TIMELESS “The Alamo” Recap

By Ruby Campos

What is the right thing to do?

In this episode of Timeless, the trio is sent to find Flynn, who has traveled back to just a few days before the Alamo. However, it looks like it may be Wyatt’s last trip to the past since there’s a replacement already in the talks at Mason Industries and he just hasn’t gotten the job (killing Flynn) done yet.

As Wyatt, Rufus, and Lucy make their way to the Alamo circa 1836, Flynn is already bribing the Mexican leader, General Santa Anna, in order to work on their side, telling him he will help them crush the rebellion.

Our protagonists easily make their way into the Alamo, since they’re looking for as much help as they can possibly get. They introduce themselves to Colonel Tim Bowie and warn him about Flynn while offering their help.

There is also an amusing moment when Rufus and Lucy get super excited when they see Davy Crockett, contrary to the last episode where Wyatt had his fangirl moment with Ian Fleming, he is in fact the one to get the other two back on track.

Flynn manages to get into Colonel Travis’ office without notice, and ends up killing the colonel. Lucy panics when she sees an unfinished letter on Travis’ desk. That letter happens to be the one that publicizes the events of the Alamo and is pretty much the reason that the state of Texas is even formed.

Matters only get worse when Wyatt sees the Mexican forces on the horizon a few days early. Wyatt does some fast thinking for the team and orders that Rufus find a way to get the women and children out while Lucy must finish Colonel Travis’ letter. He also stresses to Colonel Bowie that there is no way they are in any way capable of fighting off their much larger in number opponent, but receives a stern lecture from the colonel for his ugly yet truthful words.

Meanwhile, Flynn makes a request of General Santa Anna that he at least let the women and children escape because they are innocent. However, the general will not let another of Flynn’s idea’s pass (the first being that they make their attack a little early). He also makes the argument that if the women and children are set free then that just guarantees that word will get out to the rest of the world about what happened.

While Lucy has trouble finding the right wording to complete Travis’ letter, Rufus has a chat with Davy Crockett and realizes there are aqueducts that could be used as an escape route. The only problem is that they don’t actually have direct access to the aqueduct. The guys are also surprised that Lucy has yet to finish the letter, and she berates them for thinking she has every word in all of history memorized. Lucy and Wyatt get into another argument over what is most important. Wyatt just wants to get rid of Flynn once and for all while Lucy argues that her job is to maintain as much of the past as possible. His leads to an awkward moment where Wyatt concludes that it’s possible he just wasn’t made for this job like Lucy and Rufus.

Their time is dwindling however, as Santa Anna and his men begin their attack on the Alamo. Wyatt rescues a boy from rubble and experiences a similar flashback to his own past as a soldier, the second one of the episode, the first being when the trio split up in their search for Flynn.

Rufus is unsuccessfully attempting to break through the stone that leads right to the aqueduct and asks Davy Crockett how he isn’t as terrified as he is. Davy gives him a talk about how sometimes people need the reassurance that someone is brave even if they’re not, while also revealing that he did not in fact wrestle off a bear.

With the reality of the situation looking him in the face, Colonel Bowie accepts the fact that there is no way they are going to survive this battle. Wyatt aides him and Rufus by coming up with a plan that will buy everyone time. Bowie is impressed with his quick thinking, and asks about Wyatt’s past experience. Without telling him the exact details, Wyatt reveals that he was in a similar situation but he was the only one to make it out. In fact, six of his friends fought off 100 others and died in order for Wyatt to escape and fulfill their mission. He still carries the guilt of leaving his friends behind with him. This prompts Lucy, who heard Wyatt’s story (unbeknownst to him until after he finishes), to quickly finish up Travis’ letter.

The official attack begins and Rufus remembers the grenades that Wyatt brought from the present. He successfully creates an opening to the aqueduct and the women and children of the Alamo make their escape to safety.

Lucy runs to get Wyatt, who is helping fight off Santa Anna’s forces. She literally has to beg him to leave with them. Wyatt doesn’t want to leave these people like he left his own, he just wants to do something good; he tells her that he doesn’t have anyone left who needs him anyways. Lucy frantically argues that she and Rufus do need him, he needs to leave for them.

Her pleas are effective and the trio run to safety while ensuring that the letter is sent to the right people and Wyatt tells Bowie that his death won’t be for nothing.

As we return to the present, their mission in keeping the past as it was is a successful one overall, of course they still haven’t caught Flynn.

It is also time for Wyatt to leave Mason Industries for good and for the team to be introduced to a new soldier. However, Lucy and Rufus protest his departure by threatening to leave and the value of their skills ensure Wyatt’s security as part of the team.

The episode brings itself to a close as Lucy’s mother brings up the subject of her real father. This time she gives her all the facts. He was a professor when she was a junior in college. He was willing to do the right thing and be a family but she didn’t want or need his help. She gives Lucy a slip of paper with the man’s name but we don’t actually see his name by the end of the episode, hmm.

Notes

I definitely appreciated that we got to learn more about Wyatt and his past in this episode. It really gave a better in-depth explanation of him as a character that we had yet to see in previous episodes. Having open up about his past also made it easier for Lucy to understand where he is coming from when he makes executive decisions contrasting her own. Now that there is a better understanding between the two, perhaps they won’t clash as often. Rufus’ secret is going to be a little harder to get off his chest however.

Watch Timeless, Mondays on NBC at 10/9c