Although this episode begins with a portentous voiceover describing the historical context of the story to follow, one feature reminds us that even during world-shattering events, personal lives go on.
After he saves Irene Travers from being carried off by what appear to be Indians, she and Cheyenne become close, and Major Reno isn't happy about it. As the jealous, uptight major sees it, Cheyenne Bodie was simply her accidental knight in shining armor, rescuing her from the clutches of natives Reno thinks of only as marauders, murderers, and miscreants. Even after Cheyenne proves that the Indians are not to blame for recent raids and attacks, including Irene's kidnapping, Reno disparages anyone who "believes in coddling the Sioux." Most viewers, women in particular, see no contest between Cheyenne Bodie and Marcus Reno. Still, Irene's true character becomes obvious when she chooses the supercilious stuffed shirt over the knight in shining armor.
Depending on your viewpoint, it's either a good thing or unfortunate that politics soon eclipse romance. When scout Cheyenne Bodie reports as ordered to Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer at Fort Abraham Lincoln, he's told that the army needs him to scout the Black Hills for an appropriate site to build a fort. It becomes clear, however, that certain powerful men in Washington have something else in mind. There's gold in them thar hills, and they intend to profit from it, no matter that it will violate the U. S. government's treaty with the Sioux. In the meantime, Cheyenne's old friend Indian Commissioner Brady recruits him for a secret mission to forestall the plot. When it becomes clear that gold is the object of the expedition, Cheyenne knows that there's no stopping the bloodbath to come. In fact, it has already begun on a small scale, soon to erupt into a flood that will engulf the Black Hills and beyond. But Cheyenne, being the idealistic and noble man that he is, will cooperate with Brady in one last ditch effort to stop it.
This episode is the prelude to the aftermath of Custer's foray into the Black Hills. It ends mysteriously with Major Reno smugly ordering that 'deserter' Cheyenne Bodie be brought back, dead or alive; and then, after the massacre of Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn, a newspaper headline that Major Reno has been charged with cowardice. The last shot gives a tantalizing clue to what is to come. It's of possibly the most impressive-looking Native American ever to call the plains and hills home. His name is "Touch the Sky." The next episode, "Requiem," ties everything together. Stay tuned...
After he saves Irene Travers from being carried off by what appear to be Indians, she and Cheyenne become close, and Major Reno isn't happy about it. As the jealous, uptight major sees it, Cheyenne Bodie was simply her accidental knight in shining armor, rescuing her from the clutches of natives Reno thinks of only as marauders, murderers, and miscreants. Even after Cheyenne proves that the Indians are not to blame for recent raids and attacks, including Irene's kidnapping, Reno disparages anyone who "believes in coddling the Sioux." Most viewers, women in particular, see no contest between Cheyenne Bodie and Marcus Reno. Still, Irene's true character becomes obvious when she chooses the supercilious stuffed shirt over the knight in shining armor.
Depending on your viewpoint, it's either a good thing or unfortunate that politics soon eclipse romance. When scout Cheyenne Bodie reports as ordered to Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer at Fort Abraham Lincoln, he's told that the army needs him to scout the Black Hills for an appropriate site to build a fort. It becomes clear, however, that certain powerful men in Washington have something else in mind. There's gold in them thar hills, and they intend to profit from it, no matter that it will violate the U. S. government's treaty with the Sioux. In the meantime, Cheyenne's old friend Indian Commissioner Brady recruits him for a secret mission to forestall the plot. When it becomes clear that gold is the object of the expedition, Cheyenne knows that there's no stopping the bloodbath to come. In fact, it has already begun on a small scale, soon to erupt into a flood that will engulf the Black Hills and beyond. But Cheyenne, being the idealistic and noble man that he is, will cooperate with Brady in one last ditch effort to stop it.
This episode is the prelude to the aftermath of Custer's foray into the Black Hills. It ends mysteriously with Major Reno smugly ordering that 'deserter' Cheyenne Bodie be brought back, dead or alive; and then, after the massacre of Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn, a newspaper headline that Major Reno has been charged with cowardice. The last shot gives a tantalizing clue to what is to come. It's of possibly the most impressive-looking Native American ever to call the plains and hills home. His name is "Touch the Sky." The next episode, "Requiem," ties everything together. Stay tuned...
