What Is a Weaver in A Discovery of Witches

Like most fantasy series, A Discovery of Witches has its own spin on magical beings, from witches to vampires. It can be hard to keep track of all these terms, so we’re here to explain what it means if someone is a Weaver in A Discovery of Witches.

What Is a Weaver in A Discovery of Witches?

In the second season of A Discovery of Witches, viewers discover that protagonist Diana is something known as a Weaver. If you’re thinking, “But isn’t Diana a witch?” you’d be correct. Weavers are a special type of witch in the world of the “All Souls” trilogy, the books the TV series is based on.

Weavers are a sub-type of witches, considered to be fairly rare. Their powers are slightly different from your standard witch. While most witches in A Discovery of Witches rely on grimoires to cast their spells, Weavers aren’t bound by this limitation.

In fact, Weavers can only cast unique spells they create themselves. The name Weaver comes from the practice of crafting spells by weaving together different strands of magic. Because they can create new spells in this way, Weavers are considered especially powerful and require special training to learn to harness these skills.

While most witches have an affinity for elemental magic of a single type, Weavers can be adept at using magic with multiple different elemental ties. This is another reason why Weavers are considered so powerful.

Related: Will There Be a Season 4 of Discovery of Witches?

What Makes Someone a Weaver in Discovery of Witches?

Diana herself doesn’t know she’s a Weaver until another witch, Goody Alsop, identifies her as such. She also tells Diana that her father was a Weaver, suggesting that the ability might be hereditary.

In the “All Souls” trilogy, it is implied that Weavers may have their unusual relationship to magic due to a blending of witch and daemon blood. This would mean that Diana has a daemon somewhere in her hereditary line, causing her to develop these extraordinary Weaver powers.

Do Weavers Live Longer Than Other Witches?

Given the Vampire romance of it all, you might be wondering if her role as a Weaver makes Diana live longer than other witches.

Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls trilogy that the TV series is based on, addressed this question in an FAQ on her website. Despite having many unusual powers, Weavers do not have an unusually long lifespan compared to other witches.

A Discovery of Witches is available to watch now.