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"Burned"
Season 6, Episode 9
Burned
Air date March 17, 2015
Written by Dave Andron, Leonard Chang and Jenny DeArmit
Directed by Don Kurt
U.S. Viewers 1.81 million
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"Burned" is the ninth episode of the sixth season, and the 74th episode in the series overall. It was written by Dave Andron, Leonard Chang and Jenny DeArmit and directed by Don Kurt. It first aired on March 17, 2015.

Plot[]

Summary[]

Raylan and Boyd each test Ava's loyalty, and Markham's plans to win over Harlan go awry.

Recap[]

Rachel, Raylan and Art are joined in the Chief's office by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Vasquez as they discuss the stalled progress of the case against Boyd Crowder. Art thinks he might have an angle to help move things along.

Raylan and Art wander into Wynn Duffy's hotel suite where the Dixie Mafia man is relaxing in his tanning bed in his Speedos. When Wynn calms down after expressing his outrage at their intrusion, the two lawmen show him the now-unsealed U.S. Attorney's files which reveal that it was Wynn who had been the snitch who ratted out Katherine Hale's late husband 15 years earlier. In fear for his life if others in his organization get wind of this information, he is extorted into helping them build their case against Boyd.

Wynn and bodyguard Mikey argue about Wynn's turning snitch, even as a "pragmatic measure." Ratting out fellow criminal associates in not in Mikey's DNA.

Avery and Katherine are meeting in her hotel suite when there is a sharp rap on the door. It is a very upset Seabass, gun in hand, who forces Katherine back into the room as he expresses bitterness at having taken Avery's $50,000 to ignore Ty Walker's call for assistance. Upon reflection, he has decided that the sum Avery paid him for his loyalty wasn't enough to compensate him for his "disloyalty to my old C.O." He spots the large engagement ring Avery had placed in Katherine's finger, and decides that should balance the books for him. Voices are raised as the two men argue until Katherine steps in to calm the situation, smoothly telling Seabass that she has "a diamond tennis bracelet in my purse that, being a woman of extravagant taste, it's very substantial. Might that do instead?" "It just might," Seabass says, "Let me see it... slowly." He trains his pistol on Avery as Katherine retrieves her little clutch purse and walks toward him, opening the purse. "I think it's in here," she says, "Yup...." She shoots a shocked Seabass right in the heart with a Smith & Wesson revolver carried in the purse as Avery dives out of the way of possible return fire. He needn't have worried. Agog, the mortally wounded Seabass falls to his knees. Katherine takes out the little J-frame revolver and sends a second round into his forehead, and a massive spray of spatter all over the suite's wall behind him. 

She turns and looks at Markham. "I thought I'd seen all your tricks," he says. Katherine smiles, saying "Well, if you feel compelled to show your gratitude, I could sure use a new purse." He is impressed, but otherwise ambivalent. Katherine takes out her cellphone, dials a number, and in impeccable French says "We have a small problem in Room 204," then disconnects.

At the empty bar, Ava and Boyd are discussing what she had revealed to Raylan about his plan to break into Avery's bank vault when Wynn arrives to tell Boyd that Avery is hosting a gathering of potential land sellers that afternoon, #1, and, #2, that the money is being moved from the vault immediately afterward. Upon questioning, he reveals that this information has come from Katherine. When Wynn leaves, Boyd tells Ava that he sees Raylan's hands all over this latest development, adding that he thinks it's time to "play that one-time, get-out-of-jail-free card." Ava agrees.

Down in the Number 14 Obsidian Mine shaft, Boyd crawls in to see what sort of progress Zachariah has made, then tells him that they no longer have two days left to get it done, that thye have to push up the schedule to that very night. Zachariah tells Boyd his new blasting plan is too dangerous, but Boyd is insistent, and leaves.

Wynn and Mikey pull the motor home over to where Raylan and Tim await his report. Wynn, with an increasingly displeased Mikey listening, tells the Deputy U.S. Marshals everything he knows, but Raylan wants... demands... full intelligence: details of the break-in, weapons Boyd's crew will have, escape routes, etc. It's an almost impossible demand. but when Raylan reminds Wynn that he holds his future in his hands with the details of his snitching 15 years earlier, a resigned Wynn turns to go back and complete his task. Mikey is disgusted.

