Paramount+’s 1923 season two episode one arrives two years after the first season’s finale. Season one followed three distinct storylines, but season two expands that to four, spending time separately with Spencer and his new bride, Alexandra. The first season ended with Cara and Jacob Dutton desperate for Spencer to return home and help save the ranch from ruthless tycoon Donald Whitfield. Meanwhile, Spencer was booted off a ship after a deadly encounter with Alex’s jealous ex, Arthur. Forcefully separated, Alex vowed to find a way to follow him to America.
The third storyline followed Teonna Rainwater who’s was on the run from Father Renaud and Marshal Kent after murdering abusive nuns (who deserved it) at a Catholic school. The first episode of season two checks in on all four storylines, and the following recap—spoiler alert!—is structured into sections that track each key character’s journey.
Winter Arrives at the Yellowstone
Cara (Helen Mirren) writes to Spencer, knowing it’s more an exercise in journaling her thoughts than a true attempt at communication. She notes they’ve had to sell all but four bulls and 100 heifers. She hopes that will be enough to rebuild the ranch once they defeat Whitfield and his thugs. It’s a brutal winter, and the ranch is cut off by the snow.
Food, other than what they can hunt, is scarce. They get by on stews and stale bread. “Like the bear, we hibernate, impatiently awaiting spring and your return,” writes Cara.
Even with a blizzard on the way, Jacob (Harrison Ford) needs to go to town. Cara warns him not to try to make it back home if the weather’s too dangerous. He promises today will not be the last time he sees her face.
A mountain lion is right by the front door as Jacob steps outside, but it runs off before he needs to shoot it. Cara joins him and he points out the tracks. Jacob believes it wasn’t hunting humans, but it lingers in the field rather than running off to the mountains.
Jacob, Jack (Darren Mann), and three cowboys head to Bozeman and spend a little downtime in the local speakeasy under the hotel. Sheriff McDowell (Robert Patrick) drinks at the bar, and Jacob pulls up a stool. They discuss the matter that brought Jacob to Bozeman: Zane’s marriage to an Asian woman, which is against the law. Zane’s in custody after a vicious beating, and his wife and children are being held prisoner.
Judge Garrett, who will hear the case, is married to a Crow woman, and Jacob can’t believe it’s okay to marry one race and not another. McDowell confirms that Zane’s marriage is void and that the preacher who performed will be arrested. Zane’s wife won’t say who officiated it, so she’s still being held in jail.
Jacob and McDowell are certain this is all Whitfield’s doing. (Whitfield’s undertaking a death-by-a-thousand-cuts approach to break the Duttons.) McDowell warns Jacob that he better figure out a way to pay next year’s taxes quickly, or Whitfield will scoop up the Yellowstone.
Back at the ranch, Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) is ecstatic to see the sun shining through the windows. She steps onto the porch and comes face-to-face with the mountain lion. Cara sees her frozen in place and grabs her shotgun, killing the mountain lion.
1923 brings 1883’s Elsa (Isabel May) in to provide a voice-over describing Montana’s harsh winters. Elsa calls winter the killing season and says only the strongest survive.
Wolves howl, filling the air as a worried Cara steps outside.
Spencer Finds Passage to Galveston
Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) is working his way to Galveston, Texas, shoveling coal in a ship’s boiler room. coal. He befriends Luca (Andy Dispensa) from Palermo, Sicily, and notices a man staring at him in the mess hall. That night, Spencer stops Luca from being raped, ripping the man from the dining room off him and beating him to a pulp when he pulls a knife. The ruckus gets the attention of the ship’s captain, who shoots the rapist. Spencer isn’t disciplined but does have to clean up the blood.
The following day, Spencer finishes his shift and discovers two letters on his bunk. He finds Luca sitting on the ship’s railing, prepared to jump. Luca confesses the man’s been raping him since they left port. Spencer assures him it’s not his fault and shouldn’t throw away his life because of it. He needs to think about his family and how his mother would feel learning he committed suicide.
