1923 Season 2 Episode 5 Ending Explained: Who Won The Cliffhanger Shoot Out?

1923 season 2, episode 5 ends in a major cliffhanger with gunshots fired, which is just one of numerous questions viewers might have about the episode’s events. 1923 season 2’s story has been focused around Spencer and Alex’s respective journeys to Montana, facing terrifying threats along the way. Winter has delayed the war and conflict transpiring for control of the Dutton ranch, as Donald Whitfield and Banner Creighton have been waiting for the right moment to strike. Now, winter is over, the clock is ticking, and Spencer only has so much time to return home and protect his family.

With multiple ongoing narratives in 1923, episode 5 was primarily focused on Spencer, Alex, and Teonna Rainwater, all of whom are far from the ranch. The Yellowstone prequel is about the same ranch that we saw in the original show, but the storyline has stretched far beyond Montana, even reaching Africa and Europe. However, with three episodes remaining in the season and possibly the show altogether, everything is about to converge for a climactic finish, with all the show’s characters finally brought together. Episode 5 continued to push all of its pieces along.

Marshal Kent & Pete Shoot At Each Other Season 2, Episode 5’s Ending

Pete Might Have Met His End In Season 2, Episode 5

Father Renaud and Marshal Kent are the terrifying duo in eager pursuit of Teonna Rainwater, having chased the poor girl from Montana all the way down to West Texas. In episode 4, we saw “Wanted” posters plastered around Texas, offering a reward for her capture, and now we’ve finally seen her pursuers catch up. Or, at least, they caught up to Pete Plenty Clouds. But first, they met with the cowboy whom Teonna and her companions had befriended, who’s played by The Outsiders’ C. Thomas Howell, named Anders.

Renaud and Kent both attempt to win over information from Anders, though he’s distrustful of their depictions of Teonna, saying he doesn’t believe that she’s the evil murderer they’re painting her to be. Renaud succeeds in getting Anders to lead them north of his ranch, where they end up finding Pete. After a brief chase on horseback, Pete topples over and prepares to fire his weapon, aimed at Marshal Kent. The episode cuts to black before we see if either of them was hit, but given that he’s outnumbered and mountless, it seems unlikely that Pete would walk away alive.

Alex’s Conflict On Her Train Ride To Chicago, Explained

Alex Is Suffering On Her Trip To Montana

Alex truly can’t catch a break. Her immigration at Ellis Island was heartbreaking, her time at Grand Central Station was miserable, and now her time on the train to Chicago has been devastating. On board, Alex offered to exchange work services in return for being fed, as she’d lost her money to the thief in New York City. She runs into some trouble when one of the passengers sexually assaults her, forcing her to touch him after she spills coffee on his lap and touching her as she pours him coffee the next day.

The man’s disturbing actions will likely perpetuate the show’s criticism for continuously abusing Alex. Of course, these events are poignant and worth exploring individually, but altogether, they’re becoming slightly unbelievable and cumulatively challenging to watch. Being touched in episode 5 finally pushes Alex over the edge, causing her to lash out at the man. She pours piping-hot liquid all over his lap, then begins to bash his head with the teapot, leaving him bloodied and angered.

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Did 1923 Season 2 Episode 5 Really Kill THAT Character?

1923 season 2, episode 5 ended on a massive cliffhanger, and one beloved character’s life hangs in the balance in a truly uncertain way.

Of course, rather than believing Alex, the conductor believes the man and has her arrested. If not for the assault being witnessed by a kindly British couple, this may have been the end of the line for Alex. Luckily, they vouch for her, leading to her assailant’s arrest on their arrival in Chicago. Alex then discovers that the train to Fargo has been canceled, but her new British friends offer her an alternative option, joining them on their travels. Hopefully, this will be the end of her three-episode streak of being assaulted in some manner.

Why The Sheriff Wanted Spencer To Be Arrested In Texas

Sheriff McDowell Doesn’t Want War Breaking Out Near Bozeman

While Alex can’t get a break, at least Spencer finally does. Episode 5 shows him found by Marshal Mamie Fossett, who believes him to be connected to Teonna Rainwater in some capacity due to them both being from Montana. Spencer is then taken into the police station before being sent on a train back to Montana, eliminating the potential for him and Teonna to cross paths, which had long been anticipated due to the Dutton and Rainwater connections in Yellowstone’s ending.