We begin with a flashback of Jesse’s really really terrible childhood after his dad died - which involved his grandmother sealing him a box and burying it in a swamp and repeatedly leaving child Jesse in this box until he finally breaks, gives up his last name, his father’s last name, and thanks god that his father is dead.
Yes it’s pretty brutal. It may explain a lot about Jesse, though I think it’s also partly being included because this is the episode where Jesse is finally called out for being an arsehole so we have to establish him as sympathetic first.
So after Tulip confronted him last week, this week they dredge up the Saint of Killers and find out that he’s not actually in there. Tulip is furious - and Jesse bringing up her lying about being married doesn’t actually win points, especially since he’s still lying about why he didn’t send the Saint to hell
This leads to a huge confrontation at the house with Cassidy and Tulip both kind of seething at Jesse. So he brings up a Caribbean holiday which everyone is onside for (even despite Cassidy’s initial concerns about topless beaches and sunlight) when Jesse hashes all that squee with a “after we find god.”
Everyone is backed to being pissed. So Jesse brings up meeting Jesus’s descendent and him being “an imbecile”. While this is a complete crisis for Jesse, this doesn’t impress Tulip at all because as far as she’s concerned that can stand in for every religious leader - including god. She doesn’t get why he cares. To which he says:
If she weren’t so selfish she would care.
Jess isn’t struck down on the spot but ye gods no man has ever deserved it more.
Tulip and Cassidy both respond to this very last fucking straw and lace into Jesse’s epic selfishness, over how much they’ve lost, how little he’s done for them, what they risked all for his quest.
While they’re lacing into him he suddenly has a revelation - Jesus was drawing dogs. When he first came to New Orleans he asked to find god and was led to someone in a dog costume apparently selling sexual favours. He rushes out to find god, pausing only to ask if the other two are coming.
Really.
He asks them what about the Saint - but Cassidy points out the Saint is only after him.
While Tulip decides she and her new bestie Jenny are going to try and destroy the Saint’s weapons. Which doesn’t work because they’re supernatural and all. “Jenny” (Featherstone) does do a good job of poking Tulip’s sore spots and trying to keep her mad at Jesse - while also offering oral sex then threatening to fake a rape charge against a man to make him do what she wants because this is Preacher
Instead they mail the weapons somewhere. While Cassidy is concerned about his son and the dog he got him - especially since Dennis is encouraging him to “take” Tulip.
Back to Jesse who is super sad that the dog has vanished and decided that it’s all a test for him and he failed. Because Jesse is super narcissistic and assumes pretty much everything god does is all about him. So he turns to Herr Starr
Starr has already told his minions about his plan to replace (after throwing round some homophobia because, of course) god with Jesse; they agree because Featherstone is super loyal and Hoover is super dead if he doesn’t. Especially since he just accidentally paid 3 men to rape his boss.
He now makes his pitch to Jesse - suggesting that god had become “disenchanted” (which Jesse calls “perverted”) due to the stress. He also suggests maybe they don’t get god back - especially since this god is probably not what Jesse wants since what Jesse really wants is forgiveness. He uses his vast Grail resources to show off another heavenly artefact - a record of all of Jesse’s prayers. Which contain a lot of pleas for forgiveness for many many many many sins. Oh so many. Starr guesses it’ll take some epic good deeding to make up for that… ok but am I the only one who questions whether usurping god counts?
As a trump card Starr reveals Jesse, thanking god for killing his father, after his grandmother tortured him
Jesse is… not amused to have his private prayers and pain so completely violated like this and orders Starr to ram it up his arse. Literally. Using the voice.
That’s probably uncomfortable.
Jesse leaves also using the voice - but it seems to fritz in the process… needing him to repeat himself. That’s probably extra bad because Starr just had Hoover apparently unleash the Saint of Killers again.
And back to Eugene in Hell where everyone is being tested to see if they’re the one who doesn’t belong. While Hitler continues to play nice - he even, through Tyler, manages to show Euegen his own personal Hell when he was so nice and ineffective (and a doormat) and resisted the anti-semitism, homophobia and anti-communist views of his dining companion. Eugene later asks him why this is his hell and Hitler says “it was the last time he was good”
This all feels grossly humanising
Except, when Eugene is taken to be examined if he doesn’t belong, Hitler gathers the other inmates and has them sing a hymn. They resist him, having no respect for him at all until he yells “because I’m Adolf fucking Hitler” and apparently intimidates them all… And it must have been very intimidating if he makes them all sing.
It looks like Hitler may be playing the long game to manipulate Eugene - and just be this terrifying that he made everyone go along with it. And his long game seems to be to help Eugene escape - and go with him
I think i prefer Hitler the evil mastermind to Hitler the misunderstood bullied weak guy
