Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo) is taken into custody and jailed as Paramount+’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves episode seven, the season’s penultimate episode, opens. He declined to say goodbye to his family before being led away, and now he sits in jail with visions of Ranger Esau Pierce’s (Barry Pepper) despicable actions flowing through his head.
A crowded courtroom listens as Judge Parker (Donald Sutherland) claims Bass’s case is no different from any others. He was tried for murder, and the verdict is…? The opening credits play before Parker reveals the answer.
After the credits, the first scene is a flashback to the events prior to Bass’s incarceration. Judge Parker and his wife enjoy a friendly dinner at the Reeves’ farm. Jennie (Lauren E. Banks) and the Parkers engage in lighthearted small talk while Bass remains solemn and quiet at the head of the table. Only Judge Parker’s suggestion that Bass needs time off draws Bass into the conversation.
The following day, Bass heads into work and learns Judge Parker is giving him easier assignments for a while. Bass’s posse man, Billy (Forrest Goodluck), introduces him to a cook named Willy Leach (Ivan Mbakop) whom he just recruited, and Bass only nods his head as a welcome.
The three men ride in silence as Bass’s thoughts continue to be filled with memories of Esau. He recalls Esau telling him, ‘You are a wolf, Bass. We know our own.”
Back at home, Jennie welcomes Esme (Joaquina Kalukango) into her home after she shows up on her doorstep late one night. Esme left Edwin after the disastrous dinner with Jennie and Bass. Edwin’s vision is pure, but his heart is conflicted, and Esme finally realized that she needs to leave him.
Jennie admits she’s come to accept Bass being gone, and she’s grown stronger because of it. However, his children don’t know him. Their peaceful chat is broken up by a visit from the little white girl whom Sally told to mind her manners. The child asks if Bass is home. When she’s told he’s not, she asks if Sally’s there.
After determining who’s home, the child leaves.
Jennie asks Sally (Demi Singleton) what the visit was about and learns about the incidents at the carnival.
Out on the road, Bass and Billy arrive at a house looking for Moody O’Neil (Tina Lifford). The woman on the porch confirms she’s Moody and acknowledges that she knew they’d be coming to take her in. She hands Bass a candleholder and admits it’s what she used to kill a man.
Night falls, and Jennie, the kids, and Esme enjoy dinner while Esme recalls stories of Bass’s time on the Reeves’ estate. Suddenly, the children spot an effigy on fire not far from their front door. Jennie immediately sends all the children upstairs, away from danger.
Morning arrives, and as the three men pack up camp, Willy confesses that he turned Moody loose and she ran away. She’s been gone for hours. Willy insults Bass, angry he was willing to hang an elderly Black woman in a white man’s noose. He views Bass as a traitor profiting from the killing of Black men and women by the law.
The cook tosses Moody’s shoes at Bass, calls him an “up-jumped slave catcher,” and tells him to go collect the blood bounty on Moody.
Memories of his encounters with Esau cloud his judgment, and he shoots the cook. As he lies dying, Billy insists they get their stories straight. Judge Parker won’t be merciful.
Bass returns home and Jennie doesn’t even say hello. She just looks at him and returns to her sewing.
Bass can’t get out of his own head, and he drinks as he runs through all his conversations with Esau. Bass heads out to the barn and the episode’s opening scene plays again, but this time we’re aware of what he did that led to him being locked up.
Bass sits in Judge Parker’s office as Parker tells a story from his childhood. Parker came from a poor family, and one day he thought he had found gold, enough to save his family. He was devastated to learn it was worthless fool’s gold. From that incident, he learned to keep his expectations in check.
“Are you gold or pyrite?” asks Judge Parker.
Bass recalls his own father was sold off before he was born. He was allowed to visit every Christmas, and his mom always made herself look pretty for those visits. But now, Bass doesn’t even remember his father’s face. The name he carries comes from William Reeves, the man who taught him to ride and shoot. However, William gave him to his son, George, and George wasn’t as good a man as his father. He was cruel.
Knowing who’s gold and who’s pyrite is a simple thing for Judge Parker but not for Bass Reeves. Bass knows justice is costly, and he’s ready to pay what he owes and be sent to Hell for it. But, he believes Judge Parker will eventually sit next to him there.
The time arrives for Bass Reeves’ verdict to be read. Judge Parker says he listened to the evidence and has concluded Bass is not guilty. Jennie heaves a sigh of relief, but otherwise, the courtroom remains silent.
While her mom’s at the courthouse, Sally places a handwritten paper with the lyrics to Jacob Banks’ “Unholy War” on the piano.
Bass continues to recall his conversations with Esau in his head, including the one in which Esau said he had no desire to kill Curtis. Bass finally tells Jennie about Curtis and swears he’s going after the man who killed him. He doesn’t tell Jennie who the man is or that he’s currently a Ranger.
Episode seven ends with Bass, Billy, and Sherrill Lynn (Dennis Quaid) riding off into the sunset.
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 1 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 2 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 3 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 4 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 5 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 6 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 8 Season Finale Recap
