Wynonna and Doc chase a revenant, Franco, through the woods and out onto the road. A tree jumps in front of Franco, slamming into his face. Wynonna comes over and kicks him, and he complains that the tree jumped him. They take away Xavier's drug from him, and Wynonna tries to shoot Franco with Peacemaker. It clicks repeatedly on an empty chamber, and Wynonna has Doc punch Franco unconscious while she reloads.
A park ranger walks through the forest and finds a tree leaking blood. He realizes that it's a murder tree and runs off.
Waverly and Nicole go to the plaque for the Shelterlandx Music Festival Fire Memorial, which the BBD used as an excuse to cover up a massacre by the Cult of Bulshar. Nicole notes that the trees there are larger even though they supposedly burned down, and says that she was down by the river when something attacked the camp. She insists that there was no fire, and figures that BBD burned down the place to cover the massacre up. Wynonna asks if Nicole ever thought about talking to her parents, but Nicole insists that they were fed the official story and accepted it, and there wouldn't be a point. Nicole points out that Waverly hasn't visited Michelle in prison yet, and Waverly admits that she's not ready to see her mother yet and walks off.
The man, Robin, runs out of the woods and Waverly recognizes him. He asks them to take him to Nedley, and they agree. As they walk off, Nicole throws Xavier's ring into the woods and joins them.
In town, Waverly and Nicole meet with Jeremy, who prepares to analyze the tree growth patterns in the area. Wynonna and Doc bring Franco in, and everyone notices that Doc seems very enthusiastic. He dismisses it as a seaweed scrub, and Wynonna asks Nicole when she was going to tell her she was a childhood survivor of the massacre. Waverly admits that she told Waverly about it.
Nedley talks to Robin, who is filling out paperwork. He asks Nedley if he can help him.
Nicole points out that Wynonna didn't tell Waverly that Michelle was locked up nearby, and Waverly tells them to cooperate. They reluctantly agree and Waverly hugs both of them. Doc reports that there are no bullets now that Xavier doesn’t have a connection to BBD. Waverly finds replacement phones for the ones they lost in the woods, and Doc and Waverly go to Shorty's to find bullets. Waverly hangs back with Wynonna and admits that she's not ready for any more pictures. Wynonna shows her the pictures that Michelle drew in prison and assures her that their mother is doing better.
In her padded cell, a therapist pounds on the door of Michelle's padded room. Meanwhile, Michelle writes "Never ever get out" in the therapist's blood on the wall.
In Shorty's basement, Wynonna and Doc look for bullets and realize that they're out. They banter about making money while watching each other doing degrading things, and Wynonna finds a wooden cradle. Doc says that it's from before Wynonna made her decision to send Alice to safety. Wynonna figures that she took the easy way out, just like she did with Michelle.
Seven Years Ago
Wynonna meets with Michelle in the institute, and Michelle talks about how Bulshar will rise again. She says that she doesn't want Bulshar in her head anymore, and Wynonna tells her that she's leaving Purgatory without Waverly. Michelle insists that Wynonna can't leave her sister, and insists that Waverly can't know that she's there. She makes Wynonna promise that Waverly won't find out from her, and tells Wynonna to never come back. Angry, at the apparent rejection, Wynonna says that she won't and walks off.
Now
Doc assures Wynonna that she doesn't share Michelle's insanity, and assures her that she's there for her. They start to kiss just as Nicole comes down and apologizes for her bad timing. They assure her that she's not interrupting anything, and Nicole says that Wynonna is supposed to meet with the new city manager before she sees through his cover story. As she goes, Doc finds some bullets.
Jeremy asks Waverly what will happen to them without Xavier. She admits that she doesn't know, ad Waverly tells him to find someone and take a break. Jeremy points out that there isn't anyone around, and Waverly says that she met a man who she knew in high school and he has a job. Robin comes in and says that Nedley told him that they could help him with a unique problem. Waverly quickly excuses herself despite Jeremy's efforts, saying that she has to get her nails done.
As Waverly walks out, her phone rings. It's a woman from the Institute calling for Michelle, saying that it's the last number they have on file for Michelle's emergency contact. The woman says that there's been an "incident" and they need someone to sign because they're transferring Michelle to a more secure facility. She tells Waverly that she'd better hurry because the transfer bus has arrived, and Waverly has no choice but to go.
Jeremy takes down Robin's statement about the murder tree, and robin insists that it was leaking blood. They start chatting about how Waverly is so great, and Robin explains that she stood up for him in high school when he was the only gay boy there. Jeremy asks him to take him to the murder tree, awkwardly suggesting that it's a date.
At the Institute, a guard brings Michelle to see Waverly. Michelle stares at her for a second and then yells at her to get out or she'll kill her. The guard prepares to taser her, and Waverly tries to stop him. Michelle says that "she is unbound and loose, and the guard tasers her unconscious. He tells Waverly that she shouldn't have come there, and drags Michelle away as Michelle mumbles about killing the demon.
Jeremy and Robin go to the tree but Robin discovers that it's gone.
The city manager, Claude, tells Nedley that there might be some cuts. As Nedley warns that "they" are scraping the bottom of the barrel, and Claude who wonders who "they" are. Wynonna comes in and Nedley says that she's been deputized. She claims that she's a Federal marshal, and Claude tells Nedley that if the Feds are paying Wynonna's salary and renting the office space, he'll contact them. He leaves as Nedley objects, and Wynonna tells Nedley to confront his superiors and ask for the resources that they need to stop the revenants. The sheriff says that he's been covering things up for a long time and he's tired of it, and Wynonna suggests that he give it up and let someone else do his job as she glances through the window at Nicole at her desk.