Loretta McCready comes home to find a huge rattlesnake, minus its head, on her parlor floor. The kitchen door opens with a bang and Boon enters. Loretta orders him out, but he stays, talking a mile-a-minute about whoever shot the snake's head off, punctuating his patter with examples of his fast draw with a single action revolver, and intimidating the usually unflappable young woman. Between his references to how attractive she is, and his gun-handling display, Loretta isn't sure whether he's there to kill her or rape her. But the cocky intruder, confident that he has delivered whatever message he intended, turns and leaves the premises, leaving a shaken Loretta.

Boyd is finishing up a final rundown of their robbery plan with Ava and Earl when Loretta shows up, "just looking for a word with Mr. Crowder." He recognizes her and though he tells her they are in a bit of a hurry, hears her out. She wants Boyd's "distribution and protection" for her planned marijuana enterprise. Boyd is impressed with her pitch, and offers to release the owners of the land she needs from their pledge not to sell, to sell to her. "I'm a bad man Loretta," he tells her, "but Avery Markham is a real bad man. Keep Harlan for Harlan. Now my men will see that you are protected as long as you pay them handsomely for their efforts." He has Earl escort her out, but she tells Boyd, "I don't need seeing out, I just need to you keep your word, is all." She leaves with Earl behind her. 

"All happening so fast," Ava says. Boyd leans over to embrace and kiss her. "Well if you want to get nostalgic, now's the time to do it because this the last night we spend in Harlan County."

Raylan wanders into Markham's gathering at the Pizza Portal intended to soften up some of the land owners of properties on which he has designs. Bartender Jamie compliments the Deputy U.S. Marshal on his Stetson, and asks for a drink order. After ascertaining that it's all free, Raylan asks for "the most expensive kind." He spots Avery and Katherine holding forth across the room.

Loretta, all dressed up, arrives and joins Raylan under Avery's displeased eye. "You got more balls than sense, you know that, girl?" Raylan asks her. "Isn't that what they say about you?" she fires back. "It is," Raylan acknowledges, then offers her Arlo's parcel. She knows the land, and asks him how much? "I just want what it's worth," he tells her. "Okay, in that case," she says, pleasantly surprised, "You got yourself a deal."

Boon intrudes on Loretta and Raylan still running his mouth about the dead snake, giving them a short dissertation on the history of the Stetson and putting on a good front as a gunslinger looking forward to taking on the U.S. Deputy Marshal sometime. Raylan identifies him as "one of Markham's Colorado boys," which Boon acknowledges. When Raylan tries to rattle the young man referencing that others in Markham's employ haven't done so well of late, Boon struts his cockiness without missing a beat, dismissing them (Choo-Choo, Ty Walker, Seabass) as "military jarhead guys."

Boyd and Ava arrive, followed by Earl, an entrance not unnoticed by Avery, who points Boyd out to Katherine. "Huh!" she responds, "he is more... pulled together than I would have imagined," then talking note of Ava, adding, "She's a pretty thing."

Avery excuses himself from Katherine's company in order to make his buyer's pitch to the assembled landowners, which he does, offering himself up as a savior of sorts of the Harlan community, He turns everyone's attention to Boyd, and after some carefully couched repartee, notes that while he is offering money, Boyd is only offering threats, asking his adversary directly, "Is that your big plan? Keep harming these good people for your own gain?"

Before Boyd can make any response, Loretta is on that one like a chicken on a June bug. "Far as I know, everyone Boyd spoke to is at least still alive!" And just like that the girl has the entire room's full attention. Reminding any who needed reminding that she is Walt McCready's daughter, she enumerates, by name, those of the Harlan community recently no longer among them. She's on a roll now, and makes a stirring speech about being "Harlan through and through," and "turning Harlan back to the people instead of turning them off their land." When Avery tries to derail her, asking who her partner is, Loretta is ready. "The only other soul who cares as much about this place as I do... Boyd Crowder." Her rousing pitch ends with her pledge to "give this county back to the people we all know the way it should be!" This is met with loud approbation as an unhappy Markham glowers at her. Mags Bennett would have been proud.

