Reservation Dogs Series Finale Recap: The Gang Says Goodbye, as Elora Breaks Some Tough News to Bear
In the words of William Shakespeare, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” While our beloved Rez Dogs are each heading off to bright futures either at the res or outside it, Reservation Dogs’ final farewell is a bittersweet one. Not because the ending is unsatisfying, but because we’re forced to say goodbye to this crew far too soon.
In the final episode, the entire res gathers together for Old Man Fixico’s funeral. After Willie Jack visits Hokti in prison for some sage advice on grieving, the women of the res begin cooking a huge meal for after the proceedings. While they’re at it, seemingly every character from the Rez Dogs’ world arrives to the scene. There’s Maximus, Uncle Brownie and the rest of the old timers, Big, Mekko and Mose, Aunt Teenie, Kennyboy and his crony, and of course Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese, along with all of their parents and assorted aunties.
Elora asks Bear for a few minutes so they can chat. She breaks the news that she’s going to be moving away from the res to go to school. She was officially accepted into college and will be moving into the dorms in the fall. She tells him she didn’t know Bear’s mom was leaving too — Rita accepted that promotion in the big city — and she just wanted to make sure he was going to be OK with all of the change. He tells her he’s proud of her. She had it harder than all of them and she’s still the toughest, he says. He tells her nothing can break up the Rez Dogs, and they share a tearful embrace.
Set to the tune of The Band’s “The Weight,” the younger kids dig Fixico’s grave, while the women dance and cook up some fried deliciousness. Bear heads off into the woods for a bathroom break, and it’s there that he gets one last visit from Spirit. Bear asks him for some advice on how to further himself, but Spirit says he’s just there to say goodbye. He says he’s proud of Bear, and that Bear deserves to be loved and deserves to love. And that’s what his community is there for. That’s why Bear is there, digging Fixico’s grave. William Knifeman then asks him what he’s learned. Bear says he knows now that he doesn’t have to be the only leader. He’s from a strong community and he’s proud to be a part of it. Bingo! That’s what Spirit had been trying to teach the boy this entire time.
When the sun rises, the grave is ready and Willie Jack steps up to say a few things about Fixico. She’s happy she got to spend time with him, and she now realizes more and more the power of everything he taught her. He taught her how to take care of people and be there for them, she says. She hopes to follow in his tradition. It’s her purpose. And even though some of them will leave the res, others will stay. But they will always be there for each other.
We see one last group hug from Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese, but the series’ final moments are spent with the old timers, who say they did good by sending off their brother “in that good way.” They raise their glasses. “Till the next one,” they say while taking sips from their coffees.
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