0 Talk

Fire in the Hole

Fire In The Hole
Season 1, Episode 1

Air date	March 16, 2010
Written by	Graham Yost
Directed by	Michael Dinner
Episode Guide
← previous None	next → "Riverbrook"

"Fire In The Hole" is the series premiere of Justified, the 1st episode of the 1st season, and the 1st episode in the series overall. It was developed and written by executive producer Graham Yost based on the short story "Fire in the Hole" by Elmore Leonard and directed by executive producer Michael Dinner. It first aired on March 16, 2010.

1 Plot
- 1.1 Synopsis
- 1.2 Recap
2 Cast

PlotEdit

SynopsisEdit

19th Century throwback U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is transferred to his home state of Kentucky after an old western style shootout with an enemy on a hotel deck in Miami, Florida.

RecapEdit

The episode begins with Raylan Givens walking onto a hotel swimming pool deck in Miami, Florida. He sits at a far table across from a man, Tommy Bucks, who is enjoying a meal. The ordeal ends with Bucks pulling a gun from under the table but Raylan draws faster and shoots him three times in the chest.

Raylan and his boss are sent to a hearing in which Raylan boldly states that the shooting was justified as the other man drew his weapon first. His superior disagrees and states that justified or not, the event will attract unwanted publicity and transfers Raylan back to his home state of Kentucky, much to Raylan's dismay. Upon arrival, Raylan reconnects with his new superior Art Mullen and gets put on a case involving an old friend (Boyd Crowder), who he used to dig coal with.

That night, Boyd and another man (Jared Hale) are parked outside a federal building under construction. Boyd scopes out the building and tells Jared that it wouldn't be a good target to blow up because they would need an great deal of explosives and all they had was a rocket launcher. Boyd and Jared set off into the night and stop outside of a church. Boyd turns and reaches for a rocket launcher that is on the back seat. It is now revealed that Boyd has a large swastika tattoo on his left upper arm. Boyd grabs the rocket launcher, steps out and yells "fire in the hole" to the group of people standing outside the church. Boyd fires the rocket at the church and watchs it explode and burst into flames. Boyd quickly gets back into the SUV and they drive away. The two stop on a bridge and Boyd drops the empty rocket canister over the side and into the river. He then climbs into the back seat of the SUV and proceeds to shoot Jared in the back of the head. Boyd then calls his associate Devil and tells him to pick him up at the bridge.

The next morning, Raylan is lying awake in bed just as his alarm goes off. He rolls onto his side, picks up his wrist watch to look at the time and switches off the alarm. Cut to the courthouse where Raylan steps into a courtroom and seats himself in the back row. He stares longingly at the beautiful typist who turns out to be his ex-wife, Winona Hawkins. He gets a call on his phone and leaves the courtroom. Raylan drives to the bridge where Jared got shot. Art and Raylan survey the murder scene. A cap off a rocket launcher was found in Jared's vehicle. Art tells Raylan about the church that got blown up and that witnesses said the man used a rocket launcher. Art and Raylan then drive to the church to interview the pastor, Israel Fandi. After a long time arguing, Raylan manages to get Israel to take part in a lineup to identify the person who blew up his church.

At Boyd's compound, a large skinhead is kneeling in front of a log and another even larger skinhead raises an axe and slams it down on the log just as the other guy moves his hands out of the way. The two laugh about it for some reason until a car speeds up and Dewey Crowe jumps out. Dewey runs into the trailer to tell Boyd that his brother Bowman had been shot and killed by his wife Ava.

