Terra Magic, also known as Earth Magic, is a type of magic in the popular anime and manga series Black Clover. It is one of the nine main elemental attributes of magic in the series, representing the power of the earth and its natural elements. Users of Terra Magic have the ability to manipulate and control the earth, rocks, and the environment around them. They can create barriers and protective shields using earth-based materials, and they can also shape the earth into weapons or projectiles for offensive purposes. One of the prominent characters in the series who possesses Terra Magic is Yami Sukehiro, the captain of the Black Bulls squad. Yami is known for his immense physical strength and his ability to use his Terra Magic to create massive swords made of rock and earth.
Raelle fights for her life, just as the Army and Spree converge on a secret Camarilla stronghold. Abigail and Adil's mission for vengeance escalates.
Three young women trained in combat magic prepare for an early deployment in a world where traditional roles of gender and power are flipped, with women on the front lines fighting looming terrorist threats. Three young women trained in combat magic prepare for an early deployment in a world where traditional roles of gender and power are flipped, with women on the front lines fighting looming terrorist threats.
Yami is known for his immense physical strength and his ability to use his Terra Magic to create massive swords made of rock and earth. Terra Magic is a versatile attribute that can be used for both defensive and offensive purposes. Users can create barriers to protect themselves and their allies from attacks, while also using the earth as a weapon to attack enemies from a distance.
Motherland: Fort Salem creator details the 'pocket matriarchy' world of military witches
Eliot Laurence reveals everything you need to know about Freeform's badass new series, plus watch an exclusive sneak peek.
Sydney Bucksbaum is a writer at Entertainment Weekly covering all things pop culture – but TV is her one true love. She currently lives in Los Angeles but grew up in Chicago so please don't make fun of her accent when it slips out.
Published on March 12, 2020For Motherland: Fort Salem creator Eliot Laurence, the idea to reframe U.S. history through a feminist and witchy lens was like pure magic.
"Witches have always been an obsession of mine. Even when I was a little boy learning what that word meant, it excited me," he tells EW. "It’s a power structure outside the normal patriarchal power structure. I found that really appealing and would watch every witch-themed movie and read every witch-themed book. It’s always been a passion for me."
And that lifelong love of all things witches is what led him to create Freeform's new supernatural drama set in an alternate, present-day version of America — one where, 300 years ago, witches cut a deal with the U.S. government to fight for their country in exchange for power.
"One day I just got this idea: what if one of the Salem witches cut a deal with the Massachusetts Bay militia? And the rest just flooded into my head," Laurence says. "I’m a huge feminist and I’m a queer person so these kinds of stories about other kinds of power are very appealing to me, and power structures outside the status quo are appealing to me. It was a way for me to have fun and exercise a lot of stuff that I had gone through as a young queer person growing up, and witches are the eternal other so I felt very at home working on a project about witches."
Motherland: Fort Salem follows three young women who are just about to begin their basic training in combat magic as a magical terrorist threat called the Spree continues to ravage the country. Raelle (Taylor Hickson, Deadly Class) is a reluctant recruit with major authority issues and whose mother recently died in the line of duty. Tally (Jessica Sutton, The Kissing Booth) is a kind, strong-willed, and curious witch who enlisted despite her mother’s passionate disapproval. Abigail (Ashley Nicole Williams) is an unquestionably alpha, smart, driven, and courageous witch who hails from the upper echelons of military witch society and is excited to be joining the ranks of the witches’ army. These three will find that, together, they're stronger than ever — if only they didn't butt heads at every turn.
Below, EW got Laurence to detail everything you need to know about this new America and what to expect from the new series. Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek at the Motherland: Fort Salem series premiere, above.
David Bukach/FreeformENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you end up turning your love of witches into this series?
ELIOT LAURENCE: I walked in with this idea that struck me one day like lightning – oh my god, witches and military! Peanut butter and chocolate! – and I got a pitch together and they loved it. When I walked in there, it was the Hunger Games era and the Harry Potter era so the initial thought was: let’s do some books and then let’s do some movies. I got a book proposal together, which I had never done before. I got it on paper, I planned a bunch of books in the series, and we sent it around. Almost universally, people thought the idea was freaking crazy, it was so great, but it never sold. I could not get it out of my head. I had done so much world-building. I got busy with other projects, I created another show called Claws and we’re shooting our fourth season now. And then Kevin Messick, one of our EPs, called me one day and was like, "What if Motherland was a TV show?" And I was like, why didn’t I think of this first?
This new version of America features almost all-female leadership: there are female military leaders, female soldiers, and even a female president introduced in the first few episodes. Has the entire American society shifted to be matriarchal in this alternate version of history?