Waverly comes in, clearly upset, and tells Wynonna what happened. She searches the box of Michelle's papers wondering if she had some medication, and tells Wynonna that Michelle tried to kill her. Wynonna says that she's going to end things and leaves.
Jeremy describes Robin as "available", and Robin wonders if he is. A sudden fog comes up, and Jeremy's GPS tracker goes crazy. They realize that they're lost, and Robin admits that he became a park ranger to help his father, who has Parkinson's. Robin doesn't know anything about the forest, and lost his partner during a high school trip. They come to a flight of ancient stone stairs in the woods, with the fog coming down them. Jeremy tells Robin not to go up them and says that they have to leave. He calls Doc but gets no answer.
Wynonna arrives at the Institute and shoots the gate door open. Warden Young comes out with Michelle and tells her to never threaten Waverly again. Michelle grabs Peacemaker from her, pistol-whips Young unconscious, and tells her guard to hand over his gun and the keys to her manacles. She apologies to Wynonna for dragging her into it but tells her not to get in her way. Michelle runs off, and Xxx wakes up and tells his guards to arrest Wynonna as an accomplice.
At the station, Nicole brings Waverly Kleenex for her tears and apologizes for her meeting with Michelle not working. Waverly says that Michelle called her a demon and wonders if that's why she left. Nicole says that she pulled the report from Michelle's arrest, which reveals that she burned down her own bar. There's only one sheet of paper, and Nedley comes in and says that pulled the report. He figures that Waverly has right to know now, and explains that Michelle went to prison because Waverly was in the barn when Michelle tried to burn it down.
Jeremy finally reaches Doc, who comes into the woods after them. He has Jeremy describe the topography, and Jeremy is less than helpful. Doc hears a baby crying and hangs up, then goes to investigate. Something roars in his head and Doc yells for it not to take him back there. He looks up as Bulshar steps out of the woods and tells Doc that he will do his bidding. Bulshar wonders if he will coerce Doc with pain or the promise of reprieve from the reminders of the eternal suffering that Doc will endure. Doc wonders about the cost, and Bulshar says that it will be a simple exchange.
Jeremy finds Doc, who is standing at the cars. Doc realizes that he's been hallucinating, and Jeremy says that they've been looking for him. He asks if Doc saw anything, and Doc claims that he didn't.
The guards toss Wynonna in Michelle's cell, and Young comes in and says that no one has ever heard of "Marshal Earp" Her name has been flagged as a fraud, and says that they can't put a BOLO out on Michelle because he has a reputation for excessive force. The guard says that Michelle attacked Waverly, and killed Wynonna when he escaped. He tells Young that he'll kill Wynonna and make it look good. Once Young leaves, Wynonna realizes that the guard is a revenant. He says that he's been waiting a long time and tasers her.
Nedley tells Waverly and Nicole about how he was called to investigate the burning barn. Waverly had somehow escaped unharmed, and Michelle was locked in her husband's police car. Nedley says that even the criminals drank with Michelle and loved her, and wasn't herself that night. Michelle kept insisting that she was trying to vanquish a demon. There was occult writing written on the barn walls. Nedley admits that he should have defended Michelle, but his boss--Michelle's wife--told him to book her. Since then, Nedley has been watching over Waverly and tried to keep Wynonna on the straight and narrow. When Nedley became sheriff, he pulled the report. Waverly wonders if sending Michelle away was the right thing to do, and Nedley insists that Michelle isn't evil. Despite that, Waverly doesn't believe him.
The revenant leads Wynonna away and says that once he kills Wynonna, the Earp line will end. She tells him that she had a daughter and sent her away, and if she dies then it will continue. Wynonna knocks the guard away, and he draws his baton and they fight. She finally breaks his neck and then gets to Young's office with the guard's head. He unlocks her manacles and says that Michelle will kill Waverly, and explains that Michelle has been there for years because she keeps trying to kill Waverly.
Back at the station, Jeremy and Robin look at the photos they took of the staircase. It's not in the photos, and Jeremy figures that the staircase was a shared psychosis. Robin suggests that they hallucinate while bowling next time, and coughs up blood but hides it. He tells Jeremy that he'll see him later and leaves.
At the homestead, Waverly listens to Michelle's old therapy tapes from the Institute. On them, Michelle makes the therapist promise that she'll never see her daughters again, and he has her talk about the birds. As Nicole comes over, Doc comes in and asks where the whiskey is. Waverly goes to the barn to get more, and Doc tells Nicole that he wants to talk to Wynonna when she returns. He hears the therapy ape and hears the same groaning noise that he heard in the forest. Nicole doesn't hear it, and Waverly tells her that they won't be enough.
In the barn, Waverly finds Michelle making a demon circle. Michelle tells her to get out, but then says that it's too late and the demon is there. She aims Peacemaker at Waverly and says that Waverly isn't the demon but she came for her. Waverly turns and sees the demon behind her, and screams.
Robin returns home and finds plants growing outside in the snow. He takes photos of them while a large vine grabs him and drags him away.
Wynonna arrives at the homestead and finds everyone seated at the dinner table, which is covered in sweets. A woman, Jolene, comes out and greets Wynonna. Smiling, Waverly explains that Michelle showed up but Jolene arrived just in time. Jolene crams brownies into Wynonna's mouth, and Wynonna says that it's delicious and demands more. The woman says that there's a demon coming and it's going to kill Waverly, but she figures that Wynonna will stop it and says that without her they all would die. Wynonna sits down with the others and they all eat the sweets.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 11, 2018