The history of every culture is a key aspect of the background of a country. In “Kindred,” we see the slave culture of the 19th century in America. In the past, African Americans were treated differently than they are in today’s world. Everything has evolved, including the culture of America. Even though we still see racism prevalent in society, it is safe to say that slave culture no longer exists. However, we still see injustice in today’s world against people of color in America. America constitutes mostly immigrants (non-indigenous people), but even so, we see the advocates of white supremacy there. Crime against people of color is at an all-time high, and “Kindred” highlights such issues. Black people are often the victims of stereotyping and face discrimination in America. We see different movements taking place in the world to protect people of color while liberals try to bring about a change. But is the world any different now? Maybe in some aspects, but racism and stereotyping of races still exist. In “Kindred,” we see Dana’s neighbors attaching the stereotype of “violent tendencies” that is generally attributed to black people. Also, when Dana travels back in time to the 19th century, she sees her ancestors facing worse situations than stereotypes. Did Dana also become a slave in the 19th century? Does she get stuck there, or does she make it alive back to her timeline? Let’s find out.
Spoilers Ahead
Does Dana Become A Slave?
Whenever Dana travels back in time to the 19th century, she has to put on a show. She cannot scare people or share her story with anyone. We see her in a dilemma. She does not belong to the 19th century. Even though Dana is well-read, the situation surrounding her is horrifying to both her and Kevin. Kevin, being a white male, gets all the attention from Thomas and his wife, but Dana is misunderstood as a slave because of her color. This situation looks very surreal to us as we live in the modern world. As surprising as the history of blacks is to us, it is a shocker to Dana too. We have read about the slave culture, where white supremacists considered themselves holier and more gifted than other races. The mentality was absurd, and a revolution took place where blacks and other races opposed their views on allowing the trade of blacks as slaves and human trafficking.
In “Kindred,” we see how each slave is a victim of some or other form of violence and, at times, sexual assault. In one of the episodes, Kevin sees how a woman is raped in front of an audience that cheers along as a bizarre form of entertainment back in the 19th century. We also see that when the slaves made a little mistake in serving their master, they were either sold or faced harsh punishment. When Kevin had had enough, he openly started sharing his personal views about the wrongdoings of whites. Whites like Thomas and his wife even slapped and used slurs while talking to their slaves. Dana acted like she was a slave of Kevin Franklin, who, in reality, was her friend. In her present timeline (2016), Kevin and Dana started liking each other, and in today’s world, an interracial couple is not uncommon. However, in the 19th century, it was against the ideals of society. Both of them hide the fact that they are not a pair of master and servant but friends. However, to live in Thomas’ house and save Rufus from dying, Dana started doing chores and helping in the cookhouse. Dana also started reading to Rufus, but here she was not a slave. She was more like a volunteer who wanted to read to Rufus, and eventually, she became a friend of Rufus. This friendship turned into an obsession for Rufus as he became dependent on Dana for happiness. Rufus was a sad little boy who had no friends other than the children of his father’s servants. However, with time, most of them were sold to different parties. It saddened Rufus, but there wasn’t much he could do because his father used to slap him whenever he raised his voice.
Thomas treated everyone disrespectfully, and Dana was no different to him. However, since she belonged to Kevin, he did not have much power over Dana. This used to annoy him; he was a man who was obsessed with himself and liked hurting his slaves and treating them as badly as he could. Thomas craved power. He was also surrounded by men like him who believed that blacks did not deserve freedom from slavery. These white men were religious, but at the same time, they used to drink a lot and partake in inhumane activities against other races. They were blinded by their sick mentality, and the sad part of all this is that these events are not made up; they actually used to happen in history. Even though “Kindred” is a fictional drama, the part where it highlights the injustice and discrimination African Americans faced is non-fictional. One can open any book based on the history of slavery and read how absurd the ideas of whites were. There are still some Americans who associate violence with only African Americans, even though everyone knows it is not true.
Dana faces a lot of discrimination in the 19th century but stays quiet because she has to take her mother back to the present timeline. However, when Kevin gets into an argument with Thomas, things get nasty. Kevin is penniless and is thrown out of Thomas’ house while Dana is stuck there. Sarah, the cook of Thomas’ mansion, tells Dana that Kevin will not be coming back and that she is now Thomas’ slave. Dana is against that idea and decides to search for Kevin. Meanwhile, Kevin somehow reaches Dana’s mother’s house and asks for help. He tells everything to her, and Dana’s mother decides to save Dana from Thomas. We know that Thomas was a bane to every black slave he owned. He even had different arrangements for the slaves he wanted to have an intimate relationship with. Dana had earlier saved one victim of this special arrangement but fell into the trap herself when Kevin was threatened by Thomas. Even though she decides to run away, she gets caught by Thomas. He then asks her to become his slave, and he also says he would treat her differently than the others. She kindly rejects his offer, and the ugly emotion of anger takes over his body. In a fit of rage, he pulls Dana outside and humiliates her in front of other slaves. They helplessly see her getting whipped by Thomas.
Does Dana Survive At The End Of ‘Kindred’ Season 1?
Yes, Dana survives Thomas’ attack. Dana’s mother jumps on her to save her from the whipping, and Dana faints. According to the series, whenever Dana feels dizzy, she travels back and forth in time. The same happened, and she reached her present timeline. Thankfully, she is alive, but Kevin was left stranded in the 19th century. The series’ last episode just gave us a little background on Kevin’s life without Dana in the 19th century. He is seen on a horse on a farm. The question we get is: will Kevin make it back to his timeline alive, or will Thomas kill him? We think the upcoming season will cover more about Kevin settling in the 19th century and accepting his fate of being the one who is stuck in the past. Meanwhile, Dana will be planning to save Kevin from Thomas, and her main motive will be bringing Kevin back to his present timeline, as she is responsible for involving Kevin in this crescendo. What are your thoughts on Kevin getting stuck in the past while Dana makes it home alive? Do you think Dana will be able to save Kevin from Thomas’ wrath in season 2?
See more: ‘Kindred’ Time Travel, Explained: How Did Dana Use To Time Travel?
