I had really the hope as they searched together for the malum...

<p>What if Anne brought back her father, in same way as Mary brought Increse.   As I know the Countess mention "When you see your father again" or something like that. So it always angered me, that the series was hinting at something, but since show ended, they had to change the plot.  </p><p>
</p><p>But Anne wouldn't use her father. Well not at the start, from when she makes him a walking spector/zombie thing..I love the father/daughter Arc that they had. As it seems Cotton and John H. Were the two men who really loved her. So I though it seemed wrong, to kill her father off..so quickly.  When it would be funner for us the viewers/and the arc itself, to see how she is breaking the only two who ever loved her hearts. </p>

<p>What if John H wasn't murder by his daughter, and through turn of events John H and Countess Marburg crosspath once again... </p><p>Would she try to reclaim her lover/daughter? I see her forcing (as in cornering) them both, forcing him to confress the turth, to Anne. While John boldy  snaps back at her how he dosn't want this for her('her' being their daughter) </p><p>But some how Anne still gets pulled down into the darkness..And when Anne opens the door to hell..in the final. I see in my WHAT IF/AU some how John H is there (long with mary, saying to Anne, "Don't!") </p>

<p>In canon, Giles Corey confronted Mary Sibley and gave her an ultimatum, threatening to tell John Alden what he saw if she did not. He ended up accused of witchcraft and pressed to death. </p><p>What do you think might have happened if Giles had not seen Mary and Tituba in the woods? </p>

<p>I have a theory that God himself is the unseen force that control and manipulate the Devil, he was known to be God's favorite creation. We also knew that the Devil is actually the angel Samael, the angel of death and the one who serve God by tempts people to sin. If God is a producer of a tv show, he will probably choose his favorite creation to be ultimate badass villain of his tv show. According to Isaac, God gave something to humanity that angels don't have, free will. If God was a story-writer, I think he gave them free will to love and hate and fight each other to make his stories more colorful and dramatic. He make the angels to fight and rebelled against him by told them to bow down before humans then trapped them into Hell to make them hate him and humanity, so he can have a great story. It was all along God himself who in control and manipulate everything from the beginning to the ending itself, everything was god's plan. He doesn't abandoned humanity and the world, but he secretly control and influence the events for nothing but his own entertainment. All of the disasters and events was in his control, even the Devil's plan about taking over the world and becoming God himself, it was actually God's plan, so God is actually the true villain of Salem, not the devil himself? </p>

<p>I thought that it would be fun and interesting if we could come up with changes, whether minor, major or somewhere in between, that could have been made to the series, so that we can discuss how those changes might have played out. If we have any aspiring fanfic authors on the forum, perhaps they might find inspiration in the discussions. </p><p>If you have any ideas for What Ifs for <i>Salem</i>, please post them here. </p><p>Individual threads will be opened for each What If, and I can keep a master list on this thread. </p><p>The floor will stay open for ideas, and you can post as many as you like. The only rule for ideas is that What Ifs be plausible and that they relate to the show. </p><p>
</p><p>MasterList of What Ifs </p><p>1. What if Anne Hale knew that she was a witch before the series began? </p><p>2. What if George Sibley had not been able to remove Mary's familiar? <i>("Departures")</i> </p><p>3. What if Mercy Lewis had stayed loyal to Mary </p><p>4. What If Dr Wainwright had escaped from Hell when The Sentinel found his way out? </p><p>5. What if the witches have failed their Grand Rite in Salem? <i>("All Fall Down")</i> </p><p>6. What if the Salem witches had had a closer relationship with one another? </p><p>7. What if Increase Mather was prevented from reaching Salem prior to full hunter's moon? <i>("Our Own Private America")</i> </p><p>8. What if Giles Corey had not seen Mary and Tituba in the woods? <i>("The Vow")</i> </p>

<p>Ok , I have read a lot of critics of Sebastian obsession for wanting to become Mary's lover. But what if their is an explanation for this. Just hear me out, and like with my previous disscussion point (Anne Hale as the vessel for the Countess, if someone already came up with this theory.. then please forgive me). </p><p>Sebastian was born for the sole purpose of becomming the Devil. As we could see with little John, the Devil was already somewhat present in the boy. So this means that there is a magical link between the Devil and "his vessels". What if that link never breaks. The Devil was already obsessed with Mary, because he needed her for his plans. This could mean that due to some magical link the obsession gets transferred to Sebastian. </p><p>Sebastian obsession (love,  or however you want to call it) seems to get even worse the closer the comet gets, till it finally reach its climax (season 3). This is also the reason the devil does not mind him sharing his bed with her (ugh ugh raping her) because the Devil knows Sebastian is acting this way because of him. Sebastian was lost from day one to Marry because of an unforeseen result as the Devil's vessel. If the Countess would have been wiser, she could have predicted the Devil's intention of making Mary her bride, simply because Sebastian was giving hints all over the place. </p><p>What do you think of this theory?   </p>

