Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘American Primeval,’ a group of people are brought together by fate and become each other’s found family in the midst of violent chaos. The story begins with Sara Rowell and her son, Devin, who are on the run from a dark and tragic past. Their destination is Crooks Springs, but the path that leads to it is full of all sorts of dangers, which includes murderous people. Isaac Reed becomes their guide, but there is one other person who joins their party: Two Moons. At first, she seems to have latched on to them for her safety, but soon enough, she proves to be a valuable addition to the group despite the fact that she cannot speak. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Two Moon’s Disability Reveals Her Dark Backstory
When we meet Two Moons for the first time, she displays her strength and the desire to survive, no matter how dire the circumstances might be. It is hinted that she lives in a sexually abusive household, which might also be the reason behind her inability to speak, which is not explicitly stated. It is clear that the abuse had been going on for a while, which is what made Two Moons premediate the murder by stealing a knife from the market in Fort Bridger. She had been through it enough times to know when she would have the advantage to kill her abuser. Later, Isaac reveals that her tongue has been cut off, which shows that the extent of abuse might have been worse than expected.
Considering everything about her past, it is fair to assume that Two Moons’ tongue had been mutilated by the same man she killed. It is not clear when this happened, but it is known by everyone who lives around Fort Bridger, even Isaac, who isn’t a very social person otherwise. The circumstances of the situation are not discussed again, but it does give a better picture of what Two Moons has left behind, which makes Sara even more sympathetic to her, eventually leading her to adopt the girl as her own. They form a bond where they become more understanding of each other’s plight, especially after they are ambushed by a group of French people, and Sara is raped by their leader. Two Moons is the only one who understands her pain and rage, and they share their feelings with each other without even having to say a word.
Shawnee Pourier Learned Sign Language to Play Two Moons
Two Moons is a deeply layered character who says a lot without uttering a word. Still, she needs to converse with others and relies on sign language to do so, something that comes in handy several times as she saves the lives of almost every person in her group. Shawnee Pourier had to learn sign language to better portray Two Moons. The 16-year-old actress from Thunder Valley, South Dakota, who has appeared in minor roles in ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Dark Winds,’ is not a person with a speech disability. She credited Donald Chris Yellow Eagle with teaching her the language. Speaking of him as her uncle, she talked about how both of them being from the rez created a bond between them and helped in the process. Though she plays a young Shoshone woman in the show, Pourier is affiliated with the Oglala Lakota tribe and speaks conversational Lakota.
Read More: Is American Primeval Based on a True Story? When Does it Take Place?
