Waverider timejumps to Salvation in 1871, far enough that even Rip feels the side effects. Mick has dozed through the whole thing, and Rip explains that they're in the Dakota Territories in 1871. He figures that they can hide out there while the Hunters look for the other fragmentations. The Time Master tells the others that Fragmentations are "blind spots" in the timeline where his people can't see. Ray and the others want to go exploring, and Mick agrees to keep an eye on them and assures Rip that he'll be good.
The team fabricates period-appropriate clothing and Rip provides suitable weapons. He explains that he'll stay on Waverider to plot their next move against Vandal. The team goes into Salvation and everyone looks at the newcomers. They go to a saloon and Mick goes to get a drink. A waitress bumps into Martin, and the others belly up to the bar. Kendra bumps into an older woman, Kate Manser, and Kendra gets a memory-flash of Kate at a cabin in a valley. When she recovers, Kendra discovers that Kate has gone.
Mick tells Sara that it's been years since he had a drink, and doesn't remember how long he was Chronos. Sara points out that he seems to have changed but doesn't know if she likes it. Mick points out that Sara can handle her liquor, and they end up having a drink-off. Meanwhile, Martin sits down to play some poker, and Len watches. The professor wins, impressing Len, and says that his father was a gambler and taught him the game. Martin tells Len that "like father like son" isn't always inevitable. He wins another hand and the losing ruffian, Billy Conlon, grabs the waitress. When Martin objects, Conlon goes for his gun and Len casually shoots him dead. More men stand up, and don't care that Len put the man down in a fair fight. A fight breaks out and their teammates jump in except for Mick, who is passed out on at the bar.
One man, who has remained seated the entire time, finally fires a shot to get everyone's attention. He stands up, revealing his scarred face, and says that the fight is over. Martin thanks the man, who introduces himself as Jonah Hex. As they leave, Jonah asks them where they're really from, recognizing them as time travelers, and asks where Rip is.
The team take Jonah to Waverider, and Rip recognizes Jonah. Jonah says that he broke up a barroom brawl, and explains that Len killed a member of the Jeb Stillwater gang. Now the whole gang will tear apart the town looking for revenge. Ray is ready to defend the town, but Rip figures that the Hunters will detect the temporal disturbance and come looking for them. The scientist says that they signed on to the mission to be heroes, and he doesn't plan on running.
Kendra heads off on her own and Sara goes after her. Gideon confirms that the valley in the memory flash was Albano Gulch, and Kendra tells Sara that she hopes Kate can help her find Carter. Sara offers to go with her and Kendra agrees.
Jonah and Ray to go the Salvation jail. Ray offers to help against the gang, and the sheriff immediately gives Ray a sheriff's badge and says that he's leaving before his luck runs out and the gang kills him. Jonah congratulates Ray and warns that there are a few warrants out for him.
The next day, Martin goes back to the saloon and pays the bartender for information on Jeb. The bartender says that Jeb will find the team after they killed his man, but is glad to give them directions in return for more money. Meanwhile, Martin notices a woman--Sarah Neal-- at a table, crying. He goes over and introduces himself. Sarah says that her boy Bertie is dying of tuberculosis and there's nothing anyone can do for him. Martin goes with Sarah to her home, and Bertie says that he wants to ride a stagecoach. The professor tells him to get better so he can do so.
Jeb and his gang ride into Salvation and Ray steps out to confront them. The outlaw is unimpressed, and points out that Ray is outnumbered. As Jeb goes for his gun, Len shoots it out of his hand from a sniper's post. Ray says that he has sharpshooters all around, and Jeb rides off with his men. As the townspeople cheer, Mick and Jax watch. Back at Waverider, Jonah warns Ray that once they leave, the Stillwaters will come back and Salvation will end up like Calvert. Rip abruptly cuts off any discussion of Calvert, and talks to Jonah privately. The team checks Gideon to find out what Calvert is, and the AI explains that Calvert was wiped out in 1868.
As Sara and Kendra ride to Albano Gulch, Sara admits that she enjoys the simple time. She tells Kendra that she hasn't has had much simplicity in her life. Kendra says that she's been having more memory flashes recently, and Kendra has another flash of Kate's cabin. She points out the direction and the women continue on.