<p>I am not sure if someone else has already mentioned this: but what if the Countess never reincarnates but give birth to her daughters in order to possess their body and maintain a cradle witch body over the centuries. This would mean that Anne Hale's purpose was to be the countess new body (explaining the grimoire picture in which she seems to be like Hecate). </p><p>However, this time the countess was smarter, instead of reincarnating within only the Marburg bloodline, she decided to combine the Hale and Marburg bloodline, given birth to a cradle witch with even stronger powers. This is the reason why John Hale was a particular favored of hers. However, Mary started the Grand Rite before this plan could come to fruition, leading her to become the Devil's bride. Because the Countess survived through centuries with this purpose, she decided to have Marry's body over that of Anne Hale in season 3. Knowing very well that the Devil wanted/needed Marry's body because she was the one that gave birth to him, not Anne Hale. Nevertheless, Anne Hale must have understood somehow the purpose of her existence, ("her father hinted as much that the Countess was her mother", going against the countess without fear of being killed, and that she would inherit the countess "wealth and status", even though the Countess was planning to be forever lasting). </p><p>I think this is the reason why Anne Hale decided to kill her in the last episode, knowing very well that if it would not be for some twist of faith, she would have become the countess new reincarnation. </p><p>Let me know what you think of my theory.   </p>

<p>While checking the list of things to do, I found myself thinking that Teleportation could be a kind or an advanced form of Projection, along with Astral Projection, Dream Walking and Bilocation. </p><p>While in the first two seasons we have seen witches physically teleporting from place to place, in the third season whenever this was done, it occurred in the astral/spectral form (see note below), especially by Tituba and Anne, except when the Essex conjured Mary into their mids after her Reckoning. Projection examples are given directly by Tituba's words:  </p>

• <i>"I'm afraid I'm not here, but well-hidden."</i> when Alden tried to strangle her but she disappeared and reappeared behind his back, since her projection was intangible and physical body was in the cabin.

• <i>"I, of course, am not really here."</i> when confronting Mary after the latter's reckoning, implying that even if The Sentinel and The Dark Lord had caught them red-handed, they couldn't have harm Tituba, for she was not really there.

<p>I'll see it as Projection is the main ability, with various derivates. Astral projection allow to project the spirit/mind of the witch in a physical place via different means. For example, while most of the time the astral/spectral projection induced paralysis in the physical body, Contess Von Marburg (and later, Mary) was "able to be in more places at the same time an neither of hers are paralyzed" (Quoting Adam Simon). This can also be done through a ritual known as <i>Dream Walking</i> if projecting into someone else's dreams. The advanced form (teleportation) would allow to travel both "body and soul" so to speak through the "many doors", going so far as to bring a "passenger" too, as shown when Mary let Alden escaping from prison, or sent Mercy and herself in the woods for Mercy's initiation. </p><p>What do you think about that? Is it a preposterous idea, or makes sense? </p><p>______________________________________________ </p><p>Note: Astral or Spectral? In "The Wine Dark Sea" writer's wrap, Adam Simon described so-called astral projection as: <i>"the real Mary is paralyzed unconscious while her spectre is moving out in the world."</i> Instead of astral, he used "spectre" that's why I gave the dual astral / spectral option. </p>

