The English Amazon Prime Show
Season 1
Episode Number 5 Preview And Review
In episode 5 of the English movie, Kills on Water and Eli continue their conversation. He kills in the water, when Eli is asked why he is fighting in the war, he claims that he is fighting for his enemy’s enemy. Kills on Water tells him that he is foolish to believe that he has a home to return to now. White men took away his rights to his land—just as they took away his allegiance.
He then tells Eli that he has a job for him before moving on. A woman named Black-Eyed Mog wants to take over Captain Clegg’s line and kill every Native American she comes across.
Kills in water, wants Eli to kill Black Eyed Mog. Only then will he return the bird’s skull.
Speaking of Black-Eyed Mog, Cornelia sits down in front of the woman to discuss her methods of violence. Black-Eyed Mog shows him why he hates Indians. In ’68 the Cheyenne skinned him and removed his eyelids. He skinned at least 50 Native Americans in revenge.
Cornelia thinks she has done enough for “no account.” He then tells the woman that he was talking to John Clark. He said Black Eyed Mog was killing his enemy in the Water, and he planned to send Eli to kill him.
Black-Eyed Mog says that Cornelia was wrong to warn him, but Cornelia disagrees. He didn’t warn him, but Eli jumped on him unharmed.
Cornelia shoots Black-Eyed Mog and burns her own leg in the process. Then he kills one of the boys. But the last son is looked after by a boy that Mog keeps in the warehouse to kill later.
Cornelia takes Eli back, completing her mission for him. He notices her warmth and takes her hand, but she insists that her wound is not infected.
Eli decides to take Cornelia to Wyoming. After all, he wants to visit Billy Myers.
Back in Powder River, Sheriff Marshall is concerned that Martha is more interested in her cattle than her dead husband. He then informs her that Billy insulted her.
Still upset about her stolen cattle, Martha grabs a gun, enters Trafford’s barn, and shoots one of his cows. Anja says she will take what is hers and he warns her that she will let him go. This prompts the sheriff to pay Martha a visit. They need to talk.
He tells her that his house is “with you” and they kiss. But Cornelia suddenly apologizes and walks away. He tears his clothes as he runs, then lies down with dirt all over his arms and face.
A bullet brings him back to reality. When he returns to Eli, he tells him that he saw three horsemen with the boy. They have to go get it.
He believes he is serving Native Americans by accepting them and putting them in school to make them more “American.” He tells Cornelia that he is only inspired by her people, the nobility in England.
Mackay directs their attention to the two Native American women beside them; teaches them to serve.
Eli recognizes one of the women as Touching Earth, the widow of Running Hawk, whose execution Eli witnessed. When she whispers to Touching Earth that her son is nearby, she runs out of the room.
Eli notices that Cornelia is burning with fever and decides that they should leave quickly. Touching the ground, he asks to take his son White Bear with them.
They leave, but as they leave, Mackay hits White Moon’s horse and the boy falls. Touchdown then kills McKay with one of his rifles. He and Eli take care of the rest of his men. But the others soon approach and kill Touch Ground.
Eli then returns to a passed out White Moon and an apologetic Cornelia before passing out from her fever.
Episode Review
Emily Blunt is breathtaking in an episode that explores Cornelia’s complex motivations and the deep pain she carries. She’s hiding something, and Blunt beautifully captures the pain and desperation simmering beneath Cornelia’s surface—before pushing her back to do her business. And he’s definitely a roadie.
Cornelia’s graceful Black-Eyed Mog provides the series’ most satisfying kill yet (even if it does resolve the fate of a character just introduced too quickly). The whole interaction was immensely satisfying because it was selfless—like everything Cornelia does.
The interplay shows the difference between Mog and Cornelia’s quest for revenge. Mog goes after senseless, impersonal murders because of something that was done to him years ago. However, Cornelia’s mission is on behalf of her son. It is personally motivated and focused on a specific, responsible person. His loathing of Mog is not hypocritical, but rather betrays his nobler motives.
The motivation remains until the end of the episode, but Cornelia isn’t exactly in a good position to take revenge. Will Eli be able to save both himself and White Bear?