American Primeval (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
[Jacob] Abish!
Abish!
They took my wife.
[in Shoshone] Let him live
to remember what invading
our lands cost him.
[in English] Please help me.
[sobbing] Please, I need help. They
took my wife. Please, I need
Please, help me.
Please
Please help me. Please
[Sara] So, what now?
Make our way back to
Bridger without being seen.
You can get your guide to take
you east, 'cause it ain't me.
No, we're not going back. We
are going to Crooks Springs.
You're gonna get
that boy killed.
My intention is to bring him
where he belongs, to his father.
If his father wanted him, he'd
come get him, wouldn't he?
Come here. Let's go.
[Devin] Stop!
[Sara] Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed!
- [Devin] Stop!
- [Sara] No, Mr. Reed!
Stop, stop, stop!
Give me my son.
You want your boy back, then
you'll get him at Bridger.
You make a peep, I leave
you out here to die,
- do you understand?
- Uh-huh.
Mr. Reed! Mr. Reed,
let me have my son.
Let me have my son, and
we'll go on our own.
I will take him to
his father myself.
When we arrive at
Crooks, I I will
I will find some way to have my husband
repay you handsomely for your bravery.
Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed!
- [Devin] Wait!
- [horse whinnies]
[in Shoshone] Go home!
[breathing heavily]
Nothing here for you but death.
[gun cocks]
Get on.
Now.
[in English] She's
not bothering us.
Shut up.
[gun clicks]
[breathing deeply]
Water's too high.
We gotta find a
better place to cross.
Or we turn around and
we keep going west.
Stay here.
Stay here? Are you leaving us?
For how long?
Mr. Reed!
I don't know.
I don't think we can
stay still this long.
Where would we go?
- I think we should move.
- Move how?
- Devin, you have to let me think.
- Mom, what are you talking about?
[Sara exclaims]
- [Devin] Mom! I know her.
- Don't come any closer!
What?
I know her.
[Sara] How?
[Devin] She snuck
into our wagon.
She what?
I don't understand.
[Devin] I think she
wants her knife back.
- It was hers. She dropped it.
- [horse whinnies]
[Virgil] Hello!
Ms. Holloway.
Ms. Holloway. I'd
like to talk to you.
He knows our real name.
Don't Don't run.
Are you ready to run?
Ms. Holloway!
[Sara] Run!
- Hey, hey, hey!
- [gunshots]
[Sara panting]
Come on!
[grunts]
[Indians ululating]
[arrows whizzing]
[both panting]
Okay. Go. Be careful.
[man] Saw 'em go up there!
[shushing]
[man 2] Get them, boys!
They're on that rock.
Go.
[breathing heavily]
[panting]
[grunts]
[grunts]
[screaming]
[yelling]
[Virgil] Ms. Holloway?
You in there?
See them in the back?
I can't see nothing.
[girl grunting]
[man] Mills! You all right?
Mills!
Mills, answer me. You all right?
[Sara gasps]
[Virgil] You in
there, Ms. Holloway?
[gunfire continues]
Folks who wrote up this
bounty would prefer you alive.
[gunfire continues]
Ms. Holloway?
Through here. Come on, go.
[Virgil] I don't wanna
have to harm your boy.
- Come on. Keep going.
- [bullets ricochet]
[gunshots]
Do something now.
Yeah!
[coughing]
- [arrow whizzes]
- [grunting]
[yelling]
[both grunting]
[groans]
[speaking Shoshone]
[yelling]
[yelling]
[both grunting]
[grunts]
[screaming]
[Virgil] Ladybird, ladybird ♪
Fly away home! ♪
Your house is on fire ♪
[Sara] Should we go?
[breathing heavily]
[coughing]
It is an ignorant excitement
that causes some people
of the United States
to feel and act toward
us the way they do.
But trust me, brothers, there's
not an honest man among them,
who, if he could hear our doctrine
taught, without knowing it was Mormon,
would not drink down those principles
like a thirsty ox drinks down water.
But an ignorant prejudice
causes them to refuse,
to persecute, to
threaten us with war!
But we cannot weaken.