Later, Boyd is circulating, working the room, reinforcing Loretta's message. When the moment arises, he takes her aside and while he tells her he applauds her spirit, tries to explain that she should be more politic in her approach. She defends her actions. "Like you said," she tells Boyd, "can't leave Harlan to the likes of Markham."  Boyd then makes excuses to Ava and Earl so as to return to the mine.

Loretta approaches Raylan, saying "You look displeased, Marshal." He reproves her, saying "What you did is align yourself with a man who's about to get himself arrested or killed. You'd best hope you're not standing next to him when that happens." She asks if their deal has changed, and Raylan points out that the U.S. Marshals Service might not take too kindly to him selling his parcel to anyone associated with Boyd Crowder. "Maybe when the dust settles with Boyd, you'll reconsider," she says calmly and turns away.

Across the room, Katherine tells Avery, "Something will need to be done about that girl." Avery thinks a moment then, turning to Boon, who has been casting an eye on Loretta, he instructs his man to find out if the girl has any kin. "She ends up with any of this property, I want to know where it's going." Uh oh....

Boyd escorts Wynn along the mine shaft's tunnel, pointing out "Uncle Zachariah." While Boyd gives Carl final instructions, Zachariah shines a light on Wynn's fashionable footwear. "Nice shoes," he says contemptuously.

At the Pizza Portal, Raylan approaches Ava at the bar and tells a reluctant Earl to absent himself. Boyd's man puts up an argument but Ava interrupts. "For Christ's sakes, Earl, before he crushes your nuts again, tosses you in a cell just because he can." The unhappy young man leaves to relieve himself, telling Raylan "When I get back you're gonna be gone." Raylan tells Ava how good she looks "in that dress," and she softens for a moment, saying that she thought that she was dressing for a party. "I feel a little overdressed," she says. Raylan swirls his whiskey in his glass and says, "Ain't nobody complaining." They look at one another for a long moment, then Ava, thinking that Raylan already has figured out most of the plan, tells her former lover that she's supposed to tell him that "it's going down next week," but is actually happening right then, and that she's supposed to start a fire so as to chase everyone out of the Pizza Portal. Raylan finishes his drink. "Then you'd best get to it," he tells the apprehensive woman.

Down in the mine, Boyd is carefully inspecting the fuse. "That's pretty good work, Uncle Zachariah," he tells the man. "That money's gonna fall right down in my Goddamn lap," he muses to himself before shouting upwards at the vault, "You can kiss my ass, Raylan Givens! Whoo!" Dropping down a level to where Zachariah waits, he tells Carl via walkie-talkie "tell them to pull that alarm." Carl quickly texts Earl at the Pizza Portal bar, "GO."

Earl tells Ava, "Time to boogie." She throws down the last of her drink and makes her way to the kitchen. When the cook's attention is elsewhere, she overturns a large frying pan of oil onto a lit burner, then retreats and pulls the fire alarm. As the remnants of the party exit the main room, Raylan works his way upstream to where Avery and Katherine are watching the fire on the stove top. "We need to get to your vault," he tells Avery. "I believe you're being robbed."

At the bottom of the No. 14 mine shaft, Boyd is preparing to set off the mighty charge as Zachariah quietly mutters some Biblical words of encouragement to himself. Once the fuse is lit, he rises up and clouts Boyd in the head with an iron bar, then quickly snaps a leg iron on the dazed and fallen man. "Ain't no way my niece is spending one more minute with a Goddamned Crowder," the crazed Zachariah vows. "You're going to be buried by your own Goddamned greed. Just like you deserve. Burn in hell, you son of a bitch." He makes his escape, leaving a frantic and terrified Boyd trying to reach the burning fuse. The scope on the leg iron chain is too short despite his best efforts. "Help me," he cries out in anguish. "CARL!"

