The first episode of Paramount+’s 1923 introduced a new generation of Duttons on the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana, as well as one Dutton who prefers the life of hunting maneaters in Africa. Episode two, “Nature’s Empty Throne,” also divides its time between the Yellowstone Ranch and Africa, as well as a government boarding school for Native Americans in North Dakota.
Since there are three distinct storylines taking place, this recap is divided up into three parts to make it easier to track the key players. (Spoilers ahead!)
At the Yellowstone Ranch It’s Ranchers vs. Sheepherders:
Jack Dutton (Darren Mann) discovered a field full of sheep and was shocked when a trespassing sheepherder shot at him in episode one. The action picks up with Jack’s horse shot and Jack pinned down, gun just out of his reach on the ground.
Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Jack’s dad, John Sr. (James Badge Dale), hear the gunshot and race toward it, while Jack attempts to retrieve his gun. Jack’s partially trapped under the fallen horse as half a dozen sheepherders advance on him. The Yellowstone cowboys arrive in time to save his life, and Jacob pistol whips the leader of the sheepherders, Banner (Jerome Flynn), while Banner insists he wasn’t the one who shot at Jack.
Jack claims they all shot at him, and the Yellowstone cowboys are out for blood and want to hang these trespassers. Jacob orders ranch foreman Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty) to gather some men and push all these sheep toward the reservation. People are starving on the rez, and these sheep will feed them.
Banner and his men are strung up while seated on their horses. If they remain still, they might survive. If not, they’ll die.
The Yellowstone cowboys make camp for the night, and Jacob, John Sr, and Jack discuss their options. The area’s been grazed off, so they need to continue to move south, closer to the park – and closer to bears and wolves. Plus, the chuckwagon can’t go up much further so the men will have to tough it out on elk meat.
Jacob recalls this is how it used to be on the ranch. There didn’t use to be a bunkhouse and “easy wasn’t in the job description.”
Jacob thinks a few of the sheepherders will make it if their horses are loyal. Jacob hopes some of them do survive and explains that the Yellowstone Ranch’s greatest enemy isn’t wolves, bears, or the weather. The ranch’s greatest enemy is other men.
“Man will choose to take what you built rather than build it for himself,” says Jacob. (Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to life on the Yellowstone Ranch.)
Jacob hopes whoever survives will tell the world what’s in store if they cross him.
1883’s Elsa (Isabel May) confirms in a voiceover that the Duttons have always assumed men will seek to take from them, and that belief has always governed the family. The Duttons have always refused to surrender.
Back at the ranch house, Cara (Helen Mirren) and Emma (Marley Shelton) sit on the porch late at night and discuss the men in their family. Emma realizes her son, Jack, is reckless and she isn’t sure where he got it from. Unfortunately, Jack’s bride-to-be isn’t likely to tamp down his wild spirit. Cara thinks she’ll actually add fuel to the fire.
Banner manages to get his hand on a knife and speaks calmly to his horse, urging it to remain still. He cuts his hands loose and then manages to cut the noose. He’s the sole survivor.
The following morning Zane and the cowboys move the sheep toward the rez and are met on the way by a dozen Native American men who initially claim they don’t want the sheep. Zane explains he’s giving these sheep to the tribe to eat or to do whatever they want to with them.
The Native Americans agree to take them and ask Zane to pass on their thanks to Jacob Dutton.
The cattle are also on the move and have arrived at a place John believes will be perfect for them to graze. There’s even a spring nearby that feeds into a lake. Jacob agrees, and a few cowboys will stay with the herd while the remainder can return to the ranch.
Spencer’s Reputation Precedes Him
Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) was about to be attacked by a leopard as episode one ended, and episode two picks up the action seconds later. Spencer survives, but one of his guides is fatally injured. Spencer’s able to kill the leopard before it makes off with his friend’s body.
Spencer makes it back to the main tent, bloody but in relativity good shape considering the circumstances. He immediately pours himself a drink and asks the guests who’ve gathered in the tent for a cigarette and a doctor.
Spencer reminds the doctor to clean the wounds carefully since leopards have dirty claws and teeth. If there’s anything left in the wounds, he could succumb to gangrene very quickly.
It’s revealed the leopard was a female and Spencer realizes Richard Holland, the man in charge of this camp, knew a breeding pair was responsible for the attacks but failed to inform him there were two leopards. Holland also hasn’t apologized for Spencer’s friend’s death, and Spencer’s placing the blame squarely on Holland’s shoulders.
Holland is forced to apologize at gunpoint. Spencer says the only reason he’s allowing Holland to live is that he needs a ride to Nairobi in the morning.
The wildlife of Africa fills the screen as Spencer’s seated at an outside bar in a fancy hotel. A pretty British woman approaches him and is shocked that he’s an American. She points out that he’s rude, and he doesn’t argue with her assessment. She likes his style and figures out he’s a hunter, and Spencer confirms he works for the Protectorate. He’s not the sort of hunter she assumed.
