Who is Alexandra and why does she lead the crows?

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Who Alexandra Is

1. Alexandra Svik (“The Dowager Governess”) — a Woodian, once ruler of South Wood alongside her husband Grigor, and mother to a son named Alexei. She was once respected and part of the governing order.
2. Her tragedy and fall — After Alexei dies in a horse-riding accident, her husband dies of heartbreak. Alexandra, consumed by grief, uses dark magic to resurrect Alexei as an automaton. He later learns the truth of his unnatural rebirth and destroys himself. Because of her use of forbidden magic, she’s exiled from South Wood by rivals including her nephew Lars Svik.

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Why She Leads the Crows & What Her Motives Are

1. Revenge & Ambition — Alexandra’s grief transforms into rage. She wants revenge on her political enemies in South Wood and aims to reclaim or exceed the power she once had. Her ambition grows beyond restoration: she wants domination over all of the Wood.

2. Use of Magical, even Brutal Means — To execute her revenge and restore control, Alexandra strikes deals with dark forces. She aligns herself with the ravaging ivy that threatens the Wood, and she plans to use Prue’s baby brother Mac as a sacrifice to empower the ivy with blood, so she can control it. Her force includes supernatural elements like the crow murder and the coyote army.

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If you want, I can walk you through how her motivations and actions differ between the novel and the upcoming film — could help predict how they’ll adapt her story for screen.