Mickey desperately schemes to avoid dire consequences as the noose tightens.
We’re offering a weekly account of every episode aired during the final summer run of Hell on Wheels. Be forewarned: There will be spoilers a-plenty in each of these overviews. Here are five takeaways from Episode 511, “Gambit.”
The Plot
After a flash-forward prologue that indicates just how unhappily-ever-after Durant will be living after completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, Episode 511 returns to the scene of the crime — the botched fake kidnapping of Durant by the trigger-happy Shea that ended Episode 510. The battered Louise comes back to Laramie, accompanied by Delaney’s corpse and delivering a ransom note demanding the Union Pacific board pay $250,000 for Durant’s safe return. Unfortunately, the board isn’t willing to pay. Even more unfortunately, Gov. John Campbell (Jake Weber) arrives in Laramie, along with Maj. Bendix and a gaggle of troops and trackers, to take up the search for Durant. They’re not interested in paying a ransom, either.
Mickey — well aware he already has blood on his hands because of his role in the kidnapping scam — rides out to where Shea is holding the railroad wheeler-dealer, and asks his cousin to keep cool, carry on, and not kill their “hostage.” The cousins wind up booby-trapping the cabin they’ve been using as a hiding place, so that when Maj. Bendix and men arrive, they set off an explosion that leaves at least one trooper dead. After that, Campbell changes his mind about paying the ransom, and wires the Union Pacific board.
But Campbell changes his mind once more when Louise uncovers a discrepancy in the account books obtained from the local Union Pacific office. Campbell, who has never much liked Durant, theorizes that Durant has faked his own kidnapping to cover a cash flow problem. Furthermore, Campbell — who cares even less for Mickey — considers what Louise said about the kidnapper having “an Irish accent,” puts two and two together, and decides the crafty casino/bordello operator is involved in the scheme.
Mickey, feeling the walls closing in, confides to Eva that, yes, he helped fake the kidnapping, but, no, he didn’t want his cousin to kill anyone. Eva suggests that maybe, just maybe, Mickey could extricate himself from his dilemma by killing Shea. Mickey responds negatively, angrily, so Eva quickly drops the subject. But then Mickey must face another unexpected crisis.
Hoping to make Campbell more willing to pay the ransom, Mickey tells him that he “suspects” that his dangerously unstable cousin may be responsible for the kidnapping. Then he rides out to where Shea and Durant are waiting, to be on hand when the money is delivered. But Maggie Palmer, not Campbell or Bendix, is the one who gallops into the appointed drop-off place. Apparently, love makes you do crazy things: Refusing to believe that Durant plotted his own abduction, she has sold her own hotel to raise a $50,000 ransom payment. Trouble is, Shea doesn’t think this amount is nearly enough. Voices are raised, shots are fired. And in the aftermath, Maggie and Shea are very seriously dead.
Durant and Mickey cover their tracks as best they can, providing mutually corroborating testimony that Shea killed Maggie before riding off with $50,000. Campbell doesn’t believe them, but can’t disprove their version of what happened. Later, while alone with Eva, Mickey breaks down and tells her what really happened: After Shea shot Maggie, he shot Shea, then sank his cousin's body in nearby river. He initially tries to ease his pain by forcing himself on Eva, but doesn’t get the sexual healing he seeks until he backs off and she gives her consent. Meanwhile, Durant uses the $50,000 raised by Maggie to pay back the farmers he swindled. He looks about as regretful as he’s ever looked on this show.
Takeaway No. 1
Once again, Mickey demonstrates that, except for Durant, he’s arguably the most conniving character in Hell on Wheels. When he disposes of Shea’s body, long-time viewers may be reminded of how he took care of an inconvenient corpse back in Episode 307. And during his final scene with Eva, he recalls how he killed his own brother —allegedly to save Ruth’s life, but more likely to save his own neck — in Episode 308. And speaking of Sean, Mickey’s late sibling: Also in Episode 308, it was announced that Sean killed two women who looked a lot like Ruth back in Boston. And that he might have had an accomplice. This week’s episode isn’t the first time Mickey has gotten all creepy with Eva. So maybe… ?
Takeaway No. 2
To his credit, Campbell apologizes to Louise for his bad behavior back in Cheyenne after the end of their affair in Season 4. Louise insists she was not at all heartbroken by their break-up. It’s worth noting, however, that she doesn’t tell him anything about aborting his baby, with Eva’s help, in Episode 505. Is she waiting for a future time to drop that bombshell? Or will these two crazy kids wind up back together?
Takeaway No. 3
Durant obviously is a dude who likes to dice with death every chance she gets. Indeed, during the scene where he repeatedly baits Sean, it seems as though he actually wants Dandy Johnny to shoot him. Maybe that’s why they started things off with that flash-ahead prologue, to tell us that, no, don’t worry, Durant isn’t getting his comeuppance this week. The worst is yet to come.
Takeaway No. 4
On the other hand: Durant, Huntington (the other real-life figure featured in the flash-forward), and Campbell (who actually was governor of the Wyoming Territory) now are the only characters we know for sure will survive, if not thrive, after completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. (Well, OK, President U.S. Grant will go on as well.) Looks like it’s all up for grabs for everybody else in the final three episodes. What do you think is the over-under regarding Cullen Bohannon’s chances of reaching the end of the line?
Takeaway No. 5
And since we only have three episodes left before the last sunset for Hell on Wheels : Do you think Cullen — who was conspicuous by his absence this week — will finally track down the last varmint responsible for killing his wife and son? Maybe it will turn out to be … oh, I dunno … Bendix?
