Motherland Fort Salem Season 2 - What We Know So Far

Imagine for a moment that the persecuted witches of Salem a) were real witches and b) struck a deal with the U.S. government in which they contribute their magic to national defense in exchange for freedom.

That's the premise of Freeform's alternate history-slash-fantasy series "Motherland: Fort Salem." Add in three young witches — the talented Raelle (Taylor Hickson), the enthusiastic Tally (Jessica Sutton), and the prideful Abigail (Ashley Nicole Williams) — and it becomes a bit of a teen drama. On top of all this, there's the threat of terrorist witches, some of whom aren't too happy about being enlisted in the military.

Created by Eliot Laurence, who also created the dramedy hidden gem "Claws," this fantasy series is one of several recent witch-themed entries into the television landscape, though it certainly brings some unique worldbuilding to the table. Ever since it first drew viewers into its matriarchal world of militaristic witches, fans have been eager for more. Here's everything we know about "Motherland: Fort Salem" Season 2.

Fans will be happy to hear that the second season of "Motherland: Fort Salem" is just around the corner. According to TVLine, Freeform announced during the Television Critics Association press tour that the series is coming back this summer. They did not give an exact release date, so it could release any time between June and September of 2021, but earlier in the season seems more likely.

Season 1 of "Motherland: Fort Salem" was released in the spring of 2020, so the delay into the summer is most likely caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Presumably, Season 2 will be 10 episodes of witchy goodness, as the first season was. Last July, Comic-Con@Home held a panel for the series with the cast and creator Eliot Laurence in which they teased several elements of Season 2, including a deeper dive into the witch terrorists known as the Spree and a conflict between Raelle and her newly-revealed mother. Whenever Season 2 comes out, it's sure to be a doozy.

"Motherland: Fort Salem" is known for its diverse cast. When it comes to Season 2, fans can expect the series regulars to return: Taylor Hickson ("Deadly Class," "Deadpool") and Ashley Nicole Williams ("Shepard") will continue to play Raelle and Abigail, now reckoning with their near-death experience. Meanwhile, Jessica Sutton ("The Kissing Booth") will return as Tally, dealing with her new life as a biddy and the new dynamic that creates. During the Comic-Con@Home panel, Laurence explained that the characters will be in War College now, which means they will have male classmates, so fans can expect some major new additions to the cast.

Amalia Holm ("Delete Me"), who plays Scylla, still has a role to play as the complicated romantic interest-slash-antagonist to Raelle. The end of Season 1 also revealed her affiliation with Raelle's mother, so expect Diana Pavlovská ("Fringe") to become a continued presence as Willa Collar.

While Season 1 left some obvious cliffhangers to deal with — namely, the revelation that Raelle's mother is actually alive — there's a lot more to Season 2 than just that. Freeform has provided a rundown of what's coming next (via TVLine): "Raelle, Tally, and Abigail confront higher stakes, dangerous magic, and a new threat from an ancient group of witch-hunters, the Camarilla ... Their training is intensified when they are promoted to attend War College, where their magic, relationships and beliefs will be pushed to the limits. While General Alder seeks out new witches to join the wars to come, the Spree and the Army learn their fight may no longer be with one another. But how can two enemies work together to thwart a hatred that won't stop until all witches are exterminated?"

On top of those intriguing details, during the "Motherland: Fort Salem" Comic-Con@Home panel and in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Eliot Laurence teased that the story will move beyond Fort Salem to explore the world outside of their bubble. He also added, "It's the long goal of the series to introduce a new kind of witch Eden." Do with that what you will.

"Motherland: Fort Salem" Season 2 is sure to test its characters further and dive deeper into the rich worldbuilding of this alternate United States.