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01x02 - Episode 2

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "American Primeval". Aired: January 9, 2025.*
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The series examines the fight to gain control of the American West and the sometimes-violent clash between religion and culture in Utah Territory.

01x02 - Episode 2

Post by bunniefuu »

[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 k*lled.

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.

[g*n c*ck]

Get on.

Now.

[in English] She's

not bothering us.

Shut up.

[g*n 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!

- [g*nshots]

[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?

[g*nf*re continues]

Folks who wrote up this

bounty would prefer you alive.

[g*nf*re continues]

Ms. Holloway?

Through here. Come on, go.

[Virgil] I don't wanna

have to harm your boy.

- Come on. Keep going.

- [b*ll*ts ricochet]

[g*nshots]

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 w*r!

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 w*r 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 k*lled 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 k*lled 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 w*r.

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 g*n.

- 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 m*rder*d 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 k*ll 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 w*r 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 k*ll 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

b*llet'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 k*ll 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 k*lled.

[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 m*rder*d

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]