I Still Believe

**I Still Believe** is the tenth and final episode of the second season and eighteenth episode overall of *Reservation Dogs*.

## Plot

Daniel's voice reads this letter. He talks about wanting to go to California for spring break.

*Daniel sits in class and writes the letter. Bear is sitting next to him. Elora and Willie Jack are also in the class. He writes about liking Elora and hoping she likes him back. Elora shoots a spit wad at the back of Daniel's head. He wads up paper and throws one back at her.*

Cheese, Willie Jack, Elora, Bear, and Jackie carry a ladder. They use it to get into the scrapyard. Bear and Willie Jack search for Elora's keys.

Elora and Jackie find the box that opens the gate and put in a few incorrect codes.

Bear finds a box labeled keys. He gets Elora's keys from the box.

Elora and Jackie hear the toilet flush and see Kenny Boy come out of the bathroom. He asks if they're there for the car. Elora says yes, they need it to go to California. He tells them the code is 1831, the year Sitting Bull was born. They're shocked he's just letting them take it. He says it's been a weird few days. They can pay what they owe when the time is right. He tells them to be safe out there.

Elora gives Ansel the finger as they drive the car out.

Mose, Mekko, Bone Thug Dog, White Steve, and Weeze see the group off. Jackie tells Elora to be safer than they were, that they might actually make it this time. Elora promises they'll be back before they drive off.

Bear looks through pictures as they drive. It's a straight shot. Cheese asks how long it'll take. Elora says it'll be a few days. They're all excited. Bear's glad they get to know what Daniel was thinking back then. Cheese is especially excited about his unrequited love for Elora. Elora says nothing ever happened, but they all knew. Cheese admits that he didn't know. He thought they were cousins. Willie Jack says only through marriage. Bear's happy they're getting Elora to California. Elora says it's not just about her. It's about all of them, doing it for Daniel because he can't. When they get there, they're going to the ocean. Cheese asks what they'll do when they get there. Bear suggests putting Daniel's letter in. It's like a piece of Daniel and he always wanted to go to the ocean.

They pull into a store parking lot. Bear gives them cash from an envelope full of it.

Bear finds a Medicine Man machine. He puts in a dollar and gets a fortune that says he must pave new ways or die.

They listen to music as they drive.

Willie Jack holds up a blanket to give Elora privacy as she uses the bathroom on the side of the road.

They make their way across the country to California.

They stop at a taco place. The waitress gives them menus and they tell her they just got into town. Bear wants to go right to the beach, but Cheese wants to get a hotel room and get some rest first. Bear thinks they should sleep in the car and save money. Elora agrees. They look at the unfamiliar foods on the menu.

Bear goes to pay to find they left the money in the car. Willie Jack takes the keys and goes to get it.

Outside, Willie Jack sees that the car has been stolen. She runs back inside.

They realize all their money and all their snacks are gone, along with Daniel's letter. Cheese wonders if they should report it. Elora says if they do, they'll arrest them and take them back home. They want Bear to call his dad, but he doesn't want to. Bear finally agrees, but the number has been disconnected. White Jesus appears to them and tells them guys in suits took their car. Willie Jack asks him which way the beach is. He points them there, but tells them they shouldn't go alone. It's ten miles away. Willie Jack wants to see it through and they ask White Jesus to take them there. Elora is incredulous, but follows anyway.

White Jesus leads them to an encampment. He shows them where they can lie down and sleep. Bear tells him they can't stop. They need to get to the beach. They all agree they don't want to stay there. White Jesus tells them they're safer in the camp than on the streets alone. He says the beach is five miles straight down the road and he'll take them himself in the morning. They reluctantly agree to stay, taking shifts to keep watch.

Cheese and Elora talk about Tim Capello. Cheese says Daniel was his hero. It seemed like he could do anything. Elora agrees. Cheese has the same feeling about Elora. She always knows what to do when they get into trouble. Elora says she has no idea what to do right now. Cheese thinks if anyone could make it out, it's her.

The police drive up, waking Willie Jack. She quickly wakes the others and they leave.

Cheese is tired and says he can't continue walking. They tell him they're almost there. They're following White Jesus's directions, but have been walking for hours. Bear hears waves and calls the others' attention to it. They've made it to the beach.

They stand on the beach and look out into the ocean. It just goes on forever. They walk toward the water together.

*Willie Jack, Bear, Rita, and Cheese attend Daniel's funeral. Uncle Charley comforts Cheese. Bear looks around at the crowd.*

*Elora sits outside alone.*

Bear, Willie Jack, and Cheese take off their shoes and socks. Bear encourages Elora to do the same when she just stands there. She says she doesn't want to let Daniel go. He says they aren't. They're just letting go of the pain, because it's keeping them stuck. Daniel would be happy to see them living their lives, finally in California. Elora takes off her shoes and socks and they talk to the water's edge together. Elora asks what they do now. Willie Jack starts singing Free Fallin', but stops when she can't remember the rest of the lyrics. Bear asks Cheese to say a prayer. Cheese talks to Creator about how they just want the moment to be significant like in the movies. They didn't get to say goodbye to Daniel. Cheese has been kind of mad at him. Cheese talks about what they've all lost by losing him. He's their brother and they're there for him. They just hope they're doing the right thing. The four of them hug as he finishes. They decide to walk into the water. They hug each other close as the water comes up around their bodies. They imagine Daniel standing with them and tell him they love him. As they pull apart, Cheese asks what they should do next. Elora wants to figure out where her car is. She owes Kenny Boy, so she has to take it back. Willie Jack has an uncle on a rez nearby who might be able to help them. Bear says he's not going back. He walks out of the water and the others follow. They walk along the beach.

White Jesus gives a speech on the beach, saying he still believes. He runs his metal detector along the sand. In the distance, Tim Capello plays his saxophone.

## Cast

### Starring

* Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan Postoak
* D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill
* Lane Factor as Cheese Williams
* Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack Sampson

### Guest Starring

* Sarah Podemski as Rita Smallhill
* Matty Cardarople as Ansel
* Kirk Fox as Kenny Boy
* Elva Guerra as Jackie
* Brandon Boyd as White Jesus

### Co-Starring

* Lil Mike as Mose
* Funnybone as Mekko
* Jude Barnett as Bone Thug Dog
* Dalton Cramer as Daniel
* Nathan Apodaca AKA Doggface as Uncle Charley
* Xavier Bigpond as Weeze
* Jack Maricle as White Steve
* Ayla Glass as Waitress
* Tim Capello as Tim Capello

## Notes and Trivia

* **Title Drop:** Both White Jesus and Tim Capello say it during the final scene on the beach.