As Carl and Wynn start up the ladder to the surface, Boyd's desperate cries are heard. When Carl tries unsuccessfully to raise his boss on the walkie-talkie, he leaves Wynn and dashes back into the tunnel. As Boyd simultaneously pulls at the chain and tries to reach a tool just out of his grasp, Carl arrives. "Give me the rock hammer," he tells his courageous henchman, "then get out of here." Carl hands him the tool, but is reluctant to leave Boyd alone. Boyd is insistent, and Carl leaves as Boyd uses the pick end of the tool to pound away at a link in the heavy chain. As the fuse burns ever shorter, Boyd smashes away until on the 14th try, the chain parts. Boyd scrambles to his feet and follows after Carl along the tunnel. The blast detonates and a fireball follows Boyd who leaps into an alcove just as it overtakes him.

Surveilling from a high-ground vantage point with binoculars, Tim and Rachel watch Boyd, Wynn and Carl, sooty and winded, climb out of the hole through the hatch. Tim identifies each by name. "And no money," he says with resignation.

In the Pizza Portal basement where Avery and Raylan are watching the former's money though the open vault door, the crime boss says, "Whatever that blast was, it wasn't enough!" "One thing didn't occur to me," Raylan muses, "dipshit's not capable of pulling it off." "What if he had?" Avery wonders. "What if he had stuck his head up out of a hole in there? Gonna shoot him?" "Might've," Raylan answers. "Let's give him a minute," Avery wryly says. "Maybe he'll try again." With sirens sounding in the distance, the two men sit down to await the fire department's arrival. They exchange some thoughts about the current situation and each man avers that they are both doing what they need to do, as Avery comes to understand that Raylan's sole interplay with him has been toward an end to getting Boyd. Avery ends the conversation by closing the vault door and heading off to reconnect with Katherine.

At the empty bar, Boyd is holding his head trying to figure all the events out when Earl and Ava arrive. Roughly pushing Ava aside, he physically forces Earl out, ordering him to return to the Pizza Portal to watch and warn him if he sees any sign of Markham's money being removed. Turning back to Ava, he demands to know what she said to Zachariah. They scream at one another, with a mightily rattled Boyd accusing Ava of trying to have him blown up. She reminds her fiancée that she had warned him that her uncle "wasn't right in the head." With a repeated assurance from Ava that she's not lying to him, Boyd sits down to try to figure things out. "Boyd," she asks, "is Zachariah dead?" He says he doesn't know. "And the money?" she follows up. "Still in the vault," he tells her. "It won't be for long. They're going to move it tonight." He comes to a decision. "And that's when I'm going to hit it." He stands and leaves Ava alone in the bar.

In the dark near the entrance hatch to the mineshaft, Rachel is putting the screws to Raylan about the failed operation after all the expense and expended resources. Raylan assures Rachel that no one's trying to make her look bad. She tells him that all she has to show for what's happened "is jack shit!" "That ain't true," he reminds her, that they still have Ava, and now Duffy as well. "Boyd, Markham, the rest of them assholes," he tells her, "They're just doing what we want them to do. Now, hey, I'm not saying we're in the end zone doing the Icky shuffle, but we are definitely in the Red Zone." "What the hell is the 'Icky shuffle?'" Rachel wants to know. Raylan ignores her question, and posits that Boyd is still going to go after the money. Tim wants to know how exactly he's going to do that. "Markham's going to have to move that money," Raylan says with conviction, "and Boyd's going to be there when he does." A resigned Rachel says, "And to think there was a time I was actually excited about having the big office." She walks off in the darkness to her car as Raylan emits a deep sigh.

- Created by Dean Speir for IMDb

Appearances[]

First Appearances[]

  1. Boon - A hired gun working for Avery Markham.

Deaths[]

  1. Seabass - Shot in the chest and head by Katherine Hale.

Production[]

Cast[]

Starring cast

Guest stars

Co-starring

Gallery[]

External Links[]

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