WARNING: The following contains SPOILERS for Raised By Wolves season 1.
The snake creatures in Raised By Wolves began as mysterious skeletal remains, but in the season 1 finale, Mother gives birth to a new generation — what is the nature of her baby, and what can fans expect for it in season 2? The finale, appropriately titled "The Beginning," shocked viewers with the reveal that Mother's baby was not, in fact, a humanoid being, but a snake creature similar to those that once lived on the planet. Given the title of the episode, it would appear that the reemergence of these snake parasites on Kepler-22b is the start of something terrible for the struggling human colonists.
The premiere season of Raised By Wolves saw the androids Mother and Father struggling to fulfil their mission of raising human children on the far-off planet Kepler-22b. The show is an original HBO Max sci-fi series. It was created by Aaron Guzikowski, and is heavily influenced by the works of Ridley Scott (who serves as an executive producer and directed the first two episodes), particularly Blade Runner and Alien.
In an interview with the New York Times, Guzikowski and Scott confirmed that the creature Mother gives birth to is, in fact, related to the snake bones, stating that "Mother creates new life with one of these serpents." Little is known about the monstrous "baby," nor it ancestors that once lived on the planet — however, one thing is known for sure: this creature is dangerous.
Mother's Baby Is A New Lifeform — With Ties To Kepler-22b
Mother's birth in the finale suggested that her serpent baby was tied to Keppler-22b's history. Before giving birth, Mother felt compelled to visit a particular cave, where she discovered remnants from a past ritual of some sort — the same ritual she had visions of earlier after scanning mysterious metal plates left behind by one of the planet's primal inhabitants. In the same episode, Paul discovers cave paintings that appear to depict a large serpent. Given that the show had already established the existence of enormous skeletal remains belonging to snake-like beings, it's clear that Mother's baby is tied to the planet's past — and that these snakes may have had more cultural significance on the planet than simply being large wild animals.
In the NYT interview, Guzikowski and Scott briefly touch upon the "serpent" and the Raised By Wolves season 1 ending, confirming that it is related to the skeletal remains near Mother and Father's settlement. Guzikowski frames the reveal as part of the story's larger Adam and Eve allegory, which sets up season 2:
Mother and Father think the giant skull is from an extinct creature, not realizing that someday Mother would give birth to one and reintroduce it to the world and reactivate the planet. You’re seeing all of these iconic elements — the serpent, the garden, Adam and Eve — but they’re not the versions we know. We subvert expectations a little bit
The comment that Mother has unwittingly "reactivated the planet" is particularly disturbing, in light of what has already been seen in the show. Does this mean that the current lifeforms will be "reactivated," and perhaps stop "devolving" (as Mother observed)? Can the serpent reproduce itself, leading to more bloodthirsty monsters for the humans to contend with? What does this mean for the other flora and fauna on the planet, which are set up to be explored further in Raised By Wolves season 2?
Mother Passed Down Her Necromancer Abilities To Her Baby
One of the biggest plot developments in season 1 was Mother's discovery of her latent Necromancer abilities, and how that newfound power dramatically changed her relationships with Father and Campion. When Mother "gives birth" to her "baby," at first it appears her pregnancy was more of a parasitic situation rather than reproduction, as her "child" looked nothing like her (and its long thing body nods to real-life parasites like flukes and tapeworms). However, as the final shot of the creature flying away suggests, this being is very much Mother's offspring.
Not only is the snake's color similar to Mother's when she is in Necromancer form, but the serpent even emits a sound similar to the one Mother makes when flying. Furthermore, the snake's ability to fly without wings is almost certainly a trait it inherited from its mother. Guzikowski confirms as much in his interview, stating that the serpent is unlike those before it because it has Mother's qualities.
Mother's Baby Is An Mechanical and Organic Hybrid
Mother seemed to do the impossible when she became pregnant, confusing not only medical androids and the humans around her, but even herself. Clearly, the offspring is organic, but it was also created by Mother — so it likely has android components as well. Throughout the finale, she insists that her pregnancy is "beyond [her] understanding," and it's difficult to ascertain to what degree the creature possesses mechanical parts or abilities. What is clear, however, is that the baby required organic components in order to grow: genetic material Mother "fed" it via the blood of creatures and human donors.
The serpent (whose infant design is actually based on an eel, according to Scott) grows rapidly, and was already immensely strong by the end of the season 1 finale. Its appearance between its newborn infant form and its juvenile form in the final scene was quite different, suggesting that it may possess the ability to not only grow, but also evolve. So far, the serpent has yet to demonstrate intelligence or speech, nor has it really done anything inherently violent (apart from perhaps "suckling" from its mother). Raised By Wolves season 2 will likely expand on the creature's characteristics; if it is partially mechanical like its mother, it may possess the ability to directly interact with technology and programs the way she does.
The Serpent Is Impervious To Damage — & Very Dangerous
While little is known about the creature's temperament, intelligence, and physiology, Mother is acutely aware of its motivation: even in utero, her offspring craved blood. Chances are that this hunger has not been satiated, and may never be, meaning that the characters in season 2 will be facing a bloodthirsty, giant serpent that is capable of flight and is impervious to damage. It remains to be seen how Campion and the others could possibly defend themselves agains such a creature. Perhaps the emergence of this new threat will inspire cooperation between the warring factions in Raised By Wolves season 2 — otherwise, it seems unlikely that any of the colonists will be able to survive for long.