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Though he is occasionally given to making speeches that are extremely strange, Josiah usually exhibits a strong sense of humor and a live-and-let-live philosophy of life. He’s a man who has done things he is not proud of and has lost his way spiritually. His association with the rest of the Seven and the people they protect is apparently viewed as something of a second chance and while he does what he can to find his way again and welcomes others to come along on the journey, Josiah is not interested in forcing anyone down the path he walks. He is open and willing to offer advice to anyone in need – a notable exception being Ezra in the episode “Serpents” – but he approaches his role as spiritual guide somewhat reluctantly.
Josiah’s speech style is sprinkled with literary or biblical references. He is well spoken and apparently well read, but with his regular dialogue it's often the tone and inflection he uses, as much as the words themselves, that make it interesting. And of course, that smooth baritone voice doesn’t hurt either!
It should be noted that, contrary to popular fanon belief, not once in the entire series did Josiah Sanchez ever refer to Ezra by the nickname “son” nor did he ever exhibit any particularly affectionate or father-like behavior towards him.
Ghosts of the Confederacy
Josiah’s dialogue in the pilot is not quite like it is anywhere else in the series. He is cryptic, pessimistic and at times just plain monosyllabic!
NATHAN:
The Seminoles are the dispossessed
of the earth, Josiah. Ain't saving lives a part of saving souls?
JOSIAH:
Seems to me a man ought
to put his own house in order first.
VIN:
We can promise you a hell
of a fight.
JOSIAH:
Hell... I've already been
there.
NATHAN:
Why'd you change your mind?
JOSIAH:
Crows.
NATHAN:
What crows?
JOSIAH:
Sign.
NATHAN:
What does that mean?
JOSIAH:
Death.
NATHAN:
Whose?
JOSIAH:
Probably mine.
EZRA:
Well, well, a sense of humor.
I look forward to many lively conversations.
NATHAN:
What about all this?
JOSIAH:
Oh... these stones will
still be here if I get back.
VIN:
We can use another good
man.
JOSIAH:
Not so good... but I can
fight.
EZRA:
Why'd you sign on, Josiah?
What is it you expect to gain?
JOSIAH:
I saw the birds of darkness
in a dream. When I woke up, a crow was sitting on my windowsill staring
at me like the devil himself.
EZRA:
Why come here?
JOSIAH:
If death's coming, I'd just
as soon meet it head on.
EZRA:
And get your reward in the
hereafter?
JOSIAH:
No. No, I was, uh... I was
a priest once, but, uh... had a little trouble turning the other cheek.
EZRA:
I did a turn preaching the
Word myself.
JOSIAH:
Is that right?
EZRA:
The best swindle I ever
knew. Just stand up there under that tent terrify the congregation with
avision of hellfire and pass the collection plate.
JOSIAH:
Yeah.
EZRA:
Did fine, too until I attempted
to save the soul of the mayor's daughter.
JOSIAH:
Yup. Saving souls has its
hazards.
JOSIAH:
[Referring to injured
Seminole] Whoever your God is... you can go to him in peace.
IMALA:
Leave him.
JOSIAH:
[gasps in pain from wound
the others hadn't seen]
IMALA:
We don't believe in your
white man's religion.
JOSIAH:
Nor do I, my friend.
JOSIAH:
Scoot on over there, Buck.
I'm a spiritual man. Sometimes I turn to the wrong kinds of spirits.
NATHAN:
Where you going? Get down
off that horse. You lost too much blood. You'll die out there.
JOSIAH:
If that's what's meant to
be.
NATHAN:
The damn birds will get
you soon enough. You don't have to go chasing after them.
JOSIAH:
You're a good man, Nathan.
One Day Out West
A couple of production
goofs happen here. In the real world, we know that several months
passed between the filming of “Ghosts of the Confederacy” and the filming
of ODOW, but cinematically it’s amusing to note that between the time he
left the Seminole village and the time he reaches town, Josiah’s hair has
managed to grow an inch and a half. Must be a heck of a long journey!
Also, while his leg is still injured, the bullet wound he took to his right
side seems to have disappeared. Buck also seems to have made such
a miraculous recovery from his near mortal saber wound that he can help
Josiah up to Nathan's clinic.
JOSIAH:
I knew it, Nathan. I knew
with absolute certainty that I was going to meet my maker in that Indian
village.
NATHAN:
If we don't take care of
that wound you're going to get your wish.
JOSIAH:
Look around you, Nathan.
What do you see?
NATHAN:
I see people drinking.
JOSIAH:
Lost souls, everyone. You
know what they need, don't you? They need me, damn it.
JOSIAH:
Nice gun. Can I have it?
[This is a prime example
of a line that has to be heard, and his expression seen, to be fully appreciated.]
Working Girls
This is the first episode where we see a couple of examples of Josiah’s sense of humor: teasing JD about his crush on a working girl, chasing goons out of the church, and joining Buck in sneaking up to spy on JD and the working girl.
JOSIAH:
What I don't know about
women ain't worth knowing. Anyway-- the important thing to remember is
the act of love should be a truly spiritual experience.
JD:
"Spiritual"?
JOSIAH:
Mm-hmm. See... Adam and
Eve, they got thrown out of paradise for doing it. So when we do it, it
better be right so their loss was not in vain.
