Lightning Yellow Hair – The show begins with the wagon train moving west. Colton (Noah Le Gros) calling Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) lightning fast. He says their jobs would be at risk if Elsa learned how to rope. Wade (James Landry Hebert) suggests he never teach her to rope.

Elsa’s narration refers to the land as untouched by humans’ dirty hands. To navigate the lands, people must read the stars and sun like the sailors. Over the past week, they have seen birds, snakes, or grass. Bones are scattered throughout the plains. Elsa spots two Comanche Indians, Sam (Martin Sensmeier) and Two Feathers (David Mudthunder) upon a knoll approaching the wagon train. When Colton and Wade approach, she asks what they should do. Wade suggests they continue holding the heard. The Comanches require anyone grazing cattle on their land to pay taxes. Thomas (LaMonica Garrett) approaches to alert of water nearby, ordering them to push the herd to it. The wagon train will make camp. Cookie (James Jordan) shoots a cow for supper.

Sam suggests Cookie use less fire for his beef. Cookie tells him he has cooked for the Comanche before. He is irate when he sees a man pile several slices of meat on his plate. The man does not speak English. Cookie demands someone interpret for the man. Josef (Marc Rissmann) volunteers to do it. The people are ordered to get in line and grab a plate and force. Cookie will fill their plates. Everyone is responsible for washing their own plate and fork. If you lose them, you must pay $3 and eat with your hands.  Josef asks, “What is the fu**.” Cookie demands to know what he called him.

Captain Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) approaches, alerting Cookie that Josef and the other immigrants do not know what the word fu** means. He recommends not utilizing the word. Josef interprets Cookie’s orders to the others. John Dutton Sr. (Audie Rick) asks his mother, Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) what fu** means. She warns him that it means a spanking. Josef complains to Shea because the Indians skipped the meal line. Shea explains that they are guests who do not have to wait in line. Margaret slaps Cookie across the face for cursing in front of John, threatening to stab him with her fork if he does it again. He agrees, looking vulnerable. James Dutton (Tim McGraw) warns him that it could have gone much worse than just a slap.

Sam smiles at Elsa. Colton asks Wade if he thinks Elsa favors Indians. He assures him it is nothing to worry about. Sam compliments Elsa on her horse. She tells him her horse’s name is Lightning. He asks why she chose that name. She says because he is fast. He tells her to prove it. She gets up, motioning him to follow her. Wade follows them. Margaret asks Wade where Elsa is going. He says they are going to race. She and James immediately join the rest of the spectators.  Elsa and Sam line up. When Wade says go, they take off. Elsa holds her out to her side. Colton suggests she lost her reins. Two Feathers disagrees, saying she let go of them.

When she wins the race, she says, “Lightning.” He calls her Lighting Yellow Hair. She asks what she should call him. He says Sam because that is the name of the man who killed his wife. He killed him and took his name, Sam. She tells him about killing the man who killed Ennis (Eric Nelsen), but she didn’t take his name. He says you don’t want to take the killer’s name because you would mourn it forever, calling her Lightning. He wipes a tear away from her face. He says God gave you a good face and yellow hair. She pulls a knife out of her saddlebag, chopping off a lock of hair, it to him. He suggests she should have a better knife, giving her his knife. She refuses to take it, but he insists because she won the race.

Elsa is lying outside, looking up at the sky. Margaret joins her, asking if she is still away. The clouds keep her awake. Margaret walks away from the wagon to use the toilet. She is concerned about not being in control of their survival, but she is happy with her family. Elsa narrates about the clouds being alive.

Shea asks Sam about bandits. He says bandits are worse in the wagon train’s route. There is a war north of Kansas and Wyoming, which is wagon trains don’t take that route anymore. Travelers take the train instead. Shea says the only way to avoid bandits is to live in Colorado. Sam says the storms are hiding places for thieves. Two Feathers approaches with their gear. Shea offers them to stay the night, but Sam refuses because a storm is coming. Sam suggests leaving the immigrants in Colorado.

Thomas informs Shea that Cookie is gone. Shea refuses to believe Cookie would quit, it would be suicide. Thomas suggests he may be trying to beat the storm. Shea says the immigrants must toughen up or die.

James wakes Elsa to ask why she is sleeping outside. She admits to sleeping outside with Ennis. He tells her they need to get to the herd because a storm is coming. She finds her hair in the shape of an animal, looking around for Sam.

The wagon train heads west, as the storm rolls in. Colton orders Elsa to not chase the herd, they will find them after it stops storming. Shea orders Josef to stop his wagon and find a low spot. James tells Margaret they need to release the horses and keep one for her. A tornado is spotted a short distance away. James and Margaret race away from the wagon train. They remove their saddles, so the horses can run for cover.

Sam waves at Colton, Elsa, and Wade to follow him. Shea lays his horse on the ground, laying down beside him. Overturned wagons can be seen in the distance. Sam orders them to release their horses. Elsa tells Lightning she loves him before sending him away. Sam holds Elsa as she screams in fear. She jumps up and kisses him as the storm rolls past.