- [horse snorts]
- We hear brethren talk of coming to Utah.
To enjoy the blessings
of this land.
What we can make it
if we stay true to each other,
true to our beliefs,
and true to the Church.
So during this time
of our reformation,
when evil wants to pull us
away from what brought us here,
we must use the spirit of Zion
to push that evil away!
Push that evil away!
For not today,
brothers, not tomorrow,
but someday in the future,
our territory and this entire
American continent will be Zion.
- Amen.
- [all] Amen.
Brother Cook.
Brother Young.
From Brother Wolsey.
There was a conflict
with some pioneers.
Over 70 dead.
[arrows whizzing]
Do our hands show a
drop of blood on this?
No, sir.
Good.
Brother Hickman, we need
to speed up our plans.
You need to go to Fort
Bridger immediately
so that no wild rumors
make their way east. Yes?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
[Bill] Our concern, Mr. Bridger,
is your new partnership
with the United States Army.
There is no partnership, Bill. It's
a business deal, plain and simple.
I've got land,
and they paid me a fair price to
lease a parcel for 25 of their men.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The Army may only have
25 of their men here now.
But you know as well as
I that number will grow.
- Their sole purpose in station
- [objects clattering]
Their sole purpose in stationing
soldiers in this territory
is to overthrow LDS leadership.
Forced occupation on LDS
settlements bring probable violence
onto law-abiding LDS citizens.
Latter? Or ladder?
I never understood
that. I prefer Mormon.
Latter-Day Saints.
Right. And as you are the
leader of the Nauvoo Legion,
which is Brother Young's private
army in all its bloody glory,
you, of course, frown when using
violence as a means to your ends.
Nauvoo Legion only acts in defense of
our persecuted brothers and sisters.
Uh-huh.
Regardless, I'm here now as
a delegate of Governor Young.
Yeah, with the
intent, I suppose,
of suggesting to Brother Young
that my leasing lands to the Army makes
me one of your persecutors as well.
I would hope that
isn't the case.
But the United States government
is looking for a war with us.
So anyone who assists their cause
will be considered an enemy.
Then I would see why folks
started calling you Wild Bill.
[Sammy] Jim.
You need to see something.
Did you see who attacked you?
Many.
Did you see what
they looked like?
Can you tell me what
they were wearing?
Hoods.
What's that?
Hoods.
Indians in hoods.
Indians? That could be
Red Feather's bunch.
They didn't see you?
- He'd have killed them all.
- [Bill] Whichever tribe of savages it was,
this attack makes it
clear, Captain Dellinger,
you need to be placing
your focus on the natives,
rather than creating
conflict with the LDS.
[grunts in pain]
If I brought these men in hoods in
front of you, could you identify them?
Could you tell me if they
were the ones that done it?
[Jacob] Maybe.
[Edmund] Maybe?
Yes.
First light.
Now.
Now!
- [Edmund] We'll go at first light.
- [Jacob] Now!
Easy.
My Abish is out there!
[wind whistling]
[in Shoshone] The Paiute, do
the whites work for them now?
For livestock. For women.
And the right to sleep on the land
that they have stolen from us.
We killed many whites.
So the men who gave you
horses could hide behind you.
Could grow stronger.
We did what we could
- [sobbing]
- Shh.
[in English] Close
your eyes, Oaklyn.
[in Shoshone] The
whites will not go away!
[in English] Oaklyn. Close your
eyes. Put yourself somewhere else.
[in Shoshone] There
are too many of them!
To survive, we must
[yelling]
[Indians hooting]
[Oaklyn sobbing loudly]
[sobbing]
[in English] Please, I just want
to see my family, my children.
Can you please help me?
Can you please help me?
Please.
- No!
- [screaming] No!
- No! No, please! No!
- [screaming]
Abish! Stop! They're hurting me!
[whistling]
You will die one day.
Just like me.
But your pain will be worse.
Your heart, savage.
'Cause I have lived
a decent life.
Now I will see what comes next.
[man hooting]
That knife just
about got your brain.
"And vengeance shall no more come
upon them, sayeth the Lord my God,
and their trespasses shall never be
brought any more as a testimony."
