Season2, Episode 13: The Offering

The Gist:
Sully is helping the army to carry out the terms of its treaty with the Cheyenne.  The army will provide food and shelter (blankets and tents) to make up for all the buffalo killed. Unfortunately, as anyone who knows anything about American history can tell you, these blankets are very obviously infected. We're looking at typhus, though, not smallpox.

In case any of you do not obsessively read about 19th-century epidemics, here's a little taste of what typhus is: fever, severe back/muscle/joint pains, a rash, light sensitivity AND delirium!

Michaela and Sully wind up trapped on the reservation when an inevitable outbreak hits.  Matthew took a blanket for Ingrid (which of course infects not only him but the entire immigrant camp) and winds up getting quarantined in the clinic with his siblings and Horace (wtf?) while Hank gets a posse together to burn down the camp.

Meanwhile, the town is putting together a pageant for President's Day. Horace will be Abraham Lincoln (naturally), and wants Myra to be Mary Todd Lincoln. Mr. Bray decides to change the policy from "no whores" to "only engaged whores." lovely.


Commentary:
1.  I showed this episode to a class once and they were horrified that there might be some historical basis behind the events seen here.  Although it's never been entirely proven that it happened on PURPOSE (perhaps the very real smallpox infestation of 1763 was just an accident???), we do know that at least one high-ranking military official of the period considered purposeful infection as a potential tool for biological warfare/genocide.

2.  Poor Sully. And poor Michaela.  Every time they think they're helping their Cheyenne friends, they only screw things up more. It's amazing the Cheyenne haven't turned on either of them entirely. Still, Michaela's guilt is real and raw here, as is Sully's outrage.

3.  This town's unity is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it inspires them to do amazing things, like build a schoolhouse and defeat the corrupt silver miners.  On the other, it empowers and emboldens them to do really rash, fucked up things like board up the clinic and nearly burn down the immigrant camp in angry mobs. 

4.  Wolf is amazing at doing everything. He is one competent animal. 

5.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: Cloud Dancing is a wonderful part of this show. His friendship with Sully is probably the most epic bromance  I've ever seen.