“The War Has Come Home” is an ominous episode title, and one that certainly rings true by the end. Spoilers ahead!
We begin with a normal day on the ranch, with Cara, Emma and Elizabeth doing chores as the wait for their men to return home. The three men happily reunite with their women, and Jacob informs Cara they’ll be heading into town to deal with the little problem (Banner) the men encountered on their trip. Banner manages to make it home to his wife and child, sending his boy off to fetch the other remaining sheep herders.
While in town, Cara delightedly discovers what a washing machine is while the men are less convinced about the wonders of modern electricity and the costs required. Elizabeth would love a refrigerator, but Jack points out he’d have to work more hours to cover the cost. A sweet, funny family scene.
Jacob visits the local Sheriff, who scolds him like a child for hanging the sheep herders. “Jacob, you can’t be hanging people out in the woods like that no more!” As if that would stop Jacob, who is very tired of the sheep herders stealing his grass. Jacob points out they would’ve gotten hung in town anyway, and he was just saving time and paperwork. As he leaves the Sheriff’s office, Jacob meets a fellow cattle rancher and commiserates over the condition of their cattle and the sheep herders.
The family stays in town for the night as a treat, at the Hotel Bozeman. Jack and the younger family members find a speakeasy and dance and drink their night away, with Elizabeth exclaiming she feels like she’s back in the city. With Gin Rickey’s for the men and Bees Knees for the women, a night on the town in enjoyed by all.
Meanwhile: The Adventures of Spencer in Africa continues. He and his new companion Alexandra explore their new terrain as Spencer prepares to hunt a spotted hyena that has been going after railroad workers. Spencer takes Alexandra out in a car to see the sights and wildlife, some of which she’s never seen before. When they reach their destination, Spencer asks if he can shorten her name to Alex. You know, just in case she’s about to get eaten by a lion. It’s shorter to yell. Makes sense. Alex jokes she shouldn’t expect a proposal any time soon then, but Spencer seems to be a man who knows what he wants. He might’ve only known Alex a day, but he decides she’s the one for him. Alex accepts his demand of “Marry Me” and the two head back to the main camp.
Just as their day was going so well, a rogue elephant charges the car and flips it with the pair inside. A very shaken Alex manages to follow Spencer’s instructions as they flip the car over and climb the nearest tree, hoping to avoid a pride of lions while help comes to find them. No such luck, as the dead elephant draws a large number of lions and hyenas all hoping for a large dinner. When a lioness notices Spencer and Alex in the tree, Spencer is forced to shoot a number of the wild animals before helps arrives just in the nick of time. Alex may be rethinking this whole “wife of a big game hunter” thing, after having her life endangered multiple times on the first day. I can’t wait for Alex to meet the family, should Spencer ever come home.
The rest of the family awakens the next morning at the Hotel Bozeman. Cara watches Jacob shave while sharing her morning thoughts and musings on the ways of the world. The pair have been married for 44 years, and Harrison Ford & Helen Mirren play this partnership beautifully. Before the leave, Jacob stares at himself in a mirror and wonders when he got so old.
The group gathers on horseback with Cara, Elizabeth and Emma in the wagon. Jack drives them. Zane, the ranch foreman, offers to have a few cowboys hang back with the wagon but Jacob tells them to go on ahead. A decision he will come to regret, as the wagon is ambushed by sheep herders when they make it out of town and into the wilderness. Both Elizabeth and her father Bob are shot, with Jack also taking a bullet to the shoulder. The family is thrown into chaos as everyone scrambles for cover from the gunfire.
Zane and the cowboys up ahead hear the gunfire and turn around, racing back to help the Duttons – who are unfortunately outnumbered by the sheep herders. This battle scene feels like the early days of Yellowstone, and it’s impossible to look away as bullets fly in all directions. Banner appears with what looks to be a machine gun, and sprays the area with bullets. Jacob and John Sr are both hit before Zane and the guys arrive to back them up and chase off the sheep herders.
Cara rushes to Jacob’s side, and it doesn’t look good for him. He’s alive, but bleeding. John Sr. is not so lucky, and dies from his bullet wounds. His wife Emma is in shock at seeing him lying there, and Cara tries to comfort her while also panicking over Jacob. Elizabeth’s father is also dead. In the chaos, Cara spots an injured sheep herder trying to escape without being noticed, and the scene from episode one comes into play. In a battle of “who can load their gun first” Cara wins, shoots the man and screams her frustration to the sky.
With Jacob wounded, Cara takes charge. Everyone rushes back to the ranch and doctors are summoned. Cara gets to work stopping Jacob’s bleeding, desperately trying to keep her husband alive. Jacob manages to tell Zane not to call the Sheriff – he doesn’t want people coming for the ranch while they’ve been weakened. Jacob then tells Cara that Spencer must come home. Now. As the doctors arrive and take over the care of the wounded, Cara steps outside to write Spencer a letter.
“Spencer, your brother has been killed. By the time you receive this letter, I suppose your uncle has been killed as well. Your nephew has been wounded. This ranch and your legacy are in peril. War has descended upon this place and your family. Whatever war you fight within yourself must wait. You must come home and fight this one.”
What an ending to episode 3! Surely Jacob won’t die three episodes into the show.. right? We’ll find out next week!
