Into the West (miniseries)

Into the West is a 2005 miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks which began as a six-week event on June 10, 2005 on Turner Network Television (TNT). Each of the six episodes is two hours in length (including commercials).

Episode 2 - Manifest Destiny

After living among the Lakota people, Jacob decides to take his family back to Wheelerton, Virginia to live with his family. Unfortunately, Jacob's white family gives Thunder Heart Woman a much colder reception than her family gave him. After living in Wheelerton for a time, Jacob decides to once again go west.

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This time, Jacob's brother Jethro (Skeet Ulrich) decides to come along. They are also accompanied by Jacob's three young female cousins; Leah Wheeler (Emily Holmes), Rachel Wheeler (Jessica Capshaw), and Naomi Wheeler (Keri Russell). The three girls have been unlucky in love and are lured by the tales of excitement out west.

Related Topics:
Skeet Ulrich - Jessica Capshaw - Keri Russell

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Meanwhile Thunder Heart Woman's two brothers, Dog Star and Running Fox argue over whether or not to adopt white technology. The disagreement comes to a boil and the two agree to part ways, splitting the tribe.

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After working their way west for several years, the Wheeler clan enters Missouri. Jacob, who now has three children, wants to go west to California or the Oregon country, but Thunder Heart Woman and some of the others wish to remain in Missouri. Jacob eventually convinces the others to go to California and they join a wagon train lead by Stephen Hoxie (Beau Bridges) who is a better salesman than a leader. Among the other settlers is a German immigrant preacher named Hobbes (Derek de Lint), a free black family fleeing racial prejudice, and several former mountain men.

Related Topics:
Missouri - California - Oregon country - Beau Bridges - Racial prejudice

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The wagon train passage is filled with dangers. During the crossing of a river, Leah Wheeler is thrown from the wagon and drowns. Rachel and Naomi take husbands from among the wagon trail guides. While traversing a pass, a wagon breaks free and strikes Rachel, causing a compound fracture in her leg. The leg eventually becomes infected and must be amputated. Preacher Hobbes is the closest thing to a doctor available but he botches the operation and Rachel dies. A cholera outbreak occurs and those exposed, including Jacob, Thunder Heart Woman, the children, and Jethro must stay behind under quarantine.

Related Topics:
Pass - Compound fracture - Amputated - Cholera - Quarantine

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Naomi and her husband, who have not been exposed, go on with the others. The main body is attacked by Cheyenne warriors and everyone save Naomi is killed. Naomi is taken into captivity and sold to Chief Prairie Fire (Jay Tavare) who takes her as his wife. The thought of a forced marriage to an Indian is repulsive to Naomi, who has always considered them as barely human savages. She eventually begins to see Prairie Fire in a different light and she grows to become happy in her new life.She eventually gives birth to a son, whom she names One Horn Bull.

Related Topics:
Cheyenne - Jay Tavare

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Jethro is afflicted with symptoms of cholera, but he eventually recovers and no new outbreaks occur after Jacob orders that all drinking water be boiled. They rush to catch up with the main body but Jacob discovers the remains of the attacked wagons. While defending the rest of the wagons against another attack, Jacob is severely wounded. He begs to be left behind to die.

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After the rest of the party leaves, Jacob prepares himself to die, but is rescued by Thunder Heart Woman's tribe, who spots him during a hunting party. After recovering his strength, Jacob heads toward California, but it takes him several years to reach the settlements. When he finally arrives there, he searches for his family but cannot find them. He eventually gives them up for dead.

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The Mexican American War erupts and Jacob joins John C. Frémont's militia to fight the Mexican Army. During a supply stop in one of the settlements, he sees his wife at a distance but before he can go over to greet her, he sees her and his brother Jethro embrace and kiss. Dejected that has wife and brother have become romantically involved but not wanting to disrupt their happiness, he decides to leave without making his presence known. Before he goes, he gives the wooden medicine wheel necklace to his young son who does not realize this man is his father.

Related Topics:
Mexican American War - John C. Frémont - Militia - Mexican Army

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Meanwhile, Dog Star and Running Fox are still estranged. The other tribes that have been trading with the whites for rifles have grown stronger and the Lakota are now at a disadvantage. The whites at the forts refuse to trade the Lakota rifles, instead giving them whiskey. Drunkenness soon becomes a problem among the Lakota. Dog Star and Running Fox eventually reconcile and agree to no longer trade for white goods.

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Thunder Heart Woman finds the wooden medicine wheel necklace and realizes that her husband is still alive. She feels that it is best not to go after him, but their daughter Margaret Light Shines Wheeler (Elizabeth Sage) becomes determined to find him.

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