The group is on the move as Paramount+’s 1883 season one episode seven begins. New-hire Colton (Noah Le Gros) works the cattle with Elsa (Isabel May) and Wade (James Landry Hebert), noting that Elsa’s constantly working and only has one speed when it comes to taking care of the herd.
In a voiceover, Elsa reveals they haven’t seen any wildlife – not even birds or lizards – in over a week. However, the plains are littered with bones.
The travelers pause as two Native Americans are spotted on a nearby hill. Wade and Colton tell Elsa it’s necessary to pay a tax if they want to graze cattle on Comanche land. Elsa’s shocked, and Colton explains this land belongs to the Comanche and they can do what they want.
“The only people that think this is America still live in Washington,” says Wade.
James (Tim McGraw) and Shea (Sam Elliott) meet with the Comanches while Thomas (LaMonica Garrett) instructs Wade to give a cow to the cook. They’re going to water the cattle at the river and camp here for the night.
Cookie (James Jordan) gets busy grilling steaks but suddenly interrupts his work when one of the immigrants takes a steak. Cookie screams out instructions, ordering everyone into a single file line. When it’s their turn, they will take a plate, a fork, and a steak. After they’ve eaten, each person will wash their own plate in the creek and hold onto it for the rest of the trip.
Anyone who loses a plate will owe him $3.
Cookie’s use of the word f*ck results in a whispered conversation with Shea. Shea explains the immigrants don’t know that word and neither does little John Dutton. If John asks his mom the meaning, Cookie will be in a world of hurt. Shea suggests he refrain from using that particular word from now on. Cookie confesses that’s going to be difficult to do.
John (Audie Rick) does ask his mom the meaning and Margaret (Faith Hill) replies, “It means a spanking – and a good one – if you say it again.”
John asks if Cookie’s getting a spanking and James says, “Some form of one’s probably heading his way, son.” Margaret confirms that’s the case.
Josef (Marc Rissmann) wonders why the two Comanches cut to the front of the line. Shea says it’s because they’re guests.
As Margaret and John make it to the front of the line, she delivers a painful slap to Cookie’s face. She whispers a warning that she’ll stab him with a fork if he says f*ck again.
James is next and he tells Cookie that could have gone a lot worse. Cookie assures him he’s learned his lesson.
Elsa and the younger of the two Comanche visitors keep exchanging smiles. He speaks English and compliments her horse. She says his name’s Lightning because he’s fast. He asks her to show him.
Elsa walks toward her horse through camp, followed by the two Native Americans and Wade. As they’re walking, Wade tells Margaret and James that Elsa’s about to race against the Comanche.
Margaret’s a little worried but James points out Elsa’s actually happy.
The race begins and they match each other stride for stride, but then Elsa spreads her arms out as they race past Wade and the other Comanche. Wade thinks she dropped the reins, but the Comanche knows she let them go.
Lightning takes the lead as they race away from camp. The horses slow and the competitors are all smiles. “Lightning…told you,” says Elsa. The Comanche names her Lightning Yellow Hair. He introduces himself as Sam (Martin Sensmeier), explaining that was the name of the man who killed his wife. He killed him and took the name.
Elsa confesses she killed a man but didn’t know to take his name. Sam assures her she didn’t want his name and doesn’t need to be sad. “Lightning doesn’t mourn,” says Sam. He wipes away her tears and adds, “Lightning doesn’t do that, either.”
Sam compliments her face and hair, and she cuts off some and gives it to him. In exchange, he gives her his knife. She believes it’s too much, but he explains it’s hers because she won the race.
That night Elsa and Margaret have a heart-to-heart, and Margaret confesses she’s not happy in general because their survival is out of their control. However, she’s very happy in this moment because she has a family she adores and loves.
Shea and Sam share a campfire, and Shea asks about bandits. Sam thinks they’ll be a problem because this group is big enough to be worth attacking but small enough not to put up much of a fight. Sam also points out that north of Kansas and into Wyoming the war’s still going on. Most people take the train there; wagons don’t use that route now.
Sam suggests Shea and his group leave now because a storm’s coming tomorrow. He also suggests Shea take this group to Colorado. It’ll be better for them there.
As the sun rises Thomas tells Shea the cook is gone. They’re not sure where he went, but Thomas believes he’s just trying to get ahead of the storm. Shea decides they can’t baby the group anymore.
James wakes up Elsa and says it’s time to move the herd. As she’s getting ready, she discovers Sam’s left her a horse he made with her hair as its gorgeous, flowing tail.
The group set out again, with the storm raging around them. The cattle are spooked by the thunder and lightning, and Elsa attempts to chase them. Wade and Colton make her back off. Chasing them will do more harm than good. They’ll regroup the herd after the storm’s over.
They’re forced to stop as the winds pick up. The horses are unhitched, and the group leave their wagons and make a run for it. As if they don’t have enough to deal with, a tornado is picking up strength in the distance.
James and Margaret pull their saddles off their horses and set them free. Margaret’s frantic and worried about Elsa. James won’t leave his wife and son, even though Elsa’s still out there. James insists she’s a survivor and will be okay.
Colton, Wade, and Elsa spot the tornado and worry about their next move. Fortunately, Sam’s nearby and waves for them to follow him.
The tornado destroys multiple wagons and wreaks havoc on the group.
Sam tells Elsa, Wade, and Colton to turn their horses loose. Elsa wonders how Lightning will survive and Sam, bluntly, says he won’t. They lay down and Sam holds a screaming Elsa tight as the winds move over them. Elsa climbs on top of Sam and kisses him as the worst of it moves past them.
