TV Review: Outsiders S1 E12, “All Hell”

By Laury Scarbro

“All Hell” is an appropriate title for this episode, as in all hell is breaking loose, finally. Things are really coming to a head now, with all roads leading to Shay Mountain. The coal held within the mountain notwithstanding, it seems that everyone is out for Farrell blood, even the Farrells themselves.

Just before the end of summer gathering in the woods, Gwin and Little Foster apologize to one another, with an admission from Little Foster that he’s been too focused on trying to please his father to be the man he should have been. At the conclusion of the gathering, word is passed that Asa wants a meeting with the conspirators. By the time the group begins to disperse, Asa is nowhere to be found, after he receives a warning that Big Foster intends to have him killed.

Wade and Fults have begun recruiting outside the department to get men to help run the Farrells out, but they’re getting almost no help at all. One of the miners questions Wade about whether he’s caught the person responsible for Breece’s murder, and Wade warns the guy to let the police handle it.

The anti-Big Foster meeting gets underway, with no sign of Asa. The meeting is interrupted by Big Foster and his men, who have overheard everything, including the statement that Asa is their leader. Everyone present is taken prisoner and held in the barn.

Sally Ann and Hasil set up a small camp of sorts in the woods, still unable to return to his house. She’s bored and wants to explore, but he tells her it isn’t safe. The two are caught and brought before Big Foster. He orders his men to have them taken to the barn with the others. Later, Big Foster takes Gwin to show her the others were conspiring against him. He issues an ultimatum: Hand over Asa or he’ll kill one of them, and names Krake as the one he’ll kill.

Breece’s miner friends visit Haylie and impart their plan to get justice for Breece. They ask for money, and she claims to not want any part of it. Her actions say otherwise when she gathers her things and tells them she’s leaving, saying there’s about a thousand dollars in the top drawer of her desk.

Ledda, understandably, is not dealing well with her grief. She’s questioning her faith, feeling as though God has abandoned her. Luckily, she has a well-meaning, goodhearted brother like Wade to help her through the loss, as well as help with the kid and dinner.

Gwin goes to see Little Foster, but finds Asa instead. He tells her that he knows she’s been poisoning Big Foster. It’s pretty clear that her actions are weighing heavily on her. She then tells him about the others being held prisoner by Big Foster. This forces Asa to concoct a plan with Little Foster to carry out a rescue.

Big Foster’s condition worsens, and as he’s writhing in pain waiting for Gwin’s “medicine,” Little Foster arrives, telling his father that Asa is at his tent. Big Foster, with no regard for himself, heads off into the woods, but when he and his men arrive, there’s no sign of Asa. Big Foster is out of breath by this point and passes out. Little Foster sends the other men to fetch Gwin.

Meanwhile, Asa is at the barn, where he and Hasil take out the guards and free the captives. Krake has been taken to the cage, so Asa instructs the others to get to the mine while he goes after Krake. Sally Ann decides she’s had enough and wants to go home, and asks Hasil to go with her. He’s clearly torn between his love for her and his duty to his family, but he won’t leave them. She takes off into the dark, despite his warnings about her safety.

Haylie learns that the police are concocting a plan to go up the mountain, which falls on the day after the miners had planned to. The next day, she informs Wade and Fults about the miners’ plan. Wade say he knows who they are and that they were in her office because he’s had them followed. Haylie is then put under arrest, and when she demands to know the charges, he starts listing everything he could charge her with. Finally he settles on unlawful possession of a narcotic, calling back to the oxycontin she left in the gift basket for him. Wade and some other cops go to block the road where the miners intend to go up the mountain. Just before things get out of hand, backup arrives and the miners’ plan comes to a dead halt.

Asa’s attempts to break Krake out of the cage are unfruitful, as he is interrupted by Big Foster, who intends to take his anger at the loss of the other captives out on Krake. Asa manages to hide before he’s seen, but is nearly shot when Big Foster tries to shoot his laughing mother instead of Krake. Trying to play it off, Big Foster makes it seem as though he just changes his mind and orders Krake to be put back in the cage.

Big Foster wanders off to his mother’s grave, and in a fit of delirium, he starts digging at the ground with his bare hands. Gwin follows him and tries to calm him. She promises not to judge him and tells him she loves him to get him to confess, and he tells her that he killed his mother. Asa walks up behind them and provokes Big Foster into a fight.

Despite the poisoning, the old guy holds up pretty well until Asa manages to knock him to the ground. Before he can drop a huge rock on Big Foster’s head, he gets shot, and it turns out Little Foster is the one holding the gun. Asa’s body is dumped down the cliff beside the graveyard, and Gwin has his blood on her hands.

Everything this season has been building to is coming together nicely. The coal company looks to be getting exactly what they wanted—official assistance from local law enforcement to run the Farrells out. Gwin’s poison appears to be doing it’s job, making Big Foster ill enough that he cannot function and is losing the ability to make sound decisions. Haylie’s in jail where she belongs, if for no other reason than so she can’t do any more damage. But the question is, is Asa really dead? Or did he and Little Foster come up with some kind of way to fool everyone? With all the buildup around Asa being the one in the prophecy, I find it difficult to believe they would simply kill him off before the end of the season.