By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 21:10:00 +0000

I was supremely satisfied with the resolution of the Naomi storyline and the
shift in the Cullen/Mei relationship in this episode. The strong pull between
Cullen and Mei in the first half of the season was clear but also that Cullen
was resisting this attraction since his plan was still to find his family and
return to Naomi to honor his vows and obligation to her and be a father to
William. I’ve always felt Cullen’s choice to return to Naomi was much more out
of obligation than love. He loves his son, for sure, and he felt responsible for
Naomi but I never really believed that he loved Naomi the way she deserved to be
loved. This is what he eventually realized he was depriving her of if he chose
to stay. Ultimately, it will hurt him the most to leave his son, who he does
love very much. But he knew that Issac was a good man who loved Naomi and
William and would take care of them. Also, William would not remember him and
would have a good life with Naomi and Issac, so he made the choice to make that
sacrifice and allow them to be a family.
I was surprised that Cullen and Mei
took that step immediately upon his return, but when I thought about it, it made
a lot of sense. Cullen had been resisting Mei because of Naomi. Now that his
responsibility to Naomi had been resolved, he was free to surrender himself to
Mei. The attraction wasn’t new, but his freedom was. That scene reminded me of
when he finally surrendered to Lily. I don’t think Naomi was ever “the real
thing” for him, but I think Mei could be.
It’s also likely that Cullen had
been resisting Mei because she’s so young. But the way she went to him showed
her to be a beautiful, bold young woman who knows what she wants.
With only a
few episodes left of the series, I am glad they didn’t wait too long to get them
together. In typical Hell on Wheels form, I am sure they will be met with their
share of complications but I hope the series will ultimately end well for
them.

Comments on: ‘Hell on Wheels’ season 5, episode 9 review: Cullen’s choices, circumstances shape his future

By: Rachel