AMC’s thrilling show Mayfair Witches, part of its Immortal Universe, tells the story of Rowan Fielding, a neurosurgeon, who learns that her real name is Rowan Mayfair. She finds out that she belongs to a family of witches who have powerful abilities.
As Rowan starts to uncover the secrets of her family, we also learn about the important roles each member of the Mayfair family plays in the story and the history of magic in their family.
In the show, it is revealed that each generation of the Mayfair family has a person who is born with the ability to see, talk to, and control a demon named Lasher. This special person is called the “Mayfair designee.”
But every family member has some magic inside them, and the Mayfairs are well known in the secret supernatural world of New Orleans. But who are the key members of the Mayfair family, and how do they connect to Rowan? Let’s break it down.
Rowan Mayfair
Rowan Mayfair is the thirteenth designee of the family, and she is considered the most powerful witch in the Mayfair line. This is because she is a mix of the most powerful magical abilities from her ancestors. Rowan was born to Deirdre Mayfair, but her real father was her uncle, Cortland Mayfair.
Because of this, Rowan was taken away from her mother when she was a baby. Her aunt, Carlotta Mayfair, raised her, and she was given to Ellie Mayfair to be raised as an adopted daughter. Carlotta wanted to end the Mayfair family’s connection to Lasher and made Ellie promise never to tell Rowan the truth about her family.
When Ellie dies, Rowan starts learning the truth about her background. She goes to New Orleans to meet her biological mother, but Deirdre is killed before they can reunite. Rowan later accepts her connection with Lasher when her cousin, Tessa Mayfair, is taken by witch hunters and dies.
This motivates Rowan to get revenge on the person who killed Tessa, with Lasher’s help. Later, Lasher uses Rowan to bring his spirit into a human body, fulfilling an ancient prophecy that says the thirteenth witch will open a doorway for Lasher to enter the human world.
Carlotta Mayfair
Carlotta Mayfair is Rowan’s great-aunt and also the sister of Rowan’s father, Cortland. She is responsible for hiding Rowan when she was a baby. Carlotta also kept Rowan’s mother, Deirdre, in a comatose state for most of her life. She repeatedly drugged Deirdre to keep her connected to Lasher.
Carlotta is a bitter and angry woman who is willing to do anything to stop Lasher from being reborn. She even tries to kill Rowan by locking her in a burning room and stabbing her. However, Rowan uses her magical powers to fight back and throws Carlotta off the balcony, leading to her death.
Deirdre Mayfair
Deirdre Mayfair is Rowan’s mother. She became pregnant with Rowan after being assaulted by her brother, Cortland. Like many members of the Mayfair family, Deirdre was in love with Lasher. She was also repeatedly drugged by her aunt, Carlotta, to try to stop her connection with him.
Deirdre was in a coma for most of her life until Lasher awoke her when Rowan returned to New Orleans. However, Deirdre is ultimately killed by a plan set up by Cortland, who also made sure the Talamasca erased any evidence of his crime.
Cortland Mayfair
Cortland Mayfair is Rowan’s biological father and the head of the Mayfair family. He is driven by power and wants to ensure the prophecy of the thirteenth witch is fulfilled. Cortland assaulted his niece, Deirdre, to ensure that Rowan would be born.
He works with the Talamasca to make sure Rowan fulfills the prophecy, even hiring someone to kill Deirdre before she can reunite with her daughter.
Cortland pretends to be an ally to Rowan, but his intentions are selfish. When Rowan discovers the truth about him, she uses her powers to turn him into stone but later frees him at the start of Season 2.
Tessa Mayfair
Tessa Mayfair is Rowan’s younger cousin who can cast spells to make men fall under her control. She first meets Rowan when she learns that someone online has Deirdre’s heart. She warns Rowan about witch hunters. At first, Rowan doesn’t want to be the Mayfair designee, so she takes part in a spell to get rid of Lasher.
But Lasher chooses Tessa to be the new designee. Tessa’s confidence grows, and she contacts the man with Deirdre’s heart. However, she is kidnapped by witch hunters.
Lasher doesn’t help Tessa, even when she calls on him. Though Rowan eventually saves Tessa, she is shot in the throat by one of the witch hunters and dies. Tessa’s kidnapping pushes Rowan to fulfill the thirteenth witch prophecy.
