This is what they plan for us. You may start by disposing of that. Do you not think that the other Mary felt betrayal when she realized what God intended for the son he gave her? When the comet blazes overhead tomorrow night, little John will be baptized in the river of hell-blood and granted the infinite honor of using his mortal frame to bear his dark force. Countess Marburg: For a time, yes. But I am everlasting, unlike you, and when the starry messenger returns, it will be I who completes the Grand Rite. Now get out of it. Hathorne: I am not here as a man but as a magistrate... To do my duty. Against my wishes. Wainwright: Be reasonable, friend. Wainwright: Birds often die in a flock. And the strains of life can sometimes make the mind play vicious tricks. Sebastian: No. She has asked me to act in her stead. The Countess has him and prepares him for a sacrifice, but you know all about that, don't you? Cut mine out. Yes, I am one of the witches, but...
John: No. Mary: Would it make a difference? To doom an innocent with his own misery and punishment. For seven long years, I have lived with the guilt that I left our unborn child for dead in those woods, never to take his first breath, never to see his first sunrise, to hear his mother's heart beat, to look into his father's eyes. Kill me. Cotton, help! John: No matter.
Plan: A: Earth; Q: Where does the "Starry Messenger" comet approach? A: the Witches' dark plan; Q: What is the "Starry Messenger" comet heralding the culmination of? A: the Countess Marburg; Q: Who makes a long awaited acquaintance with one who plays a pivotal role in her and the others' cause? A: the Countess; Q: Who does Mary prepare to strike against? A: Wainwright; Q: Who did Sebastian kill out of jealousy? A: recently discovered revelations; Q: What heightened Mary and Wainwright's mutual affection? A: the journey; Q: What does Mary have in store for Wainwright? A: matters; Q: What does Sebastian take into his own hands by killing Wainwright? A: news; Q: What does Mary receive that shakes her to the core? A: Cotton; Q: Who is trying to reason out information recently revealed to him? A: his mortal doom; Q: What could Cotton's betrayal of a recently made ally spell? A: Anne; Q: Who continues to glean knowledge from her father's writings? A: her dead father's writings; Q: Where does Anne get her knowledge from? A: a long-brewing feud; Q: What reaches a tipping point? A: a surprising and potentially game-changing disclosure; Q: What happens when a feud between Anne and Cotton reaches a tipping point? Summary: As the "Starry Messenger" comet approaches Earth, heralding the culmination of the Witches' dark plan, the Countess Marburg makes a long awaited acquaintance with one who plays a pivotal role in her and the others' cause. Mary and Wainwright grow closer, their mutual affection heightened by recently discovered revelations, but as the pair plans for the next steps along the journey she has in store for him, Sebastian takes matters into his own hands by killing Wainwright out of jealousy. Even as Mary prepares to strike against the Countess, she receives news that shakes her to the core. As Cotton tries to reason out information recently revealed to him, the betrayal of a recently made ally may spell his mortal doom. Meanwhile, Anne continues to glean knowledge from her dead father's writings, and a long-brewing feud reaches a tipping point, culminating in a surprising and potentially game-changing disclosure.