JOSIAH:
God, I hope. Join me in
prayer, my brothers. Lord, forgive these sinners who enter your house with
instruments of death. Please do not send them into a fiery... agonizing
grave where a thousand flames eat away at their flesh for all of eternity.
Though thou art mighty and
these men are lowly do not smite them, Lord!
[This is the one and
only time we see Josiah exhibiting the mode of a Hellfire-and-Brimstone
preacher and he does it very well, but the payoff is the final line.
When the bad guys run out of the church, Josiah looks behind the pulpit
where a girl is hiding and asks: “How was that?” to which she giggles,
showing that he was only playing a part. ]
JOSIAH:
Not too sure how I feel
about spying on the boy.
BUCK:
We're not spying on him!
We're just checking up on him making sure he's doing all right.
JOSIAH:
Oh…well, that's different.
WICKES' MAN:
Ain't you the...?
JOSIAH – [cold-cocking
one of the guys from the earlier church scene]:
You should have prayed when
you had the chance.
Safecracker
Josiah really isn’t in this episode a whole lot, but we do get our first chance to see him interact with one of the people the team is helping as he takes his turn babysitting Olivia Greer. This is also Josiah’s first use of a non-biblical parable or story to make a point.
JOSIAH:
Hmm. Where is your father,
Olivia?
OLIVIA:
I never knew my father.
JOSIAH:
But your father knows you.
OLIVIA:
How?
JOSIAH:
Because... he lives right
here. (Points to her heart)
OLIVIA:
Where's India?
JOSIAH:
Oh, about a million miles
from here. And in that place there lived a most beautiful woman.
OLIVIA:
Like my mama?
JOSIAH:
Well... maybe not quite
that beautiful. [yawning] anyway... this woman was so beautiful
that she was chosen by five different gods to bear them their sons. One
day they would grow up... to be great warriors... who would cleanse the
earth... of all that was evil.
Witness
Here we see the first example of Josiah’s interest in women. Given that he usually seems very discerning, it is amusing to note that Josiah seems unable to perceive much beyond the appeal of a pretty face when it comes to the ladies.
[Upon getting his first
glimpse of Maude coming off the stagecoach]
JOSIAH:
Now, that, my friends, is
proof there is a God.
[On learning that the
beautiful lady from the coach is Ezra Standish’s mother]
JOSIAH:
Mother! I always thought
Ezra was raised by wolves.
[Discussing the man threatening
Billy Travis, calling himself the Devil]
JOSIAH:
Satan's up to his old tricks
again, eh?
VIN:
Yep. And apparently, he's
using a .44 these days.
JOSIAH:
Except this time Satan ain't
no all-powerful demon. If he was, he'd know Billy couldn't finger him.
Nemesis
More spiritual reference and some very sarcastic tones highlight Josiah’s dialogue in this episode.
STEELE:
May I ask how long you guys
been riding with Larabee?
JOSIAH:
You mean with his killer
outlaw gang?
STEELE:
Yes, yes, that's it. I've
heard Larabee's a very formidable man.
JOSIAH:
Formidable? That don't tell
it by half.
NATHAN:
Chris asked me and Josiah
to ride along because it's good to have backup especially when lead starts
flying.
STEELE:
Oh. What do you do when
you're not helping Larabee?
JOSIAH:
I look and I listen.
STEELE:
Uh-huh. For, uh... what?
JOSIAH:
Daily confirmation of the
hand of God in all things.
NATHAN:
Josiah's been fixing up
that church here in town.
STEELE:
Well, I've never seen a
"man of the cloth" carrying a gun before.
NATHAN:
Josiah can get very "Old
Testament" on occasion.
CHRIS:
The son of a bitch is close
enough to kill a man in my hotel room. Why are we sitting here eating breakfast?
JOSIAH:
It's the most important
meal of the day.
STEELE:
Howdy, boys. Be with you
in a minute.
EZRA:
He said he that he was a
writer who was willing to pay for anyone's story as long as it was about
murder and mayhem.
JOSIAH:
Of course, that appealed
to the congregation. After that, the only fight was to see who was going
to be first in line.
The Collector
We see the goofy romantic side of Josiah’s personality here as he avidly pursues the love of his youth.
[Seeing Josiah stop to
stare fixedly at a flyer tacked to a building.]
NATHAN:
What's wrong with you?
JOSIAH:
Yahweh has answered my prayers.
NATHAN:
Who's Yahweh?
JOSIAH:
God... to you.
NATHAN:
You been praying for...
Getting Gertie's Garter to come into town?
[Josiah does not answer
but instead gives a huge toothy smile]
VIN:
You ready now?
JOSIAH:
For whatever comes, but
I ain't doing nothing that's going to keep me out of town on Saturday the
14th.
BUCK:
And why is that, Josiah?
JOSIAH:
I'm just telling you...
just telling you. And I don't aim to be killed before then, either.
[An interesting hint to
Josiah’s physical strength here, something not seen since his work on the
old abandoned mission in the pilot, particularly given that Nathan is bigger
than Josiah.]
NATHAN:
Josiah, there's something
I been wondering about. In a place like this if a man get himself a tailcoat
and a boiled shirt... what exactly do that mean?
JOSIAH:
I'll tell you, Nathan, but...
you tell anybody else I'm going to have to break your back. You know I
could do it, too.
NATHAN:
Yeah. I know that.
