The Marshal

"The Marshal" is the 4th episode of The Rifleman Season One and the 4th episode overall. Directed and written by Sam Peckinpah, it aired on October 21, 1958 and served as the debut of the character Micah Torrance (Paul Fix), who becomes one of the main characters.
R.G. Armstrong, who was originally intended to portray the show's authority figure in the character of Marshal Tomlinson, found that he could not commit to the production schedule, and this episode served to write him out and replace him with Fix.The Rifleman Dell Comics Treasury, ISBN: 978-0-9854781-8-6
==Synopsis==
Lucas takes in Micah Torrance, a former peace officer turned drunk bum, and gives him work on his ranch when three outlaws arrive in North Fork seeking revenge against Micah.
==Watch==
==Plot==
Three outlaws—Lloyd Carpenter and the Sheltin brothers, Andrew and Flory—decide to travel to North Fork to settle a score with former peace officer Micah Torrance. In North Fork, a drunken Micah stumbles out of the saloon and collapses. While Lucas goes to his aid, Marshal Fred Tomilson tells him that Micah was once a respected lawman. They take him to the Marshal's office.
As he recovers, Micah tells Lucas and Marshal Tomilson that he was a respectable peace officer until he crippled in arm in a gunfight, after which he took off the badge. Lucas offers Micah a job on his ranch to help him get back on his feet.
At the ranch, Micah struggles with the physical work due to his injury. He pleads with Lucas to lend him a horse so he can go back to town, likely to get more alcohol, but Lucas refuses. Meanwhile, the three outlaws arrive in North Fork and learn of Micah's location from Marshal Tomilson. The Sheltin brothers head to Lucas's ranch.
The Sheltins confront Micah on Lucas's ranch, who recognizes them as a couple of outlaws he had shot 10 years prior. They force a gun into his hand, demanding a shootout despite his injury. Lucas arrives in time to intervene, and the outlaws retreat upon realizing he's the famous Rifleman. Micah, feeling responsible for the trouble, considers leaving, but Lucas convinces him to stay.
Meeting up in the saloon, the brothers tell Floyd that Lucas stopped them from killing Micah.
When Marshal Tomilson comes in and orders them to leave town, Lloyd kills him. He goes out to Lucas's ranch and deceives Lucas into believing that the Sheltins are responsible for the Marshal’s death. Lucas prepares to pursue them, but Micah, suspicious of Lloyd, urges caution. Lucas leaves, and Micah eventually decides to follow, arming himself with a scattergun loaded with slugs.
In North Fork, Lucas confronts the Sheltins. He kills Flory, but is wounded by Andrew. Micah arrives in time to kill Andrew and then faces Lloyd, who underestimates Micah's weapon. Micah uses the modified shotgun to kill Lloyd from a distance.
The episode ends with Lucas recovering from his injuries and Micah being appointed as the new Marshal of North Fork.
==Analysis==
The characterization of the relationship between Lucas and Micah in this episode differs from the rest of the show: Micah is the older and wiser teacher to the younger Lucas here, as Micah's more experienced judgement of Lloyd's character allows him to save Lucas's life. In the rest of the series, this dynamic of their relationship is lost and it becomes one of Micah becoming reliant on Lucas to enforce the law in North Fork.
==Cast==
===Main===
*Lucas McCain - Chuck Connors
*Mark McCain - Johnny Crawford
*Micah Torrance - Paul Fix (debut)
===Recurring===
*Fred Tomlinson - R.G. Armstrong
*Nancy Moore - Abby Dalton
*Sweeney - Bill Quinn
*Doc Burrage
===Guest===
*Flory Sheltin - Robert Wilke
*Andrew Sheltin - Warren Oates
*Lloyd Carpenter - James Drury
==References==
Category:Season One episodes
Category:Episodes where Lucas gets shot
Category:Episodes where Lucas kills someone
Category:Episode pages with completed plot sections
Category:Episodes