The Abandons Recap ‘Motherly Purpose’: Pulling the Kids In
- Dec 11, 2025
- 5 min read
The Abandons Season 1 Episode 4
Spoiler Warning: This is a detailed recap of the fourth episode of the first season of The Abandons. If you have not yet seen the show, please head over to Netflix before reading on.
Does Constance know in her bones that Fiona had something to do with Willem’s disappearance? I have been wondering about this, and I felt as the episodes progressed, Constance became increasingly convinced that Fiona knew what happened to her firstborn. At first, she suspected because she knew Willem and knew that he would not have taken well Dahlia’s words that caused him embarrassment. She was wrong at her assumption that Willem would never disobey her — he did, he rode out to Fiona’s farm instead of heading home as she ordered — but that was because of the strong emotions that surged within him. I don’t believe she ever brought Dahlia’s denial that Willem came to the farm. Still, she allowed Roache and his men to search without necessarily pointing them to the direction of Fiona’s family. At least, not yet. But the feeling must have been strong, for now Constance had decided to drag young Albert into her nest. And now that she had confirmation that Willem was dead — even if she did not believe the body was his, the embroidered handkerchief and ring belonged to Willem — the stakes had risen between these two women, these two mothers, neither of whom seemed to have a limit when it came to getting what they wanted.
Fiona was already feeling the strain of her actions within her family. Elias called her out for the violence within her which he said brought them danger. He wanted to bring in the people at the Hollow regarding their latest act, leaving Corporal Mitchell’s body out for the wolves with Willem’s things to fool people into thinking it was Willem’s body, and finally end the search that might one day lead to Sweetie’s grave. Fiona, of course, was against this.
At the beginning of The Abandons, we saw how Fiona’s kids adored her and obeyed her. But they were not really kids anymore, and they had started to live their own lives outside of her. Elias was in love with Trisha; he said as much to Fiona. Albert accepted the teaching position in town that Constance sprung upon him without checking with Fiona. Lilla, seeing the sufferings of the Native American people, wondered if she ought to return to her people or remain with the family that she made, with Fiona and her siblings.
Albert’s decision to teach the town kids, in particular, could have dire consequences down the road. We immediately saw how a White parent violently reacted to a Black man teaching his son. The old teacher actually went to the Sheriff and expressed fear for his safety. But, Fiona’s emotional reaction and her outburst at Constance was perhaps the most dangerous.
As soon as she confirmed that Albert was indeed the new town teacher, Fiona marched into Constance’s office. She asked Constance what her intention was, and told her not to use her son to turn a screw on her. Then, she slipped — she asked Constance if her purpose was betrayal, the way she used her priest.
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Fiona realised her mistake. Constance did not miss it. How could Fiona have known of whatever arrangement there was between her and Father Duffy? If she did know — and it looked like she did — what did she do about it? Was Father Duffy helped off his horse and life?
The questions were there, but they were unasked, except for Constance’s quiet, ‘What betrayal did I incite in him?’ Constance may have hired Albert to get a reaction from Fiona, but this sudden rerouting to the question of Father Duffy and his death looked like it was more than what she expected.
Fiona quickly pivoted back to Albert and Willem; Constance calmly declared that her mind was clear about them. The way the two women acted and reacted in this confrontation was emblematic of the environment where they were raised and lived. Fiona, hardened by life and abuse and death, was quick to lash out, her loathing at her opponent not at all disguised. Constance, a product of polite society, where what was said was not necessarily what was meant, where control was paramount, kept her cool, her spidery senses peeking only on select moments, when her jousting opponent committed missteps.
It was not until the US Marshalls drove up in a body wagon, and Constance was forced to look into the mangled remains of a young man that bore Willem’s embroidered handkerchief and ring, that she allowed at least some of her fury into her eyes. She was asked if the man would be her Willem. Instead of replying, she found Fiona in the crowd, and Fiona just stared right back.
Rating: B
Strays
👒Roache found that Arkasha had the guns Constance needed in her deal with the Cayuse. Arkasha initially did not want to sell to Constance, but when she threatened to evict him, he acquiesced.
👒Constance had the guns stored at her homestead, and instructed Roache to keep his men close. Jack did not look happy about this arrangement.
👒Perhaps now that Albert had his own love story, he would no longer be breaking up Elias and Trisha’s stolen moments. Albert’s new crush was the lovely Lucinda Burrell. What was that long gaze from Samara? They were together in the first episode, when Lilla ran for help. A case of neighbourly love?
👒Albert and his father were both born free men, and educated. His father was a teacher as well.
👒Dahlia and Lilla sweetly brought Paxton a new dog. He was acting grumpy, but he loved that dog already.
👒Trisha was feeling excluded from her family. Hmm.
👒A little nitpick: So after going through the trouble of burying Willem's body under Sweetie's corpse, Fiona and her kids kept Willem's handkerchief embroidered with his initials and his ring? I understand not putting identifiable things with the body, but they did not toss those things out or bury them somewhere else? They placed them in a place accessible enough so that they were able to get to them quickly once Fiona got the idea of a body switch one night?
Episode Title: Motherly Purpose
Episode Writer: Sarah McCarron
Episode Director: Guy Ferland
Original Air Date: December 4, 2025
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