The Underground Railroad
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The scale of Chapter 3: North Carolina is much smaller than the two installments that preceded it.
When the agent Martin (Damon Herriman) comes, its not a warm welcome.
Cora has arrived at a station thats beenclosed.
He explains that he only came down to leave the manifest behind for anyone who passes through.
Cora will stay with Martin in his home, but its already a bit crowded.
Martins wife Ethel (Lily Rabe) seems to not approve of his abolitionist ideals.
(But in Martins current state of fear, does he still believe in them?)
Martin takes Cora to hide in the attic, which would be small enough a space on its own.
The first thing Grace tells Cora: You dont fit up here.
Theres a peephole in the wooden wall that lets a bit of sunlight in.
But, as Grace asks, where is there for them to go?
Martin laughs too, before looking nervous or perhaps ashamed that he laughed.
A minute later, Louisa is stabbed and killed.
Whatever Martin is doing to protect Grace and Cora doesnt save her.
The explorations of the varying lines of complicity dont end there.
she says, touching Coras face, I see the wicked in you, girl.
Your being here, its Gods will.
He sent you to me.
And I am grateful.
When Ethel kisses Coras forehead twice, Cora wipes it away.
Martin tries to buy Ethel time to get Cora back upstairs, but Homer sees her.
Rather than let Homer or Ridgeway search the rest of the house and find Grace, Cora surrenders herself.
He apologizes to Cora and asks for forgiveness from God.
Ridgeways lackey shoots him in the head.
Instead, Ridgeway will take her back to Randall.
Howd you find me?
See, thats the thing.
I do not think that I did.
I think … you found me.
He believes that the two of them are truly fated to each other.
The song played during the closing credits is Marvin Gayes Wholy Holy from the albumWhats Going On.
The image of Grace playing with her hands in the shadow of the light … thanks, Barry Jenkins!
Grace is an invention for the show, not present in the book.
So it was difficult for me to work around her feeling plopped in there.
I was stuck on Martin saying, Youre not my worst secret.
Is Grace his secret?
Does Ethel know Grace is staying there?
She never seemed to acknowledge her presence.
This is the second time our attention has been brought to it.
Im so upset with Homer after this episode.
I truly dont know what to think about his character!
A thesis for the episode.
Was it purely to keep himself out of even more trouble?
Was it a symbolic action of him damning all of abolition?
Is it more complicated than any of those options make it?
Not a book culling!
Its stunning work that considers the patterns of anti-Blackness as if theyre coded into American history and culture.
