The end is near on Preacher! What happens as our group storms Masada and tries to stop the end of the world? Here’s our recap of “Overture”!
“Overture” opens with Tulip and Cassidy still reeling from Jesse’s return, and also Jesse coming to grips with God really not being the good guy. In a moment of alone time, Cassidy asks Tulip if they should tell Jesse that they slept together, but she tells him no. Then as soon as Jesse leaves the bathroom, Tulip confesses to Jesse that she and Cass slept together.
In a move that shows Jesse perspective has changed a lot, he says he loves them both very much and there’s nothing to forgive. After Tulip leaves the room, Cass asks if they’re okay, and Jesse says:
“Tulip was right. I was gone, but now I’m back.”
This line is loaded. It lets Cass know that everything is fine between them, but Tulip and Cassidy aren’t and never will be a thing while Jesse is around. This leaves Cassidy a little unsettled, and that’s not a good thing for the rest of “Overture”.
The Archangel and demon have been fighting for the whole three months that have passed, and the only thing that stops them is Jesse. The two of them fly Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy back to Masada, and we learn (for sure) that Genesis is their child.
It’s not to long after their arrival at Masada, that Cassidy goes missing, and we see that God has Cass hostage and begins his temptation of him. He tells Cass that he can give him all the drugs he wants and even Tulip. When he sees that’s not working, he appeals to his deepest desire…
Cassidy wants to go home. Back to the early 1900s and see his family and grandmother again.
A second chance.
He just needs to give God one thing. We find out that the one thing is Cass watching over Humperdoo and protecting him from Jesse. Cassidy tells God he’s had a lot of bad ideas, but him watching Humperdoo until the world explodes isn’t a good idea.
“At the end of the day, do you really think she could have loved something like you without a little divine intervention?”
DAMN. God really messing with Cassidy in “Overture”.
“You just think I’m weak…”
“No, I think you’re a tired little boy that wants to go home.”
Meanwhile, Tulip and Jesse make amends in the elevator before it stops unexpectedly. Jesse immediately knows that it’s God. Tulip tries to get out and start the elevator and God appears to her, and tells her to come on.
In a security office, God tries to appeal to Tulip to keep Jesse safe, and this is where God’s temptation of her starts.
“What do you want?”
“I just told you. I want a fight.”
God tries to get Tulip to hit him, but she’s not biting.
“Maybe before I might have been interested, but now I’m good.”
God pokes fun at Tulip saying she’s “changed”, but people like her never change.
“I think the day’s of me caring what you think are done.”
“Well, I bet I can make you care.”
God tells Tulip that he can make her lose her temper in sixty seconds, but he’ll save her friends and stop the apocalypse if she can control her temper for sixty seconds.
“What the catch?”
“The catch? It’s the same as always O’Hare. You’re gonna screw it up.”
“Murderer. Whore. Liar. Cheat. You’re doing very well. Let’s see, how about, Dallas. You remember DALLAS? Losing the baby. Losing your daughter. In fact, you want to know what I was thinking there? The cosmic sweeping reason for her death? Wouldn’t you finally like to know why? I can’t remember.”
Tulip stands up and shoots at him three times.
“I win.”
He breaks apart some scissors, and it appears like he stabs Tulip, but we find out its The Grail security guard later on.
Still in the elevator, Jesse’s calling out for help using Genesis, but it (the Saint of Killers) isn’t coming. Finally the elevator opens, and Cassidy calls out to Jesse. When Jesse finds him, he’s ripped in half and tells Jesse that he didn’t give in to God. He gets Jesse to admit that he wants to kill Humperdoo, and then he apologizes for being weak…
Then we see that Cassidy did betrayed Jesse to save Humperdoo and gain his second chance.
God tells Cassidy he did a good job, and feeds him the Grail officers blood to regenerate after he knocks Jesse out with Cassidy’s leg.
When Jesse wakes up, he’s in the chapel at Masada. He asks what God wants, and he admits that he wants Genesis.
“It’s a blasphemous stain.”
“A power to rival your own.”
“Maybe so. That would solve everything for you. If Genesis worked on me.”
God tells Jesse to try. To look at him and try, but Jesse won’t do it.
“You fear me. As you should.”
God tells Jesse to give him Genesis, and he even uses his Divine voice to pull it from Jesse, and it won’t work. God can’t take Genesis from Jesse. It must be given.
Then the Saint of Killers shows up, and this is another twist in “Overture”.
We find out that God appeared to the Saint after Jesse’s death, and he’s already mad a deal with him unbeknownst to Jesse. God has all his bases covered, and he promised the Saint a second chance at his life, too.
“He’s not here for me, Preacher. He’s here for you.”
Tulip wakes up, but she can’t get out of the security room where God locked her up. Finally, the door swings open, and Featherstone is there for her.
—-
During the Apocalypse Revue, Featherstone and Starr get together. It’s cringey but has definitely been building up to the moment. Featherstone has always wanted to be everything for Starr. It’s during their pillow talk we find out the plan has been changed, but hasn’t at all.
“The old plan was total annihilation. The new plan is limited.”
“Limited, sir?”
“Yes, if a few bombs here and there to take out the Danes, the teacher unions, the hippies. The new plans were drawn up and sent out to our undercover field operatives.”
“Were they?”
“Yes, I gave them to Hoover 2. Shit.”
“What the point in limiting the apocalypse?”
“The point is to kill and not get killed.”
“The point was to get into Heaven.”
Starr says she sounds like a religious nut. He even balks at her getting into Heaven with all she’s done, and the camera pulls back to show her wearing a strap on.
Featherstone is furious as he leaves.
Later, Starr is trying to send a fax with the new plans, and but they won’t go through.
We can only assume that Featherstone is taking Tulip, and they’re going to end it all.
—-
While all this is going on, “Overture” features a very real struggle between Heaven and Hell. Jesus and Hitler are having a heart-to-heart. He tells Hitler that he’s not a murderer, and Hitler tells him not to worry…
“I am.”
So, Hitler was trying to talk Jesus into murdering Humperdoo, and apparently this is now Hitler’s plan.
“Why are you doing this? You’re from Hell.”
Hitler tells him that Humperdoo is divine and a formidable opponent, whereas Jesus isn’t…
Jesus tells him that he’ll stop him, and that’s when their fight begins.
—
Back in Australia, Eugene gets out of jail, and is promptly rain over and killed while he’s trying to sing on the corner.
As we lead up the finale, we must ask the question: how do you win a battle against someone who already knows all the moves and all the endings? It seems like Jesse and the gang are in a losing fight.
I don’t believe that the Saint thinks God will fulfill his end of the bargain, though. I’m betting that he’ll help Jesse in the end and take on God.
What are you thoughts on “Overture” leading up the series finale?
