“Willie Jack, your letter was returned to you,” the teacher says. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Daniel’s mother Hokti is imprisoned and is startled to find a spirit she didn’t think would appear to her anymore, which is Gram. ..
Hokti’s family has been ignored by her for years, and today is the day she finally decides to take action. She tells her family she’s going to visit them, but never returns.
Willie Jack visits her aunt for the first time on her big day. They hug and sit across from each other, and Willie Jack starts up an awkward conversation. Gram is obviously uncomfortable while Willie Jack talks, but she seems to enjoy it.
Willie Jack eventually pulls out Daniel’s letter (she hasn’t read it yet) and tries to hand it to Hokti, but she doesn’t want it.
" Willie Jack isn’t on my visitors list because I see him every day," she says.
Willie Jack tells her aunt she misses her and that she used to come to her when she got hurt. Hokti made things better.
Willie Jack wonders why her elders never want to talk to her; they’re always avoiding responsibility.
Hokti finally agrees to speak with Willie Jack. He brings her a vending machine spread as an offering, hoping she will give him advice. ..
She tells Hokti that Bear and Elora don’t talk anymore. They’re too polite with each other. And now Cheese is always with his new grandma. She just feels like they’ve broken up.
Hokti asks the spirit to help her put her hands on the table and close her eyes. She tells Willie Jack to take long, slow breaths and to remember the stories she used to tell him of her ancestors.
When Willie Jack focuses on the spirits, she can hear them singing. When she starts to cry, the voices fade away. ..
Hokti says she tried too hard to fix Daniel. She instead took on his pain and caused more damage. “You can’t help people who don’t want to be helped.” ..
“Willie Jack knows her friends want to be helped,” Hokti said. “She just doesn’t know how.” Hokti pointed at the food in front of her. An offering would be a part. The aunt and niece then hug, and part ways.
Willie Jack invites her friends over for dinner. She serves them a meal she cooked. They sit somewhat awkwardly around the table. Daniel’s picture rests above them.
“I went to see Hokti,” she confesses. She tells them about the visit and the advice she gave about them. She says she feels weird that they barely talk anymore. ..
Willie Jack asks the group of students to put their hands up. When they don’t feel anything, she gives up.
Willie Jack takes down Daniel’s letter. She passes out the pages for everyone to read. They all smile while reading. Then they all look at each other.
Willie Jack thinks it would be a good idea to do something. Daniel is not so sure, but the Rez Dogs can break up if they don’t want to.
The group of friends looks at each other skeptically as Daniel suggests they all go out on a date. But they’re in for it for Daniel. ..
Hokti updates her visitors’ list in the women’s prison facility.
The Episode Review
In one of the season’s best episodes to date, Willie Jack–with her rational nature and casual-but-caring concern–would be the one to bring the Rez Dogs together again.
It is appropriate that Daniel too, in a significant way, is uniting his friends and other of their ancestors who have passed on.
In this episode of “Reservation Dogs,” the importance of spirits is driven home in a profound way. The show’s characters are all connected, living and dead, and their spirits are what keep them together. ..
