Preacher Feature is a weekly analysis of the AMC show Preacher based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. In this column, we will give a breakdown of the events from the previous night’s show, including how they relate to the comics, and speculate as to what’s going on and what might be coming up. This is to say that there will be spoilers, both actual and potential. If you have not yet watched the episode in question or are watching the show without reading the comics and don’t want to have any foreknowledge of what might happen to Jesse and company, then you would do well to stop reading this now.
Looking to get caught up? Here’s a link to last week’s article.
Boy II Man
“The End of the Road” kicks off with a flashback to an adolescent Jesse Custer (in full Colonel Sanders regalia) working in the hot Louisiana sun at Angelville, which is some sort of occult tourist trap. After a frustrating and painful day, Jesse stomps to death a chicken that has been bothering him. Upset at himself, Jesse sprints (Forrest Gump-style) to his Grandmother, Marie L’Angell, to get her to bring it back to life. She tells him “Everything has a price”
Back in the present, Jesse is speaking to a class of Catholic schoolchildren at the behest of Herr Starr. Unknown to Jesse, Starr has set up a group of fake terrorists to try to “kill” the children and is recording the events to show the world that the Messiah has returned. The only problem is, when Jesse tries to use Genesis to command the men to disarm, Genesis doesn’t work again. Instead, in maybe the best fight sequence so far this season, Jesse falls back on his ass-kicking skills and beats the hell out of the assailants to the tune of “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison.
The Sins of the Father
Cassidy, who struggles with controlling his vampiric urges, starts to think his son Denis is not able to control his own. He feels that his own control is slipping as a result of being around his son. Tulip walks in on him smoking crack (medicinal, he assures her) and he has a dream sequence where she hooks up with him and he ends up tearing out her throat. Eventually, Cassidy decides he’s made a mistake turning Denis into a vampire and pushes him out a window into direct sunlight, which kills Denis.
Escape from the Underworld
Eugene, with a little help from cellmate Adolph Hitler, escapes from Hell via Charon’s boat. Hitler heads back towards his cell, but Eugene tells Hitler he shouldn’t have to stay any longer since he helped Eugene and is now a better person. They end up back on Earth (via Distant Vistas, the same company that Fiore and DeBlanc used in season one) and Eugene (who doesn’t yet realize that his hometown and nearly everyone he knows has been destroyed in a methane explosion) tells Hitler he can come stay with them. Hitler has other plans, though, and runs away.
The End of the Road?
Before departing for Bimini, Tulip decides she should say goodbye to her friend “Jenny”, aka Featherstone, agent of the Grail. When Hoover comes out of the shower and Tulip realizes that something is fishy with the situation, Featherstone shoots Tulip in the chest. Cassidy finds her and tells Jesse. Jesse rushes off to reach her and Starr reveals to Jesse that he is now in possession of the 1% of Jesse’s soul that he gave to the Saint of Killers and he orders the ambulance heading for Tulip to be cancelled. With Tulip on the precipice of death, Cassidy decides to turn her into a vampire to save her. Jesse won’t allow this and wrestles Cassidy away from her, as her life slips away and she dies.
Next we see Jesse, Cassidy, and Tulip’s body on the way to Angelville, presumably to have Marie resurrect Tulip like she did with the chicken from the beginning of the episode (who seems to be just fine, even after more than a decade).
The episode ends with God in a hotel room adorned by his dog costume, dozens of empty beer cans, and an open tub of petroleum jelly.
Easter Eggs/Connections to the Comics:
When Cassidy looks at Denis’ laptop, it is set on a webpage for Les Enfants du Sang. In the comics, Les Enfants du Sang is a group of wannabe vampires Cassidy knows in New Orleans.
In the comics Tulip is shot by Jody in Angelville and is later resurrected by God in an effort to dissuade Jesse from coming after Him.
Questions/Theories:
I would say the biggest question after the season 2 finale is: Will we get a season 3? AMC has not yet announced a renewal, though there has been paperwork filed to film again in New Orleans, which seems like a good indication.
Assuming we get a season 3, what wil happen to Tulip? The finale set up that Marie L’Angell will try to resurrect her, but there will likely be a high cost for both her and Jesse.