JOSIAH:
[Shows him a picture
of a young woman] Carried this next to my heart for half a lifetime.
NATHAN:
She's awful pretty. Who
is she?
JOSIAH:
Emma Dubonnet.
NATHAN:
In that show coming to town?
JOSIAH:
Mm-hmm. "Getting Gertie's
Garter." Same one I saw in San Francisco when I was young and foolish.
Introduced myself to her afterwards. It was true love. Saw her four times
after that always with a chaperone.
NATHAN:
Why didn't you marry her?
JOSIAH:
Oh, I asked her. She accepted.
Then I told her there'd be a short delay that I couldn't see her for two
years 'cause I was going to pursue a course of spiritual study with a Cherokee
Holy man. I often wonder if that wasn't a mistake.
NATHAN:
Well, I don't guess a lady
wants to hear that from a suitor.
JOSIAH:
Maybe you're right. Anyway...
fate is a capricious beast. Now I got a chance to win her again and I'm
a happy man.
Manhunt
A lot of interesting stuff about Josiah’s upbringing is mentioned or hinted at in this one and we get more clarification of his spiritual side and the fact that he’s accepting of different disciplines.
JD:
That one's trouble, Josiah.
Heard his daddy's had to pull him out of scrapes from here to Kansas territory.
JOSIAH:
Sounds about right for a
missionary's boy.
JD:
So, is it true that this
Chanu is the son of the chief?
JOSIAH:
Yep. Guess I'll finally
get a chance to meet him.
JD:
Meet him? You're going up
to the reservation?
JOSIAH:
Somebody's got to tell him
we got his boy. Yeah, figuring on staying a few days in case anybody gets
any idea about breaking him out. I was hoping for a better calling card
but... the Lord does work in mysterious ways.
RAFE:
Don't bother with that preacher
talk up there. [taps counter] if the great Bible-thumping
Owen Mosely can't turn them don't think you can.
JOSIAH:
I ain't interested in turning
them.
JOSIAH:
I know what it's like to
have a Bible shoved down your throat... how mad that can make a man. See,
my father was a missionary, just like Mosely. Did his work for a while...
till we broke.
JOSIAH:
Ko-je... if we get to him
first, we could save him. You're his father. You gotta do
what it takes to protect
him.
KO-JE:
Did your father try to protect
you?
JOSIAH:
In his own way, yeah.
KO-JE:
And like most sons, it angered
you.
JOSIAH:
Look... my father is dead.
I'd like to keep Chanu from being the same.
KO-JE:
Your father's spirit walks
with you. That's why you're unbalanced. It's too heavy on your shoulder.
JOSIAH:
It's a sweat lodge.
JD:
A sweat lodge?
JOSIAH:
A purifying ritual to harmonize
themselves with nature. It's sacred, and you need to show a little bit
more respect.
JOSIAH:
"Repent ye, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand." In front of God and all us sinners tell us she didn't
beg for your blessing.
MOSELY:
No! No. You're wrong!
JOSIAH:
Tell us you accepted the
baby she was carrying. Ko-je told me. Your own grandchild.
JOSIAH:
Rafe. You murder him...
you become him. Is that what you want?
Inmate 78
JESSIE:
I'm open seven days a week,
sir.
JOSIAH:
Even the Lord rested on
the seventh day, ma'am.
JESSIE:
Well, the Lord wasn't running
a boarding house.
JOSIAH:
I always figured that's
what heaven was.
JESSIE:
Oh... you a preacher, by
any chance?
JOSIAH:
Used to be. Used to be.
Now, I'm just a man on a mission.
[A great moment for Josiah,
reasonable yet not to be messed with]:
JOSIAH:
You don't want to pull that
trigger, ma'am.
JESSIE:
I will if I have to. You
stay back.
JOSIAH:
Now, you've done a lot of
wrong to a lot of people... but it ain't too late to mend your
ways.
JESSIE:
Don't come any closer.
JOSIAH:
We ain't gonna hurt your
boy... and we ain't gonna cut him lose. The only thing you're accomplishing
is getting him killed. Put the gun down. I have faith that you will do
the right thing. You do what's best for your son.
JESSIE:
Go to hell, preacher man.
[Yanks away her rifle
after blocking the trigger with his finger]
JOSIAH:
My faith only goes so far,
sister.
Josiah Sanchez – Season 2
Josiah’s soul searching and predilection for making spiritual comments and cryptic speeches kicked up a notch or two in the second season. We saw a lot of his friendship with Nathan in the first season and in the second we see more of his friendships with Vin, Buck and JD, and a couple of unexpected left turns in his interaction with Ezra. No real relationship ever develops between Josiah and Chris, though we see them working together quite often. Their friendliest scene in the entire series was probably the one in “One Day Out West”, when Chris thanks Josiah for giving him the striped serape that becomes a semi-regular part of his wardrobe.
The New Law
[Running a bad guy into
a post during a gunfight]
JOSIAH:
Say your prayers, son!
[Later in the same scene,
dragging the bad guy off to jail]
JOSIAH:
Arise, sinner. Come
along peacefully now.
[Upon discovering that
Marshal Bryce doesn’t want the help of the Seven]
NATHAN:
Without us, you got no backup.
JOSIAH:
Except the good Lord...
and he's got lousy aim.
