The Underground Railroad (2021) s01e04 Episode Script

1
- [insects trilling]
- [birds chirping]
[gate creaks]
[young Ridgeway] We're
just fine, Ma.
You don't need to worry
about us.
You remember when I fell
on that big rake in the shed?
I never seen
my own blood before.
I got dizzy.
I, uh
I felt something.
When I was bleeding.
Something like he always
talks about.
The Spirit.
But then I
It didn't last. It didn't
it didn't stay with me.
What if I can't find it
in me again?
What if
he can't find it in me?
[gate creaks]
♪
♪
[insects chirping]
[birds cawing]
[metal clanging]
[horse neighs]
- [lively chatter]
- [kid] Oh, no!
- You're it!
- [laughter]
♪
[laughing]
[echoing laughter]
I, um
I
I-I heard those farmers
in town talking about you again.
They-they think you're deranged,
hiring freedmen.
Iron is iron.
If a man can work it,
then the Spirit is
with and within him.
Yeah, but how do you know
that the Spirit is
Thank you.
- Mm?
- Uh, no, thank you.
- [jug clinks on table]
- [chuckles softly]
H-How do you know
the Spirit is with them?
The Great Spirit flows
through everything
the earth, the sky, all of it.
It connects us all.
Now, I've told you this.
Right.
If if-if you can't see it
how do you know
that it's there?
You don't see it.
You feel it.
[stammers] What if
I don't, uh
feel it in me?
Wh-What happens then?
You will, son. You will.
All things in due time.
[gears grinding]
[metal clanging]
[grinding and clanging continue]
- [fire whooshing]
- [sizzling]
Arnold?
Come on over here,
finish these links.
Uh
Who will keep the fire up?
Reckon my boy is
strong enough now, sir.
The Mighty Mack.
Shooting up like a weed,
young lad.
I'll wager you'll end up bigger
than your father.
Go on. Go on, now.
[Ridgeway Sr.] Go on, now.
Take it.
What if I ruin it?
Liquid fire is
the blood of this earth.
Respect it, and it'll help you
draw out this iron's purpose.
[iron sizzles]
[groans] Sorry. Sorry.
[rod clangs]
Lesson learned, boy.
- Try again.
- [groans]
[grunts]
[echoing metal clanging]
[footsteps approaching]
[wind whistling softly]
[floorboards creaking]
[floorboards creaking]
[footsteps departing]
[door closes]
[deep breath]
[sharp inhale]
- [exhales]
- [birds cawing]
[birds singing]
- Mack?
- [Mack] Mr. Arnold?
- What you doing out here, boy?
- Nothing, sir.
It don't look like
nothing to me.
Come on, now.
What you got
in your hands there?
[scoffs softly]
It's dangerous
to play with fire.
I know, sir,
but I wanted to see the Spirit.
What's that, now?
The Great Spirit.
I wanted to see it.
Like your daddy always say.
I wanted to see if it's in me.
So
You think it's right
just to set the land on fire
'cause it pleases you?
No, sir.
Then what was you doing
with these?
Show me.
Show me what you was doing
with these.
What you sour about?
Just
I wants to keep the fire.
I wants to keep it going
all the way to the bottom,
to show the Spirit.
It's cause you, uh, you letting
the Spirit get away from you.
Huh?
You can't just
toss the fire down there
and expect it to live.
You've got to go with it.
You've got to protect it
with your own Spirit.
Th-that's that's how you show
the great, true Spirit.
[insects trilling]
[trilling intensifies]
[echoing screams]
[Mack] Help!
[Mack shouts]
- [wind whistling]
- [match crackles]
[metal clanging rapidly]
[Mack groaning]
[groans]
[Ridgeway Sr.] This'll
keep the bone straight
as it heals.
[Mack] But what if
it doesn't work?
Come on, now, Mack.
You be strong.
Now, don't you fear, young Mack.
The Great Spirit pulses
in the fire.
And it'll flow right into you.
Don't you feel it?
Yes, sir. I do.
Arnold.
Why don't you wait
for me in the house.
And I'll talk to you directly.
[horse neighs]
- [insects trilling]
- [birds singing]
[gate creaks]
[Ridgeway Sr.] He's got
an anger, Em.
Burns red-hot
and then lights mine.
Our boy wants to grip
the Spirit in his hands
instead of listening
to its call.
And I'm not sure
I'm the one to teach him.
Lord knows how much
the Spirit in me
was put there by you.
At what cost?
At what cost, this Spirit?
At what cost?
- [indistinct chatter]
- [horse neighs]
♪
[laughter in distance]
[store clerk clears throat]
[sniffs]
How you figure to pay for that?
You can put that
on my father's credit.
No, sir.
Don't work that way.
Have your pappy come down here,
he want to put a coat
on his credit.
Look here, now, what about
all this dang-on candy?
[indistinct chatter]
[man] Your boy ain't got
no money.
♪
♪
- [lively chatter]
- [piano playing upbeat tune]
[Chandler] It is property
of the Reynolds Plantation.
About 40 miles south.
Snuck out last week
after the master sold his wife
and hasn't been seen since.
[patroller 1] I say we pay
a visit to the wife.
She knows where he's hiding.
[Chandler] Well, yes and no.
It'll lie to our faces,
but here's what we do.
I already asked around.
Ain't but one place it's headed.
So I say
we hide just off the road
outside the farm.
Wait for it to come to us.
- [patroller 2] Sounds good
to me.
- I know where he's going.
[patroller 2] Who the hell
asked you?
[chuckles] Easy, now.
Easy, now. [chuckles]
Sit.
[chair drags]
Yes, sir.
