Maximus

*This page is about the episode. For the character of the same name, see Maximus Fixico*

## Episode Information

### Directed by

Tazbah Rose Chavez

**Maximus** is the second episode of the third season and 20th episode overall of *Reservation Dogs*.

## Plot

Bear walks alone. His stomach rumbles. He sees a horse approaching in the distance, carrying a conquistador who draws his sword and circles Bear. Bear is confused and tries to apologize. As the conquistador continues threatening him, Spirit appears and tries to chase him off. They argue and Spirit sends the conquistador over a hill, where he claims there is gold. Once he's gone, Spirit says that conquistador was killed by the Comanches and never left. Bear is upset to be seeing more spirits. Spirit says he's standing on a spirit portal.

Bear and Spirit walk together. Bear asks for some of Spirit's water, but it's spirit water, so Bear can't have any until it's his time. But Bear made it to exactly where he was supposed to be. Bear doesn't see it that way, but Spirit says this is his walkabout. He can't explain more because it's not allowed. Bear pushes him and he agrees to give one answer. He tells Bear to keep walking.

From a distance, a masked figure watches Bear walking alone, seemingly talking to himself.

Spirit tells Bear how he suffered for his people 100 years ago, but Bear doesn't care. He needs food and water or he'll die. He degrades Spirit, saying no one remembers him or has written songs about him. He says he doesn't want to talk to Spirit anymore. He never did. Spirit just pushed his way into Bear's life and won't leave, like the opposite of his dad. Spirit agrees to go if that's what Bear wants and Bear tells him to go. They leave in opposite directions. Bear walks for a bit and is hit in the neck by a dart. As he pulls it out, he collapses.

Bear remains unconscious as he's driven away.

Bear wakes up blindfolded and tied to a chair. He calls out to anyone. A man, Maximus, puts a cup of water in front of Bear and removes the blindfold and one of the ties. Bear drinks all the water in one go. Then he asks where he is. Maximus doesn't answer, but says Bear is the youngest one he's seen and he knows Bear doesn't have a tracking device on him because he checked. Bear doesn't know what he's talking about and says he's just lost on his way home. Maximus asks where home is and says they found him when Bear says home is Okern. Maximus used to live in Okern. Bear says if Maximus will just let him go, he'll be on his way. Maximus says everything's connected and he's seen things he can't explain. He left Okern and now Bear is here. Okern came to him. He shows Bear newspaper clippings reporting UFO sightings in Oklahoma. They correspond with a spike in hospitalizations at mental institutions and Sonics running out of tater tots. He shows Bear a picture he took of a UFO. Bear is doubtful. Maximus asks Bear who he was talking to and Bear says he sees a spirit sometimes, a man who died at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Maximus is doubtful that someone who died at the Battle of Little Bighorn would be in Oklahoma. It doesn't make sense. Bear asks to use the bathroom. Maximus says he pees outside, but Bear can use the one down the hall if he's too dainty for that. He unties Bear's other arm and directs him to the bathroom. As Bear goes, he tells Bear not to flush.

In the bathroom, Bear starts cursing. He tries to escape, but the window is too small. He looks in the mirror and says Spirit's name three times, but he doesn't appear. He opens the door and find Maximus standing there. Maximus tells Bear he needs to stop talking to himself or people will think he's nuts. He tells Bear to follow him.

Outside, Maximus tells Bear not to try to run because he has tripwires set up. He's safer in there than out. He asks Bear's name and when Bear tells him, he tells Bear to get in his dune buggy.

They ride out into the woods. In a clearing is a greenhouse. Bear follows Maximus inside. He's growing eggplant. It's food from the Star People. He doesn't know why they brought it, but he assumes it's so they'll have food when they come back. People are only concerned with what they can see and hear, but there are other layers to life that need just as much attention and care. Maximus is sure that Bear has seen Star People and didn't realize it.

They ride to another building that has several satellite dishes on top. Maximus says it's where he gets his radio signals.