Jojo Mayfair
Jojo Mayfair is Rowan’s half-sister and the daughter of Cortland. She has the power of premonition, meaning she can see the future. Jojo has a vision of Tessa being kidnapped by witch hunters. She also warns Rowan about the dangers that Carlotta might bring. Jojo later learns the truth about her father and his crimes.
She finds out that Cortland raped Deirdre and had her killed to make sure Rowan would fulfill the prophecy. Jojo seems to want Rowan to take control of the family after learning the truth about their father.
Suzanne Mayfair
Suzanne Mayfair is the original Mayfair witch, and she is seen only through flashbacks. She was a healer in Scotland and made a deal with Lasher, which cursed her descendants.
Lasher promised to help her family in exchange for fulfilling the prophecy of the thirteenth witch. Suzanne was eventually burned at the stake because she couldn’t control Lasher and couldn’t hide her magic from the villagers.
Dolly Jean Mayfair
Dolly Jean Mayfair is a knowledgeable and wise cousin of the Mayfair family. She helps with the spell to transfer Lasher to the next designee. While the family is searching for Tessa, Dolly Jean realizes that Rowan is pregnant with Lasher’s child. She later overhears a conversation about the prophecy and reveals that Lasher’s rebirth will take only a few hours instead of months.
Moira Mayfair
Moira Mayfair is Rowan’s cousin who appears in the second season of Mayfair Witches. She is angry at the Mayfair family and Lasher for causing Tessa’s death. However, her mother explains to her that Tessa’s death is part of bringing Lasher back, which will give the family more power.
Moira has the unique ability to read minds but often wears headphones to block out the thoughts of others. Her family members sometimes play loud music to override her mind-reading ability.
Elena “Ellie” Mayfair
Ellie Mayfair is a cousin who is tasked with keeping Rowan safe after she is born. She changes Rowan’s name to “Elena Fielding” and moves far away from New Orleans to protect her. Ellie raises Rowan and watches over her for many years.
When Rowan confides in her about her powers, Ellie secretly calls the Talamasca to learn more about the situation in New Orleans. Ellie dies from cancer, with Rowan by her side. Her death pushes Rowan to investigate her past and the truth about her family.
Gifford Mayfair
Gifford Mayfair is a distant relative of Rowan and has a reputation for being a recluse. She is wealthy and drawn to tarot and the occult. Gifford senses danger coming for her family and isolates herself in her lake house. She does tarot readings that predict trouble, and in Season 2, she has a fateful encounter with Lasher, which leads to her death.
Julien Mayfair
Julien Mayfair is Rowan’s grandfather and the father of Cortland. He is a former patriarch of the Mayfair family and is known for his manipulative ways. Julien is cruel and abusive, and he believes that Cortland is weak.
He first appears in Season 2, where he confronts Cortland after Rowan turns him into stone. Julien’s evil presence continues to haunt the family, even after his death.
Summary
Mayfair Witches is a thrilling show that follows the story of Rowan Mayfair (Alexandra Daddario), a neurosurgeon who discovers that she is part of a powerful family of witches.
She learns that her true name is Rowan Mayfair, and that every generation of her family has a special person called the “designee,” who has the ability to see and control a demon named Lasher. As Rowan goes into her family’s past, she uncovers secrets about her bloodline and its connection to magic.
Rowan, the thirteenth designee, is the most powerful witch in her family because of her unique combination of magical abilities. She was raised by her aunt and adopted mother after her biological mother, Deirdre, was kept in a comatose state by her aunt, Carlotta.
As Rowan uncovers the truth about her family, she faces complex relationships with each member, including her estranged mother, Deirdre, and her biological father, Cortland Mayfair. She learns that Lasher’s rebirth depends on her and fulfills an ancient prophecy that allows Lasher to enter the mortal world.
Throughout the series, other key Mayfair family members, such as Tessa, Jojo, and Suzanne, reveal their own powers and connections to Rowan. The show shows the family’s dark secrets, including betrayal, death, and power struggles.
As Rowan embraces her destiny, she faces tragic losses and becomes a powerful force, changing the future of the Mayfair family and their magic. The story is an attractive scheme of family, power, and the supernatural, filled with twists and turns.
