‘1883’ May Have Just Introduced John Dutton’s Great Great Uncle
Warning: The following contains spoilers for 1883 episode 6.
After a one-week break (because football?), 1883 is back in full swing with episode 6, titled “Boring the Devil.” The title comes from the episode’s final narrational monologue, where Elsa explains how overcoming pain and suffering forces the devil to move on to another victim. If you do not show suffering, then the devil will get bored and over on. The lesson: do everything you can to overcome suffering. Live on. Leave your pain in the past. The episode primarily addresses Elsa’s grief following the bandit attack in episode 5, where Ennis was shot and killed.
In the story of the wagon train journey, the group is only just leaving Texas. They approach one of the final trading posts until the open country—where bandits will be more frequent, civilization more remote, and plot armor less thick.
Of course, we already know where this wagon train leads. The first episode teased a future assault by a native American war tribe, leaving perhaps only the Duttons alive. That moment, however, will likely come later in the season, perhaps in the final episode.
Until then, there’s still hope for Shea and Thomas to lead the settlers to the ocean. And episode 6 gave us even more reason to care about the result, with revealing character moments for both the two leaders.
Here’s what went down on 1883 episode 6.
Everybody Hurts
Elsa’s opening narration reflects on grief and death. She has left her post with the cattle, staying instead by the wagons. One morning, she leaves the wagons to sit by herself after getting her period (she won’t be carrying Ennis’ child). Shea joins her to commiserate. He says that he carries his wife inside of him and that she looks out through his eyes. This is why he decided to take the journey west and lead the migrants: he wants his wife to see the ocean. Else then decides to be a cowboy again and rejoin the heard.
The wagon train stops at a trading outpost, the last decent one before months of wilderness. Noemi asks Thomas to sell her husband’s things. Thomas and Shea also plan on looking for a cook and another cowboy who can help protect the heard.
On her way into the outpost, a man gawks at Elsa who pulls a gun on him, forcing James to intervene. James later takes Elsa’s gun, saying that she should only draw it if she plans to use it.
Margeret enjoys a glass of whiskey, savoring the comforts of ice before what she knows to be a long voyage through the heat. She wonders whether they should make the voyage, given how it has already changed Elsa. She says she’s unsure if she can forgive James for allowing Elsa to become hard.
Elsewhere in town, Thomas buys Noemi a present—a mirror—after selling her husband’s things. Thomas also hires a cook who will accompany the wagon for the remainder of the voyage. She also hires another cowboy, Colin, to watch the heard.
Colin tries to talk to Elsa, but she rebukes him.
She and Thomas confer over another river crossing. They decide they will have to drive the wagons for the migrants.
Everybody Cries
James confronts Elsa about the shooting. He tells her the man was already dead and that Elsa isn’t responsible for the death. James then recounts an experience during the war where his company would shoot flag bearers—boys used to demarcate sides of the battlefield and avoid friendly fire during the fog of fighting. James remembers one boy he killed, his first. He says he has killed so many since. He absolves Elsa from all responsibility in the shooting of the bandit and tells her not to look at the world with hate. James says he will do that for her.
At the camp, Naomi feeds Thomas who gives her a gift. Naomi says that what they feel for each other is love. Thomas hesitatingly lets Naomi make a move.
In the morning, Elsa reflects through narration that she is beginning to see color again. She even banters with Colin, using the same pickup line that Ennis used on her. (Could Colin be John Dutton’s great great uncle? We know Elsa isn’t pregnant with Ennis’ child, so that side of the family remains unknown.)
Margaret says she forgives James.
The next river crossing begins.
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