1883 Episode 8 Recap: The Caravan Prepares to Say Goodbye

[Warning: The following contains spoilers from 1883 Episode 8. Read at your own risk!]

Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) sure does move quickly. Just weeks after the tragic death of her fiancé in Episode 5 of 1883, she's now found a new husband in the form of Sam (Martin Sensmeier), the Comanche she met just one episode and, apparently, three days ago. I haven't yet fully figured out where this show is trying to go in the next two episodes, but that flash-forward from the pilot is starting to feel both more understandable and a whole lot more confusing. Elsa now considers herself the wife of a Comanche warrior, meaning she herself is sort of a Comanche warrior as far as she's concerned. So why is she murdering Native men (who are, to be fair, murdering members of the caravan) while dressed from her neck to her ankles in lace and florals? How have we gotten to the point where I'm more concerned about her outfit than the murder? I guess these are questions to be answered later. 

Episode 8 found the entire caravan at a crossroads. The plains were proving useless, and the leaders disagreed about how to proceed. Shea (Sam Elliott) wanted to turn toward Denver, knowing the immigrants would not make it all the way to Oregon. James (Tim McGraw) wanted to continue on the journey as planned, and all the immigrants wanted to follow him. Elsa was also planning to split from the group to stay with Sam, but after many goodbyes, everyone decided they were going to Oregon anyway. Even Elsa decided to leave her boyfriend so she could find out where Oregon was, while planning to return to the plains in June to reunite with him. (Something tells me that's not happening.) 

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It was basically an episode full of conversations that ended up going nowhere, but Elsa did get to continue her transformation. She got a new pair of chaps made by a Native woman and was gifted a vest by Sam, ending the episode in an outfit about as far from her mother's approval as she could get without fully exposing her ankles. 

Speaking of her mother, Margaret (Faith Hill) had a full meltdown when she saw her daughter covered in buffalo blood (after Sam taught her how to kill and then just chow down on one), and had to reckon with the fact that Elsa's an 18-year-old grown-up now and she can do what she wants, Mom, even if what she wants is to have sex with Sam on the ground! Meanwhile, James had sort of accepted the situation: "I guess she's gonna fall in love with every man she meets until one of 'em sticks." 

So the episode ended with the whole caravan heading off together, and Elsa yelling a heartbroken goodbye to her sorta-husband. There was a definite sense of stalling here as everyone almost split up but didn't, but it did succeed in creating a sense of dread for what's to come. I just wish a little more had happened in the process. 

Watch 1883 every Sunday on Paramount+. 

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