Dig

**Dig** is the tenth and final episode of the third season and 28th and final episode overall of *Reservation Dogs*.

## Plot

Willie Jack signs in to visit Hokti in prison.

Hokti looks over the available snacks and decides to eat the Flamin' Flamers. Willie Jack tells her that Old Man Fixico died. Hokti says he was a good man and asks if Willie Jack is okay. Willie Jack feels like she didn't get to spend enough time with him, like he left before she got to learn anything from him. They spent a lot of time together. Hokti looks over to Gram and Tupelo. Gram tells her to say something important. Willie Jack realizes through the conversation that Gram's new snag is the same man Willie Jack met when she first visited Hokti. Hokti says she knows it feels like Fixico's gone, but he's also not gone. She uses the snacks to illustrate the ripples Fixico sent through the community, which will remain long after he's gone. That's how community works. If you break community, you break the individual. Fixico isn't gone. He's still between them. Hokti asks Willie Jack what Fixico taught her. She says he taught her some things about plants and how to help people, but they mostly delivered groceries to elders and visited people. Hokti says you have to take care of your community, play your part. Fixico was there for people when they were sick and when they weren't. He took care of people when they were dying and their loved ones when they died. Now it's Willie Jack's turn. Willie Jack says she doesn't know how, but Hokti says she's already doing it. She could have told Hokti about his death over the phone, but she chose to come in person instead. That shows Hokti that she cares. Fixico taught her that. Now it's up to her to take care of the people Fixico left behind and make sure he's sent off in the right way. Some day, she'll do it for Hokti and then someone will do it for her. They'll keep it going. She asks if Willie Jack is up for it and Willie Jack says she is. They hug and Willie Jack leaves.

Willie Jack greets Rita, Bev, and Jackie at the car. They have work to do inside.

Inside, Bev greets Dana and they start setting up.

Willie Jack sees Leon leading some guys to unload the truck and tells them they should move the truck first, so the cargo is where they want it to be. Leon ignores her and he, Danny, and Marc Don direct Bear and Cheese. They start arguing over it.

Willie Jack and Bear bring coffee and donuts to Maximus and Irene. Maximus refuses the donut, calling it white people food, which is worse than Star People food. Irene advises Bear to stay away as well. He has to dig and he needs to fast. As they walk away, Willie Jack admits she already ate three and Bear says he's super hungry.

Vinny smokes as he drives, saying if he lives to be 75, he'll probably have seen everyone in the community's dicks. He parks and directs the hearse.

Elora arrives with Steve, Bone Thug Dog, and Weeze. Brownie and Bucky arrive soon after. They go to Maximus, saying they'd heard he was back. He says he never really left, but they're glad to have him back. Maximus says he's been keeping his eyes on the sky.

The Rez Dogs meet up and greet each other. Elora tells Bear she needs to talk to him when he has a moment.

Vinny instructs everyone on how to carry the casket and they carry him into the church.

Preacher Paul welcomes everyone to send Fixico on. Tonight, they'll sit with the body and the young men will dig the grave by hand. They pray.

Big goes to pay his respects to Fixico. He says seeing him lying there reminds him of a story. Danny groans as Big starts to tell it, but then just thanks Fixico for changing his life. He tucks a book into the casket. Danny says his goodbyes next. Then Marc Don goes. Then Leon takes his turn and takes the book that Big left. Mose and Mekko sign their CD and put it in.

Bucky asks Cheese to get his elders another cup of coffee. Cheese says they drink a lot of coffee and Bucky says it keeps the spirits away.

Rita tells Bev she hates cooking. Bev says that's why they're queens. People starve without them. Big comes in and gives Bev a very large zucchini. After he's walked away, Bev admits she doesn't know what to do with it. Rita tells her to fry it. Dana has her hand it over and says she'll show her.

Teenie arrives and runs into Big, who didn't know she was going to be there. Teenie says she had the week off. He says the other women are inside. He tells her he's seeing someone now, so they can't hook up anymore. She says she's happy for him.

Teenie comes in and asks them what's up with Big. Rita tells her she doesn't want to know. Teenie greets everyone. She tells Elora that her dorm looks nice, but Elora says they can talk about it later. Teenie asks Rita if she's going to take the job and Rita says she is. Bear took it well. Elora is surprised that Rita is moving and asks if Bear is going with her. Rita says no, he's staying. She asks Elora to be her eyes and ears there to keep Bear out of trouble.

Elora finds Bear, who is sitting with the body. Elora finally tells Bear that she's leaving to go to school. She's going to move into the dorms. She didn't know his mom was leaving, too, and she wants to make sure he's okay. He tells her it's awesome, that he's proud of her. She's had it harder than all of them and she's still the toughest. He'll miss her, but it's a good thing and she needs to do it. She says she'll come back on weekends. He says nothing can break up the Rez Dogs anyway. She starts to cry and tells Bear she loves him. He says he loves her too and hugs her. She'll miss him, but it's going to be okay.

