Motherland Fort Salem Episode 8- Citydrop-Review And Recap- The Truth Is Out

A soldier’s life is full of pain and sacrifice. Motherland Fort Salem Episode 8 explores the highs and lows of combat.

The cadet’s final proving ground, Citydrop, is here. If they are successful, they move on to War College and begin training as officers. If they fail, they are deployed to the front lines as fodder. It isn’t a great time for the Bellweather unit to be fighting. The group has splintered when Tally’s secret comes out. In performing a healing spell on Tally, Raelle inadvertently sees what she has been hiding. An emotion-filled Motherland Fort Salem Episode 8 left blood on the battlefield and tears in the eyes.

Love makes you blind. Raelle refuses to accept that Scylla is a terrorist despite seeing everything Tally saw. As a result, the girls find themselves with a “mild” plague from a sound driven disease. Motherland Fort Salem never ceases to amaze me with the inventive magic and culture of this world. This level of world-building is what makes this series unique among other genre shows. Motherland Fort Salem Episode 8 gives us another look outside the world of cadet school, and it is captivating.

The testing facility is a burned-out decrepit town that could be a stand-in for any small town horror movie locale. It comes complete with Americana, antique cars, and even eerie ice cream truck music. Kudos to production design by Brain Kane. Fully developed, there is nothing missing. Creepy television programs play on ancient televisions, and rusted playground equipment lays neglected.

In the abandoned high school, even the chalkboard is used to deliver a valuable history lesson. History has been rewritten in this reality. The Revolutionary War began in 1775, but in Motherland, it starts in 1735, a full forty years earlier. The American Civil War ran from 1861-1865, but in Motherland, it lasted only two years from 1840-1842. World War I ran from 1914-1918, where the alternate dates on the board were 1908-1911. How do those minor changes affect things? The Butterfly Effect would dictate they have enormous consequences. Some good, some bad, all different. The rise of The Spree happened sometime after 1960 in a time for us bereft with upheaval and protest. It stands to reason this is the period in history that would happen.

Tally and Abigail are attacked separately and have no choice but to defend themselves. Libba comes to Abigail’s defense, and the ladies form a begrudging friendship. They are a fun duo to watch. They two clearly respect each other regardless of the barbs they often hurl. At the same time, Raelle encounters Lieutenant Graves. Raelle met Graves back at school. Lieutenant Graves told Raelle to give Scylla a chance. We know this was actually Scylla or some other Spree operative in disguise. Raelle is just beginning to understand the depth of Scylla’s deception.

Moments later, a brutal fight scene shows how angry Abigail is and the level of rage that she is dealing with. The loss of her cousin and attack at the wedding has left her filled with emotion. Abigail is channeling that into a torrent of punches to the face of her enemy. She almost lost control. If Raelle had not been there to pull her back emotionally, she would have killed the trainer. This is their real advantage as a unit, not the magic or the fighting skill, but the ability to see into each other’s souls and help where needed.

Moving forward, they will need each other. Raelle has finally realized what Scylla was. Taylor Hickson delivers a stunning performance showcasing her ability to portray pain and betrayal. Anacostia tells her The Spree targetted her because she is strong. She tells her to trust her unit; they will make her stronger and get her through the mission. She uses that support later when she is forced to confront a Spree leader posing as Scylla.

General Alder has ordered an attack on the Baylord Auto Plant. They know this is an armory for The Spree. A rare misstep from the General leaves the soldiers exposed as two trucks depart shortly before the breach. The mistake costs the army dearly as civilians and witches alike are killed in a massive explosion. Alder learns the vehicles are loaded with explosives and orders the cadets to intercept them. They are the only ones close enough to reach the trucks in time. Some of the higher-ranking officers argue that they are not ready, but ultimately Alder’s orders are followed.

That plays out a second time when Tally tells Anacostia that there are civilians on board the second truck. Anacostia conveys the information to Alder, who orders them to destroy the truck anyway. It raises the question of who is more monstrous. Alder is willing to make decisions that put some in danger to save the many. For her, it is a sum total game. She is a true believer that the end justifies the means. What is interesting is The Spree feel the same way.

In the aftermath of the mission, Libba is dead. Anacostia, Tally, Raelle, and Abigail are all questioning everything they thought they knew. Demetria McKinney(Anacostia) is compelling this week in a subtle display of disgust. Barely an eyebrow is raised, but her disdain radiates from her tense jaw and intense eyes. It will be interesting to watch the unit and Anacostia reconcile what they believed with what they now know. Alder lying in the press conference doesn’t help.

Abigail takes the comfort Adil offers. There is a calmness and grace to Adil that comes through in even his movements. Tony Giroux(Adil) made a lot of his one simple scene in Motherland Fort Salem Episode 8. Ignorance really can be bliss, and for many of the characters in Motherland Fort Salem, the curtains have been pulled back to reveal something they never expected to see. Hopefully, gentle Adil can guide Abigail through her trauma. Her swagger is gone leaving her bare and raw. It was easier when everything was black and white. It’s no longer easy to distinguish what’s right or wrong.

Everything has been leading to this. A showdown between Raelle and Scylla, another between The Spree and the cadets, and a new one looming between Alder and those who oppose her tactics. With only two episodes left Motherland Fort Salem is building towards something big. Lets’s hope our girls don’t get caught in the crossfire. Catch up on all our coverage here.