JD:
The town's gonna be a preacher's
dream-- no drinkin', no gamblin'.
JOSIAH:
Not much to do for an old
reformer like me. Besides, if God's everywhere, best to start lookin' sooner
more than later.
NATHAN:
[laughing] That means
he's gonna find a burning bush to talk to.
JOSIAH:
Come on, Lord... I know
you're out there. Give me a sign now. Talk to me.
[dog barks]
JOSIAH:
Bet you thought that was
funny, huh? What kind of a sign is this?
CHRIS:
Josiah, we need your help.
NATHAN:
I thought you came up here
to talk to God, not a dog.
JOSIAH:
[sighs] God…Dog…the
Lord loves a riddle.
Sins of the Past
Josiah seems to have settled more comfortably into the role of advisor in Season 2 as well, as seen in his conversation in this episode with Buck.
EZRA:
Now that the down payment's
been made, all that's needed are a few prudent investors to infuse a little
working capital. Mr. Jackson?
NATHAN:
Oh, I don't know, Ezra.
I mean, what do you know about running a saloon?
EZRA:
I spent my whole life in
saloons. You may trust I have ample experience. What about you, Josiah?
JOSIAH:
Money... is like manure.
Not good except it be spread.
EZRA:
May I take that as an affirmative?
JOSIAH:
No.
MAUDE:
Josiah. You're as handsome
as ever.
JOSIAH [kissing her hand]:
If eyes were meant for seeing,
then beauty is its own excuse for being.
JOSIAH:
Come on in, Brother Buck.
Sanctuary's always available for the troubled soul.
BUCK:
I'm not troubled. What makes
you think I'm troubled?
JOSIAH:
Ok. Forget I said it.
BUCK:
Say, Josiah?
JOSIAH:
Yep.
BUCK:
Have you ever thought about
marriage?
JOSIAH:
Well... animals mate, plants
grow, flowers bloom. Seems to be the natural order of things.
BUCK:
Maybe that's it. It oughta
be natural, right? It's not something that's forced on you.
JOSIAH:
Exactly. Then again... could
be the fates sendin' you a blessin'.
BUCK:
Yeah?
JOSIAH:
Fine wife, delights of a
child. Most men would live and die for that.
BUCK:
Yeah. Well, tell me this.
How do I know that Lucy is the one for me? I mean, I hardly know her.
JOSIAH:
Seems to me that'd be a
good starting point if you want it.
BUCK:
Well, what do you mean?
JOSIAH:
Get to know the girl.
Love and Honor
Josiah again plays the role of advisor, this time in two capacities: Offering JD romantic advice and helping Buck face his fears.
[Reading a book and pretending
not to notice JD’s romantic frustration as the others offer him advice
on what to buy Casey as a gift]
JOSIAH:
"And the great city of Troy
lays in ashes, all for the wooing of a woman." Mmm--mmm--mmm--mmm.
JD:
What?
JOSIAH:
Huh?
JD:
That--
JOSIAH:
Oh. The Iliad. A battle
of courtship, like so many millions of others that have laid waste to men's
souls; my own included.
JD:
Hey, Josiah, that book got
any, uh... pointers for someone who might be, uh... thinkin' about courtship?
JOSIAH:
No. But if you tell me your
troubles, I may be able to help.
JOSIAH:
Woman can get a powerful
hold on a man, that's for sure.
JD:
So I guess we should hold
off on that courtin' stuff then, huh, Josiah?
JOSIAH:
JD, nothin' you do can change
what's gonna happen to Buck. Now what you want to do is focus on the heart's
lighter side-- the, uh... the poetry of talkin' to a lady, the grace of
a tender-hearted glance, the mystery of that first kiss.
[Josiah displays those
tender fatherly feelings for Ezra….]
NATHAN:
You takin' bets on Buck's
fight?
EZRA:
I am merely providing a
service for interested parties. I've seen Mr. Wilmington handle a pistol.
I have every confidence our Buck will prevail. If, however, some ignorant
gudgeons choose to think otherwise, who am I to insist they keep their
money? Ha ha. Yeah, I-- I share your dismay at today's public demand for
entertainment. Why, it calls to mind the decline and fall of Rome, which--
JOSIAH:
Ezra? Shut up.
JOSIAH:
When did you learn how to
fight with a blade, Ezra?
EZRA:
I have, on occasion, found
it necessary to defend my good name upon the field of honor.
JOSIAH:
I can believe that.
EZRA:
Although, I'll admit, it's
been a while since I've held an epee.
JOSIAH:
I can believe that, too.
BUCK [Telling Josiah about
a dream]:
It was like... I was still
there. The Seminole village... the Colonel... and his sword when he...
do you think it's a sign?
JOSIAH:
Yeah, it's a sign. It's
a sign you're scared. Fear is part of who we are, Buck. Every time we go
into a fight, I know there's a piece of me wonders if I'm gonna come through
it. I can feel it in my hands... my head, my gut.
BUCK:
No gunfight ever made me
feel like this.
JOSIAH:
Well, it's all right. God
gives ya fear 'cause... fear helps you fight. God wants you to fight 'cause
he wants ya to live.
BUCK:
So do you--you think this,
uh, this dream's a sign that I'm gonna win?
JOSIAH:
Unless it's your time to
die. [That Josiah, always so comforting!]
