Ep 1. Pilot

Ichabod Crane, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, is fighting under the command of General George Washington. During the battle, he decapitates a soldier on horseback, who is later revealed to be the Headless Horseman. After Crane is wounded, he goes into a state of unconsciousness and wakes up two centuries later in the 21st century Sleepy Hollow.

While investigating a disturbance in the cemetery, local police officer Abbie Mills discovers Crane and after taking him into custody, listens to him recount his story. Initially skeptical, she becomes convinced after witnessing supernatural events, including the resurrection of the Headless Horseman himself, who begins a killing spree. The Horseman is seeking his head to restore his full supernatural powers, and Crane discovers that he and the Horseman are two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and that the battle between good and evil is ongoing.

Together, Crane and Mills work to defeat evil and preserve the town from the Horseman's wrath. They discover a conspiracy involving the Horseman, a powerful witch, and a secret society known as the Freemasons. Investigating further, they learn that everything happening is a result of a curse placed upon the town by one of Crane's ancestors, who was a witch.

Crane and Mills enlist the help of Captain Frank Irving and Jenny Mills, Abbie's sister, who was committed to a mental institution after they witnessed an unexplainable incident years ago. After much analysis and investigating, they realize that if they defeat the Headless Horseman and break the curse, the Four Horsemen will never come into being and the apocalypse will never happen.

In the end, the Headless Horseman is defeated – but not before acquiring his head – and the team must continue their fight against evil, as they realize that there are many other supernatural forces at play in Sleepy Hollow.