American Primeval: Who Dies and Who Survives?

Netflix’s Western series ‘American Primeval’ explores the lives of a group of men and women who try their best to survive in the Wild West, even if they have to kill each other. The period drama takes place on the thin line between life and death, where survival cannot be taken for granted. Since each of these characters has to kill someone to remain alive, death is a constant presence throughout the six episodes of the show. Whether it be Isaac Reed and Sara, who need to fight back against Virgil Cutter, or Red Feather, who wants to retaliate against the growing threat of the oppressors, everyone’s lives are on the line in the Western drama, which makes their fates warrant a detailed exploration! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Isaac Reed: Dies

Throughout ‘American Primeval,’ Isaac Reed confronts death at a short distance in several instances. He faces deadly arrows, fiery bullets, merciless bounty hunters, and ruthless thugs after embarking on a journey to Crooks Springs with Sara and Devin Rowell. Fortunately, he succeeds in taking the mother and son to their destination, irrespective of the challenges he faces. However, it does not mean that he remains alive. After starting his return journey to Fort Bridger, he comes across a doll that was in the possession of Lucas, who shows up out of nowhere to kill Sara. Isaac intervenes and saves his companion but has to sacrifice himself to do so.

Isaac loses his life because of love. He takes Sara, Devin, and Two Moons to Crooks Springs without even accepting money from the former as the fee for the deadly assignment. It is the same love that makes him return to the trio after he learns about Lucas’ threat. Even though he dies in the following attack, he manages to eliminate his enemy to ensure that the latter won’t threaten his loved ones. Furthermore, he dies when he is surrounded by Sara, Devin, and Two Moons, who watch him depart from their world with immense love and gratitude. After leading a reclusive life for long, it is comforting that he does not die alone.

Sara and Devin Rowell: Survive

Sara embarks on a perilous journey that puts her life on the line to safeguard her son, Devin. Fortunately, she fulfills her wish, as the mother and child remain alive at the end of the Western drama. They owe their lives to Isaac, who jumps on death that awaited them with an open heart. Even though they have suffered a lot, ranging from Sara’s experiences while she is held captive by the French thugs to Devin’s severe leg injury, they evade death because of Isaac’s self-sacrificial nature. After cremating their companion, the mother and son then start their journey to California to begin a new chapter of their lives rather than proceeding to Crooks Springs to beg for the compassion of the young boy’s father.

Jacob and Abish Pratt: Die

The Meadows Massacre separates Jacob and Abish, a newly married couple who are searching for a new home. By the time they meet again, they have become changed individuals. While the former immerses himself in grief and hurt, which makes him deliriously kill Native Americans in the end, the latter becomes one among the Shoshone to fight for them against the Mormons. Unfortunately, their transformations collide when they meet on a battlefield. Jacob kills Abish, thinking she is one among the Native Americans. The grief of losing his wife and the guilt of murdering her with his own hands, although accidentally, makes him kill himself by firing a gun pointed at his head.

Red Feather: Dies

Red Feather leaves his family and community to fight back, and he dies doing exactly the same. When the Mormons plan an attack to kill Abish, the Native American warrior asks his people to retaliate rather than run away. He is sick and tired of accepting the oppression of his community, paving the way for a fierce retaliation. Red Feather falls short in the armed confrontation, as he gets shot by the Mormons while he leads the Shoshone against the Christian group. He passes away as a martyr who has given his all for his people, hugging his son tightly. Even though his fate is a tragedy, it honors the warrior he has always been.

Two Moons: Survives

Two Moons learns the lessons of survival from her house, where she has to keep a knife near her bed to protect herself. She then joins Sara and Devin without knowing what’s ahead for her. From an abusive family, she ends up in the Wasatch Mountains, where she is confronted by scary wolves that nearly break down a wooden cabin. Still, she displays her resilience and courage by killing the beasts with a gun. Her bravery is rewarded by a new family that consists of Sara and Devin. Before deciding on her future, Sara asks Two Moons whether they should go to California. This question answers what’s ahead for the young girl: a new life overlooking the beach with two people who immensely love and care for her.

Virgil Cutter: Dies

Virgil Cutter is ruthless and committed when it comes to money. That is why he starts to cross the Wasatch Range when he learns about the bounty put on Sara’s head. His dedication to his mission takes him to Isaac and his target, only for him to learn that there is more to life than money. By standing up for Sara, even after the bounty hunter offers him money, Isaac teaches the antagonist that love can triumph over greed and heartlessness. The “lesson” Virgil learns costs him his life, and he gets killed in the fight that ensues after he takes the fugitive as a captive.

Jim Bridger: Survives

Considering the violence the Mormons unleash on the pioneers and the Native Americans, Jim Bridger’s refusal to cooperate with Brigham Young causes concerns in viewers about his fate. However, the religious leader chooses a path of negotiation over violence to make the fort his own. He pays the man behind the settlement an enormous amount of money, only for the latter to embark on an unspecified journey. Even though carrying such a huge fortune is dangerous, Bridger knows the Wild West better than anybody. He does not need survival lessons to continue living in the region, which clarifies that he won’t die anytime soon.

Captain Edmund Dellinger: Dies

Captain Edmund Dellinger loses his life to the betrayal of one of his brethren. After learning about the involvement of the Mormons in the Meadows Massacre, he sends one of his men to request more troops to handle the religious group. The man then rushes to Wild Bill Hickman to explain the predicament, only for the Mormon militia to attack the US Army camp out of nowhere. This attack also kills Edmund, who does not receive any help to fight his enemies. His death marks a new beginning for the Mormons, who record a win against their principal adversary: the US Army.

James Wolsey: Dies

James Wolsey is a committed Mormon commander who follows the orders of Wild Bill Hickman word by word. This dedication to his faith is also what rewrites his fate. He leads a troop to the Shoshone settlement to kill Abish and her newfound companions, only to be surprised by a shocking retaliation. One of Red Feather’s men handles the threat of Wolsey remarkably. The Native American kills the commander by thrusting an axe at the latter’s head. While Young and Hickman prepare for the expansion of the Mormon kingdom by possessing Fort Bridger, Wolsey tragically dies as collateral damage.