JOSIAH:
God is with you, Buck. And
if he ain't, we are.
JOSIAH:
Fate's lookin' kindly on
us today, don't you think, JD?
JD:
Well, we're all still alive.
JOSIAH:
Yes, sir. And did fortune
smile on you and your belle amour last evening?
JD:
If she ever talks to me
again.
JOSIAH:
Well, then... let me give
you a piece of advice. What you want to do is buy that girl a frog gigger.
Vendetta
We again see Josiah in his spiritual advisor role. The discomfort in his reaction to Ma Nichols’ request for confession was a good, subtle reminder that Josiah once was, but is no longer, a priest.
MA NICHOLS:
Where's the priest?
JOSIAH:
No priest. Just me.
MA NICHOLS:
A house of God should be
clean.
JOSIAH:
Well, this church serves
many paths, even dusty ones.
MA NICHOLS:
Look at yourself. You're
not a man of God. You're a...philistine. A handyman.
JOSIAH:
Jesus was pretty good with
a hammer.
MA NICHOLS:
Well, if you're all that
this pesthole of a town has to offer, I guess you'll do. I need confession.
JOSIAH:
Aah…Confession.
MA NICHOLS:
Forgive me, Father, for
I am about to sin.
JOSIAH:
You saying you haven't sinned
yet?
MA NICHOLS:
Don't worry, I will. I will
sin in grand fashion. I will break the sixth commandment. And then I will
rejoice.
JOSIAH:
Death is never a reason
for rejoicing.
MA NICHOLS:
He took my boy from me,
my precious firstborn.
JOSIAH:
Revenge won't bring your
son back, Ma'am.
MA NICHOLS:
What's your point?
JOSIAH:
I can't forgive you for
something you haven't done yet.
MA NICHOLS:
It's as good as done.
JOSIAH:
You know, the Navajo believe
that the spirit of the dead comes back for revenge.
MA NICHOLS:
Pagan malarkey.
JOSIAH:
Come back as coyotes, whirlwinds.
Why don't you let the coyotes bring your son peace?
MA NICHOLS:
I've heard better preaching
coming out the backside of a horse.
JOSIAH:
The bible says forgive as
you would be forgiven.
MA NICHOLS:
I know he's in heaven. David
was such a good boy. Never had a hard word for anyone. He was the best
one. Generous to a fault. Always had a smile for everyone.
JOSIAH:
Sounds like quite a man.
MA NICHOLS:
He was a saint. Why? Why
did he take my boy? There is no answer. Is there?
JOSIAH:
Death is a question.
MA NICHOLS:
I don't understand. God
protected us. Blessed us with healthy children. Now David's murdered. And
he was the good one. A lamb.
JOSIAH:
How do you honor a lamb?
A man of peace? With bloodshed? Or with forgiveness? You need to find forgiveness,
Ma'am.
MA NICHOLS:
You're one of them. How
could you, a man of God, be party to such violence?
JOSIAH:
How could a mother?
MA NICHOLS:
The debt is paid. He's on
his way to hell. And there's no one can help him now.
JOSIAH:
And who's gonna help them?
JOHN NICHOLS:
Ma? Ma?
MA NICHOLS:
Has God forsaken me?
JOSIAH:
An eye for an eye leaves
us... blind.
MA NICHOLS:
Forgive me. Forgive me.
My sweet lamb. Forgive me. will you-- will you forgive me?
JOSIAH:
It's not for me to forgive.
Wagon Train
Considering that this is a 2-part episode, Josiah really has surprisingly little dialogue. He conducts a funeral early on but except for his bits with the widow and Eugene he mostly just gives short conversational sentences or physical reactions to the comments of others.
EUGENE:
Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah,
nyah. Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah.
MARY:
Eugene, please.
EUGENE:
Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah,
nyah.
JOSIAH (collaring the brat):
Familiar with the Bible,
son? 'Cause there's a little place called hell I'm gonna tell you all about.
ALICE:
Isn't he an angel when he's
sleepin'?
JOSIAH:
That he is Ma'am?
ALICE:
It's Alice. Remember?
JOSIAH:
Oh, right. Alice.
ALICE:
Or you can call me... Honey
or Sweetheart or my favorite-- Pumpkin.
JOSIAH:
Well... all right... Alice.
ALICE:
Of course, those'll just
be our at-home names.
JOSIAH:
What home?
ALICE:
Why, yours, of course. You
do want Eugene and I with you, don't you? Josiah? We have no place
to go.
We'd make... a wonderful
family.
JOSIAH:
Well, uh... we would make
heavenly alchemy together, Ma'am, that's for sure.
[Can this man squirm out
of things, or what?]
JOSIAH:
Excuse me, Eugene.
ALICE:
Oh, there's no need for
that, Josiah, since we're headin' back to town with you.
JOSIAH:
Well, yeah, but not until
I complete my vow of silence and abstinence.
ALICE:
Y-you're what?
JOSIAH:
Oh, yeah. Sometimes they
last for years. But you don't have to concern yourself with that. This
one shouldn't take more than about 6, 8 months.
ALICE:
6 or 8 months?
JOSIAH:
Oh, you would love the simplicity
of it. You wear burlap robes and eat only the things you find on the ground,
you know, like--like twigs and crawlin' creatures. You really develop a
taste for grasshoppers and ants--
ALICE:
Oh, my. W-well, you know
Josiah-- would you mind unloading the rest of that furniture? I--I just--
I think it's best if Eugene and I wait for you here.
