Episode 5 of Outer Range commences exactly where the previous one ended, with Wayne fleeing the ominous hole, a maniacal laugh echoing in the air. Royal lies unconscious on the ground, his fate unknown. "I found it!" Wayne exclaims triumphantly as he rushes back into the house, eyes meeting those of the boys. But before he can share his discovery, he crumples to the ground, the bloody rock rolling away from him. Fleeting images flash before his eyes, revealing a sinister charred figure grasping a younger Wayne's legs, a fleeting glimpse into a bygone era. The boys, alarmed by Wayne's sudden collapse, quickly call for an ambulance to rush him to the hospital.
As Royal slowly regains consciousness, he finds himself a mangled mess of bruises and blood. Gathering his things and limping away from the hole, he ponders over the strange dream where he was warned, "Time's a motherfucker." His gaze falls upon Wayne being loaded into the ambulance, and he feels a sense of foreboding.
In the morning, Autumn sneaks into Royal's house, desperation etched on her face. She's searching for the necklace that Royal won in the poker game, believing it to be a talisman against the unknown horrors that loom. Cecilia, not amused by the intrusion, points a gun at Autumn and reminds her that the necklace was won fairly. Autumn's pleas fall on deaf ears, and her sense of impending doom grows stronger.
Royal makes his way to Dr. Nia's office, inquiring about the mysterious necklace. She confirms that the exterior is made of amber but remains uncertain about its contents. Only a thorough examination using their laser technology can reveal its true composition. However, while examining a photo on the wall, Royal's eyes catch a glimpse of a BY9 tanker, identical to the one he saw in his visions. This discovery spurs him to leave immediately and delve deeper into the mysterious BY9.
Meanwhile, Cecilia's frayed nerves lead to a careless mistake. She accidentally burns a tea towel left too close to the gas stove. Her agitation, stemming from a confrontation with Patricia at the Tillerson ranch, has left her unsettled. As she opens a window to let in some fresh air, her gaze falls upon a dead baby bear outside. Deeply disturbed, she drives out to the wilderness and, finding a wooden shed, digs a hole and drags the carcass inside, shutting the door behind her.
As the days drew closer to the election, Sherriff Joy's suspicions about Perry escalated, convinced in her heart that he might indeed be Trevor's murderer. Despite the looming election, merely three weeks away, Joy's focus remained fixed on solving this perplexing case. She shared with her colleague the horrors of racism she had endured, particularly the injustice of "white men escaping punishment for assaulting Indian girls on reservations." This, coupled with her intuitive hunch, strengthened her conviction that Perry was the culprit.
Meanwhile, Wayne emerged victorious from his ordeal, enduring Billy's latest musical rendition with resilience. He eventually recovered at home, but during his incapacitation, the family pondered over the future of the ranch. Cecilia inquisitively probed Wayne, wondering what drove his desire for the Abbott's land, leaving the boys perplexed.
That evening, Royal returned with the necklace, locking it securely in a vice. With a decisive blow, he smashed it open, revealing its contents. As he held the dust in his hands, it transformed inexplicably into a strange black goo that slowly merged into his skin. Suddenly, Royal realized he was lying lifeless on the floor, a mere spectator to his own demise. Autumn, dressed in a vibrant yellow shirt, called out to him, unaware of the tragedy that had unfolded.