Luca says one of the letters he wrote is to his mother. Spencer doesn’t speak Italian, so Luca explains the other letter is a thank you for saving him. Spencer should look for his cousins Salvatore and Rosario Maceo once the ship docks. They run Galveston and will pay Spencer for saving him. Spencer points out that if he jumps, he didn’t save him. Luca admits he didn’t think of that and allows Spencer to help him off the railing.
Spencer throws away the letters and suggests they get back to work.
Later, Spencer and Luca talk about their homes. Spencer explains he’s heading to Montana to help his family and needs money to get there. Luca thinks Spencer can make a lot by fighting, but Spencer dislikes fighting for money. He believes you should only fight for survival, not sport. Luca suggests that if Spencer’s returning home because his family’s in danger, then fighting for money is for survival.
Spencer agrees, and Luca gets things organized during dinner. Bets are placed on either the lion hunter or the giant for a one-round fight without any rules. Spencer wins within seconds. His next fight lasts slightly longer, and Spencer gets bruised and bloodied before biting his opponent’s neck and then delivering a series of punishing blows.
The night ends with Spencer earning $420. He heads to the bow to smoke and distance himself from anyone looking to steal his earnings. Galveston’s lights come into view as he looks out over the ocean.
Teonna Makes Camp in Texas
Marshal Kent (Jamie McShane), Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché), and Marshal Thomas (Ross Crain) shoot multiple members of the Comanche tribe while searching for Teonna. Kent holds a small child at gunpoint, and even after they claim not to have seen Teonna, he kills the child by running him down with his horse.
Teonna (Aminah Nieves), her father Runs His Horse (Michael Spears), and Pete Plenty Clouds (Jeremy Guana) have made camp and believe they’re far enough ahead of Father Renaud to relax a bit. Runs His Horse provides a lesson on woodworking, explaining their people have lost much of what their forefathers knew because of the white man. Trading and getting supplies rather than making them has made the indigenous people into beggars at the white man’s fort. Which is precisely what the white man wants.
The relationship between Teonna and Pete is blossoming, and her father suggests she wait until after the ceremony to lose her virginity. However, he admits he didn’t wait – no one waits. Teonna takes matters into her own hands, joining Pete away from camp on his deer hunt. She removes her shirt and smiles, and Pete takes a big gulp before smiling back. He races across the creek when she removes her pants, now only covered by a blanket.
They’ve only made it as far as kissing when they spot a man on horseback nearby. Pete runs and grabs her clothes, quickly covering their footprints. The man’s right behind Pete when he turns around, and, fortunately, he’s friendly. It turns out they’re camping on the JA Ranch in Texas and missed Oklahoma by 100 miles.
Comanche used to own this land but have moved on to Vernon. However, the ranch owner, Mr. Goodnight, is a friend of Quanah Parker (the last chief of the Kwahadi band of Comanches) and does not mind Comanches camping on his land.
Alexandra Sets Off to America
Sussex, England. Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) is wasting away, mourning the absence of Spencer and ignoring her health. She needs to get to America as soon as possible and has no one to help her besides her best friend Jennifer (Jo Ellen Pellman). Alex doesn’t have time to waste because she’s pregnant! She’s afraid her family’s punishment will worsen once Arthur, Sr. finds out she’s pregnant. They’ve already been banned from London.
Alex convinces Jennifer to sell her jewelry and book her 2nd class passage on the first ship sailing to America. Jennifer also agrees to tell Alex’s parents she’s taking her to Oxford to see friends.
Alex pens a letter to Spencer, explaining she will enter America via the port in New York. From there, she’ll travel by train to Montana.
Jennifer couldn’t book 2nd class, so Alex will be traveling in tourist class, which Jennifer describes as full of thieves and beggars. She couldn’t sell the jewelry for as much as Alex would have liked since no one of repute would buy them. Before Alex boards the ship, Jennifer places her expensive bracelet on Alex’s wrist. If she doesn’t return it, Jennifer will understand that she needed the money.
They hug, and Alex boards the ship in good spirits, calling out, “I’m off on the next adventure!”
- Recap of 1923 Episode 1
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 2 “Nature’s Empty Throne” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 3 “The War Has Come Home” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 Episode 4 “War and the Turquoise Tide” Recap
- 1923 Season 1 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” Finale Recap
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