The Trial
Vin mentions here that Josiah has studied Cherokee law when Josiah agrees to defend Nathan’s father against a murder charge. Part of the 2 years of study with the Cherokee holy man referred to in “The Collector” perhaps? Interesting that Vin is aware of this part of his life since we had yet to see Vin and Josiah share any meaningful dialogue. It foreshadows the friendship we see later in “Penance”.
JOSIAH:
Your name...Obediah. Obediah
was a prophet of God. He predicted the downfall of the Edomites. The Edomites
were an arrogant people. They felt they were better than everybody else.
They tried to destroy Obediah's people, but--
OBEDIAH:
It didn't work. Obediah's
people rose up. Justice was served.
JOSIAH:
Anything you want to tell
me before we go to trial?
OBEDIAH:
No, Sir. This Obediah just
wants his day in court.
MAUDE:
You tell a story like that,
Josiah... you'll do just fine.
EZRA:
Josiah. So... you have any
biblical parables on hand for unrepentant grifters?
JOSIAH:
Nope.
JUDGE TRAVIS:
Mr. Sanchez, you have an
opening statement?
JOSIAH:
A, uh... a great Cherokee
shaman once said to me: to cross a mountain... you must first walk up to
it. I think that explains what we are all doing here today.
VIN:
[softly] Come on,
Josiah, get good.
[At Obediah’s sentencing]:
JUDGE TRAVIS:
Mr. Sanchez, do you have
anything to say?
JOSIAH:
Yes, I do, your Honor. Just
for a moment I'd like you to try on Obediah's boots. A man walks into your
house. Takes your wife... and he rapes her. And you're powerless to stop
him. He rapes your wife. And then he threatens to take your 7-year-old
child away from you. And you are powerless to stop him. Imagine what that
must be like having to stand there and watch this grievous harm be done
to your loved ones. And you're powerless to stop it. I would kill that
man. You would kill that man. But Obediah Jackson could not kill that man.
Not until 20 years later. When Obediah Jackson saw Jonah Catchings again
and remembered all that he had suffered at his vicious hands and once again
felt the sting of Mr. Catchings' abuse... can any of you declare that you
would have acted any differently? I believe the answer is no. If ever any
man deserved to die, Jonah Catchings was that man, for all that he imposed
on Obediah and his family and doubtlessly on many, many others. Just as
surely, I believe Obediah Jackson deserves to live. I believe that as strongly
as I believe in God's eternal love. When you pass judgment on this man,
your Honor, on this decent, long-suffering man who has endured endless
years of deprivation and finally--finally has a chance to live out his
last days as a free man, I beg you to search your heart and do what is
right and just. Let Obediah Jackson live.
CROWD:
[applause]
VIN:
Josiah, you silver-tongued
devil.
Chinatown
Another small piece of Josiah’s past is revealed here as we discover that he spent some time among the Chinese in San Francisco.
JOSIAH:
[speaking Chinese]
BUCK:
What the hell was that?
WO CHIN'S FATHER:
Justice will prevail.
BUCK:
You speak Chinese.
JOSIAH:
Word or two. My father did
missionary work with Chinese up in San Francisco.
VIN:
Try askin' if he knows of
anyone gone missin'.
JOSIAH:
[speaking halting Chinese]
CHINESE MAN 1:
[Laughs]
JOSIAH:
What's so funny?
CHINESE MAN 1:
You ask if he know any man
who smells good.
JOSIAH [laughs sheepishly]:
My Chinese is about as rusty
as a dead horse's shoe, but, uh, maybe you can help me here.
JOSIAH:
You speak English pretty
good.
WO CHIN:
Better than your Chinese.
JOSIAH:
Well, that ain't hard. Where'd
you learn?
WO CHIN:
My father taught me. He
said it would help us to become better Americans. Look what it did for
him.
JOSIAH:
Your father wanted something
better for you.
WO CHIN:
So now I am alone, with
no family. That is better?
JOSIAH:
You know, there's an old
Zen story about a man walking along a cliff and sees a tiger coming. He
jumps over the cliff, hangs onto a root, looks down, sees another tiger,
and the worse thing of all is there's a mouse munching on the root. Well,
knowing he was gonna fall, looks over and he sees a wild strawberry growing
nearby, takes a bite out of that strawberry, and it is the sweetest thing
he's ever tasted. Now, what does that story say to you? Life is precious.
[This story is a real Buddhist fable. Another example of Josiah’s
eclectic religious background.]
JOSIAH:
You can sleep here for a
while if you want to. All people are welcome in this church, no matter
what their beliefs. I spent some time with some Buddhist monks once, used
to talk about there being 3 qualities necessary in life: great faith, great
doubt... and great effort. Made sense to me.
JOSIAH:
[speaking Chinese]
CHUNG SUN:
[Walks away grumbling.]
JOSIAH:
See? Now that's modesty
for ya. I just told him he's got a place in heaven.
WO CHIN:
[laughs] You just
told him he's an idiot.
CHRIS:
[laughs]
JOSIAH:
Chung Sun! Hey, wait a minute!
Wait a minute! I want to talk to you! Wait a minute!
