There is very little in the second episode of Preacher that is more important than its opening. In the year 1881, we meet a solemn, grizzled man who rides to retrieve medicine for a sick girl, who we assume is his daughter. He encounters some settlers who left the city and were a might optimistic about the West for his tastes. The mysterious man continues his journey past a tree full of hanged natives on his way to a town called Ratwater…
Jesse has taken to baptizing the town of Annville in his renewed quest to save everyone. Cassidy has made himself at home, his only problems being a lack of funds, booze and Eugene’s face “like an arsehole.”
Although Jesse and Emily are making strides in improving the church, all is not well. Chief among Jesse’s concerns are Linus, the town bus driver who confesses his sexual attraction to one of his little passengers in the Loach family. Traci lays in a coma and her mother Terri has no time for Jesse’s contrivances. Also, Fiore and DeBlanc finally catch up with him in search of his powers.
We see that even though Jesse’s heart is in a place to help, the God he represents is painfully absent. Linus’ lust for young girls is somehow absolved by his confessing, and even though Jesse knows this man doesn’t plan on seeking help or distancing himself from this girl, he still has to say he is forgiven by the Lord Almighty. Trying to explain to the mother of a brain dead girl that this very same protector of child molesters has a plan that involves her daughter having a skull like a rotten melon also poses certain challenges. There is a strong stink of bullshit in Jesse’s nose and he’s tired of shoveling it. Even getting blackout drunk with Cassidy doesn’t provide any solutions, although once Jesse passes out we see that Cassidy isn’t necessarily a good dude. Indeed, he’s a bit of a con man who will make off with your keys and steal your car.
This is where Fiore and DeBlanc attempt at a strange ritual with infernal machines to perhaps remove the Power from Jesse. When that doesn’t work and things begin to get a little more...uh...dismembery...Cassidy thankfully has an attack of conscience and stops the two mysterious men by literally tearing them limb from limb. Another savage fight scene courtesy of Cassidy. He even cleans up his mess! Everyone needs to have a drunk vampire as a friend.
Once Jesse comes to, he sets off to make things right by taking the will of God into his own hands, using his power to make Linus forget his lusts and the episode ends before we get to see if this power can wake Tracy from brain death. Another interesting and poignant episode that sets things down a curious path and introduces a very important character, as well as several different side plots.
We get to meet Odin Quincannon and get a glimpse of his meat and power company’s influence, and see that Donnie is still an asshole, even with a broken arm. Eugene and Sheriff Root have an odd moment with some good ol’ boys that call Eugene a murderer, and Tulip has made herself at home at the Toad Vine brothel and is still trying to convince Jesse to take this job she has. But this time, she mentions the name Danny, and that means something to Jess. Oh yeah, and although Cassidy buried them in their own luggage, Fiore and DeBlanc aren’t dead.
Did you notice the hanging tree make a reappearance?
Written by A Play On Nerds contributor, Jerry Herrera - Lover of horror, sci fi, and fantasy in that order. Semi-permanent Disneyland resident. I'm at least one of the droids you're looking for. Twitter: @FrankenJerry - Instagram: @GeraldoPedro