Snow has blanketed Yellowstone, yet on the ranch, there is no such thing as a snow day, particularly when Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Jack (Darren Mann) are poised to exact their long-awaited revenge on Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn). They arise at the crack of dawn, only to find Cara (Helen Mirren) already awake, her anxiety evident as she bids them farewell. As they, accompanied by their trusty posse, ride into town, they are met by the sheriff, and together they make their way to Creighton's abode.
To their amusement, they catch Creighton in a rather compromising position, quite literally with his pants down, indulging in his morning pleasures with a cigar, some bubbly, and two ladies of questionable virtue. When the sheriff formally charges Creighton with murder, Jacob finally steps into the light, revealing his very much alive status. Creighton vows that though they've narrowly escaped his wrath this time, their luck won't hold out in the future.
Meanwhile, Whitfield (Timothy Dalton), perched high in the mountains, oversees the progress of his mines. Clyde (Brian Konowal), the man Cara interviewed in the previous episode for a livestock agent position, informs him that Creighton has been apprehended. It's somewhat anticlimactic to discover Clyde is actually a mole for Whitfield so soon. Whitfield lambasts the decision to arrest Creighton instead of terminating him, promptly proving his point. He dispatches a lawyer to jail, who assures Creighton of his impending release on bail the following day, thanks to Whitfield's influence over the judge.
Cara and Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) await the men's return at the ranch, Elizabeth wondering aloud why Cara is penning a letter to Spencer, considering he's traveling and it'll never reach him. Cara explains it's more for her own catharsis, a means to articulate her feelings and thoughts, a coping mechanism. Elizabeth admits she struggles to put her thoughts into words, so Cara teaches her how to bake a cake, keeping her mind occupied.
Jacob and Jack return later, much to the ladies' joy. They share a late dinner, where Jack stumbles upon an article in the newspaper announcing Whitfield's appointment as a high-ranking official in a new commission overseeing mining regulations. Jack expresses disbelief at the hypocrisy of having someone with ties to mines oversee their regulation, prompting Jacob to school him in the ways of politics.
He elucidates that as a population grows to a certain size, typically 500 or more, a government emerges, often exploited by the powerful to impose their will on the weaker. When Jack questions the difference between Whitfield's actions and Jacob's role heading the livestock commission, Jacob concedes there isn't much. He works within the livestock commission to safeguard the land and their family, wielding the government and its laws as tools. The crux of the matter is that their goals clash with Whitfield's.
Cara, satiated with the relentless discourse, rises to her feet and firmly decrees that politics shall no longer mar their dining table conversation. Jacob perceives that Cara's demeanor stems not from anger, but from a profound fear; she is acutely aware that her spat with Whitfield is merely the prelude to a longer battle.
Elsewhere, the heart-wrenching scene unfolds as Teonna's father discovers his grandmother's lifeless body, abandoned by the ruthless hands of government agents. His sorrow is soon compounded by the arrival of Pete Plenty Clouds (Cole Brings Plenty), Hank's son, who had been dispatched to alert him of Teonna's plight (played by Aminah Nieves). With heavy heart, Teonna's father instructs Pete to ride ahead, promising to catch up once he has laid his mother to rest.
As Pete seeks solace in rest, he is unexpectedly confronted by three priests in search of Teonna. They attempt to apprehend him and escort him back to their school, but Pete, fueled by determination, resists fiercely. However, outmatched by their numbers, he is eventually subdued and bound. Two of the priests continue their quest for Teonna, while the third drags a struggling Pete towards the school.
Under the veil of night, the priest and Pete find themselves in a temporary truce. The priest endeavors to persuade Pete, arguing that the very people where he has ministered now thrive due to their embrace of Christianity, whereas the indigenous folk, in their refusal, endure ongoing suffering. Pete, swift in rebuttal, contends that the priests themselves violate the very laws they preach and yet escape punishment, thereby implying the nonexistence of their deity.
The convergence of Jacob's assertion about the government's lack of altruism and Pete's argument casts a shadow of doubt over the true essence of laws imparted by these higher authorities. The priest, blindsided by his own dogma, fails to grasp this nuance. Incensed by Pete's pointed critique, he launches an attack. Fortunately, Teonna's father, having tracked their movements, arrives in the nick of time and fells the priest. Together, he and Pete venture through the dark night, driven by an unyielding resolve to find Teonna.
The following morning, the remaining two clergymen encounter Teonna and attempt to seize her. In a fierce retaliation, she gouges out one of their eyes, yet they quickly subdue her and commence assaulting her mercilessly. Hank (Michael Greyeyes), intervening swiftly, opens fire on them and carries an unconscious Teonna to safety. Though one of the priests still clings to life, he manages to return fire, wounding Hank. While the priest fumbles to reload his weapon, Teonna seizes the opportunity, grabs a rock, and delivers a crushing blow to his skull, ending his life.
It isn't until the episode's climactic scene that we reconnect with Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alex (Julia Schlaepfer). They have unexpectedly arrived in Sicily, contrary to the captain's earlier assurance of Marseilles being their destination. As they disembark, a sailor whispers a warning to Spencer to conceal his firearm, cautioning that the mafia could be on their trail. Oblivious to the mafia's menacing presence, Spencer remains clueless.
After securing passage on a ship bound for America in a matter of days, the couple indulges in a delightful meal at a local restaurant. However, their serene moment is abruptly shattered when a man calls out Alexandra's name. It is none other than her former fiancé and the travel group she had abandoned in Africa, all of them staring in sheer disbelief at finding her there with Spencer. Amidst Alex's past entanglements, the looming threat of the mafia, and the myriad trials they have faced, the question looms: will they ever make it onto that ship and escape this turmoil?