Back at the Marshalls Office, Raylan is told about the killing and it he says he knows Ava if it was the same girl who lived down the street and knows her address and he will go and talk to her. Raylan drives up to her house and greets her with a kiss on the cheek, but she then kisses him on the mouth. she invites him in and gives him a drink. She shows Raylan where she shot her husband and talks him through what happened, unaware that he is now with the Marshalls office. She goes upstairs to take a shower for some reason just when Dewey Crow shows up. He barges into Ava's house and meets up with Raylan who is standing in the hallway, drink in hand. He tells Crow to show him his chest. Crow lifts up his vest to reveal a swastika tattoed on his chest. Raylan tells him that he shouldnt enter another persons home unless he is invited and that he should go outside knock on the door and if Ava wants to see him, then he will let him in but if she doesn't, then he'll be on his way. Crow leaves and tells Raylan that he'll leave but he's coming back in. Raylan sighs, puts his drink on the banister, takes his jacket off and walks outside just as Crow comes walking up the path loading a shotgun and pointing it at Raylan's head. Raylan explains to Crow that he doesn't pull out his gun unless he's 'gonna shoot to kill' and that he wants him to think about that before he goes and does soemthing stupid. Raylan walks right up to him and snatches the shotgun right out of his hands and pushes him right back into his car. Raylan pumps the shells out of his shotgun and throws it onto the passenger seat. He tells Crow to give all this Nazi bullshit and go back to poaching 'gators' because its safer. Crow then attempts to insult the Marshall but he pushes his head into the steering wheel. Raylan tells Crow to tell Boyd that his old buddy is in town, Raylan Givens.

A fire engine speeds through the streets of Harlan as a raging fire can be seen in the distance. It passes a silver pick up truck that is parked across the street from the bank. Boyd and his friend are sat in the pick up truck waiting for their friends who are robbing it. As soon as the two have a finished a boring conversation two fat guys in balaclavas come rushing out of the bank holding sacks of cash and firing their guns. They dive into the back of the truck and they all speed off.

Back at Ava's house, Raylan is sat on the couch just as Ava walks in and sits next to him. They talk about Boyd and how Raylan needs to catch him in an unlawful act like blowing up a church or making an attempt on Ava's life. Ava makes it clear that Boyd doesn't want to kill her, he wants to 'go to bed' with her but she is still willing to help him catch her in that act. Raylan shifts uncomfortably in his seat. She also says she knows where Boyd and his gang hang out and she tells Raylan.

Raylan drives up to the church and trailer park where Boyd and his gang are stationed. As he drives up he is being watched by one of Boyds henchmen through the window. Raylan pulls up and gets out of his car and is greeted by Boyd. Boyd compliments Raylan on his clothes, saying he likes how he wears his hat. He orders his henchman to fetch him and Raylan a 'jar' and two glasses. Inside, Boyd pours them both a drink and they toast to old times. They both down theirs in one, Raylan puts his glass on the table, gags and brings his hand to his mouth. Boyd laughs and tells Raylan that he has been away for too long. Boyd asks how Florida was and Raylan says it was sunny and hot, just as it was advertised. Boyd asks if he has seen his dad and Raylan says not yet. Boyd and Raylan sit down and Boyd tries to convince Raylan that Jews are bad and that he recruits skin and tells them that it is their moral obligation to get rid of the Jews and that its in the Bible. Raylan says that he thinks that Boyd blew up the church because it was a dope church not because it was run by a black man. Raylan convinces him to take part in the line-up or he will make him. Before Raylan leaves, Boyd asks him if he had the chance would he shoot him on the spot, and Raylan answers that if he made shoot him, then he would.

Next day in the courthouse, the suspects and volunteers are stood in line for the line-up, Boyd is also in the line-up. Behind the mirror, Raylan and the Church Official are looking at the line-up. The man doesn't know who too choose because it as dark and he didn't stand to look at the man who was firing a rocket at them because he was too busy running away. Raylan is walking with Boyd out of the courthouse and Boyd says that he came and he did his part. Raylan says he knew that preacher wouldnt have the guts to pick him so he is not out of the woods yets. Boyd turns to Raylan and says that he knows that Raylan gave that gun thug that he shot at the beginning an ultimatum: Be out of town in 24 hours or I come and kill you. Boyd then gives Raylan an ultimatum: Leave Harlan in 24 hours or I'll come lookin' for you. Raylan accepts and Boyd leaves.

