Hell on Wheels: Shit just got Real

Hell on Wheels is a show that I enjoy a lot. It is never quite up to the quality of its AMC counterparts such as Breaking Bad or Mad Men, but it is consistently entertaining. However, every once in a while, Wheels airs an episode that makes it seem just as good as the shows it shares a channel with. This past Saturday was one of those episodes. 

After being mauled by a bear in the season three finale, we hadn't seen any sign of Elam Ferguson, the beloved freed man who eventually befriended Cullen Bohannon. Though never the most interesting character on the show, Elam was one of the central characters, making him have "main character immunity" throughout most of the show. The aforementioned term is one that shows up in a lot of television. Essentially it means that since an actor is top billed and the character is important to the plot, viewers can be pretty sure that the character will not be killed off any time soon. Some may argue that it detracts from the quality of a show, but I would retort that it is part of what makes a viewer invested. Since Common, the rapper/actor who portrays Elam was third billed after Anson Mount and Colm Meaney, he was granted this immunity. However, when Elam was mauled by a bear, all of that seemed to go out the window. For the first five episodes of the fourth season, Elam was no where to be found. Mentioned often, but never seen. Then, in episode six, titled "Bear Man", Elam re-appeared. He had scars across his face and one of his eyes was white after being clawed by a bear. However, being the spirited man that he is, Elam survived. Episode six was completely devoted to him. We saw that he had lost his memory and believed himself to be imbued with Indian magic, making him a sort of warrior God. He also seemed to have forgotten that he was a freed man and thought himself a slave trader. Episode six was solid, but nothing amazing. Yes, Common could carry the episode, but it was not the most exciting hour in the world. At the end, Elam Ferguson, three slave women in hand, headed back toward Cheyenne, the site of the railroad. 

Picking up in episode seven, the episode titled "Elam Ferguson" didn't wow right off the bat. Elam returned as oblivious as ever, not recognizing his old friends or his woman. He just wanted to come in and trade his women that he believed to be slaves. When he finally entered the town, he began marketing them to a rather terrified audience. Cullen, the central character of the show and old friend of Elam came to try and break him out of his trance. Alas - Elam was too far gone. He assaulted Cullen, driving a knife into his chest. Despite their best friendship, Cullen was forced to choose between himself and Elam. As any sane man would do, Cullen Bohannon chose his own life, ending that of his friend. 

Not only was this a huge shock to the audience, but it was a huge shock to see on the TV. Elam and Cullen had been as close as brothers, often engaging in almost buddy-cop like moments together. Then, after the bear-mauling, Cullen was forced to do away with Elam. It was emotional for viewers and for the characters. Cullen fired the hardest shot of his life while Elam's came to an end. After the shooting, Cullen went to bury his old friend alone. Even Elam's former wife, Eva refused to join him, saying that "Elam ain't the one in that box." She was right. The Elam that returned to Cheyenne and the Elam that left were not the same. One was a gentle badass who experienced true emotions while being okay with kicking ass from time to time. The other was a demon with a single working eye who only cared about fighting and money. Psychologically, Elam was killed when the bear attacked him. 

The final scene of the episode saw Cullen digging a grave for Elam when he stops, sits on the casket, and cries. Never have we seen this happen before. In the past, Cullen Bohannon was the toughest man in any room, only kicking ass and never kissing ass. He stood up to authority, drank until he passed out, and killed those who went against his moral code. He was a hero that didn't take anyone's shit. Never could the audience imagine Bohannon crying. it would kill his charm. Never could the audience imagine Bohannon crying unless something like this happened. It humanized Cullen while developing his character as a badass even further. Killing his own best friend strengthened Cullen's character even while making him temporarily weak. 

The episode delivered on all levels, even in the side plot involving Thomas Durant. Though the focus was on Cullen and Elam, Colm Meaney still managed to make his character important even amid the major events happening back in Cheyenne. 

To be honest, I hadn't really planned to write about Hell on Wheels again until the season finale, but with the greatness of this week's episode, I felt it was only fair. To make matters even more impressive, the episode was amazing without even having Christopher Heyerdahl's "The Swede" in the it. 

R.I.P, Elam Ferguson. You were never the most intriguing character on the show, but your death made up for any meandering plots you took part in. I never thought I'd say it, but your plot was the highlight of the season thus far.