Salem hits major turning points in this week’s episode, “Survivors,” giving its viewers new insight about the show’s core characters without any distractions like say, oh, another execution. There is heavier emphasis on the power play and inner turmoil among the coven set to take over Salem versus the killings needed to finish their sacrificial ritual known as “the grand rite.” Captain John Alden’s (Shane West) mysterious past becomes a focal point when a familiar face enters town, and the Grande Dame Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery) finds herself almost at a disadvantage against an enemy.