"Amen."
- We need a posse.
- Posse?
You gotta have law to
have posses, Mr. Pratt.
We got neither in these parts.
Then I'll form one myself.
With what shine to
convince others to join up?
Everything you
had has been took.
Through the glory of God, I'll
call on their sense of decency.
Son, Jesus Christ hisself could
not gather a handful of these men
to track down his own
sweet virgin mama.
Do not fool yourself
into thinking otherwise.
Mr. Bridger doesn't share our faith in
the goodwill of others, Brother Pratt.
Or understand what it means
to be a member of our faith.
You're one of us.
There'll be more than a few men willing
to join in retrieving your wife.
Then God bless.
Good luck to you both.
The woman and boy
that joined you.
Rowell?
Same fate as the rest.
[wind whistling]
[Devin shivering]
I'm so cold.
I know. We all are.
This will help.
- Can we make it big?
- No, we don't want anyone to see.
- I can't feel it.
- You will feel it.
I I'm Sara.
And this is my son Devin.
What's your name?
Two
Two Two skies.
Two Moons.
It's a beautiful name.
Hey.
Thank you.
[Abish grunts, screaming]
Get off me!
[screaming]
No! No! No!
[screaming]
[in Shoshone] Sit still!
[Abish growls]
Listen!
[screaming]
Well, understandably, the Mormon
boy's a bit foggy on the details,
but he'll lead us to where
the attack occurred and the
Well, we'll head
out on our own then.
It shouldn't be too hard to find a
bunch of dead bodies, God damn it.
Gentlemen, this is
Brother Jacob Pratt.
He and other God-fearing
members of our community
recently suffered a violent
attack at the hands of hostiles.
Brother Pratt is certain
his wife's still alive.
I told him we'd do everything in our
power to help him find his beloved.
James Wolsey.
Myself and the members
of the Nauvoo Legion
are at your service,
Brother Pratt.
Thank you.
We checked for survivors.
It was dark.
My men and I stay any
longer, we risk being seen.
A lot of loose ends, Wolsey.
Pratt out there, his
wife, possibly others.
He'd be telling his story to those
soldiers at Bridger's right now.
And Washington hears, we'd have
a thousand troops headed our way.
No loose ends.
I will execute him tonight.
Not unless he
suspects something.
Till then, Pratt's
still one of us.
And we're all with God
together in this war.
You understand?
Yes, sir.
I'll return to Governor
Young in the morning.
Let him know everything's
being handled.
A chance anyone else escaped?
No.
Abish!
- [Abish screaming]
- [screaming]
- [Isaac grunts]
- [Two Moons shrieks]
[Isaac in Shoshone] Be still.
[in English] You better hope it
was only me who saw your smoke.
She helped us after you left.
- Give me your gun.
- No.
Who would you rather
have holding it?
Give it.
[in Shoshone] Leave.
Go home to your people.
[in English] She can't understand
you. She doesn't speak.
Her tongue's cut out.
She has ears.
[leg brace squeaking]
[leg brace continues squeaking]
- Hey! Please!
- Stop! What are you doing?
Taking the dinner
bell off our necks.
- Don't touch him!
- Stop!
The brace stays off.
- The brace stays off!
- Okay!
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine.
- We can strap it back on.
- I don't want it.
- Devin, you have to wear
- I'm not crippled.
Abish was right here.
How can you know that?
Alivan.
Oaklyn.
Abish.
Big assumption off a cut rope.
[man] Brother Wolsey!
Got one alive!
Was this one of the hostiles
that attacked your party?
I don't know.
[groans] Water.
Who attacked you?
Did they take a woman?
Wolf Clan, they took women.
Who did they take?
Help me.
I will help you too.
- Who did they take?
- I will help you too.
Help me
- Who did they take?
- Please.
- The Shoshone got them
- Please
He had more to say! He had more
to say! He had more to say!
- He knew where
- Peace, brother.
Peace!
He was suffering,
and we heard enough.
Look at him. That savage
there murdered your people.
And lost your wife
to the Wolf Clan.
You understand me?
What's Wolf Clan?
Renegade Shoshone.
