Yellowstone 1883: What You Need to Take Away from Last Night’s Stormy Episode

Season 1, Episode 7 of Yellowstone: 1883, entitled “Yellow Lightning Hair,” depicts our pioneers trekking across the barrenness of the Great Plains before a fierce thunderstorm.

Episode 7, written by Taylor Sheridan and directed by Christina Alexandra Voros, begins with our group of settlers trekking across a terrain strewn with bones from prior wagon parties.

Let’s look at the five most crucial events from Yellowstone: 1883 Episode 7, which will have ramifications for the rest of the season.

The Cook Gets Slapped on His Mouth for His Mouth

In Episode 7, James Jordan’s character, Cookie, is on full display after a brief introduction in Episode 6. When a guy takes several steaks that Cookie is cooking in the middle of the action, an enraged Cookie tells Josef (Marc Rissmann) to inform the guests about appropriate line etiquette in their language.

Cookie tells them that if they don’t return their plates, “you’re eating with your fuckin’ hands!”

Confused, Josef asks what the strange word “fuck” means, and Shea quickly intervenes. “He don’t know what that word means,” Shea tells Cookie and then gestures to the young John, “Neither does he.” Ominously, Shea looks at Margaret and continues, “And he’s about to ask her and lord help you. So maybe don’t use it.”

Of course, John turns to his mother and asks, “What does fuck mean, mama?” Margaret quickly replies, “It means a spanking and a good one if you say it again.”

John looks to his father and asks if Cookie will get the spanking. James laughs and replies “Some form of one is probably headed his way, son.”

Without hesitation, Margaret goes up and slaps Cookie and whispers, “Use that word again in front of my child, and I’ll stab you with this fucking fork.” Stunned and intimidated, Cookie hands over their dinner. Hopefully, he learned his lesson!

The Sam and Elsa Connection

Elsa and Sam are immediately drawn to one another from the moment their eyes meet. Sam congratulates Elsa after losing to her and Lightning in a horse race.: “I think you’re the lighting. Lighting with the yellow hair.” When Elsa asks why he calls himself Sam, he replies, “That was the name of the man who killed my wife. I know because I made him tell me. And I killed him and took it.”

Elsa confesses to having murdered a person, but she didn’t know his name. Sam tells her: “You don’t want his name. Your name is Lighting. Lighting doesn’t mourn. God gave you a good face and yellow hair.”

Later, after the storm blows over them, Sam returns to rescue Elsa, Wade, and Colton. While shielding Elsa from the wind, she screams; but soon captivated by the wilderness’ most ferocious beauty, she kisses Sam.

She and Sam ride out to look for Colton and Wade’s horses after the storm. As he leaves her one more time, he tells her: “Everything you see and everything you saw yesterday is my home! You’re always welcome in it, Lighting with the yellow hair. You’re home too now.” It appears that Sam and Elsa have a lot in common.

***

A Storm Has Arrived

As the storm is arriving, Sam tells Shea, “The sky is angry. Thieves out here use the storms to hide.”

Shea appreciates the warning, but Sam reiterates: “Storm will be here tomorrow. You should leave too. Take them to Colorado.”

Shea attempts to hurry the wagon journey the next morning, but it’s clear that he’ll be unable to do so. Shea, Thomas, and James urge the settlers to untie their horses, secure their wagons, and lie down on the ground as they witness the tornado develop.

Despite their efforts, the settlers are forced to search through a pile of dead or scattered cattle and debris in order to recover what food and valuables they can.

Noemi is devastated as she picks up her silver mirror, which has shattered glass.

She says, “now we have nothing. How do we survive without nothing?” Thomas tells her lovingly: “I’ve got money enough for the both of us. You ain’t losing nothing.” The rest of the pioneers can’t say the same.

With Nothing Left, Where Do They Go?

Shea and Thomas must make a tough decision when the wagon train is wrecked after the storm. Shea thinks they can save 8 wagons for their remaining 26 adults and 22 children.

Shea tells Thomas that the nearest town is: “Denver. We gotta turn back. They ain’t gonna make it if half of them are walking.” It looks like our pioneers are heading to Colorado.

Thomas says: “Listen, it’s a month to Doan’s with wagons. What they gonna eat?” Shea responds, “Cattle, if we can find ’em. Horses if we can’t.” Appalled, Thomas tells him, “I ain’t eatin’ no horse.” Luckily, Cookie returns with his food supplies intact. When Shea tells him no one died, Cooke assures him, “Sounds like holding back was the right choice.” We’ll have to wait and see!

More Cattle Thieves Than Cookie Can Count

The bandits have been stalking our brave wagon party since the start of their trek, but the storm delivered their most fearsome foes yet. Shea, Thomas, James, and Elsa approach what’s left of their herd, shocked to discover 13 robbers instead of the six they expected.

In a breathtaking sequence, Shea, Thomas, and James shoot men on horseback as they charge towards them while also dodging bullets. Sam, Two Feathers, and Charles Goodnight put an end to the rest of the cattle thieves just when things look bleak.

Charles is old friends with Shea and Thomas, although we don’t get any details yet on how they know each other. As he returns horses, Charles says, “I swear Shea, when you bite off more than you can chew, you sure bite big.”

Relieved, Shea replies, “I ain’t ashamed to say it. You are a beautiful sight, Charlie.” Charles tells him he’s out in the Plains “hunting bandits and strays,” and Shea thanks him again. “Killing cattle thieves is one of the West’s five great pleasures. No need for thanks,” Charles says graciously. Hopefully Charles will ride with our wagon party for a bit – they sure could use his protection.

What did you think of last night’s episode of Yellowstone: 1883? Let us know in the comments below!