The sun breaks through the clouds as the tornado moves on.
There are a few wagons left standing but James, John, and Margaret have made it through the storm. So have the immigrants, although now their possessions are scattered all over the plains.
Elsa spots Lightning and smiles; he’s come through safe and sound. She mounts Lightning and Sam gets on behind her. They head off to look for the other horses.
Wade glances at Colton who shakes his head and says, “This has been a fun first week.”
Colton adds, “Got chased by a tornado and lost a girl to an injun at the same time.”
Wade replies, “Got to have it to lose it.”
They laugh as Colton admits he over-estimated his appeal.
Elsa tightens Sam’s grip around her waist as they find their three missing horses. Sam mounts his and they don’t speak but instead exchange sweet smiles as he rides away.
He calls out from a short distance: “Everything you see and everything you saw yesterday is my home. You’re always welcome in it, Lightning With The Yellow Hair. It’s your home too now.”
James catches up to Elsa as she’s headed back with Wade and Colton’s horses. She explains they found a place to lie down and it went over them. When James says she can now claim to have lived through hell, Elsa corrects him. “It wasn’t hell, daddy. It was beautiful.”
James chuckles and says his tornado experience was definitely hell.
Back at the main group, the immigrants attempt to collect their scattered belongings. Noemi finds the mirror but the glass has cracked. She tells Thomas they have nothing now and wonders how they’ll survive. Thomas reveals he’s got money enough for the both of them.
Shea and Thomas determine they can salvage two of the broken wagons. Altogether the group is now down to eight wagons for 26 adults and 22 children. The next big town they can buy wagons in is Denver, and this group won’t make it that far.
Shea believes they need to turn back now. Hopefully, they can locate the cattle because neither Thomas nor Shea wants to resort to eating horses.
Elsa and James ride up with Wade and Colton’s horses. The four set out to gather up the herd.
Cookie returns with his wagon intact, confirming he rode out ahead of the storm. Shea asks if he saw the cattle and Cookie did, adding that six of Shea’s boys are rounding them up. Shea realizes these boys are actually stealing their cattle.
Shea and Thomas join John, Wade, Colton, and Elsa to discuss how to get their cattle back. James decides he, Shea, and Thomas will go for the herd while Elsa, Wade, and Colton remain behind to protect the wagons. Elsa challenges her dad, demanding to go with him. “If there’s going to be a gunfight, I want to be with you,” says Elsa.
James asks for backup but Shea sides with Elsa.
James gives in and orders Elsa to sit still when they confront the bandits.
Colton tells Wade this is the strangest outfit he’s ever worked for. They return to camp and fill Margaret in on what’s happening. Colton suggests she get the remaining rifles loaded and ready for a fight. She asks about James and Elsa, and Colton reluctantly explains Elsa went with her dad to fight off the bandits.
Margaret orders Colton and Wade to guard her son. She then orders Colton off his horse because she’s going after her daughter. Colton has no choice but to comply.
James, Thomas, Shea, and Elsa are shocked to learn there are 13 bandits with their herd, not just six. They ride a distance away and then take up positions to shoot the bandits who’ve now given chase.
Fortunately, our men are better shots than the bandits. Unfortunately, three of the men are in hot pursuit of Elsa who followed her dad’s orders and is riding like the wind away from the group.
A voiceover reveals she felt no fear; she viewed this as just another race. She lets go of her reins, fully aware they would kill her if they caught up to Lightning.
Suddenly, Sam comes to her rescue and attacks the three bandits in pursuit. “Watching Sam kill is like watching a lion hurl itself into a deer,” says Elsa in a voiceover. “His fury was so magnificent there was no time for horror – not even for the men he killed.”
Sam’s friend also assists with hunting down the remaining bandits. Elsa rides after Sam as he returns to the main group that includes her dad.
The 13 bandits are wiped out but Thomas and James have been hit. James’ wound is basically surface level and Shea’s able to squeeze out the bullet that’s lodged in his skin under his belt. Thomas has two bullet wounds but neither is life-threatening.
Thomas points out blood on Shea’s boot and Shea had no idea he was hit. Turns out his forehead was just grazed by a bullet. They chuckle over both having used up all their remaining luck in this gunfight.
An old friend of Thomas and Shea’s arrived during the gunfight and helped dispatch the bandits, and Shea can’t believe the man – whose name is Charlie (played by series creator Taylor Sheridan) – randomly appeared out here in the middle of nowhere. Charlie explains he was out hunting bandits and strays.
James thanks him for his help and Charlie confesses killing cattle thieves is one of the West’s five great pleasures. He suggests James thank the Comanches instead.
Elsa and James reunite and he kisses her hand, happy they’ve both survived this fight.
Shea and the group ride off back to camp, but Charlie remains behind to say a prayer over the dead bandits.
Elsa and Sam touch hands before they ride off in opposite directions.
Margaret encounters an injured bandit who managed to escape. She blows him away with her double-barrel shotgun when he demands her horse. He has no idea who he messed with.
Elsa’s voiceover reveals killing this man took quite a toll on Margaret. Elsa encountered her mother crying by the fire and asked what was wrong. Margaret told her she killed a man over a horse and now only John has a chance of getting into Heaven. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her there is no Heaven to go to because we’re in it already,” says Elsa. “We’re in Hell, too. They co-exist right beside each other and God is the land.”
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- 1883 Season 1 Episode 3 “River” Recap
- 1883 Season 1 Episode 4 “The Crossing” Recap
- 1883 Season 1 Episode 5 “The Fangs of Freedom” Recap
- 1883 Season 1 Episode 6 “Boring The Devil” Recap
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