Martin is getting a vial from the medbay when Rip and Ray confront him. Gideon admits that she told them, and Martin insists that the medicine is contemporary. Martin explains that the medicine exists in the 19th century, but Ray points out that it won't be used for medical purposes for another 70 years. The professor says that he can't turn his back on Bertie any more than Ray could turn his back on Salvation, and Rip points out that Ray is using 19th century means. Martin doesn't want to hear it, and points out that Calvert was destroyed. Rip explains that after a mission, he stayed in Calvert for a while with Jonah. He became subject to time drift and had to tear himself away to return to his own time. A day after he left, ex-Confederate Quentin Turnbull destroyed Calvert. Rip insists that Martin can't alter the timeline and save Bertie, and Martin tells him that he refuses to live with the regret he can see in Rip's face. Jonah returns with the information from the bartender, and Ray says that it's time to ride. The bounty hunter asks Rip if he's coming along, and is disgusted when Rip refuses.
Kendra and Sara arrive at the cabin, and Kate aims a rifle at them. She tells them to get off her land, and Kendra realizes that Kate is one of her past selves. They go inside and Kate shows them a sketch of her and her love, who was Hannibal Hawkes in 1830. In the sketch, Kate is wearing a bracelet. She explains that they wore it in their first lives, and she got it from Vandal when he attacked them in Jefferson City. The couple lost the bracelet to bandits, and Kendra figures that she can use the bracelet to kill Vandal. Kate points out that she can't kill Vandal with a bracelet, and tells Kendra to stop fighting her destiny. She figures that they're doomed to repeat the same cycle of death and rebirth. When Kate tried to break the cycle by finding another love, she discovered that he could never be her soulmate like Carter was. Fate broke them apart and Kate vowed to never do that to anyone again. She tells Kendra that she'll never be able to love anyone else, because in all their past lives it always ends in tragedy.
The men ride out toward the Stillwater hideout.
Martin gives the drug to Bertie and he gets better. He makes Sarah promise to burn the medicine once Bertie fully heals, and she agrees.
Ray and the others ride up on the hideout and take on Jeb's men. When one of them prepares to shoot Mick, Len shoots the gun out of the outlaw's hands. Ray knocks Jeb out from behind and places him under arrest. As they ride off with their prisoner, one of the outlaws manages to pull Jax from his horse Jonah advises Ray, Len, and Mick to leave before the outlaws take them down, figuring that they either live to fight later or die. He rides off and the others reluctantly take his advice.
Back at Waverider, Martin suggests that they trade Jeb for Jax. Ray points out that if they do then Salvation is still in danger. Jonah suggests that they have a quick-draw. Martin insists that there must be another way, and Jonah figures that Rip won't approve using their futuristic weaponry. Ray volunteers and when Rip objects, says that he forfeited his right to speak up when he refused to help them earlier. Rip explains that he had trouble leaving Calvert because of all of the opportunities for heroism, He admits to Jonah that he knew what would happen if he left. Jonah slugs him, furious that he abandoned the town. Rip says that if he had stayed then he would no longer have been a Time Master. Now that he no longer is, Rip agrees to face Jeb in the quick draw at high noon.
As Kendra and Sara return to Waverider, Sara tells Kendra that Kendra is her own person and she has Ray. She figures that things won't turn out the same way that they did for Kate.
The gang rides into Salvation and finds the team waiting for him. Rip says that he'll be drawing for Ray, and Len gives Jeb a gun. The two men draw, but Rip gets his shot off first. The outlaws free Jax and ride off, but three Hunters walk into town and open fire as the townspeople take cover. Mick runs to greet them, while Rip gives Jonah his future gun and Ray his Atom suit, pointing out that the Hunters aren't concerned about using futuristic weapons in plain sight. Martin and Jax merge into Firestorm and attack as well. Mick attacks one of the Hunters, saying that he was always on his side, He grabs his opponent's knife and stabs him to death with it. As the Hunter dies, he says that the Time Masters have initiated Omega Protocol and the Pilgrim is coming for them.
Once the other Hunters are down, Jonah prepares to ride off. Rip suggests that Salvation needs a sheriff, but Jonah figures he's not the law-and-order type. The bounty hunter says that it'd be okay if they met again, and rides away. Len joins Rip, who says that skepticism and disbelief will assure that no one will believe the townspeople if they say anything about what happened.
At the saloon, Sarah and Bertie thank Martin. Bertie says that his last name is Wells, and Martin realizes that the boy is science fiction writer H.G. Wells.
Back on Waverider, Ray asks Kendra why she seems off. She says that she met a woman but doesn't have to listen to her, and they kiss. The couple goes to the bridge, and Mick explains that the Omega Protocol means that the Pilgrim will go back into the past and kill their defenseless younger selves.
Central City: 1990
The Pilgrim prepares to kill a young Mick as he watches his house burn.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 14, 2016