Salem Episode 12 Recap: One Rotten Apple

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Who is the "rotten apple in "Salem"? Is it Mary or Increase? They both kill innocent people but for different causes. Does that make any difference? I'm thinking Salem is full of rotten apples. In the next to last episode entitled "Revelations", Mercy continues to make friends with the dead people in the craigs. Mary tells Mercy a change is coming. When pushed for specifics she simply replies with "death". Mercy, her girls (the four that are being held by Increase) and all her children (ie the dead people) will have a place in the new kingdom.

Cotton reads up on the Grand Rite and learns more about the malum. The apple that he saw in John's house is the key. It opens and unleashes death. Is that like the plague or what? I'm not exactly sure how a malum works.

Anne goes to Cotton's house and demands that he check her for signs of witchcraft. He begrudgingly agrees Cotton doesnt find any signs (but we see Anne's red eyes and serpent tongue). Yep definitely a witch.

Mercy visits her girls at Increase's House of Pain. Extra points for the crab walk down the pillars. Increase tells the girls that if they speak against John at the trial he will not kill them. Mercy convinces them to follow Increase's wishes.

Mary visits the old witches in the woods. Five more must die. So that would be Mercy's girls plus John. Mary pleads for John's life but the witches say he must die. Why? She loves him and that is her sacrifice. If I were Mary I'd be like "Look witches, I've sacrificed enough already. What have y'all sacrificed? Cause it looks like nothing to me..." And then they'd turn me into a toad.

Cotton and Increase discuss his past experiences with the Grand Rite. Increase narrowly stopped it previously. A witch had taken the form of a six year old girl. Increase strangled her. He says he held on as the Devil tried to pull the body to Hell. Increase then shows his hands which are dark and discolored. Increase says "The only way to stop the Grand Rite is to kill the witch that started it". So that means Mary must die.

The trial of John Alden begins. Its Cotton vs Increase. One of the girls (Emily) testifies against John but of course she's just making stuff up to stay alive. Cotton does a good job of defending John. Later he asks John where the malum is. John says its buried in Gile's grave. But we know it was long removed and Mary has it.

Increase has the four girls hanged. He previously promised they wouldnt burn and they didnt. Semantics Increase, semantics. Before she is hanged, Emily gives John the half coin. Remember he gave it to Emily earlier in the season while having a spat with Mary. Dollie runs to the woods and tells Mercy that all the girls were hanged. Mercy tells her to go back to town and gather all the young, poor, and suffering. She is going to start an army and be it's leader. This ought to be good. I just hope it includes some zombies.

The trial continues. Increase reveals that John Alden killed a number soldiers during the war. The Mohawks rescued John after he was left for dead following a battle. They took him in and nursed him back to health.He returned one day to find all the women and children murdered by the militia. They were looking for a different tribe (but killed all of them anyway). In retaliation, John killed all the soldiers except one. He was that guy with the floppy hat at the beginning of the season. Remember John strangled him on the boat (but we didnt know why).

Mary has a breakdown knowing that John is about to die. Issac (who is vertical again despite his life threatening wound) tells her she can save John. Issac calls her "Magic Mary". That's pretty hokie but it gives Mary the confidence she needs. Mary mysteriously arrives in John's cell. They confess their love for each other. John says he's doomed. Mary says "dream with me one more time". And with that she teleports them into the woods. Yep John knows she's a witch now. And my guess is he's not smart enough to just run away while he has the chance. That's what I would do... Run away, screaming, like a little girl...

Favorite Quotes:

"I am your mother now, all of you"- Mercy to all the dead people.
"I assure you Miss Hale if you were a witch you'd know it"- Cotton to Anne.
"We still serve the Queen of the Night and she has not forgotten you"- Mercy to the girls.
"The malum will open and many innocents will die, what is one more"- the old witches to Mary when she says John Alden is innocent. Well, they do have a point.
"There is still a place for us in this world"- Mary to John.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). A great lead up into the final. Who will survive or will we have to wait till season 2 to get to the good stuff?