The Five Factions Of 'Wildwood' Explained: Who Can You Trust?

The woods are a dangerous place in Wildwood (2026). Not only do wild animals roam freely, but there’s magic weaving its way throughout the forest; an ancient, primordial magic that has caused war to break out and divide the forest into several smaller groups. Some of these groups tend to keep to themselves, while others are actively fighting to gain control of the magical ivy that pervades the woods.

It can all be a bit complicated to follow, especially when you consider that the allegiances between these factions tend to shift over the course of the film’s 130-minute runtime, but such shifts are common for fantasy war epics. But what exactly are these five factions, and what do they want? Who do they get along with, and what makes them stand apart from the others?

The Coyote Army

The coyotes are the first group that Prue and Curtis encounter upon entering the woods, which is a problem for them because they are undeniably the most violent and militaristic of the five. 

The coyotes are led by the Dowager Governess, Alexandra Svik. While Alexandra presents herself as a fair, polite, and approachable ruler, she’s actually cunning and ruthless, using the Coyote Army to scour the forest in search of the corpse of her son and gain dominion over the ivy. The coyotes frequently fight against the bandits, and Alexandra sees them as the greatest threat to her conquest of the woods. The coyotes are also the most well-trained of the five factions, utilizing weapons to lay conquest to their enemies, and while they may not be adept in magic (excluding Alexandra’s dark magic), they make up for it with ferocity.

The Bandits

While the bandits are initially presented as a hostile, nomadic force, they’re actually one of the most complex groups vying for power in the woods. 

The bandits are the descendants of the Ancients, a group that was extremely advanced compared to the other groups in the woods. With access to advanced technology and magic, they were able to erect a magical barrier that separated the woods from Portland, Oregon, but their ambition got the better of them when they attempted to control the ivy. It turned against them, obliterating their civilization and scattering the Ancients to the woods. 

Over time, the Ancients would roam the woods, losing their magical capabilities and resorting to stealing resources from people for survival, hence their beginning to be referred to as bandits. Small bandit settlements dot the woods, but the bandits are generally feared by the other factions. Alexandra frequently fights against them, and both Southwood and Northwood tend to avoid them as much as possible. They can be intense, but they’re ultimately just trying to return to their homeland.

South Wood

South Wood is, sadly, the least developed of the five factions of Wildwood, at least in the movie. They only appear at the beginning and end of the film, rarely get involved in the war, and that’s because they are isolationists. 

During Prue’s brief visit to South Wood, she learns that the governor of South Wood avoids any interactions with the other factions. The closest he gets to being involved in any of the conflict is arresting the Crown Prince of the Avian Principality, Owl Rex. They are the most technologically advanced of the groups inhabiting the woods, complete with bustling city streets and a postal system, but their isolation mostly stems from fear of Alexandra and the Coyote Army. The novel goes into much more detail about how they operate, like how the government of South Wood is woefully corrupt, but they’re rarely mentioned and are the only faction that does not unite against the Coyote Army in the film’s climax.

North Wood

At first glance, North Wood and South Wood may seem to be similar shades of isolationism. We’re told that both towns refuse to engage in the war effort, but while South Wood stays away out of fear, North Wood does so out of custom. 

North Wood is a rural, agrarian lifestyle. Most of the people who live there are either farmers or druids who commune with nature. They’re pacifists by nature, uncomfortable with the notion of fighting, but they’ll only involve themselves in a conflict if the Council Tree allows them to. The tree connects throughout the woods, and by meditating near the tree, the druids then act upon what they believe the Great Tree wants. They’re cautious of other groups, like the bandits, but seem to be on decent terms at least with the Avian Principality, mostly due to Owl Rex sending Prue to Iphigenia, the de facto leader of North Wood.

The Avian Principality

The last major faction of Wildwood is also its most mysterious. The Avian Principality isn’t exactly an isolated group like North and South Wood, but they’re deeply skeptical of the other factions. 

The Avian Principality consists of the birds that live within the woods, with the exception of crows, who defected from the Principality in favor of joining the Coyote Army. The birds rarely trust humans, first seen by the General stopping a mail truck just for passing through Principality territory, grilling him on his purpose and intent. Due to the large number of birds that inhabit the woods, it can be argued that they’re the most powerful of the five factions, overwhelming their enemies and swiftly returning to the sky. It was their sudden appearance during the final battle against Alexandra that turned the tide and allowed the alliance of the bandits and Northwood to disband her army.