Hell on Wheels has always been about people trying to escape their past and forge a new future for themselves, but this fourth season has been focused on the past catching up with them. The ghosts of the past loom heavy over “Bleeding Kansas,” where we see that being finished with your past doesn’t necessarily mean the past is finished with you.
Most notably, “Bleeding Kansas” finally makes Ruth an interesting character. We see her dark past, watching her father, Reverend Cole, murder slaveowners, as he believes himself to be killing for God’s will. Unfortunately, Ruth has inherited her father’s desire to murder for what she thinks is right, having shot Sydney Snow in the last episode after he inadvertently killed Ezra in his church fire. Kasha Kropinski as Ruth is pretty great in this episode, as she deals with the darkness brewing inside of her. Her quest for vengeance doesn’t make her feel awful, but actually pretty good, even though throughout the entire episode she’s paler than Edward Scissorhands in a snowstorm.
“Bleeding Kansas” is great for its simplicity, and it’s ability to show the town working together in interesting ways. The story is basic: Sydney has been shot by Ruth. If he survives, Sydney will answer for his crimes. If he dies, for better or for worse, Ruth will have to answer for hers. As the new law in town, Cullen’s goal is to keep Sydney alive. In doing such, he enlists the help of “Doc” Durant, who we finally find out was an actual medical school dropout, and Eva, who is still mad at Cullen for killing Elam.
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