No, but we’re going there. We are going to go there in the course of the series but it has not happened yet. The army is a pocket matriarchy, but because these symbols have existed, these symbols of powerful female generals, I feel like there’s a trickle-down from that in our alternate world. That’s why there’s an African American female president and that’s why in the history of this alternate America, there were black female war heroes in the Civil War, in the Revolutionary War, and the trickle-down of that imagery has affected emancipation making it happen earlier in this timeline. It’s about the power of images changing the world. It’s the long goal of the series to introduce a new kind of witch Eden. That’s the long dream and I can’t wait to get there.
David Bukach/FreeformThis show is so deeply embedded in women’s empowerment through a matriarchal power dynamic, but obviously you as the showrunner are a man. Do you have women with you in the writers' room to help lend female voices to the development of the show to balance that?
Of course, it’s essential. What this weird, middle-aged, gay dude thinks about female sexuality might be interesting but it definitely needs to be informed by women! It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend my days surrounded by very, very smart women talking about cool ideas and cool spells and matriarchies. It’s heaven for me. [Laughs] I’ve created my perfect life, basically. We spend our days talking about, what does female sexuality feel like in the absence of patriarchy? Those are not questions I can really answer so it’s really enriching to have this kind of conversation with a lot of cool women.
So let's talk about that – how does female sexuality evolve when it's set in this "pocket matriarchy?"
It makes me so proud. I love how in this world of Motherland, a young woman’s sexuality is something that gives her power and strength and oomf. It’s not something if acted upon will complicate her life or mark her in a certain way or put her in a certain category. It’s a source of joy and power and there’s something about that that’s really pure and almost innocent. It felt revolutionary to show this kind of freedom and be brazen about it but it’s also pure and innocent while still feeling carnal. There’s a lot of colors to it.
Eike Schroter/FreeformWitches and female sexuality (especially when it pertains to young teens) are two concepts that go hand-in-hand with persecution. To see it celebrated so freely on this series is shocking in such a fantastic way.
I agree. I feel like it’s a victory. Releasing the symbol of that into the world makes me feel like I’m doing some good things.
It's also great to see how the main romance on the show is LGBTQ as Raelle meets and falls for Scylla (Amalia Holm). Because of the shift to a more female-led society, has that changed how people view LGBTQ relationships/issues in this world?
In the world of Motherland, in this pocket matriarchy of Fort Salem, it’s not a huge deal. There’s a scene where one character, Abigail, is at this Beltane celebration and she’s having a lot of fun with two young men and at one point she gets a little bit bored when the guys start kissing – and they don’t even hesitate – and that moment is not about the guys being gay or not gay, it’s just labels that we construct in our world around race or class or political party; they all get obliterated in Motherland by the fact of being a witch. Because if you’re a witch in this world, when you turn 18, the army owns the rest of your life. That’s such a big thing. It’s such a big powerful classification that all the other little stuff – gay, straight, lesbian – is kind of left in the rubble in the face of this larger truth of witchhood. It exists in the world, LGBTQ people exist, but it’s not stigmatized and it’s not even labeled. It’s a little bit irrelevant.
What can fans expect to see from that relationship this season?
Just utter humanity and incredible performances from those two young women. Just heart wrenching stuff. Without giving too much away because there are lots of twists and turns, it’s just going to rip our hearts out. It’s going to be so deep and impactful and heartbreaking but also very inspiring. It’s really rich. The way these two bring it life is unforgettable.
It’s refreshing to see an LGBTQ romance story line deal with relationship issues that have nothing to do with them being LGBTQ.
Absolutely, I could not agree more. I want more stories like that!
Motherland: Fort Salem premieres Wednesday, March 18 at 9 p.m. on Freeform.
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The power of Terra Magic can be further enhanced by the user's mana and skill level. Overall, Terra Magic in Black Clover is a fascinating aspect of the series, showcasing the ability to manipulate and control the earth's natural elements. The use of Terra Magic by characters such as Yami Sukehiro adds depth and excitement to the story, as they showcase their incredible power and skill with this particular type of magic..
Reviews for "Terra Magic: A New Frontier in Black Clover"
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Terra Magic Black Clover", but I was left disappointed. The plotline felt disjointed and underdeveloped, and the characters lacked depth. The writing style was also lacking, with choppy dialogue and awkward pacing. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing read that didn't live up to the hype.
- John - 1 star - "Terra Magic Black Clover" was a complete letdown for me. The world-building was incredibly weak, with little explanation or consistency. It felt like the author was just throwing random magical elements together without any thought or purpose. The story itself was predictable and lacked any real surprises or suspense. I struggled to connect with the characters and found myself skimming through the pages just to finish it.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Terra Magic Black Clover" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The writing was lackluster and the descriptions were repetitive and uninspiring. The pacing was off, with slow moments that dragged on and rushed action scenes that left me confused. The characters also felt one-dimensional and lacked any real depth or development. Overall, it was a disappointing read that didn't capture my attention.