Not a bunch to be trifled with.
If they have Abish,
I'm gonna find them.
We will find them.
What do you want to do?
Make sure there's no one out there
that can pin any of this on us.
And if his wife is out there,
that is of grave concern.
[horse whinnies]
[in Shoshone] Eat.
[men hooting]
[Abish screaming]
[panting]
[screaming]
[thunder rumbling]
[in English] All
right. I got her.
Nearly all these
horses are shod.
I'm not aware of any tribe
that shoes their horses.
[man] Since when did anyone but
Indians start taking scalps?
There's a first
time for everything.
Mormons?
Mmm-hmm.
Why would they kill their own?
I'm sure they'll do whatever they think
is necessary to protect their Zion.
We are not Pinkerton, Edmund.
We sure as hell don't
get paid like it.
We're here to find out who's
doling out all this violence.
I know who's responsible.
You may think you know, but we've
got nothing to pin it on them.
This is the work of savages.
[man] Captain.
So, this is the work of savages,
huh? You think Indians did this?
I do.
Well what kind of
Indians wear this?
[coughing]
[Devin] What is this place?
Give me some money.
Why?
Horses ain't free.
How much?
How much do you have?
How much are horses?
How much do you have?
I have 100.
All of it?
Give it.
I just
Stay here.
Who's in charge?
Nice coat.
Did you get chewed
up by some Red?
Wanna buy some horses.
He wants to buy some horses.
For riding, pulling, or hauling?
Broke is best.
Broke horses are tough
to find out this way.
They come with a price.
How much?
[Sara] I should
have kept the money.
- He needed it for horses.
- I don't trust him.
Stay here.
- Just wait here like he said.
- Stay here.
Hundred for three.
A hundred for three.
I guess we could make that work.
What's this?
[Isaac sighs]
Has everything been
satisfied, Mr. Reed?
Wanted to be sure we were in
agreement on the price of the horses,
it being my money.
- You don't listen.
- Oh, I listen. I just don't trust you.
Who'd all you say these
horses are for again?
Guiding a party back to Bridger.
Is that right?
- You one of his party?
- I am.
Who else you traveling with?
Don't mind my asking
No one that matters.
You wouldn't by chance be traveling
with a young boy now, would you?
Some fellas came passing
through previous.
Mentioned a mother and son on
the run from back east someplace.
Said there's a considerable
reward for a woman described
not so much different
than this one.
I know nothing about it.
[chuckling]
Well, how about that?
Some stray boy just
following you around?
- Hey! Miah!
- Yeah?
That look like a little
boy to you up on that hill?
[Miah] Yeah, that look
like a little boy.
If you don't want to do
business, we'll be on our way.
No. We can definitely
do some business now.
What's your plan, friend? Hmm?
You gonna take her
back east to collect?
'Cause the way I see it, my helping you
transport something as valuable as this
is sure worth more than $100.
[Sara exclaims]
[growling]
[grunting]
[panting]
You're shot.
- Hey!
- Come here.
- It isn't true! It isn't true!
- Get up!
Get up! Get up!
- It is not
- What was he saying?
- What is this bounty? Who are you?
- I had no choice!
- It was self-defense!
- Who are you?
I was protecting myself. It is no
different than what you did here.
- If you're turning us in for the money
- What is this bounty?
- Where are you taking me?
- Bridger. We're going to Bridger.
You're not taking us back to Bridger!
Bridger is in the wrong direction!
- [Devin] Leave my mom alone!
- Stay back, Devin!
Get the coat. That coat
right there. Get it.
- Get the coat.
- You cannot take us back to Bridger.
Someone will find us there.
Let me get Devin to his father,
after that, you can take me
and then collect the reward.
[Isaac] I don't care.
Look at me. Listen.
This is $1,500.
This is yours if you take
us to Crooks Springs.
Whatever good you think you're doing
by bringing him back, you are wrong.
He will die.
The only hope he has is to
reach his father. Please.
I'm just trying
to protect my son.
You lie to me again,
I will take your life.
- Do you understand?
- Yes.
- Do you? Good.
- Yes, I do.
How do I know you won't
just take it and ride off?
