Includes SPOILERS for Territory season 1!
Territoryseason 1’s most tragic death complicates the succession of the Marianne Cattle Station going forward, potentially eliminating one of the best possibilities. The Netflix neo-Western introduces audiences tothe Lawson family, a complicated cattle baron dynasty who struggle to settle on an ideal candidate to take up leadership after the death of Daniel Lawson. Colin Lawson is the aging patriarch who’s too out of touch to return to the position, and his eldest son Graham was skipped over in the first place due to struggles with alcoholism.
Without the two obvious candidates to carry on a patriarchal monarchy, the Lawsons are left in a bind, which leaves the family considering other options from theTerritorycast. Marshall Lawson is the prodigal son who could take on the mantle, but he’s not really interested in the job.Emily Lawson is interested and certainly competent, but she’s not a true Lawsonsince she married into the family through Graham. Susie Lawson would’ve been an ideal candidate in the future, but her tragic death in season 1, episode 5, is going to create other issues.
Susie’s Tragic Death Means Colin Has No Reason To Keep Emily Around At Marianne After Killing Daniel
Colin Already Didn’t Like Emily In Territory Season 1
Emily Lawson and Colin Lawson were at odds throughout the season, with the family patriarch not really trusting his son’s wife.Emily’s only leverage at Marianne was that she was Susie’s mother, and Colin notably had a fondness for Susie. She may have been young and inexperienced, but she had a knack for the business, was willing to work incredibly hard, and could’ve been a great candidate to runMarianne Stationsometime down the line. Now that she’s gone, problems are going to erupt for Emily.
Now that Colin seems to realize she’s the one who killed Daniel, their already rocky relationship will likely blow up in season 2.
Colin already dislikes Emily and distrusts her. He thinks that because she comes from a less wealthy family, she married his son for the sole purpose of his family name and access to wealth and power. This isn’t entirely true, as Emily does show genuine love for her family, but she also strives for a more significant position on the ranch. Now that Colin seems to realize she’s the one who killed Daniel, their already rocky relationship will likely blow up in season 2. It seems unlikely thatTerritory’snext season will end with both of them still on the ranch.
Why Emily Was The Best Choice To Replace Daniel & Run Marianne Station
Emily Is Incredibly Competent & Actually Wants The Job
Territory’sopening sequence makes a concerted effort to show that Emily Lawson is highly competent. She’sa person that everyone at Marianne seems to respect and listen to, and she’s also willing to be cut-throat when she needs to be, even to the point of shooting Daniel and leaving him for dead when he threatened her position. In many ways, she’s exactly what Colin is looking for in a replacement, but he can’t accept her because she isn’t his own blood, and it would be breaking tradition.
Territory Avoids Yellowstone’s Biggest Problem With Its First Major Death
Territory’s first major death mirrors an early plot in Yellowstone, and the Netflix Western amends one of the Paramount drama’s biggest mistakes.
Considering the other candidates,Graham may have shown drastic improvement throughout season 1, but he’s still hard to trust. Conflicts could grow too intense for him, causing him to slip back into drinking at any moment. Marshall still could be ideal, but there’s a throughline suggestion that he might turn into Colin if he stays, and he still doesn’t seem very interested in anything but pursuing Sharnie. Emily is the most logical choice to lead Marianne Station, at least for the time being.
Will Graham’s Major Territory Season 1 Changes Be Enough To Save Emily In Season 2?
Graham May Break Down Trying To Protect Emily From Colin
Graham has gone through a lot of personal growth in season 1 and is committed to overcoming his addiction, apologizing, and moving forward with his family. Over the span of six episodes, however,he’s shown that his status can fluctuate fairly rapidly. It seems like the strides he made in episode 5 were more drastic than any in the past, but a conflict between his wife and father, both of whom he has complicated relationships with, could be just the thing to see him go off the rails once again.
1 Territory Actor Is Weirdly Repeating The Same Character Arc He Already Did In An Earlier Show
Netflix’s Territory features an actor in a role that may be familiar to those who are aware of his previous work, and it could spell disaster.
Graham stood up to Colin in episode 5 for the first time in his life, earning respect and recognition that he’s never seen before. But now, Colin’s fury is going to come down in a way he probably hasn’t seen before, as Colin saw Daniel as the perfect projection of his own image. Daniel was the golden boy son, much to Graham’s dismay, andeven though he was planning to betray the ranch, Colin’s idealistic image of his second-born son is likely to overshadow any wrongdoing. ThisTerritoryseason 2 conflict will be a test of Graham’s longevity and toughness.
Territory
Set against the backdrop of the world’s largest cattle station, this drama follows the intense generational conflict that ensues when a clear heir is absent. As rival factions compete for control, the series examines themes of legacy, power, and the struggle for dominance over the land’s future.
