American Primeval – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Episode 6

Episode 6 of American Primeval begins with Isaac leaving Two Moons and Devin in the cabin while he searches for Sara. She tries to negotiate with Virgil but he wants the money upfront. He leaves Tilly behind to kill Isaac and makes his way back to Philadelphia. However, Isaac jumps Tilly. At the same time, wolves break into the cabin and the children fight them off.

What happens to the bounty hunters?

Lucas judges Virgil for being cruel and the latter gives in and allows him to give Sara a blanket. Sara begs him for help and Lucas is apologetic. At that moment, Isaac attacks and Lucas is shot in the leg. We learn he is Virgil’s younger brother as Virgil panics and tries to surrender. 

In the chaos, Isaac frees Sara and they fight and kill Virgil. While Lucas rushes to his brother, Isaac and Sara head back to the cabin. Two Moons has an injured arm but all is well and they leave for Crooks Spring.

What happens to the Shoshones and the Pratts?

Brigham Young orders Hickman to end the Shoshones for protecting Abish Pratt. On the way, Hickman finds Jacob Pratt in a daze. He takes him back to the Militia and believes the bounty hunters killed Cook. They lie that the Shoshones have killed Abish and Jacob wants revenge. They put him on the front lines so he dies before he can spot Abish.

Meanwhile, the Shoshones get ready for war and Red Feather paints Abish’s face. Late at night, the Mormon Militia attacks. It goes immediately wrong as the Shoshones are outnumbered. Red Feather is shot before he kills Wolsey. His son runs to him and both are shot dead. 

Abish attacks a hooded Jacob and he shoots her. He gets closer and takes off his hood. They are shocked to recognise each other. Jacob kisses her and then kills himself as she dies. Winter Bird is dead as well.

Why does Jim sell Fort Bridger to the Mormons?

Young offers Jim a sum he cannot refuse with a veiled threat and the pioneer gives in. Young will burn the fort in 2 days so there are fewer posts on the outskirts for the US soldiers to take over and reclaim Utah. 2 days pass and we see that the locals have not evacuated. 

Instead, they are celebrating at the inn with Jim giving most of the money away. He cites that it will make him a target and he is too old to rebuild elsewhere. However, he knows when to leave with his life. He strolls through the fort as the Mormons burn it down and Young preaches about their reformation.

Does Sara make it to Crooks Spring?

As Sara’s party gets close to Crooks Sping, Isaac tells Devin about his family. He also makes a crutch for the boy and Sara jokes that Isaac’s heart is finally beating. Crooks Spring is half a mile away and Sara suggests it is best if Isaac turns back as he insists he has to be with his family. 

Devin doesn’t want him to go and they have a tearful parting. Isaac hopes Sara can find her smile and she confesses it is his smile she wants. They kiss before Isaac turns back. As she readies the horses, she sees he has given her back the money. Isaac is morose when he spots the French girl’s doll Tilly had given Lucas as a joke.

Lucas is indeed watching Sara and threatens her once Isaac is gone. She offers him the money but he wants her to suffer by taking her back to the Holloways. She tells Devin that the bad guys will keep coming and grabs her gun. 

Before Lucas can shoot her, Isaac arrives and shoots him. A gunfight ensues before Isaac grabs Lucas and they tussle. Lucas dies but the group realises that Isaac has been shot in the stomach. They tear up as he dies. They give him a Shoshone funeral and then head to California at the end of American Primeval Episode 6.

The Episode Review

American Primeval Episode 6 finally wraps up this ambitious ensemble tale of the 19th-century inhabitants of the Utah territory. While we don’t necessarily like the bitter endings, it is realistic and anything otherwise would have been too utopic, bordering on fantasy. A little Google search shows that Brigham Young did get his Mormon territory in Utah while a large number of Shoshones were killed in the 1860s.

The plot twist of Lucas’ bitter transformation makes sense with that reveal of Virgil being his brother. And while we do understand that Isaac dying is redemption for his scavenging practices of the dead, couldn’t the poor guy get a happy ending? We also called the romantic angle they were going to force on us, didn’t we? It feels too out of place but oh well, what’s done is done.

The first half of the finale is strong as we get the usual intercut narrative between the different storylines to keep the suspense up and set up the climax. But after that, it completely separates the storylines and wraps up one after the other. This doesn’t allow viewers to get invested or have an emotional connection to the horrifying endings that most of the good guys get.

Just as the Shoshones and the Pratts get a brutal ending, the episode immediately moves on to Fort Bridger’s storyline. Then just as we understand Jim’s sacrifice, it switches to Sara and Isaac. Sure, they are the main characters but jumpcuts during the climax with only a couple of minutes left in the runtime would have kept viewers on the edge of their seats and waiting with bated breath for Jim, Red Feather, Abish and Isaac to make it out alive.