You don't.
Thank you, Mr. Reed.
[Devin] Can Two Moons come?
He doesn't care. Get a horse.
You're bleeding.
Get on a horse.
[Isaac grunts]
[indistinct chattering]
There was an attack!
[in Ute] Chief,
there was an attack.
There are many dead.
Not our people.
[in English] Looking for
[in Ute] Red Feather.
Have you seen him?
Red Feather's camp
is near Cedar Falls.
[Frank in English] Says Red Feather's
somewhere around Cedar Falls,
and they don't know
about the attack.
Hey!
Pratt! Pratt!
Where'd you get that? Hey! Hey!
Where'd you get that? Hey!
Where did you get this?
This was my wife's!
Where is she?
Help him.
- Abish!
- Hey. Get off him!
Abish!
- Hey! Back off.
- Abish!
That's enough!
[in Ute] We do not
want war with you.
His wife was taken.
That belonged to her.
From across the ridge.
She is not here.
[in English] They don't have her,
Brother Pratt. Get on your horse.
This was hers.
- This was hers.
- Look around the village, Pratt.
They're just scavengers.
Get him up.
[in Ute] She is not here.
Leave now!
All you bring is death!
Now go before we
bring death onto you.
Leave now!
We will kill you!
Leave now!
[Jacob in English]
What did he say?
He said get on your
horse, Brother Pratt.
Thank you for your
hospitality, Chief.
[breathing shakily]
Mr. Reed.
[Devin] Mr. Reed, are you okay?
Mister?
Mr. Reed.
- [Isaac grunts]
- [Sara gasps]
Stay with the horses.
[Devin] Is he going to die?
[Sara] I don't know. The
bullet's still in there.
[Devin] There's a lot of blood.
It's all we have.
Stay here.
[Devin] Mom!
[gasping]
It's fine.
We're just trying to get west.
That's my son.
[speaking Shoshone]
[in English] Isaac
I'm sorry. I don't understand.
[speaking Shoshone]
[in English] It's
all right. Careful.
[speaking Shoshone]
[in Shoshone] Welcome back to
the living, Kinii Da-Dawon.
Nasuwegai'nde gives
you many lives.
Too many.
Sleeping Deer used
his best medicine.
[speaks Shoshone]
[in English] You look
like you're feeling better
than the last time
I checked on you.
How long have we been here?
Two days.
So while I was dying,
you went through my
No.
I took it immediately when I
thought you were dead on the trail.
[Isaac scoffs]
These people, they
care about you.
They've been very kind to us.
This was your home once? Yeah?
It was.
[in Shoshone] My
son, I am so happy
to see you with full breath.
When you arrived,
I was afraid you had
passed to the other side.
I felt as if I did.
You have a new wife and son now.
They are not mine.
She has not left your side.
The boy brings memories of you.
You have much pain in your eyes.
Your pain
we share it.
You must breathe through it.
And remember that pain
will not kill you.
I have no peace.
[hooting]
[Isaac in English] What is it?
Riders. I don't know.
[in Shoshone] Take
them with you.
- I don't know what they're here for
- [in English] Go with her.
There was an attack
on white settlers.
Many were killed.
[speaking Shoshone]
[Edmund in English] I do
not believe that it was you,
but others have
made accusations.
[Isaac] They were white.
Mormons.
Likely.
How do you know that?
I was there.
And you did nothing
to stop them?
It wasn't my place.
Women and children
were murdered
It happens a lot in these parts.
The Shoshone warrior, Red
Feather, is he part of this tribe?
[chief] No.
My son lives with his own now.
Fights his own wars.
Not the Shoshone people's.
Do you know where your
son is right now, Chief?
Well, what I'll say is this.
You ought to move your
people further east
to the lands the US
government has given you.
The Shoshone will live on the land
that Nasuwegai'nde has given us.
Men who want violence do not care
what your Gods have given you.
You get any information, you send word to
Captain Dellinger over at Fort Bridger.
[in Shoshone] You bring
shame on your people.
But I will watch you
die with the others.
Stay here.
[in English] Heading
west is a mistake.
I have no choice.
[Isaac sighs]