Achilles
This episode has one of Josiah’s more peculiar bits of ‘comforting’ wisdom but some very nice, almost parental type interaction with JD. This is also the only example I could find of Josiah calling any of his compatriots “son”, though he does use the term occasionally with strangers, like Wo Chin in “Chinatown”.
JOSIAH:
Well, John Dunne. Long time
since you been to my house.
JD:
You did a nice...funeral.
JOSIAH:
Ah, I hate funerals. I don't
care if heaven is paved with the softest silk and serves Kentucky whiskey,
I hate sending people up there.
JD:
Preacher... did I do something
to make God mad at me?
JOSIAH:
You feelin' a mite lonely,
Son?
JD:
Everything's different.
My guns, they... they feel strange. I can't hardly touch 'em. I don't know
what to do, Josiah.
JOSIAH:
There was a--a bare knuckle
prizefighter in San Francisco Named Walleye Smith. Won 54 fights, all by
knockout. Hell of a right hook. Anyway, one day he hits this guy and he
kills him.
JD:
What?
JOSIAH:
After that, never won another
fight.
JD:
Well, how could that be
I mean, if he was such a good fighter and...
JOSIAH:
Couldn't live with his own
strength, I guess.
JD:
Hello, Josiah. I come to
say good-bye.
JOSIAH:
Did a lot of good while
you were here, JD. I hope you look back this time with pride.
JD:
Yeah, I learned one thing:
I ain't no hero.
JOSIAH:
Just what do you think a
hero is?
JD:
Well, someone who shoots
straight and true.
JOSIAH:
That's a good shot, is all.
Takes more than that to be a hero. Takes someone who's willing to sacrifice
their life for the greater good. You've proved that time and time again,
John Dunne.
JD:
I made a... pretty bad mistake.
JOSIAH:
I don't know anybody who
hasn't. It's what makes us human.
[After JD saves the stage
passengers from Achilles Thompson.]
JOSIAH:
I'd say that was darn heroic,
Son.
JD:
I'd say that was darn lucky,
Preacher.
Lady Killers
Josiah offers spiritual comfort to yet another lost soul…
MADDIE
You like drinking alone?
JOSIAH:
Just me and my 3 friends--
Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
MADDIE
You're a preacher.
JOSIAH:
Not anymore.
MADDIE
Once a preacher, always
a preacher. Well, you stay the hell away from me! You preachers are bad
luck.
[One of the few times
we ever see Josiah and Ezra collaborating as they try to distract Casey
from finding out that JD has gone off with Maddie Stokes.]
CASEY:
Have you seen JD?
EZRA:
He, uh--
JOSIAH:
JD?
CASEY:
Yeah.
JOSIAH:
You mean, that little fella
with the funny hat?
CASEY:
You know who I'm talking
about. I heard he was hurt.
EZRA:
Oh, a mere bloody nose.
JUDGE:
JD? I just saw him. He was
heading toward the livery.
CASEY:
Thanks.
JUDGE TRAVIS:
What was this all about?
JOSIAH:
(sighs) Just the
end of innocence is all.
JOSIAH:
You sure know how to sweet-talk
a man.
MADDIE
I told you to keep your
bad luck away from me.
JOSIAH:
What makes you think I'm
such bad luck anyway?
MADDIE
Every time a preacher's
around, somebody dies. Last preacher I let near me was standin' Over my
mama's grave, and I will shoot you dead before I'll have you standing over
mine.
JOSIAH:
I know you don't want me
around, so I'll just leave this here with you. Peace, I leave with you.
My peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid.
MADDIE:
Am I going to hell?
JOSIAH:
Well, now, some people think
that hell is just a state of mind.
MADDIE
But hell's for people who've
sinned.
JOSIAH:
Well, there's always redemption
for a sinner.
MADDIE
[sighs] I'm scared,
preacher.
JOSIAH:
That man on the stagecoach
that you killed... and JD... you think they were scared?
MADDIE
[sniffles] I never
thought about it.
JOSIAH:
Well, think about it. Maybe
that will be your path to redemption.
Penance
The grim, hard-drinking, cryptic Josiah from the pilot makes a reappearance here and we find out quite a bit about his past in this episode. Some excellent friendship develops between Josiah and Vin.
VIN:
Josiah, this is Cyrus Poplar.
He's with the Pinkerton agency.
JOSIAH:
[Hung over and cranky]
To
what do we owe this honor, Mr. Pinkerton?
POPLAR:
This young lady in question
was murdered last night. Where'd you get that wound on your head?
JOSIAH:
Murdered? Miss Irene?
POPLAR:
Can you account for your
whereabouts last night?
VIN:
Now, hold on, there. What
kind of question is that?
JOSIAH:
[Confused and unsure]
I was... I was with her. Tried to walk her home. I was there to save her,
but... She's dead. God forgive me.
VIN:
Josiah, climbin' back into
the bottle ain't gonna make this go away. Now, I'm tryin' to help you here.
JOSIAH:
You can stop anytime now.
POPLAR:
Mr. Sanchez. I have some
more questions to ask you now that your mind is clear.
JOSIAH:
Won't be for long.
VIN:
The man wants to be left
alone.
POPLAR:
Must be a reason he refuses
to talk.
VIN:
I reckon your time would
be better spent askin' around about these travelin' cowboys.