Big and Vinny debate over the size of the grave they're going to dig. Vinny warns Big not to tell him how to do his job. They mark it with stones so they'll know where to dig.

Bucky turns up the music and dances. He invites and auntie to join him.

Wotko tells Willie Jack that the men usually do the digging, but he thinks it's only right that she should break the ground. He hands her a shovel and she starts to dig. Leon asks where the rest of the shovels are. Vinny says they don't provide shovels. He directs the funeral; he doesn't dig the graves. They hear honking and Kenny Boy and Ansel arrive with a truck full of shovels.

Cheese accidentally whacks Steve in the face when he digs. The men all take turns digging.

Inside, the women cook and dance.

Kenny Boy says it makes him teary-eyed to see the young men digging.

Cheese and Steve, exhausted from digging, say they can't wait to be elders. Ansel agrees.

Ansel digs with his hands for a few seconds, then says he's done.

Leon forces Steve to help dig.

Bear takes a pee break and the elders razz him.

Alone in the woods, Bear whistles. After a few moments, Spirit appears to him. Bear can't believe that actually worked, but Spirit was already in the area helping Fixico. He's also there for Bear. Bear asks if he has any teachings because he hasn't seen Spirit in a while. Spirit reminds Bear that he told him to leave. That hit him to his core. Bear apologizes, but Spirit says it's okay. He's been following Bear and knows he's doing well. Bear asks for advice, but Spirit says he doesn't have anything. He's just there to say goodbye. He can't really say goodbye, because that's colonial, but he's leaving. Spirit says Bear deserves to love and be loved and that's what those people are offering him. That's why he's there digging Fixico's grave. He asks Bear what he's learned. Bear's learned he doesn't have to be the only leader. He's from an amazing community and he's proud to be part of it. Spirit says that's what he's been trying to teach him all along. Bear decides to take a year off, stay in Okern, and figure stuff out. Spirit says that's good. He tries to thank Spirit, but Spirit tells him not to ruin it and leaves him with a hug.

The men finish digging. Wotko says the family wants to thank them for their hard work and they'll have breakfast soon. He gives everyone the chance to speak. Willie Jack starts, saying Fixico was her good friend and they were just starting to get to know each other. She's happy for the time they had together. She's starting to understand how important the things he taught her are. The most important thing he taught her was to take care of people and be there for them. That's what he cared about. She hopes to be that for people as well. He helped her figure out her purpose. They all have their own lives, but it's beautiful that they've all come together for Fixico. She tells Fixico she didn't get to spend enough time with him, but she's happy with everything he taught her. She tells him she loves him and she knows he'll be there for her.

Jackie and Bear help Rita pack her car and send her on her way.

Cheese brings Irene a drink and sits with her.

Elora has sold Mabel's house and packs her truck to leave. She hugs her friends goodbye.

Willie Jack finishes her tribute to Fixico and sends everyone to eat. She, Bear, Elora, and Cheese hug each other and say they love each other. Cheese says he's hungry, so they decide to go eat. Willie Jack spreads dirt on Fixico's grave and tells him she loves him, then walks away with her friends.

Bev and Big walk out of the woods together. Bev has one of Big's hands in a handcuff.

Maximus, Irene, Brownie, and Bucky sit together and say they did good. They sent their brother off right. The toast until the next one.

## 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

* Lily Gladstone as Hokti Sampson
* Sarah Podemski as Rita Smallhill
* Jana Schmieding as Bev
* Tamara Podemski as Teenie Postoak
* Kirk Fox as Kenny Boy
* Matty Cardarople as Ansel
* Dallas Goldtooth as William "Spirit" Knifeman
* Casey Camp-Horinek as Grandma Irene
* Gary Farmer as Uncle Brownie
* Elva Guerra as Jackie
* Jennifer Podemski as Dana Sampson
* Jon Proudstar as Leon Sampson
* Michael Spears as Danny Jackson
* Wes Studi as Bucky
* Zahn McClarnon as Big Hill

### Co-Starring

* Richard Ray Whitman as Old Man Fixico
* Lil Mike as Mose
* Funnybone as Mekko
* Jude Barnett as Bone Thug Dog
* Jack Maricle as White Steve
* Xavier Bigpond as Weeze
* Tafv Sampson as Gram
* Steve Mathis as Tupelo
* Wotko Long as Wotko
* Nathalie Standingcloud as Natalie
* Chad Charlie as Marc Don
* Justin "Jud" Gauthier as Vinny
* Yancey Red Corn as Preacher Paul
* Edwin Marshall as Preacher
* Nanette Harjo as Auntie 1
* Cynthia Yerby as Auntie 2
* Brownie Harjo as Guard
* Cate Jones as Slore Woman