The Brazos River presents our brave band of pioneers with their biggest peril in 1883 Season 1, Episode 4, “The Crossing.” In the opening scene of Episode 4, which was written by Taylor Sheridan and directed by Christina Voros, Elsa (Isabel May) trades seamstress Alina (Amanda Jaros) for a pair of sensible pants. In order to conceal their wealth while on the run, her father James (Tim McGraw) melted down all of their gold into jewellery, and Elsa is only too willing to barter with the cloaked loot. In another location, James is preparing to cross the Brazos River with Captain Shea (Sam Elliott), Thomas (LaMonica Garrett), Wade (James Landry Hébert), and Josef (Marc Rissmann). The men decide that Wade will bring the cattle at the back while Thomas and Shea will oversee the movement of the waggons after some debate (“This talking back is getting contagious,” adds Shea). James will assist in carrying people across the river.
James chooses to cross that evening rather than the following morning with everyone else, and he is surprised to see Ennis and Elsa sharing a kiss! James, Margaret (Faith Hill), and John (Audie Rick) ford the Brazos, a task that is much more challenging than anticipated, following a meaningful father-daughter conversation. Shea gets nightmares about his time in the Civil War while back at the camp, which makes him even more anxious about the crossing the following day. While Josef and his wife Risa (Anna Fiamora) decide to have a child, Thomas and Noemi (Gratiela Brancusi) come closer to the fire in the nearby area. The following morning, Shea tells the passengers to lighten their waggons, which are weighed down by heavy furniture and even a piano, disturbing their calm.
There is chaos at the Brazos River crossing. Thomas is on hand to save any pioneers who start to drown while James and Margaret secure a lead line from one side of the river to the other to aid people cross. Unfortunately, not all of them can be saved. Numerous individuals perish in the water, waggons suffer severe damage, possessions are lost, and the passengers grow more and more desperate. At one point, Margaret is even compelled to fend off a settler who is trying to drown after being pushed off her horse. Elsa plays a rendition of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” for Ennis and Wade on the abandoned piano as the background music to this horrible scenario. The eerie tune appears to represent her saying goodbye to her formerly civilised life and accepting the harsh environment that she is surrounded by. “No matter how much we love it, the earth will never love us back,” Elsa says in her narration as the group prepares graves for the recently deceased. She is correct.
Let’s examine the five key events from Episode 4 that will have an impact on the next episodes of the season.
A SOUR NOTE
Shea instructs Josef to direct his followers to remove the heavier items from their waggon so they may more easily cross the Brazos. One of Episode 4’s most heartbreaking scenes comes next. Risa shouts at Shea, “We will go to Oregon with nothing,” while Josef tries to console her. How are we going to survive on nothing? The pioneers unload their waggons of their priceless things despite their natural reluctance, leaving stoves, furniture, and other antiquities on the route. The sole exception is a musician who has brought his piano in order to support himself once they arrive at their destination.
Shea assertively says, “No, he’s not a musician! ” when Josef and the man refuse to sacrifice the instrument. You are not a carpenter either. Up until you arrive, you are nothing more than pioneers. You only have the travel; you have no farm, work, or house. Josef tries to convince the man who worries about being a beggar despite knowing he is correct. Shea snarls indignantly at his intransigence, “These are his options: he unloads his waggon, he returns to Fort Worth, or I burn his waggon to the ground. Inform him. Josef can only give the man a hug as he sobs. Along the Oregon Trail, sacrifices like this are common.
ELSA AND ENNIS KISS
Ennis didn’t wait long to start courting Elsa after getting James’ approval. He is completely enthralled as soon as he hears Elsa singing the traditional nursery rhyme “Beautiful Dreamer” to soothe the cattle to sleep. As he sits on his horse next to her, he uses some gentle prodding to persuade her to continue singing. He gives her a moonlit kiss after becoming overcome with emotion! Elsa tells him to “do it again” when he starts to apologise for being too direct.
James rides up to inform Elsa that the family would be crossing the river tonight, but as he approaches, he witnesses the two lovers kissing. “Herd ain’t going nowhere with you two exchanging supper,” James warns her when she insists on remaining with Ennis to watch after the cattle and assist in moving them the next day. Elsa follows him as he mounts his horse to inquire as to whether he is upset with her. Why would I be angry, James responds? I can’t treat you like a child when I’m afraid and like an adult when it suits me. It’s going to be a different tale for your mother. It seems like Elsa will need to have a challenging chat.
NOEMI WATCHES THOMAS EAT
Thomas keeps watch over Noemi and her boys at their campsite as he had promised. Thomas initially declines Noemi’s offer of stew, but eventually accepts it when she insisted. Thomas notices that she is watching him with affection while he eats and he says, “Marrying a Black man isn’t going to cure your problems, Ma’am. A tonne of new ones will be produced by it. Thomas sadly responds, “Your government stated you can’t swim,” as Noemi notes that it’s a free country and nobody can tell her who to love. unable to defend oneself. Damn right, the government has the right to dictate who and how you should love. They can, but they shouldn’t.
Thomas remarks, “Ma’am, you don’t want anything to do with me,” in response to Noemi’s suggestion that they travel to a location where the government cannot inform them of anything. Too old, I am. I’m too rigid in my ways. dislikes speaking. I enjoy taking river baths and sleeping outside. A woman doesn’t want that. Thomas can’t dispute with Noemi when she says that males don’t understand what women desire. Noemi obviously wants to see Thomas eat right now, and he obliges. These two lonesome individuals may develop a romance as a result of this.
NO QUIT
Josef replies that swimming is forbidden where they come from when Shea asks if his people know how to swim. “Where I’m from,” he continues, “the drowned victims are whipped before they are buried.” Shea responds to Josef’s inquiry about Oregon with, “If that’s what you’re asking, it’s worth the risk.”
It takes a lot to surprise me, Thomas, Shea tells him when they are alone. These folks have never been let to exercise independent thought. They are hardly even able to think. I’m shocked that they aren’t leaving for Galveston to try to bribe their way onto a boat to return home. I’m surprised they haven’t given up already. I don’t see why those people would want to return home, Thomas responds. The sound of home is awful. Thomas responds, “That’s because you ain’t ever been whipped,” to Shea’s remark that the hell they know would be preferable to the unknown. After hearing that conversation, Shea starts to comprehend what led this unfortunate group to set out for the West without proper preparation.
THE CROSSING
At dusk, Margaret, James, and John are getting ready to forge the Brazos when James tells her, “I just want you to know it,” that he loves her. “Now I’m nervous,” Margaret quips bitterly in response. Margaret navigates the waggon across the turbulent waves in a tense scenario as James carries John through on their horse. Margaret, who is exhausted, tells James, “This is tougher than you said it would be.” I told you it would require everything we had, and then some, James responds. Margaret scolds him in frustration, saying, “You should have clarified what everything meant.”
Shea, Thomas, and the party meet James and Margaret near the Brazos River the following morning. Let’s hope these individuals maintain their patience, Shea says as he examines the terrified people. Hot heads will drown; cool heads will bridge rivers. As the men fight to transport the settlers across the river, lives are indeed lost and property is damaged. Later, when a woman is dragged from her horse while drowning, Margaret is compelled to defend herself and nearly drowns. Margaret, who is now covered in blood, screams in agony as the crossing scene comes to a conclusion.