James sets out to search for Elsa while John and Margaret are going to help the others. Everyone looks around at the devastation. Lightning stands a short distance away. She gets on her horse, holding her hand down for Sam to join her. Colton says it has been a fun week, lost a girl to an Indian and got chased by a tornado. Wade says at least it isn’t dull.

Sam lays his head on Elsa’s shoulder. She takes his hand, wrapping it around her waist. She drops him off at his horse. He rides upon the knoll, turning around, he yells, “Everything you see and everything you saw yesterday is my home, you’re always welcome in it.” He says it is her home too. James catches up with her, saying I knew you would make it. He says you can tell everyone you lived through hell. She disagrees, calling it beautiful. He says their tornados must not have been the same.

The immigrants gather up their belongings after the tornado. Noemi (Gratiela Brancusi) is devastated to find her mirror from Thomas broken. When Thomas approaches, she says they have nothing. He assures her they didn’t lose anything that cannot be replaced. He has enough money for them both.

 

Josef breaks down when he finds his things broken. Risa (Anna Fiamora) tries to comfort him. Shea tells Thomas he will look for his horse. Only two wagons can be salvaged from the wreckage. There are eight wagons to suffice 26 adults and 22 children. Denver is the closet town, but Shea suggests they turn around. They are about a month away from Doan’s. They will need to find the herd for food.

Elsa and James meet up with Wade and Colton to gather the herd. Shea rides out to meet Cookie who admits to leaving early because of the storm. He saw the herd about a mile back, where six boys are rounding them up. Shea says we don’t have six boys before riding away. He tells Thomas they have thieves. They ride out to meet Wade, James, Elsa, and Colton. James suggests he and Thomas go after the thieves, the rest can stay with the wagon train. Elsa refuses to stay with the wagons. James gives up trying to convince her to stay. None of the others are willing to get involved. He hands her a gun, telling her to stay back until they are done. Colton says this is the strangest outfit I have ever worked with.

Colton and Wade approach Margaret who is folding blankets. Colton asks Wade if he wants to tell Margaret about Elsa. He says, “Hell no.” Colton asks if they found their rifles. She says a few. He suggests they load them and give them to the immigrants. She asks why. He explains how the thieves took their herd and may double back. She asks about James and Elsa. He tells her they went after the thieves. She orders them to stay with John. After she retrieves her rifle, she tells Colton she needs his horse. He hesitates until she orders him to get off his horse. Before she leaves, she orders Wade to guard John with his life.

Shea, Thomas, Elsa, and James arrive at the herd, where there are at least 13 thieves, twice as many as initially thought. A thief fires his gun. Shea says run and spread out wide. James orders Elsa to keep running no matter what. James, Shea, and Thomas get off their horses. A shootout ensues. Elsa is being chased by three thieves. In a narration, Elsa says she never felt fear. She would win the race or die. Sam approaches from behind, killing the thieves with a tomahawk. She describes his fury as magnificent, watching as he races away.

As Shea, Thomas, and James fight off the thieves, Charles Goodnight (Taylor Sheridan) and several Indians approach. The thieves are killed. James tells Shea to look at his gunshot wound. Shea says it went through his gun belt. The bullet is visible. Shea pushes until it pops it. He gives it to James for John as a souvenir. Thomas is hit as well. He asks what about you. Shea says I wasn’t hit. Thomas looks down at Shea’s boot, which has blood on it. He tells him to remove his hat. He was shot in the forehead.

Charles brings their horses back. Shea tells him he is a beautiful sight.  Charles was out looking for cattle thieves. Elsa arrives with James’ horse. She notices James’ wound. He says I’m fine, kissing her hand. Charles asks if they would mind helping to bury to thieves. Shea believes they don’t deserve a hole. Charles says they should at least say a prayer for them. Sam gently touches Elsa’s hand as he passes. They head back to camp.

Margaret spots someone a short distance away. She thinks it is Elsa. When she gets a little closer, she notices it is a man. She cocks her rifle, pointing it at the man. He pulls his gun, ordering her to give him her horse. He says, “I ain’t asking” when she shoots him off his horse. She takes a deep breath, slumping her head down.

Elsa narrates about Margaret who wasn’t interacting with James or Elsa. She told Elsa about killing the man over her horse. John is the only member of their family with any hope of going to heaven. Elsa believes they are already living in heaven and hell as the episode comes to an end.

 

1883 Review

The show is becoming less and less persuasive. The scenes with Elsa and Sam were the worst. The interaction between the immigrants and the Indians was unrealistic. The writer choose to sugarcoat the danger of Indian attacks on wagon trains in 1883. The danger is being directed toward bandits and away from Indians. It is understandable why they chose to go this route. Choosing not to offend a specific race is always the safest bet.

Elsa boldly climbing on top of Sam and kissing him took away from the tornado scene. Maybe I am wrong, but a kiss, regardless of how passionate wouldn’t divert your mind away from a killer tornado.

Elsa’s behavior is reckless, if not outright dangerous. It is also unbelievable, so soon after the loss of her first love.

The episode deserves 6. Get more 1883 recaps here. Support ReelMockery by clicking here.