How does this episode get so much love? Being the last episode of season 3, it's an exercise by the writers to dig up every terrible storytelling trope ever created. Just a sample:
-It begins with an old man (108 years old!) who comes back after being gone for almost a 90 years to see his old town. Old man is left sadly at the graveyard, paying his respects, at the end of the show. Presumably he gets eaten by a bear.
-Said old man, being rescued at the beginning of the show out in the middle of nowhere by the show's protagonist, tells a long story with a growing audience who hang on his every word.
-The show's primary protagonist, never a fan of the town, ends the show with an a-ha moment, as he finally appreciates the hell he has been through.
-The story begins with the tyrany of two men and their henchmen, who keep a town's citizens in terror, in particular the town prostitute with a heart of gold.
-Things begin to change with the appearance of a mysterious couple (in this case, perhaps lesbian), who will instantly change the civility of the town through the arts (and a few well-timeed punches).
-The old man weaves into this change the story of his misbegotten youth, when his squandered life is transformed by said couple, who teach him to read. At one point he makes his first efforts into public performance with the reading of his poetry.
-Two other young women, seeking in their own way to unsuccessfully save the town through Christian witness, are intimidated and hopelessly out of touch.
-Then there's the historically famous person who just happens to be friends with the transformative couple and happens to show up in a minor role. His greatest work will be inspired by his visit to this town. He will eventually take with him one of the Christian women whose faith is overwhelmed by his brilliance.
-The town prostitute with the heart of gold begins to find hope, rejecting the wicked tyrant and finding love in the arms of a decent man.
-Eventually one of the transformative couple begins to get sick, and eventually sacrifices her life by jumping in front of a bullet from an unknown gunman when the entire town confronts the baddies. She dies in the arm of her lover, to the consternation of all.
-Oh, did I mention that the regular characters of this show play the parts of many of the characters from ninety years previously?
-Eventually the town tyrant sees the error of his ways and becomes decent; his sidekick, a man of refined literature, becomes a preacher.
-The surviving transformative character wanders into the mists of grief and is never heard from again. But her influence continues even to this day.
I'm sure I missed at least a half-dozen other tired cliches. But I hated this episode so much that I can't bring myself to watch it again.
-Said old man, being rescued at the beginning of the show out in the middle of nowhere by the show's protagonist, tells a long story with a growing audience who hang on his every word.
-The show's primary protagonist, never a fan of the town, ends the show with an a-ha moment, as he finally appreciates the hell he has been through.
-The story begins with the tyrany of two men and their henchmen, who keep a town's citizens in terror, in particular the town prostitute with a heart of gold.
-Things begin to change with the appearance of a mysterious couple (in this case, perhaps lesbian), who will instantly change the civility of the town through the arts (and a few well-timeed punches).
-The old man weaves into this change the story of his misbegotten youth, when his squandered life is transformed by said couple, who teach him to read. At one point he makes his first efforts into public performance with the reading of his poetry.
-Two other young women, seeking in their own way to unsuccessfully save the town through Christian witness, are intimidated and hopelessly out of touch.
-Then there's the historically famous person who just happens to be friends with the transformative couple and happens to show up in a minor role. His greatest work will be inspired by his visit to this town. He will eventually take with him one of the Christian women whose faith is overwhelmed by his brilliance.
-The town prostitute with the heart of gold begins to find hope, rejecting the wicked tyrant and finding love in the arms of a decent man.
-Eventually one of the transformative couple begins to get sick, and eventually sacrifices her life by jumping in front of a bullet from an unknown gunman when the entire town confronts the baddies. She dies in the arm of her lover, to the consternation of all.
-Oh, did I mention that the regular characters of this show play the parts of many of the characters from ninety years previously?
-Eventually the town tyrant sees the error of his ways and becomes decent; his sidekick, a man of refined literature, becomes a preacher.
-The surviving transformative character wanders into the mists of grief and is never heard from again. But her influence continues even to this day.
I'm sure I missed at least a half-dozen other tired cliches. But I hated this episode so much that I can't bring myself to watch it again.