Raylan is climbing the stairs of the courthouse when he bumps into ava who has just come from a meeting with her lawyer and asks Raylan if he wouldnt mind coming out to smoke with her. Outside, Raylan lights her up and she asks him over for his favorite dinner. Raylan says he shouldn't because it's fround upon to socialize with the defendant of a murder case. Ava says she will make it anyway and whether or not he decides to come, its up to him.

Cut to a Diner where Raylan and Art are talking about Raylan's ultimatum and Art is concerned because didn't specify on how Boyd would be 'comin to look for him'. Art decides to keep Raylan at a motel but they are being followed by Dewey Crow and Boyd's henchman. The henchman phones Boyd and Boyds tells him to sit tight.

At Ava's house, Ava is wearing a pretty dress and cooking dinner. She hears a knock at the door and eagarly goes to answer it only to find Boyd stood at the door instead of Raylan.

At the motel, Raylan, Art and Rachael are sat a the table playing cards whilst another officer spies on Dewey and The Henchman who are supposed to be spying on them. (stop me if I am confusing you.) The phone rings and Raylan answers it, its Ava. She tells him the chicken will be ready by the time he gets there. Boyd is stood right behind her. Raylan says he will be right there and hangs up. He tells Art that he needs to go and that he knows that there is something wrong.

The Marshalls head to their cars and pull out of the motel parking lot with Raylan at the front. As they all drive away, a red pick up truck intercepts them and the two fat nazis from earlier start firing at Art and Rachael. Art says hes got it covered and tells Raylan to go and save Ava. Raylan drives off. Art, Rachael and the other officer get the two fatties by firing and hitting them both in their chubby arms.

Meanwhile, Raylan knows that he is being followed by Dewey and Henchmen, so he stops and tricks his way into the back seat of their car where he finds Dewey's shotgun from earlier. Raylan makes them cuff themselves to the steering wheel at gun point then makes his way to Ava's house with the shotgun. She opens the door and apologizes, telling him that she didn't know that Boyd would show up and Raylan believes her. He steps into the dining room where dinner is served and Boyd is pointing a gun at Raylan. Boyd tells him to drop the shotgun outside the door and sit down. He tells Ava to go into the kitchen and watch some TV and she leaves. Raylan takes his jacket off and sits down at the end of the table so they are facing each other. Boyds handgun is now on the table. Raylan takes a chicken leg from a plate and takes a bite just as Boyd asks all kinds of questions about the gun thug that Raylan shot in Miami at the beginning. Boyd says the as long as Raylan is coming after him they might as well forget about the ultimatum and draw right there and then. Boyd calls for Ava to get them a shot of Jim Bean to toast to old times. Instead she comes in with the rifle she killed his brother with. Boyd grabs his gun to shoot her but Raylan pulls and shoots him in the heart. Raylan rushes to his side and says he's sorry just as he flashes back to when they digging for coal together and running through the coal mines. Boyd is being pulled out on a stretcher with bloody pad on his chest. He is pushed into the ambulance and they drive off.

A car pulls up outside a house in a nice residential area. A man and a woman are sleeping in bed. The man wakes up, gets out of bed and starts heading towards the bathroom. The woman wakes up and tells him that the toilet is broken so he'll have to use the one downstairs. The man notices that the room is cold. He walks into the dining room and is startled by Raylan who is sat at the table in the dark with a beer. Now out on the deck, the woman comes out and it is revealed that she is his ex wife. Raylan tells her the story of him in Nicaragua to search for a criminal and hoe he got captured and taken to a coconut plantation by the gun thug. The gun thug asked where the criminal was and Raylan told him what he knew. Despite having been given the truth, the gun thug tapes a stick of dynamite into an innocent mans mouth and lights the fuse. Raylan then goes on to tell her about the next time that he met the gun thug was in Miami and about the ultimatum. She asks if Raylan killed the thug and Raylan says yes but it was justified. But the thing that bugs him was that if the gun thug hadn't have pulled first, would he have shot him anyway. Raylan says that he never really thought of himself as an angry man. Wynona says she thinks he is the angriest man she has ever known.

Fade to black.