The second season of 1923 begins with the Duttons trying to survive the dreadful winters in the valley of Montana. After Banner Creighton’s attack, the family was left with almost nothing to keep Yellowstone ranch running. They were forced to sell the last of their herd and kept only 4 bulls and one hundred heifers, the seeds to rebuild their empire once Spencer, their last hope against their sworn enemies, returned home. In the meantime, the family patiently waited for the cold winters to end so God’s spring would bring a new dawn upon their land and save them from their miseries.
Spoiler Alert
Jake Leaves for Bozeman
In the previous season, Cara Dutton had reported Banner’s heinous crimes to Sheriff McDowell, after which the latter arrested the culprit. Jake, however, knew that the threat wouldn’t go away until he had killed Banner with his own hands, as the shepherd had turned into a man-eater who wouldn’t stop until he had killed each member of the Dutton family. Above all, Banner had made some really powerful and influential friends like Donald Whitfield, who were eyeing the Yellowstone ranch and wouldn’t let anything happen to Banner until he had served his master’s wishes. At the end of season 1, Whitfield used his connections to bail Banner out, and even though the hearing of a new trial begins in the first episode of season 2, Jake of all people knew that it could do more damage to his friends and family than anyone else. As Whitfield quoted, “The trial’s just another little sting” that’s going to kill the Duttons. It was quite obvious that the judge wouldn’t rule in Zane or his wife’s favor. This trial would only buy them some time while the family waits for Spencer to arrive.
Teonna Rainwater Ends Up In Texas
After running away from boarding school and killing the two priests hunting her down, Teonna finally reunited with her father, Runs His Horse, at the end of season 1. Together with Pete Plenty Clouds (previously played by Cole Brings Plenty), the trio decided to head South but lost their way and ended up on the JA Ranch in Texas. Due to Cole’s tragic death last year, Pete is now being played by a different actor. However, his character arc and budding romance with Teonna remain the same, and it’s likely that the two are soon going to marry each other in a closed ceremony, as Teonna’s father had already approved the lad. Meanwhile, Marshal Kent and Father Renaud were still on the lookout for Teonna and had been terrorizing the Native American reservations, forcing them to find the girl for the authorities, threatening they would witness their wrath otherwise. It’s quite obvious that karma is going to hit Kent and Renaud sooner or later, and they will have to pay the price for the crimes they have committed against the Indians.
Spencer’s on an Italian Vessel
In the previous season, the Earl of Sussex had Spencer thrown off the Majestic before the ship reached London. I guess he was escorted to some port in Italy where he boarded an Italian vessel and started working as a stoker or fireman to reach America. On the ship, he befriended a young Sicilian from Palermo named Luca and saved his life twice. Once, when Luca was being sexually assaulted by a fellow crew member, and a second time when the young lad tried to kill himself by jumping off the ship. Spencer opened up to his new friend about his problems and told him how badly he needed to raise money to go home. The young Sicilian convinced Spencer to fight for money and later arranged a duel for him in the mess room, asking the sailors to bet money on the lion hunter. In the end, Spencer won enough money from the bets, which would likely help him to buy a ticket to Montana as soon as the Italian vessel next docks at port.
Alexandra Runs Away From London
In the previous season, Alex was separated from Spencer on the Majestic and was brought back to Sussex, where the Earl blamed her parents for their daughter’s actions and banned the family from London. Alex had locked herself in her room and was just looking for a means to run away from London so she could travel to America and reunite with the love of her life. This was the moment when her best friend, Jennifer, came to meet her, and Alex told her about her pregnancy. She begged Jennifer to help her escape from England as she didn’t have any future left there, and therefore, in order to prove her friendship, Jennifer took Alex’s jewels and sold them off to arrange her a tourist class ticket to America. The journey wouldn’t be easy, but Alex had burned all the bridges and had nowhere left to go but West. It’s possible that when Spencer arrives in Montana, Alex might already be waiting for him, like she had promised him.
Whitfield Is Closing In
In order to weaken the Duttons and force them to sell off their land, Whitfield used his influence to put Jake’s most trusted men under legal investigation. In the previous season, he’d informed the authorities about Zane’s wife, Alice Chow, who was arrested for violating the statute against miscegenation, i.e., marrying across racial boundaries. In the first episode of season 2, Sheriff McDowell informed Jake that the authorities had been questioning Alice about the preacher who married them. However, it is likely that Alice would refuse to divulge the source and therefore would be held in contempt and may end up going back to prison after the trial ends. Meanwhile, Zane wasn’t allowed to see his wife or meet his kid; that had crushed him completely, something Whitfield had aimed for.
The Lion’s Death Marks The Beginning of The Killing Season
Before leaving the house for the hearing, Jake had spotted a lion on his porch which seemed like to have lost its way or was looking for shelter for the winter. Jake didn’t want to shoot the lion, and thankfully, he ran away as soon as Jake pulled a gun; however, the man-eater had been keeping an eye on the family and returned in the episode’s ending, because of which Cara was left with no other option but to take an animal’s life on her front door. The first season began with Cara hunting down one of Banner’s men in the woods and shooting him to take revenge for the attack on her family wagon. In the second season as well, Cara pulled out a gun, suggesting she wouldn’t mind killing Banner or anyone who dared harm her family. The killing season has just begun and with the advent of a new spring, the Duttons are not gonna hold back any more and will shoot anyone and everyone who will try to hurt their loved ones. And it’s quite ironic that the only man who had the audacity to threaten the family in front of their own house was none other than Whitfield. It’s true that Jake didn’t have the influence to fight a legal battle against the mining mogul, and the only way to deal with such a lecherous man was to kill him with his bare hands and bury him in the valley so that no one would ever be able to find any trace of it. So, my guess is, Jake, Spencer, or maybe Cara, in the end, are going to throw Whitfield and his minion, Banner, to the wolves to save their own pack.
