S01.E03: In Vain

[Tara Ariano]

Mary decides on a course of action after discovering who witnessed the witches' ceremony.

[thuganomics85]

While I'm glad Issac didn't get hanged, I was confused why Mary went out of her way to save him.  Was it because of Alden for some reason, or does she actually like Issac (as a friend)?  Either way, I knew that was going to lead towards her endangering Anne, to get Magistrate Hale back inline.  It looks like he complied, but I'm sure that's far from over.

 

All this stuff with Cotton and the whore is just a big neon sign that something bad will happen to her, and, despite his claims, he will not be able to stop it.

 

Also, wondering why was the final shot of George Sibley stabbing himself in the leg, with one of Mary's sewing pins.  Is he trying to injure himself, so she can't use him for toad storage anymore?

Edited May 5, 2014 by thuganomics85

[calliope1975]

I didn't understand the Isaac stuff or George stabbing himself either. I would think much more damage would need to be done to the body before she had to find the toad a new home.

 

Frankly, I don't get Mary's motivations. Was she possessed when she sold her soul? Did it automatically make her eeeevil? How does she know all these spells?

[Meredith Quill]

George was stabbing himself in the leg because....erm, because....nope, I've got nothing! Confusing ¯\(°_o)/¯

 

I'm guessing that selling your soul to the devil would make you evil? Perhaps? Possibly? Who knows! She does seem to have no compassion (Alden may be an exception) by this point anyway.

I think she saved Isaac because she was concerned that under pressure/interrogation he would reveal that Alden was with him and she seems to want to protect Alden, despite being 'evil', she apparently still cares for him?

 

Clear as mud basically lol.

[spidermiss2426]

I'm so confused on one thing.  The fornicator guy (Isaac?) the lady he saw-- that was his love-- was she the same lady as Alden's prostitute? 

[Amberosia]

No, spidermiss2426, I don't think that Isaac's lady love as... wait do you mean Cotton's prostitute? I don't think Alden has a prostitute, does he? Though he certainly catches Cotton at the brothel often enough, so I guess he must be doing something there.

[Meredith Quill]

I'm so confused on one thing.  The fornicator guy (Isaac?) the lady he saw-- that was his love-- was she the same lady as Alden's prostitute? 

No it's a different woman, you're right @Amberosia Alden doesn't have a prostitute, it's Cotton who does.

 

Isaac said something about not knowing where she is now and wishing he could see her?

[spidermiss2426]

yeah I meant Cotten.  Oops.  I just got the names mixed up. :)

[Matteo]

I assumed Sibley was trying to stab himself in the femoral artery as a suicide attempt, as he would rather be dead than be Mary's plaything/toad storage unit.  And I think Mary helped save Isaac partially because John Alden wanted him to be spared (and I think she still somewhat cares for Alden...) and also because maybe she felt a kinship with him in that they were both persecuted for their love/lust (Isaac branded, Mary undergoing the abortion/selling her soul)? 

 

I don't think she is completely evil, somehow... I think she is just vengeful for what she has endured and because she feels she lost everything when she gave up the baby and John Alden left town, so she was just like, "Screw it, if I'm going to be evil, I may as well be the most evil/powerful person in the world."  Her motivations are still pretty unclear and underdeveloped, but all of these are just my theories.  I assume Tituba taught her most of her magic and things like that, but the most confusing part to me is how she came into so much power and why she is the one who needs to complete this ritual before the next moon or whatever.

 

Frankly, I was happy not to see Mercy in this episode, because her scenes are usually the most disturbing and uncomfortable for me. Poor girl!