* Michael Querin as Chief Justice
* Mika Michell as Mortuary Makeup Artist #1
* Maruicio Romero as Morturay Makeup Artist #2
* Amanda Burke as Terrified Older Witch #1
* Ghislaine Dote as Terrified Older Witch #2
* Maegen Eastwood as Civilian Oversight

## Trivia

* The episode reveals that Kara’s and Albans relationship is brother and sister.

## Gallery

### Videos

Motherland- Fort Salem - Season 3, Episode 4 Trailer - President Wade is AssassinatedMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Sneak Peek- Silver's Civilian Oversight - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Sneak Peek- Scylla Tries to Reach Raelle - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Sneak Peek- Blanton Silver Becomes President - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Sneak Peek- Alder is Alive - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem - After The Storm- Season 3, Episode 4 - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Penelope Returns to Fort Salem - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - The Truth Behind Wade's Assassination - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Alder Meets a Steward of the First Song - FreeformMotherland- Fort Salem Season 3, Episode 4 - Scylla Receives a Sign From Raelle - Freeform