Episode six of “1923” was all about Spencer and Alexandra surviving on the tugboat that’d just capsized, and all they do is stay awake and somehow survive under the scorching heat, hoping that somehow a ship would come to rescue them. Spencer and Alexandra are rescued, and they are then married by the ship captain, who is taken by Spencer and Alexandra’s lives. Jacob feels ambushed when the sheriff requests that he not interfere in police proceedings when they arrest Banner Creighton. Jacob shares how he worries about losing his land to outsiders, and he cannot let city dwellers change this land and convert it into a populated city. Teonna Rainwater is rescued, and she gets rid of everything that reminds her of the life she led at the convent. With the oncoming winter, will things start to change for the worse or the better for the Duttons?
Spoilers Ahead
Banner’s Arrest
Winter has begun in Montana, and all the worries that the Duttons carry are very much alive. Cara and Jacob do worry about sustaining the ranch if Spencer does not show up before winter kicks in. Spencer is yet to reach the ranch, and all they can do is wait for him. Jacob and Jack are all set on a cold, wintery morning to head to town with a bunch of ranchmen. Cara is worried, and she can only hope all the men come back alive. Elizabeth, who is pregnant, wishes Jack a safe trip. Cara has every reason to worry about Jacob and Jack because Jacob has vowed to eliminate Banner. With a sudden change in plans made by the town sheriff, who wants Jacob to stay away from committing any crime, Cara hopes to keep him alive for the sake of the ranch. She does not want to witness any more deaths. Jack has already lost his parents in succession, and with no news from Spencer after the only message of his return, Cara is adamant about making Jacob understand that revenge can wait. The men of the Dutton ranch, along with the town sheriff, head to arrest Banner from the mansion he lives in. Banner was asked to move into this mansion by Don Whitfield just to make sure Banner remained loyal to him. Forgetting that his family exists, Banner starts relishing the comfort of life from here on and splurges on prostitutes. Banner is soon arrested from the mansion and taken into custody for murder and attempted murder. Banner was hoping for some immunity from the law because of Don Whitefield’s money and influence, but nothing stopped the cops from arresting Banner.
The whole point of the arrest is to showcase Jacob Dutton’s power in Montana, and that no one can get away with crossing Jacob Dutton and his family. Banner’s arrest is just the beginning of an oncoming war that will lead to a changing of allegiance and a power shift that sometimes favors Whitefield and at other times favors Jacob Dutton. Spencer’s arrival will probably change things for the better, but one can only hope Spencer will be as shrewd as Whitfield and not rely on manpower. Whitfield is informed of Banner’s arrest and arranges for a lawyer to make sure Banner is granted bail. Whitfield is also aware of the power struggle that has just begun with the arrest of Banner. Banner might just be the middleman here, but Whitfield would want to keep him in the battle to get things done his way in Montana, with the end goal of beginning the mining of precious metals.
Hunting Of Teonna
Teonna’s father reaches his mother’s home to find her dead. He soon discovers horses and shoe tracks in the front yard. He concludes that she was killed by officers of the government. He is approached by the man who is currently sheltering Teonna. He has come to take him with her to reunite with his daughter. He is made aware of Teonna’s escape from the convent, and the man requests that he come back with him. Teonna’s father’s position among the Native Americans in Montana is not made clear at this point, but many do know of him. He wants to go ahead and help his daughter out, but before that, he must make sure his mother receives a decent burial. Teonna’s father asks the man to go ahead, saying that he will join him. Teonna’s father is tempted to find and rescue her, but he has other tasks to finish before he heads out on the expedition. He is deeply hurt to see his mother dead, and more so by the way she died. He is sure that she was killed by the government, and he wants some closure about this untimely death. Although he is probably aware of how strong Teonna is and that she can rescue herself in case of danger, being around her will give him a sense of strength.
‘1923’ Episode 7: Ending Explained: Have Spencer And Alexandra Finally Found A Way Out To Reach America?
Jacob and Jack come back from the monumental work of arresting Banner Creighton. Cara is glad to see them back and alive; moreover, Jacob did not try to kill Banner at the sight of him, which makes her feel relieved. Jack comes across an article about the government regulating mining laws and the commission being headed by mining industrialists. This perturbs Jack because he cannot wrap his head around the fact that mine owners will be the ones regulating mining laws. Jacob, though, is not surprised by this revelation because when he got into law enforcement in the town, he made and implemented laws that would protect his family and the ranch. Jacob also stresses the fact that the government is formed by the strongest people of the lot who feed off and live off the weakest. This explanation provided by Jacob reveals the true nature of politics around the world. The stronger lot becomes powerful and forgets to nurture the weakest, but do not shy away from taking advantage of them for their own benefit. The powerful will always save the people close to them, and this is exactly what Whitfield is doing. to keep his business, money, and men safe. Jacob goes on to admit that he is doing the same to make sure his land and family stay safe and are far away from acquisitions. Jacob can only admit such hard truths to his family so that they can learn how to manage things around them when he is gone, and possibly such truths will help them unlearn the mistake they made by underestimating Banner.
