Ep 4. Jamais Je Ne T'oublierai

In Hell on Wheels season 1 episode 4, titled "Jamais Je Ne T'oublierai," the focus is primarily on Elam, a freed slave who wants to prove his worth on the railroad crew despite facing intense racism from his white coworkers.

The episode starts with Cullen and Elam forced to work together to save a man who has been trapped in a collapsed tunnel. This task proves difficult, as tensions between the two men boil over due to their previous conflicts.

Meanwhile, Lily Bell is struggling to cope with the recent trauma of being attacked by Native Americans, and her husband's death. She seeks comfort in Doc Whitehead, who offers her a chance to escape her grief through opium.

Later, Durant is visited by an old friend, the French aristocrat Louise, who is in town to invest in the railroad. Things take a romantic turn between the two, and they enjoy a luxurious evening together.

As the episode progresses, we see Elam struggling to navigate his place in the workforce. His hard work and talent go unrecognized, with white workers continuously taking advantage of him and belittling his abilities. He confides in Eva, the prostitute he has been visiting, for advice on how to handle the situation. Eva's advice leads to a dramatic confrontation between Elam and his white coworkers.

Overall, "Jamais Je Ne T'oublierai" is a tense and emotional episode that highlights the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized groups in America during the 1860s. The episode explores themes of race, class, and grief, providing a nuanced perspective on the lives of the characters in Hell on Wheels.