The woman’s friends giggle and surround him as they realize he’s the American war hero who kills maneaters. Spencer and the woman continue their conversation; she’s flirting, but he’s playing it cool. She’s heard he killed a maneater with his bare hands and believes that’s romantic. He disagrees.
She asks why he kills maneaters and Spencer replies, “Because dying is the most alive you’ll ever feel.”
“You don’t see the romance in that?” she asks.
One of her friends pulls her away, saying she’s engaged. But it’s too late. The spark’s turned into a flame, and she can’t take her eyes off Spencer as she joins her friends. Spencer also watches her with interest as she’s yanked away.
One of the men who employs Spencer hopes he’s capable of holding a rifle with his injuries. Spencer confirms he is, and the man wants him to head to Tanganyika to kill a spotted hyena that’s attacking engineers on a railroad.
A car will take him there in the morning.
And it turns out the pretty British woman is named Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) and is at this hotel with a large party to celebrate her engagement. She excuses herself after a toast is offered and hurries from the restaurant. She’s having a difficult time catching her breath, and it’s only outside in the fresh air that she’s able to settle down.
A friend joins her outside and Alexandra admits this marriage was chosen for her and she doesn’t want it. Her friend points out her fiancé’s kind, but Alexandra believes her engagement is nothing more than a real estate transaction.
Alexandra’s friend heads back in as she stares at the night sky with tears in her eyes. She collects herself and heads back in, only to spot Spencer seated at a different bar. They flirt, and she wonders where his next adventure’s taking him. Spencer asks about her next adventure, and she claims all of hers are over.
“That’s a shame,” he replies. She agrees and teases that he should whisk her away on his.
It appears they’re about to kiss when her fiancé calls out her name. Alexandra joins him, and this time she doesn’t look back.
The following morning Spencer packs up the car and spots Alexandra and her guests saying their goodbyes nearby. They mime tipping their hats at each other, smiling.
As Spencer’s driver pulls away, Alexandra stares after him, no longer smiling. Spencer meets her eyes and stares back.
The car’s heading down the driveway when Alexandra picks up her bags and chases after it. Spencer asks his driver to stop and Alexandra calls Spencer her knight in shining armor. She jumps in the car and says she’ll get out if he tells her to. Spencer reminds her it’s dangerous where he’s heading and as her fiancé and friends head toward them, Alexandra replies, “Let’s look death in the eye then, shall we?”
Abusive Nuns Make Life Hell for Teonna
The young Native American girls at the government boarding school are being taught how to sweep by Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle) when she slaps one who doesn’t do it exactly as she instructs. Teonna (Aminah Nieves) stares at her in defiance.
The lessons continue throughout the day and then the students are served a dinner full of maggots. While Sister Mary leads them in prayer, Teonna speaks in her native tongue and says she’d rather be hit than eat this. She’s hit for misbehaving but is able to fight back before multiple nuns manage to hold her down.
Teonna’s locked in a box outside as Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché) warns her never to speak that language again.
Meanwhile, Teonna’s grandmother asks to speak to Mr. Worth, the superintendent of the Indian Affairs Office at Lodge Grass Reservation, MT. She requests her granddaughter be moved from the government boarding school in North Dakota back to her home on the reservation. If Teonna’s brought back to Montana, she could move into her home which is only a mile from a day school run by Baptists.
Mr. Worth claims that since she’s not her granddaughter’s immediate family, she’ll need to legally adopt her Teonna. To do that, she must go before a judge.
Morning arrives and Teonna is removed from the box and brought back inside. She’s in bad shape and although at first it appears Sister Alice is simply a sympathetic nun who wants to help her bathe, it’s quickly apparent she’s molesting the poor girl.
Sister Mary interrupts and sends Sister Alice away. She then blames Teonna for not stopping Sister Alice, even though Teonna can barely lift her arm.
Teonna’s burning up and Sister Mary empties a bucket of ice into her tub, all while claiming to be her salvation. Sister Mary believes she’s been tasked with taming this “godless place” and teaching the girls how to become wives and mothers. Sister Mary warns Teonna that she will “kill the Indian in her” and begins beating her while she’s in the tub. Sister Mary, still sporting a black eye, then promises to “kill all of her” if she ever lays a hand on her again.
- Recap of 1923 Episode 1
- 1923 Episode 3 “The War Has Come Home” Recap
- 1923 Episode 4 “War and the Turquoise Tide” Recap
- 1923 Episode 5 “Ghost of Zebrina” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 6 “One Ocean Closer to Destiny” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 7 “The Rule of Five Hundred” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 8 “Nothing Left to Lose” Recap
- 1883 Season 1 Episode 10 Recap: “This Is Not Your Heaven” Season Finale
- Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 1 Recap: “One Hundred Years is Nothing”
