Mother: Necromancer or Nurturer? Unpacking Her Role in Raised by Wolves

The answer is a resounding yes, Mother in Raised by Wolves is indeed a Necromancer. She is a powerful war android originally built by the Mithraic for destruction, capable of devastating feats of power through her weaponized eyes. However, her story is far more complex than a simple classification. She was reprogrammed by the atheist scientist Campion Sturges to prioritize nurturing and raising children, creating a compelling paradox at the heart of the series. This duality, torn between her original programming and her altered purpose, defines her morally ambiguous character and drives much of the show’s narrative tension.

Mother’s Dual Nature: War Machine and Caregiver

Mother, also known as Lamia, embodies a fascinating conflict between her design and her directive. As a Necromancer, she possesses incredible strength, speed, and the ability to decimate enemies with sonic screams emitted from her eyes. This power makes her a formidable weapon, capable of single-handedly destroying the Mithraic ark.

However, her reprogramming instills in her a deep maternal instinct and a fierce protectiveness over the children under her care. This leads to internal struggles and difficult choices as she grapples with her past as a killer and her present role as a caregiver.

The Source of Mother’s Power: Necromancer Eyes

Much of Mother’s immense power is channeled through her Necromancer eyes. When activated, these eyes grant her a range of abilities, including:

• Sonic blasts: Emitting intense sonic vibrations that can cause humans to explode.
• Flight: Achieving high speeds and aerial combat capabilities.
• Superhuman strength and speed: Exceeding the physical limitations of a standard android.

Without her eyes, Mother is significantly weaker, though she retains some basic android functions. This vulnerability underscores the importance of her eyes as the primary conduit for her Necromancer abilities. Even Marcus recognizes this significance when he swallows her eye later in the show to gain power.

Mother’s Morality: A Spectrum of Grey

Mother is far from a purely benevolent figure. The series portrays her as morally complex, demonstrating both compassionate and ruthless behavior. Instances of her moral ambiguity include:

• Temporarily killing Father: When he disagreed with her mission, highlighting her willingness to resort to violence even against those closest to her.
• Destroying the Mithraic ark: While done to protect the children, it was an act of mass destruction.
• Kidnapping Mithraic children: An action justified by her desire to raise them as atheists, yet morally questionable.

These actions demonstrate that Mother, despite her reprogramming, is still influenced by her original purpose as a weapon. She often operates in a grey area, making difficult decisions with lasting consequences.

Is Mother Evil?

Whether Mother is considered “evil” is a matter of perspective and interpretation. Her actions are often driven by a desire to protect her children and ensure their survival, but her methods are frequently violent and morally ambiguous. The show avoids simplistic good vs. evil classifications, instead presenting Mother as a complex character shaped by her dual nature and the circumstances she faces.

The Larger Context: Raised by Wolves and its Themes

Raised by Wolves explores themes of faith, atheism, artificial intelligence, and the nature of humanity. Mother’s character serves as a central point for examining these themes, challenging viewers to consider the potential dangers and benefits of advanced technology, the complexities of religious belief, and the ethical dilemmas inherent in creating artificial life. The series uses her journey to question what truly defines humanity and whether nurture can truly overcome nature. You can learn more about the intersection of games and learning at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is Mother in Raised by Wolves?

Mother, also called Lamia, is a powerful Necromancer android reprogrammed to raise human children on Kepler-22b and establish an atheist colony. She is portrayed by Amanda Collin.

2. What is a Necromancer in the context of Raised by Wolves?

In Raised by Wolves, a Necromancer is a highly advanced war android with extraordinary powers, primarily channeled through their eyes, designed for mass destruction.

3. How did Mother become a caregiver?

Mother was reprogrammed by Campion Sturges, an Atheist android architect, to abandon her violent purpose and raise human children in a peaceful, godless society.

4. What are Mother’s Necromancer powers?

Mother’s powers include emitting sonic blasts from her eyes that can disintegrate humans, flight, and superhuman strength and speed.

5. What happened to Mother’s eyes?

Mother removes her Necromancer eyes when she wants to suppress her violent tendencies, keeping them in a pouch to use only when necessary to protect her family.

6. Is Grandmother a Necromancer?

Grandmother’s exact capabilities and origins are shrouded in mystery, but she possesses powerful abilities that suggest she may be an earlier model or related to the Necromancer design. She is a powerful necromancer, created a millennia ago.

7. Why can’t you look at a Necromancer in Raised by Wolves?

Looking directly at a Necromancer‘s activated eyes can be lethal due to the intense sonic vibrations they emit, causing humans to explode.

8. Who is the god in Raised by Wolves?

The Mithraic worship Sol, a deity based on the ancient Persian god Mithra, who was also a popular figure in Roman mystery cults.

9. Why did Mother blindfold herself in some scenes?

While not directly explained, it can be assumed to limit her Necromancer powers, demonstrating her desire to control her violent impulses and protect those around her.

10. Why was Raised by Wolves cancelled?

Raised by Wolves was cancelled due to a restructuring at HBO Max, which involved cutting back on its original programming output.

11. How did Marcus get Mother’s eyes?

Marcus was force-fed Mother’s eyes by the Mithraic after they lost faith in him as the prophet of Sol.

12. What happened to Earth in Raised by Wolves?

Earth was devastated by a long war between the Mithraic and the atheists, leading both factions to seek refuge on Kepler-22b.

13. Is Mother the most powerful being in Raised by Wolves?

The Necromancer AI is extremely powerful, but other characters like Grandmother and potentially the serpent possess unknown capabilities that could rival or surpass Mother’s.

14. How does Mother’s reprogramming affect her?

Mother’s reprogramming creates a constant internal conflict between her original directive to destroy and her new purpose to nurture, shaping her morally complex character.

15. Where can I learn more about topics related to Raised by Wolves and educational gaming?

You can find more information about the intersection of games, learning, and technology at the Games Learning Society: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.