The man who approached Teonna’s father is confronted by men from the convent, who end up interrogating him about his schooling and whereabouts. The man is not keen on answering the questions, but he reveals he did attend a convent in Kansas. The priests are infuriated by him, and they end up attacking him and dragging him back to the convent. The priests are sure he did not attend school, and that he is a perfect candidate for their school right now. He is gravely injured and taken hostage; one of the priests volunteers to take him to their convent. Being a Native American, he is a feisty one who resists the priests’ urge to make sure the boy is taught a lesson. Even after the capture, the boy does not stop criticizing the church and claims that they have misinterpreted the Bible. The boy is enraged by the fact that the white men grabbed their lands and started making laws that suited them and not the actual natives of the land. This comes back to Jacob explaining to Jack about the powerful taking advantage of the minority and their tendency to rule over them. The priest is enraged by the blasphemous words and attacks the boy again, only to be killed by Teonna’s father. Teonna’s father ends up drinking the blood of the man to proclaim that he took the man’s soul away. The boy, just like Teonna, feels cheated and discriminated against for being taught to hate their own culture and embrace a foreign religion and culture so that they can prosper, as stated by the priests. The Catholics claim to have eradicated many indigenous cultures to pave the way for Catholicism and help the locals prosper. The resistance shown by the Native American community is a showcase of their power, and they want to sustain their culture. He, Teonna’s father, and Teonna herself are on the path to making sure they take back what is there.
Teonna is finally discovered by the rest of the priests, and they try hard to manhandle her by attempting to rape her. Teonna blinds one of the priests, and the last priest standing is killed by the man who was sheltering her. Teonna somehow gathers the strength to get up and is helped by her host to head back to their cave for safety. The man is killed by the priest, who somehow survived the gunshot, and he wants to eliminate Teonna. A gravely injured Teonna picks up a heavy stone and smashes the priest’s head in until he dies. Teonna’s anger towards the convent and Catholicism brought her to the stage, where she resorted to killing the people who harassed her relentlessly till she broke. But Teonna only gained strength with each fall. Her strength made her escape the convent, kill the nuns who ravaged her, and manage to get rid of the priests who dared to try to take her back to that same convent that tortured young women of her age. Her strength comes from the fact that she, her family, and her community have faced more than enough discrimination, and their attempt to erase her culture is just getting worse. Teonna cannot go back to the convent and pretend to forget whatever happened to her and the other girls. She will have to fight for herself, and with her father on the way, nothing can stop Teonna’s strong mind and will to save her identity.
Spencer and Alexandra are on their way back, and their ship is about to reach Italy. Spencer is happy to have finally made some progress, and he and Alexandra are waiting to begin their journey to America. Spencer is identified by Captain Shipley of the ship, who remembers hearing stories of Spencer’s heroics tackling wild animals across Africa. Shipley considers Alexandra to be his perfect match because he believes she has it in her to understand Spencer, and Spencer is glad to have a woman who is just as feisty as he is. Alexandra is a well-educated British woman who can take Spencer up, and he adores the fact she can take charge whenever required. He cannot wait to begin his journey as a married man and the actual voyage with Alexandra, where his family awaits his arrival in Montana. Alexandra and Spencer, unfortunately, end up running into her family at the hotel in Italy. Alexandra is shocked to see her family, as is Spencer. Alexandra and Spencer are confident of the fact that their lives and voyages are set from here on, and nothing could hinder their plan to live a life of adventure.
Theories For ‘1923’ Season Finale
As “1923” season finale approaches, the end of Episode 7 leaves plenty of questions that need to be answered. Though Spencer is keen on bringing Alexandra along, with her family showing up, there is an air of uncertainty about whether they will allow her to journey to America with a man they consider a stranger. Alexandra will resist her family’s pressure tactics, and Spencer will have to intervene, too, now that they are married. Dutton’s war with Banner has just begun, and with Don Whitfield involved in it, there will be a full-blown plan of action executed by either of the parties to mark the onset of a long battle between the two. Teonna and her father will hopefully reconcile, but it will be interesting to know how Teonna’s ark merges with the Dutton family saga.
Conclusion
“1923” Episode 7 is a perfect setup for the season finale. As usual, the writing so far has been impeccable, and at no point in the 52-minute runtime would the viewer feel the narrative was dragging on. But for the first time this season, the editing of jump cuts felt a bit off. The episode just went from one scenario to another without connecting the dots. Hopefully, the season finale of “1923” will be packed with some punches, and we can only hope to see Spencer Dutton and Alexandra setting foot in America. The performances by all the actors elevate the viewing experience. Kudos again to Taylor Sheridan for writing such complex characters. I am desperately looking forward to the season finale.
See More: ‘1923’ Episode 8: Expectations – What Can We See In The Season 1 Finale?
