Willa Twiston
Willa Twiston was an inhabitant of the Bilehurst Cragg village during the early 17th century. She later travelled with Clara Oswald and Ashildr, who gave her the nickname "Mother".
Biography
Life in the 17th century
Willa, along with her older cousin Becka, was raised by her grandmother Mother Twiston. (TV: The Witchfinders) Her grandmother made recipes from the tree of Pendle Hill, which, due to the secret presence of the Morax, unknowingly ended up making Willa "different" from the other people of her time. (PROSE: The Witchfinders)
At some point, Becka went on to marry the land owner of Bilehurst Cragg. Willa was devastated when Becka had their grandmother drowned after she was accused of being a witch. She later learned that Becka was possessed by the Queen of the Morax and several others had possessed the corpses of the victims of the witch trials, including Mother Twiston. Willa helped the Thirteenth Doctor and Team TARDIS defeat the Morax. (TV: The Witchfinders)
Travels with Clara and Ashildr
In the TARDIS after reading Willa's letter, the Doctor, at the urging of Yasmin Khan, looked over her sonic screwdriver's readings of Willa, which revealed the girl's blood to be slightly abnormal from her years of having recipes made from the Hill's trees. Realising this was a justification to alter time and save Willa, the Doctor rescued her from another witch trial that took place years after their meeting. After being rescued, Willa went on to join Clara Oswald and Ashildr, (PROSE: The Witchfinders) two former associates of the Doctor who were off on travels of their own. (TV: Hell Bent) As Willa actually looked older than them both, Clara and Ashildr gave Willa the nickname "Mother". The three became notable in mythology, with Willa calling the three of them witches, while Ashildr and Clara used the terms "norns" and "fates", respectively.
While at a location at the end of the universe that had existed "since the start of time", Willa found herself "holding the threads that weave the universe together" and reflected on her journeys while having fun with her two friends. (PROSE: The Witchfinders)
Personality and traits
Willa was "a bit magic after all" due to her growing up on recipes made, unknowingly, with Morax influence. As such, she fit in with Clara Oswald and Ashildr. Even though she looked older than them, Willa believed the three of them were simply "three girls from the North" who had been lucky to travel with the Doctor and now had each other. Her nickname "Mother" made her feel like her grandmother was still with her. (PROSE: The Witchfinders)
Behind the scenes
Willa Twiston shares her surname with the real world village of Twiston, which is located close to the foot of Pendle Hill.
