Timeless – The Alamo

By: Jessica Wolff

Days before the Alamo in 1836, William Barret Travis (David Chisum) writes and sends a letter asking for reinforcements and declaring “Victory or Death” as the Mexican Army invades. In the present, Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett) confronts Connor Mason (Paterson Joseph) about Rittenhouse’s threat. Mason is surprised that they contacted Rufus, but insists that they must follow Rittenhouse’s orders no matter what. Agent Denise Christopher (Sakina Jaffrey) and Patrick Ramsey (Hector Hugo) tell Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) that they will be replacing him because he hasn’t killed Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic) yet. They hear a commotion outside and Jiya (Claudia Doumit) informs them that Flynn has travelled to 1836. Wyatt, a Texas native, identifies it as the date of the Alamo and Christopher allows him to go on one more mission.

Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer) gets the call and her mother, Carol Preston (Susanna Thompson), demanding Lucy tell her what is going on. She accuses Lucy of ruining everything that she has worked for. Lucy responds to her by pointing out that she hasn’t been honest with her about who her father is. As the time travelers strap into the time machine, Wyatt tells Lucy and Rufus that he has been fired. They are shocked, but he reassures them that his replacement, an old military friend, will be good for the job. When Lucy tells him that it is a bad idea to bring grenades to the Alamo, Wyatt tells her that he wants to take one last shot at Flynn before he leaves the team. In 1836, Flynn poses as a Spanish Officer and bribes General Santa Anna (Alex Fernandez) with Spanish gold to allow him to help crush the rebellion at the Alamo.

As they walk to the town, Lucy fills Wyatt and Rufus on the history of the Alamo that will happen four days later. Once inside the town, Wyatt and Lucy spot Jim Bowie (Chris Browning) and Lucy introduces them and offers their assistance. Wyatt asks him if he’s seen Flynn and Bowie tells him he’ll keep an eye out for him. Rufus sees Davy Crockett (Jeff Kober) telling a story about wrestling a bear one-handed and he and Lucy get excited. Wyatt tells them that they are not tourists and that they have a mission to complete. Wyatt goes into an abandoned church to look for Flynn and has flashbacks to his time in the military.

As Travis writes his letter Flynn comes in and kills him before he can finish. The three hear the gunshot and go to investigate. Rufus questions why Flynn would want to kill a man that will die three days later and Lucy sees the unfinished letter on his desk. Wyatt climbs to the top of the building to look for Flynn and sees the Mexican army approach three days early. Lucy notices a red flag, which indicates that there will be no prisoners. She panics because in the original timeline Santa Anna let the women and children go and only killed the men. She tells Rufus and Wyatt that Travis’ letter is published in every newspaper and inspires people to join the fight for the Alamo. Wyatt instructs Rufus to find a way out so that the women and children can escape and urges Lucy to write the letter herself.

Wyatt goes to talk to Bowie and tells him of his plan. Bowie assures him that everyone will be safe and Wyatt warns him that the battle will be deadly. Flynn goes to see Santa Anna and tells him to take down the red flag so that the women and children can escape. When Santa Anna refuses, Flynn tries to reason with him to no avail. Lucy struggles with the letter and Rufus talks to Crockett about how to get out. He mentions that there is an aqueduct that leads to a nearby river and Rufus realizes that they can take the women and children through there. The only problem is that there is three feet of stone that they need to break through. Lucy tells them about her struggle to remember every word of the letter and Wyatt tells her to make it up even if it changes history. Wyatt gets frustrated when she refuses and questions whether he is the right man for the job.

Their argument is interrupted by the start of the attack. Wyatt runs outside and saves a boy, John Smith (Sean Michael Kyer), from being crushed by the crumbling wall while having another flashback to his time in the military. As Rufus tries to break the stone, Crockett comes in to talk to him. Rufus asks him how he can stay calm through everything and Crockett admits that he embellished his bear story in order to build confidence. Bowie thanks Wyatt for saving Smith and admits that Wyatt was right about their chances of survival. Wyatt assures him that he can get the women and children out safely if he can buy them time and shows him a strategy to slow them down. Bowie asks him if he’s done this before and Wyatt tells him his story of how when he was in the military he was the only one who made it out of that mission alive.

Lucy gets a burst of inspiration and she writes a new letter as the soldiers prepare for the battle. Rufus asks Wyatt if he still has the grenades as the Mexican army approaches. The soldiers open fire on the army as they enter the city and Rufus uses a grenade to create a hole in the aqueduct. Rufus leads the women and children to the aqueduct and Lucy goes to Wyatt. He is unwilling to leave, as he wants to stay and help the soldiers fight. He argues that he’s already been fired and has nothing else to lose, but Lucy tells him that she and Rufus need him. They leave the battlefield together carrying John Smith to the church. After Lucy realizes John Smith was the original person to bring Travis’ letter to light she asks him to deliver her letter. He refuses, but Wyatt orders him to do it. They take him through the aqueduct and Wyatt tells Bowie that he can’t leave his people. Bowie gives him his knife as the Mexican army breaks down the door.

Back in the present, Rufus reads them the updated story of the Alamo and the mission is a success, besides the fact that Flynn is still alive. Lucy and Rufus stand up to Ramsey and insist that they won’t continue without Wyatt. Christopher has no choice but to allow Wyatt to stay. Lucy comes home and tells her mother that she doesn’t want to fight anymore. Her mother tells Lucy a couple of details about her father and gives her a piece of paper with his name. Wyatt says hello to his would-be replacement, Baumgardner (Victor Zinck Jr.). He offers him a new mission, but Wyatt refuses and tells him that he has a new team.