Inside, Maximus has Bear sit while he turns a projector on. They watch an old video of Maximus and his friends, whom he says were more like family. There's Mabel, and Buchanan, who always carried a book of poetry. There's also Brownie and Irene. Bear asks where they are now. Maximus asks Bear where his friends are. Bear says they're on a bus to go home. He missed it. When Maximus asks if he meant to miss it, he says he wanted to be alone. Maximus asks if his friends didn't believe him. When they keep not believing you, eventually they tie you to a bed and shock you. Bear asks if they really shocked Maximus and he says yes, man times. He's been in psychiatric wards all over. Bear is sorry that happened to Maximus, but his friends believe him. Maximus asks what his problem is then. He points to someone in the video and says it reminds him of Bear.

Outside, Maximus tells Bear he's better off looking up and around. He drunks from a bucket and then offers it to Bear. Bear declines, saying it's disgusting, but it's the same water Bear already drank. He warns that if your body's not used to it, it can cause some problems. It turned Maximus's tongue black for a whole month.

They travel again. Bear asks if Maximus has a phone charger, but he doesn't even have a phone because the government can track you with it. He shows Bear a portal and says if anything happens, it'll take him directly to the highway. Maximus has something else to show Bear, so they leave.

After dusk, Maximus tells Bear that three quarters of UFO sightings occur between 4:00 PM and midnight with a peak between 9:00 and 10:00. Maximus tells Bear that in order to observe the universe, you must look to the past. They're just echoes of things that came before. They both look up at the sky and talk about the stars. Maximus tells him that what white people call The Big Dipper is a boat that helps them on their journey. What white people call The Milky Way is a passageway to the source of everything. They're all just energy. Bear asks why they created people. Maximus says to prove the point that they can still love through everything. They should be proud of that. Bear asks Maximus if he still loves and he says he does. Bear asks how they know and Maximus says they just feel it. Love can just be. Maximus goes inside and Bear starts to leave, but turns around and looks at Maximus through the window.

Bear comes in and Maximus asks if he likes spaghetti soup. Bear says yes, his grandma used to make it for him. Maximus says his did as well and he asks Bear to star the water.

Bear and Maximus eat and watch television together. He tells Bear he's been out there for most of his life off and on. The house was his mom's. She was from here while his dad was from near Bear. Bear asks if they're still around and Maximus asks him what he thinks. They died when he was a kid, so a boarding school raised him. But he's mostly been on his own since then. Bear says he's sorry, but Maximus tells him not to be. He doesn't like most people, but Bear's okay. He thinks they're kindred spirits. They see things other people can't and people are either afraid or jealous. He says Bear can stay as long as he likes and help out.

Bear wakes up to the sounds of Maximus calling out to people on the radio. No one responds.

Bear wakes again later to the sounds of cars approaching. Maximus tells Bear to get down. He looks out the window and sees people in gray outfits approaching. He tells Bear they're here and Bear needs to go. Bear asks who he means. Maximus says they can only rely on each other. He packs a bag and throws it to Bear. Bear looks outside and sees a few cops approaching. Bear says he'll tell the cops that nothing happened, but Maximus tells Bear to go home. Bear tells Maximus that he believes him. Maximus says that's good, then he steps outside carrying some eggplants.

Maximus tells the cops he's been waiting for them and offers them the eggplants. A cop leads him to the car, saying they'll take him back.

Bear watches through the window as Maximus leaves. He takes the picture that Maximus showed him, plus the keys and a bandana.

Bear drives the dune buggy to the greenhouse. He tends to the eggplants, then packs some in his bag along with a jar he sees.

He drives the dune buggy to the tunnel Maximus showed him and walks through it. He celebrates when he gets to the other side.

Bear walks down the road.

## Cast

### Guest Starring

* Dallas Goldtooth as William "Spirit" Knifeman

### Co-Starring

* Eric Mainade as Conquistador #1
* Brandon E. Jackson as Cop