One Hundred Years of Solitude – Season 1 Episode 7 Recap & Review

Arcadio and the Liberal Paradise

One Hundred Years of Solitude Episode 7 starts with Arcadio donning a general’s uniform, getting a few remaining boys to be his soldiers and addressing the people of Macondo. At first, they find it funny to see him dressed as a general. Then they worry when he asks them to wear a red Bandanna to show their support for the liberals and order all men to report for military service at the station. Initially, the people argue but decide they have to show support to their sons and husbands, risking their lives with Aureliano. They figure that Arcadio is just a child enjoying a little power.

However, things take a turn as Arcadio locks Father Ninacor in the church and helps Jose Arcadio demand fines from the people living in Macondo. He also starts training young soldiers and using them to exert his power in the town. Arcadio’s actions become the talk of the town, especially after he demands taxes. Things come to a head when Arcadio kills one of the local musicians at the local bar to prove a point.

Arcadio refuses to let anyone mock him and he lets the power go to his head. Concerned, Pilar visits her son and warns him to listen when a woman advises him in the future. Ursula steps in to condemn him and free Father Nicanor.

Meanwhile, Aureliano leads his men to free Colonel Carmona, who is captured. Sadly, he is overwhelmed and loses a lot of his men. He decides to travel alone to seek reinforcements. He ends up in the same swamp where his parents nearly died and, just like his parents, he ends up travelling in circles until he hallucinates, talking to his dad.

He ends up fainting, and a woman saves him. She brings him to her house and later takes him to Colonel Gregorio. Colonel Gregorio agrees to help Aureliano and they return to save the other men. Aureliano takes charge of the liberal army and leads the men to rescue Colonel Carmona again. This time, they succeed.

At the Buendia’s house, Ursula tries to keep going. Occasionally, she would sit by Jose’s side under the chestnut trees and fill him in on everything happening. Sadly, Visitacion falls sick and before her death, she gives all her savings to the liberal party. She and Ursula worry that their sons will die of starvation while serving the liberal army.

Meanwhile, Pietro’s relationship with Amaranta deepens. He proposes to her, but she turns him down. He tries to woo her by singing for her in the morning, but she still refuses him. Out of despair and a broken heart, he commits suicide. Ursula blames Amaranta for his death and hardens her heart against her. This time, Amaranta burns her hand in the open fire.

As things get tougher in Macondo, Catarino asks Mascote to step in and help, but the latter refuses. Arcadio’s spies overhear the conversation and inform their boss. Arcadio tries to execute Mascote, but Ursula steps in to save him. This time she publicly condemns Arcadio and dares him to try something like this again. She reveals that she got a letter informing her of Aureliano’s death and asks Arcadio to try to honour her son’s memory. After this incident, Ursula starts running the town again, but she feels the burden and cries about it.

A few days later, Colonel Gregorio shows up dressed as a woman to warn Arcadio about the incoming army of conservative soldiers. Gregorio explains that he was sent by Aureliano, but no one believes him. He tries to warn them to surrender and let Aureliano execute a plan to save the town later. Unfortunately, Arcadio realises too late what Pilar’s warning was about. By a woman, she meant Gregorio, who was dressed as a woman.

Arcadio refuses to surrender, causing a bloodbath in the town. He is later captured and executed outside the town cemetery. Rebeca and Jose Arcadio could only stand by and watch. Arcadio’s final requests were the names of the children his pregnant wife was expecting. He wanted them to be named after their grandparents.

The Episode Review

I am surprised that Arcadio lived long enough to be executed by the army. At one point, I expected the town to turn against him and kill him. The young man let power get to his head and messed up more than the conservatives. On the other hand, we have Amaranta, who drives Pietro to suicide out of revenge. She waited for him to fall in love with her before giving him the deadly blow of turning down his proposal. It is cruel, but so fitting. Pietro only saw her as Rebeca’s replacement.