Sunday, August 23, 2020

REVIEW: 'Wynonna Earp' - A Past Action Holds Consequences for Nicole as Wynonna Searches for Peacemaker in 'Holy War: Part 1'

Syfy's Wynonna Earp - Episode 4.05 "Holy War: Part 1"

Trouble at the Homestead leads to payback time for a deadly deal.







In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Syfy's Wynonna Earp.

"Holy War: Part 1" was written by Noelle Carbone and directed by Ron Murphy

The characters have predominately been reflecting on their legacies this season. Wynonna has more value than simply being the one who can wield Peacemaker. Doc is more than the fastest gunslinger in the west. Waverly is more than an angel who can lord over the Garden. And yet, they have been continually forced into these roles because of circumstances that are seemingly out of their control. Part of the ongoing conflicts are rooted in that familiarity. These characters have always known a life of danger and mysterious supernatural threats. They rely on each other. That has always been rewarding. Is that all that they can expect from their lives though? Don't they deserve something more? Right now, fame dominates their lives. People have opinions of them because of their past actions. They are so much more than that though. Doc laments that Wynonna probably wouldn't be proud of her great-grandfather because of the actions he took in the west. He didn't justly kill all the people who would eventually become Revenants. He could contort the truth to fit his beliefs and had the power to do so as sheriff. Doc remembers things differently. He has long accepted his fate of being damned for all that he has done. He has survived for a long time. He has always chased immortality in order to avoid the fate that awaits him after this life. But he recognizes that he falls into familiar patterns as well. His skills are necessary to keep his family safe. He has to protect Wynonna, Waverly and Nicole. The Homestead is under attack. They just don't realize that the threat is coming from inside the house. That Clantons exist solely to eventually get their vengeance against the Earps. A clash generations ago led to them being scorned in this town. They are still here. They still seek power. Ma'am has possibly created a power for the Earp family to destroy one another instead of having to rely on the Reapers that they control to get the job done. This season has absolutely presented them as a serious threat. One that spoils the family from being happy together. They are once again thrown into conflict. Their lives have been destroyed because Wynonna, Waverly and Doc were lost in the Garden for a year and a half. Nicole made decisions during that time because she was desperate to reunite with her greatest love. The show is being cryptic with what she had to do to make this deal with Ma'am. She knows that it may be destructive to everything she hopes to maintain with this family. She doesn't want to betray them. That may inevitably happen though because Wynonna is still so hot-headed. She still views a gun as her best weapon. However, Peacemaker rejects her here. She tracks down her weapon hoping to be reunited before the coming fight. She gets so close but doesn't understand why it no longer wants to perform for her. She sees value in this powerful weapon. It has allowed her to do so much. That power has not only been harnessed by her. Others have used it as well. It's a powerful tool to have in any conflict. Wynonna has to wield it responsibly. In order to get to that point though, she will have to come face-to-face with Rosita once more. She once promised her that she would be the last Revenant she would hunt down and kill. That was before Rosita tried to make a deal to escape the Ghost River Triangle by kidnapping Wynonna and Doc's newborn child. The audience was led to believe that all of the Revenants were gone after the Earp Curse had been broken. Rosita is still trapped though. She has unfinished business. Dealing with that may offer Wynonna a new perspective. She has to contend with the Clantons in a smart and strategic way. These characters can allow grudges from the past to fester into conflicts that could do so much damage. They also have to atone for the mistakes made in the hopes of finding purpose moving forward. Doc questions the good he has done. He is still loyally by Wynonna's side because a noble man can't be neutral during times of war. And yet, war has defined so much for this family. They are starting to think about what can possibly come next because they deserve that happiness sooner rather than later. The world may not grant them that peace but they still have to find a way to grab it themselves while still contending with the supernatural. Wynonna is still working on that. Meanwhile, Nicole is being drowned in Holy Water. This show can be crazy and absurd sometimes. It still has profound consequences as everyone is fighting for a better future while recognizing that others in the family may not always agree with their methods and choices.