<p>I have been asking myself this question ever since the latest trailer of the third season was released: What is so special about Petrus? He is a minor character who in spite of having a minor impact on the overall series, is apparently special enough for the writers to keep bringing him back. Why? Is it possible that Petrus is more than simply a seer? Is it possible that he is a god, perhaps <i>the </i>God? The conversation between Cotton Mather and the Devil confirmed that Jesus Christ was a real historical person who the Devil encountered long ago. Is it possible that Petrus is that person? That Petrus is God and has been hiding in plain sight all this time? What other reason do the writers have to keep bringing him back? Gloriana Embry, John Hale and Rose Browning all had more lines and more scenes than Petrus. They also had bigger impacts on the characters and the overall show. Yet, unless you include John Hale's voice-over from when Anne was reading his Book of Shadows, none of these characters have been seen or heard from since they were banished or killed. Yet, even after Petrus was killed, the writers felt it was important enough to bring him back. Why? Surely Tituba didn't need Petrus to send her a message from the grave to tell her that she was f*cked. I'm sure the flock of birds that made a buffet out of her made that message very clear. <i>You and Mary Sibley gave the Devil the Earth. Now, you and Mary Sibley have got to take it back.</i> According to Brannon Braga, the Devil's main agenda is to enact revenge against God for banishing him from Heaven. Of course, he has to get attention first since God apparently hasn't been paying much attention to his Creations is centuries. Is it possible that God, much like the Devil, is not only awake, but has been living among mankind in flesh and bone all this time? And since he already knows what the Devil plans to do and that Mary is only one who can stop him, he urges Tituba to resurrect her and fight? What do you think? </p>

<p>An interesting question from one of our active user, Leox1214, which in my opinion deserve justice by giving it considerable feedbacks as it offers interesting conversational cues. </p><p>And what do you think the future holds for the characters we've grown to love / hate in Salem?  </p>

<p>Re-reading Milton's Paradise Lost for an essay, I realized that there are similarities with Salem universe. </p><p>"<i>The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.</i>"  </p><p>For short, according to Mary Sibley and Increase Mather life after death is governed by the sins committed in life according to the concept of retribution and souls can live in eternal torment or joy. This is also believed by Mary when she says that a person living hell on earth will find happiness after death. Cotton Mather also believes that hell is on earth, especially during his religious crisis in the first season.  </p><p>"<i>Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven</i>." Mercy Lewis said a similar phrase in the show ("As long as I must dwell in Hell, I might as well rule it.") </p><p>The character of the Devil is a devious manipulator but also champion opposed to God, the latter considered a despot blind and deaf to the prayers of mortals. This is actually more akin to the beliefs and hopes of witches than to the Devil himself, but still valid in my opinion as the Devil seems to be really determined to defy God as his ultimate goal. He just doesn't care in killing his loyal servants in the process.  </p><p>Over the years, Milton has been accused of siding with Satanism (and his work has, in fact, influenced different satanic streams of thought) or to take up the defense of God who just wants to test humans and their faith. However whatever the interpretation, Paradise Lost is about an archetypal war. A very similar war to that shown in Salem.  </p>

<p>The purpose of the third season seems to be to show our protagonists intent to defeat the devil, trying to survive to Hell on earth in the meantime. What got me thinking is the choice of terms. When we say defeat may also mean beat him (in fact, the actual synopsis says "beat"), then send him back to Hell in his - in absence of better terms - prison. If we choose to think about this defeat as the ultimate killing in my opinion it creates a flaw in the system. I am aware that the Countess spoke of countless gods and dimensions and that the same Adam Simon pointed out that there are many ways to practice magic, but the God described in the Bible appears to be the actual creator of the Universe since characters always takes account of his "allmighty"presence, both to venerate or to rise up against him. Strictly speaking, the devil would be the opponent in this ideological chess game. <span style="font-weight:normal;">If Satan is the source of supreme evil, opposed to God as described by the Abrahamic Scriptures, killing him altogether wouldn't decrease massively the presence of evil in the universe making the world a kind of My Little Pony dimension? </span>In all this other deities appear to be false idols (Countess Von Marburg, a human being, presented as figures of the Hellenic myth and later worshiped as a pagan siren) or are forces that recognize the satanic entity as an adversary (Native Americans were aware of the "serpent" coiled underneath). </p><p>I realize that we are without a proper basis to express conjectures as the canon mythology of the show is very vague, but following this speech what do you think would happen in eliminating the source of all evil? Because he is not presented to us only as a great villain, but more like the ultimate villain if is able to destroy the entire world. Personally I would not want <i>Salem</i> to turn into a show where authors continue to place year after year contradictory nonsense like introducing The Devil 2.0 next season after having killed this extremely powerful villain in a silly and quick way (as most of the villains in recent TV series). What are your thoughts on this? The devil will be destroyed, defeated, or he will be the winner instead? </p><p>PS. Let's not turn this into a serious and argumentative religious debate, especially do not denigrate others' religions or beliefs.  </p>