Rowena

Hardly the most appetizing process in the world, but killing demons always makes me hungry. – Rowena, 10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls

History

Rowena is a natural born witch originally from Scotland, who has been around since the 17th century (or possibly longer), and is the mother of Fergus Roderick MacLeod aka Crowley and grandmother to Gavin MacLeod. Rowena was forced to abandon Fergus and flee her village or be tried for witchcraft. It was during this time that Rowena got the chance to study under the great Milanese witch, Letitia Di Albinoni and join the Grand Coven. However she would be thrown out of the Grand Coven, as her magic was considered too extreme; one such spell she created was the "Defigere Et Depurgare," which was used to vanquish demons. Rowena's "unpleasantness" with the Grand Coven would ultimately lead to her being banned from performing magic, taking on students, or forming her own coven, as well as putting her on the run for years for having sex with a non-witch and giving birth to his child. 300 years later, in 2014 Rowena resurfaces seeking to reclaim her lost power base.

Episodes

10.03 Soul Survivor

In a hotel suite in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Rowena is reading a book in front of a fireplace, when suddenly a drop of blood falls on her arm from the ceiling. She looks up, revealing two hotel staff members nailed to the ceiling, smiles and continues reading her book.

10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls

Two demons named Raul and Gerald are running a brothel, using women to make deals, selling sex for souls. Rowena visits the brothel and throws a hex bag to Raul, who immediately begins vomiting black goo -- liquified demon smoke -- and collapses, dead. She leaves with two prostitutes, Elle and Catlin, and takes them to eat at an upscale restaurant. The waiter tells them that Elle and Catlin do not meet the dress code, so Rowena bewitches him with a servitude spell. They are served the finest food and wine. Rowena explains that there are three types of witch: Borrowers, which harness the power of a demon, the Naturals, those who are born with the gift of magic, and the Students, who learn from a Grand Coven approved mentor. Rowena tells them that she was thrown out of the Grand Coven a long time ago for her extreme methods, and was thus forbidden from forming a coven or even using magic. She has been on the run ever since, but offers to take Elle and Catlin under her wing anyway. Just then, the waiter's face turns red and he collapses, dead Rowena, forcing a quick exit from Rowena and the girls.

Sam and Dean are on Rowena's trail, and they find out that she has been responsible for a number of murders at high-end hotels, with the bodies impaled on the ceiling and brains boiled. Later, the women are staying at a hotel when there is a knock on the door. Rowena tells Elle and Catlin that it is probably the hotel manager, coming to find out why she hasn't paid the bill, and that he would be practice for them. When she opens the door though, it is revealed to be a bellboy, whose throat has been slit by demons, who proceed to capture the women. Sam and Dean arrive and kill the demons, and say they are only there for Rowena. She puts an attack dog spell on Elle, and uses this distraction to escape with Catlin. Elle fights Sam, but when the spell runs its course she dies like the waiter. Outside, Rowena tells Catlin that most people cannot withstand the power of the spells, but that Catlin is strong. Catlin punches Rowena and runs away. Rowena begins to recite a spell but is stopped when Dean puts a gun to her head. Before he can act, Cole puts a gun to Dean and Dean is forced to let Rowena go.

At Crowley's base of operations, Gerald tells Crowley that although the Winchesters took down the alpha team, the beta team had a perimeter around the hotel and captured Rowena. She is bloodied and bruised and strung up in chains in a cell. Crowley enters. As Rowena mocks him, in utter surprise, all Crowley can say is "...Mother?"

10.09 The Things We Left Behind

Gerald places Trish in Crowley's dungeon next to Rowena. As Trish attempts to break free from her bindings, Rowena initiates small talk with her, wanting to find out what brought her there. Trish tells her she was smuggled topside as Crowley only allows certain demons out of Hell. When Trish asks why she is a prisoner, Rowena replies that she was a "horrible mother."

When Crowley finally decides to see Rowena, he berates her for being a horrible mother to him, but Rowena deflects that by saying she was motivating him for bigger things. When he brings up she abandoned him when he was eight, she tells Crowley it was because she ran afoul of the locals and had to flee. Rowena tells Crowley she wishes to be a family again, and that he can trust her unlike the demons who will turn on him at the first chance.

After their chat, Crowley and Gerald escort Rowena to the dungeon. It's there that Rowena accuses Gerald of smuggling demons out of Hell, to which Trish confirms. Gerald denies the accusations, and begins to strangle Rowena. When he doesn't listen to Crowley's repeated orders to stop, Crowley stabs Gerald through the neck with an angel sword, killing him. As Crowley leaves the cell, he asks Rowena if she is coming. She smiles and follows him out the door. When Trish reminds Rowena that she said she would get her out if she lied about Gerald, Rowena responds that she'll be back for her "in a flash" and locks the cell.

10.10 The Hunter Games

Crowley dreams that he is being assassinated by his own demon henchmen in a hallway. Rowena brings him back to reality where he sits at his throne, staring blankly into space. She shows concern and offers to help him in any way. However, Crowley insists that nothing is wrong and tells her she can't do anything to help him. Immediately after he exits the room, she pulls out a hex bag from under his throne.

Later one of Crowley's henchman Guthrie, finds Rowena searching through Crowley's cupboards. When Crowley enters, Rowena tells him Guthrie is plotting against him. Crowley is suspicious of her, but Rowena promises she only wants them to be a family again.

When Crowley goes to meet with the Winchesters, Rowena astral projects herself to spy on them. She hears that Crowley is planning on giving them the First Blade, and where it is hidden. She sends Guthrie to retrieve it, pretending it is at Crowley's behest.

When Guthrie returns with the blade, he refuses to give it to Rowena, so she kills him. When Crowley returns, she claims Guthrie was planning a rebellion against him. Crowley remembers his nightmare, which Rowena pretends must've been a prophetic vision. Rowena also warns him about the Winchetsers.

10.14 The Executioner's Song

While Crowley is holding court with his inner circle of demons, Rowena begins to admonish him for just giving into a crossroads demon's complaints of not being recognized for his work, suggesting a particularly gruesome punishment for which Crowley obliges. Later Rowena approaches her son about dealing with the high-ranking Grand Coven witch, Olivette, who was responsible for her being put on the run, it's then that Crowley reveals he has been on to Rowena's manipulations from the beginning, but ultimately agrees to help her.

While Rowena begins formulating her plan of attack with Crowley, he is called away by Dean Winchester seeking the First Blade to kill Cain. This forces Crowley to postponed the attack, which Rowena does not take kindly, and begins to argue with him about his trust with the Winchesters, and how they don't care about him.

After Crowley returns, Rowena tells him of her intention to leave, claiming to be heartbroken over the way in which Crowley rules Hell, telling him he is nothing but the Winchester's "bitch."