I know this land
as well as any nigger.
I grew up here.
There's a patch of forest
on the Templeton land.
It's real thick.
Easy to spot a nigger in there
if you know
where you're looking.
[Chandler laughing]
[Chandler] Oh, look at you.
Now, you listen to me,
young man, and you listen good.
If you show us,
I'll cut you in.
- [loud thump]
- [patroller 2] Cut him in,
my ass!
Big prize, gentlemen.
Plenty to go around.
It's American imperative.
The land of opportunity.
Let's see what
this young prophet here can do.
Have a sip of that.
All right.
[insects trilling]
[wood creaking]
♪
[twigs snapping]
[sighs softly]
[baby fussing]
♪
- [baby fussing]
- [man shushing]
[shushes, whispers indistinctly]
[baby fusses]
Please.
Please, sir.
Please don't hurt my son, sir.
Please.
- Please, sir. The baby
- [shushing]
Take me, but leave my son.
- [baby fusses]
- Have mercy on my child.
Spare my son.
Please, God.
Protect him.
- [grunts]
- [baby crying]
I got him! I got him!
Chandler, I got him!
- I got him!
- [crying continues]
[crying]
[panting slowly]
[echoing crying]
[metal clanging]
♪
[crying]
[footsteps approaching]
[Chandler] Lookee here, boys.
A natural hunter.
[chuckles]
Careful, now.
When it's little like that,
easy to forget the difference.
[baby wailing]
[Chandler] Give it here.
Come on. Yeah.
Here we are.
What you gonna do with the baby?
Sell it off.
Same as its daddy.
- How come you call him "it"?
- [baby stops crying]
[chuckles softly]
[coins clinking]
Why not?
[baby fussing]
Go on, take it now.
You did good.
[baby screams]
[baby fusses]
[store clerk] Can I help you
with something?
Back for your candy, boy?
[horse neighs in distance]
[clerk clicks tongue]
Right. [clears throat]
We got an order today
for parts and horseshoes
four times the size
of any we've ever had.
Four times.
Perhaps it's time we, uh,
bought ourselves a few slaves.
Ease the burden.
We can afford it.
Way less costly than
than hiring out
all these, uh, freedmen.
You know what kind
of family this is.
But think about it.
Maybe that's the real
Great Spirit. [chuckles]
If you're meant to be free,
then you are free.
And if you're meant to be
in chains, then you're a nigger.
How can you sit there
and say that,
eating the food
Annie's just cooked?
That's precisely my point.
Annie and Samuel
they worked hard.
They earned their freedom.
Now, th-th-the ones
who run away
they're dogs, they're dangerous.
Why shouldn't they be in chains?
[Ridgeway Sr.] Son
you must try to recognize
yourself in every living thing.
You must look into every man
every man, and search
for yourself there.
This is how you find the Spirit.
Your mother would
She
You understand what I'm saying?
I think so.
Yes.
[footsteps approaching]
[Annie] Seems like a perfect
time for some pie, huh?
Hope you guys are ready.
Good Lord, Annie.
We don't deserve you.
I reckon not, but I
I think I'll stay anyhow.
I'll leave it right here, atop
of Mr. Arnold's masterpiece.
Annie, can I beg your pardon?
Yes, sir, Mr. Arnold.
- [Ridgeway] Thank you.
- [Annie] Yes.
You're a free woman, yes?
Samuel is free.
Mack is free.
- [clock ticking]
- You are all free and, uh
earnedly so, yes?
- Well, uh, yes, sir.
- [ticking intensifies]
I reckon we is.
What, then, do you think of,
uh, niggers who aren't?
- Who run away
- [Ridgeway Sr.] Arnold.
[Ridgeway] from their duties
to their masters,
and then assume
- because of some politician
- [Ridgeway Sr.] Arnold!
[Ridgeway] that they are due
the rights which you earned
- [loud thump]
- [Ridgeway Sr.] Arnold!
[ticking stops]
♪
[Annie] I, uh I
- I reckon that we
- [Ridgeway Sr.] Thank you,
Annie.
Thank you.
- That'll be all.
- [Ridgeway] Yes.
Thank you, Annie.
[Ridgeway scoffs]
You're my son.
Your mother's son.
Please don't break my heart.
♪
[door creaks open]
[door closes]
♪
[crickets chirping]
[metal clanging in distance]
[clanging continues]
[clanging echoes]
[insects trilling]
[owl hoots]
[metal clanging]
- [iron sizzling]
- [fire whooshing]
[metal clanging]
[sizzling]
Do you, uh
Do you need some help?
I'm fine, thank you.
[metal clanging]
Here.
Brand-new coat for you, Pa.
I bought it myself.
It's got silver buttons on it.
Pure metal. I checked it.
I got a coat.
[metal clanging]
Annie's patched that up
half a dozen times, Pa.
That won't keep you no more.
Man like me ain't got no need
for such finery.
Why don't you keep it?
I already got one,
just like this.
Well, look at you, son.
Two coats.
That's a mighty fine thing.
♪
[fire whooshes]
[metal clanging]
[sizzling]
[fire crackling]
♪
[metal clanging]
[echoing metal clanging]
[Kool Blues:
"I Want to be Ready"]
I want to be ready ♪
When the hurt ♪
Comes my way ♪
I want to be ready ♪
When the hurt ♪
Comes my way ♪
Yeah ♪
I want to know
what is happenin' to me ♪
Want to know how ♪
You could let this be, yeah ♪
And I want to be ready ♪
When the hurt ♪
Comes my way ♪
Ready ♪
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ready ♪
- I got to be ♪
- I got to be ♪
Ready ♪♪
♪
♪