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Reckoning

Reckoning
Season 2, Episode 12

Air date	April 27, 2011
Written by	Dave Andron
Directed by	Adam Arkin
Episode Guide
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"Reckoning" is the 12th episode of the 2nd season, and the 25th episode in the series overall. It was written by co-executive producer Dave Andron and directed by Adam Arkin. It first aired on April 27, 2011.

1 Synopsis
2 Cast
- 2.1 Regular Cast
- 2.2 Guest Cast
3 Screenshot Gallery

SynopsisEdit

Givens slowly approaches his father's house. Inside, he spots a pool of blood on the floor. Helen's body is loaded on a stretcher. "Helen got at least one shot off in the exchange," a cop says. Says a grief-stricken Givens: "Good for her." Arlo appears -- and father and son exchange a tense look, but say nothing. Meanwhile, Boyd, Johnny and Devil are preparing breakfast. They talk of waiting for weapons to "even" the playing field with the Bennetts. Ava enters with news: "Helen's dead. They shot her last night at her house."

Back at Arlo's house, father and son argue. Arlo blames Givens for Helen's death, saying it was revenge for the marshal killing Coover. Givens is suspicious, though. Where was Arlo at 2 a.m. when Helen was killed? Arlo, of course, doesn't want to answer. "If you cared at all for her, you'd be loading up your guns, too," Arlo mumbles. Ava and Boyd enter. They want to offer their condolences. An angry Givens doesn't want to hear it.

After the marshal storms out, Arlo admits the real reason that Helen was killed. "I told you that Dickie made me," Arlo says. He then swears that he will kill Dickie. Boyd knows better than to argue. Later, Givens visits Mags, who is cleaning out her store after getting paid by the mining company. "I want to see your boys -- just your one boy, really," Givens says. Mags refuses. Givens warns that it would be better if the law found Dickie, rather than Arlo. Mags pauses. She says she doesn't know where Dickie is hiding -- as she cut him off after the death of Coover. Outside, a cop tells Givens that Arlo has given him the slip and disappeared. Inside, Mags calls her eldest son. "Doyle, we have a problem," Mags says.

Givens heads to Dickie's house and finds Arlo with a gun in his hand. Arlo lowers his gun and wonders why his son hasn't expressed his condolences for Helen. Givens refuses to take the bait -- and wants to know where Arlo will next look for Dickie. When Arlo refuses, Givens cuffs his father and drags him back to the station. Arlo pleads with his son -- and offers up a place where Dickie is known to hang out. Givens thanks his dad for the tip and then informs an officer to book Arlo for breaking and entering at Dickie's house. Arlo screams in anger -- but Givens doesn't appear to hear it.

He then heads to the prostitute that Dickie once visited. "I'm not here in an official capacity," Givens explains to the obviously drugged woman. "I just want to talk to Dickie ... he killed my aunt." The woman tells the marshal he should look for Jed. "You find Jed, you find Dickie," she slurs. Meanwhile, Mags and Doyle pay a visit to Dickie at his hideout in the woods. "Tell me it wasn't you!" Mags demands. Dickie has no answer -- and mama slugs him for it. Dickie remains defiant, however, telling his mother how Boyd was given an inch and took a mile. Somebody has to defend the family's honor. "I'm not about to sit by and watch while a Crowder takes and takes," Dickie says. "It's my time now ... I want what's coming to me." But how will Dickie shake Givens? Simple, Dickie explains: Doyle will kill Jed for "resisting arrest" -- and, in the process, match his blood to the scene of crime at Arlo's house. Jed will take the fall.

Later that night, Doyle visits Jed and attempts to lure him from his house. Doyle is about to pull his gun when Givens interrupts -- and pulls rank. "Deputy U.S. marshal," he announces. Givens then asks Doyle is he is here to kill Jed so that Dickie goes free. Jed's face goes white. Doyle stares daggers at Givens. "Are we done here?" Givens asks. Doyle backs down and exits -- for now. Inside, Givens explains that he knows Jed was with Dickie at Arlo's house. "If you didn't pull the trigger, maybe there's a way you can watch your daughter grow up," Givens says. "It's the only way you get out of this alive." Jed then confesses that Dickie killed Helen -- and promises to say so in court if his family is kept safe. "For what it's worth, it wasn't supposed to be her," says Jed, explaining that the pair was there to kill Arlo for what he and Boyd had done to Dickie. Givens' eyes go wide. The robbery is news to him.

Moments later, a furious Givens pulls up to Boyd's house. Boyd pulls a gun and Ava steps out onto the front porch with a shotgun. Boyd then lowers his weapon and explains that he is sorry about Helen, but he didn't pull the trigger. Dickie did. He then suggests that Givens go to Mags and play his "ace in the hole:" Black Pike. Apparently, the mining deal has yet to be closed. And if Mags gives up her son? Boyd tells Givens that the marshal should call him if that happens. "So you can take care of him for me?" asks an incredulous Givens. Counters Boyd: "What are friends for?"

Givens heads back to the prison and tells Arlo to go back on his deal with Mags and sell his property to Black Pike -- unless Mags gives up Dickie. "The property is still technically your's," Givens explains. Arlo refuses. He is not about to let hundreds of thousands of dollars disappear. Givens has had enough, especially because Arlo is responsible for Helen's death. He explodes, punching his father twice before a guard yells for the marshal to stop. Arlo appears defeated. He agrees to try to talk to Mags.

Mags sits in her almost empty store. Arlo enters -- and she pours him a drink. "You understand that I didn't have nothing to do with it," Mags says. "Helen and I had a truce." Arlo explains that he is there to find out where Dickie is hiding -- and he'll take back his property if she doesn't cooperate. "Raylan sent you?" Mags asks. Says Arlo: "He wanted me to ask you what the future is worth."

Doyle arrives at Dickie's hideout, closely followed by Givens. Doyle explains that Mags gave up her son to the marshal. Doyle then cuffs his own brother. "Hope you're satisfied," Doyle snaps at Givens. The marshal then hits Doyle in the back of the head with his gun. Doyle falls to the ground -- unconscious. Givens then turns to Dickie. "Let's get going," he says.

They walk deep into the woods. Dickie snivels and cries, pleading for his life. Givens explains that the families have been feuding for years -- and "this is how it ends." A weeping, pathetic Dickie explains that Helen had a shotgun and wouldn't put it down. A furious Givens tells Dickie not to talk about Helen like he knew her. "That woman raised her dead sister's kid like he was her own," Givens says. He stops, suddenly realizing that Helen didn't want him to become a cold-blooded killer. It's why she sent him away with money and encouragement to be "better than Arlo." Givens lowers his gun, but knocks out Dickie in the process.

The next day, visitors come to Arlo's house to pay their respects to Helen. As the funeral service is held -- with Givens, Winona, Boyd and Ava in attendance -- Mags visits a fancy office to sign the papers on the Black Rock deal. She returns to the empty store and finds an old woman waiting. That same old woman then pays a visit to Jed in prison. Later, a cop visits Givens at Arlo's house and delivers some bad news: after that unidentified old woman visited Jed in prison, he recanted his testimony. Dickie will be set free.

Moments later, Dickie walks out of prison -- a free man. He is met by Doyle and Mags, who apologizes for giving up her son to the cops. She then explains that the Black Pike deal is done -- nothing can touch it now. The future is secured. Mags, however, won't be leaving Harlan County, after all, as she can't imagine spending the rest of her days in some swanky suburb. Dickie begins to cry, explaining that Givens put a gun to his head. "Don't you worry," says Mags, embracing her son. "We'll take care of everything."

(Synopsis taken from Reckoning's IMDb page)