Episode 4 of Outer Range season 2 opens with a nostalgic glimpse into 1886. A youthful Royal, accompanied by his father Levi, strides through the town, with Levi admonishing him not to shy away from making eye contact with others. Their destination is a meeting with a man named J.B. J.B., in awe of Levi's appearance, compliments him as looking like a man of fresh fortune, but his real intent is to provide Royal with a new pair of shoes. However, his contemptuous treatment of the shop worker foreshadows a karmic turn, as Levi realizes he doesn't have enough money to pay for the shoes due to the increased rates. Consequently, Royal is left lingering in the shop until his father returns with the necessary funds.
Meanwhile, Joy and Falling Star engage in a conversation about Michael Jackson's meteoric rise to fame, but Falling Star's health is clearly declining. She struggles with coughing up blood and her illness, yet she strives to maintain her strength for the tribe. Joy urges her to speak up about her condition, but Falling Star reveals that she has cancer and is grooming Joy to succeed her as the tribe's negotiator. However, Joy harbors a different plan; she's determined to find her way back home.
As Falling Star's health reaches a critical point, Joy grapples with the decision to stay or leave. Tensions between the Natives and the "homesteaders" are high, and Joy poses for a photograph with her family back at the camp. Falling Star observes that Joy has transformed into a different person, and predicts that Martha will notice this when Joy eventually returns to her own time.
Unfortunately, a dire situation arises in the camp, as a group of white men, later identified as members of the Shelton Cape tribe, abduct Flowers, the mother of the child who was shot in the wilderness earlier in the episode. Joy vows to rescue her and quickly sets out on a rescue mission. Leveraging her position as a sheriff, she acquires a swift horse and arms herself with a gun before departing.
Upon reaching the cabin, Joy finds Flowers in a desperate situation, surrounded by men who threaten to violate her. Without hesitation, Joy eliminates the men, one by one. However, as the last man flees, Joy is struck by a bullet in her leg. Undeterred, she grabs Flowers and the two women flee from the cabin, leaving behind a trail of chaos and destruction.
Elsewhere, Levi somehow managed to scrape together enough for the shoes. Back at the ranch, he confessed to Royal that he'd have to toughen up and endure the discomfort of growing into them. Little did they know, the price of these shoes would be their sole cow, Daisy, their winter's salvation. Alice, Royal's mother, aghast at the cost, grabbed her gun and sought a different solution.
Suddenly, the man who had fled from Joy appeared at Levi's ranch. Levi saw an opportunity to secure his family's future and seized it. He gathered Royal, armed with a gun, and set out to track down Joy.
Flowers returned to the camp, but trouble awaited. Joy, injured, had to stay behind in the woods to rest. Falling Star was horrified to learn of this and tried desperately to save her. Joy stumbled upon a bison, marked with two arrows, passing through the woods. She saw it as a sign and clung to hope, fighting for survival.
Unbeknownst to her, Levi and Royal were on the hunt, closing in. Levi instructed Royal to flank Joy and "take aim at anything that moves," while he took the lead. Despite her makeshift splint, it was Royal who found Joy slumped beneath a tree. Joy tried to reason with him, but Levi appeared. He ordered Royal to make the fatal shot... and he did. The bullet pierced Levi's chest.
With his father fallen, Royal fled in disgrace, while the cowboys descended upon the Native camp. However, they found no one there. The Natives were actually perched on the hilltop, overlooking the scene. They ambushed Farber and his men, and as the clash threatened to erupt, the scene shifted back to Joy and Royal. Suddenly, a hole appeared before them, and both Royal and Joy jumped in. Joy emerged into the present timeline, having lost sight of Royal, who descended deeper into the unknown.