POPLAR:
Perhaps you'll allow me
the courtesy of conducting my own investigation.
VIN:
All you need to know about
Josiah is that he watched my back in more than one gunfight, and that's
good enough for me.
NATHAN:
The man is sick. He's in
no mind to answer any of your questions.
POPLAR:
Look, I just want to look
around. If he's innocent, he's got nothing to hide.
JOSIAH:
Come on in. I never shut
my doors on those in need... Here. Let me help you.
NATHAN:
Come on, compadre, give
it a rest, huh? Josiah!
JOSIAH:
Forbear to judge, for we
are sinners all!
[After learning that Vin
has gone to Vista City to see the mysterious Hannah]
JOSIAH:
You had no right to go see
her, Vin.
VIN:
I got every right, 'cause
I'm tryin' to save your damn hide. Now, who is she?
JOSIAH:
A soul in torment. That's
all you gotta know.
VIN:
Then I'm gonna ride out
there and get it out of her myself.
JOSIAH:
You stay away from her!
VIN:
Then talk to me, you stubborn
fool! [As he starts to leave] I'll give her your regards.
JOSIAH:
She's my sister. She wasn't
always like you saw her. Time was when she was real full of life. Course,
bein' a missionary's daughter ain't easy. My father... My father. He said
she was, uh, on the road to destruction. He tried to rein her in. But the
harder he pulled, the wilder she got. Like she had a demon inside of her.
Started doin' crazy things. Goin' off with men, drinkin'. He tried lockin'
her up.... Sendin' her away... Beatin' her. I should've stayed. I could've
saved her. But I couldn't see past savin' myself. Every time I went home,
she was worse off... Till she finally got to be how she is now. Every penny
I got goes to keepin' her. And when I see her, it tears me up so bad...
It takes me a week before I stop wantin' to die. And now the Lord is servin'
up my penance, and I'm lookin' forward to it, Vin. I really am. I need
to find peace.
POPLAR:
Stay back!
JOSIAH:
Now, you can't undo what's
already done. But you can put an end to it now. They torment you. They
haunt you, those women. You see them when you close your eyes. There's
no rest. Pay your penance, Poplar. Pay it... And be free. Hand me the knife.
[Poplar resists and gets
stabbed in the struggle over his knife.]
JOSIAH:
Of all the tyrannies of
humankind, the worst is that which persecutes the mind.
VIN:
Josiah... What you told
me about your sister and all... I just want you to know that... That's
between you and me.
JOSIAH:
Appreciate that, Vin. But
you know, saying it out loud... kind of made it a little easier to bear.
VIN:
Mm. Well... now you're free
and clear.
JOSIAH:
Oh... I'll never be free
and clear.
Serpents
Josiah and Ezra had very few one on one scenes in the series, making the harshness of this episode’s all the more striking. This is the first and only time we see Josiah fail to offer understanding and advice to one of his friends in need and the reason, ironically, is that he understands Ezra’s problem all too well. He feels guilty because the money he was assigned to guard has tempted him and he reacts by shoving the problem, and the guilt, off on Ezra with the excuse that he’s helping the other man face his inner demons.
JOSIAH:
[As he prepares to sleep
with the source of his temptation – the $10,000] And the serpent was
more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made - and
he said until the woman, yeah, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every
tree in the garden. Destroyer of kingdoms. You caused our fall. I will
not be tempted.
[Josiah is sitting in
a pew glowering after having a slightly kinky dream of being tied to a
post and tempted by beautiful women – including Mary Travis – holding themselves
and the money just out of his reach. Ezra, with far from impeccable
timing, comes into the church hesitantly asking for help.]
EZRA:
Hark. You're always so willin’
to dispense advice to others in need. See, it's just that, um, all my life
I've always gotten that... look. You know, that tilt of the head,
that - that question in the eye - can I trust him? You know, I always…hoped
that my f-friends knew me better.
JOSIAH:
Let the wicked forsake his
ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. You think you know what kind
of man you are?
EZRA:
I know I've earned some
measure of respect, of trust.
JOSIAH:
You blame your friends?
Blame yourself! Look inside your own heart, Ezra. Face your own demons!
EZRA:
Now, you hold on just one
minute, Josiah.
JOSIAH
I am the serpent, Ezra.
And this is the apple. [Throws the $ satchel] Take a bite.
EZRA:
Wait!
CHRIS:
Josiah, the money well hid?
JOSIAH:
I give it to Ezra.
CHRIS:
Ezra! What's the matter
with you?
JOSIAH:
It's servin' a purpose.
NATHAN:
Yeah, making Ezra rich.
[This is an oddly cruel
exchange. Ezra is standing just a few feet away in his bright red jacket,
which makes it hard to believe that nobody knew he was within earshot.
It begs the question: Had Josiah convinced himself that his passing of
the buck(s) was for the good of Ezra’s soul and wanted him to know it,
or did he really not see him standing there? Josiah’s part of the
episode is done, so we never get to find out.]
Obsession
Josiah gets a new hobby in the last episode – golf! It is interesting to note from a viewer standpoint that Josiah and Ezra seem friendlier than usual in this episode. In airdate order, this might mean that they settled their differences after “Serpents”. In production order (Serpents being the last one filmed), it might mean that their camaraderie here prompted Ezra to trust Josiah enough to go to him for help in the other episode.
JOSIAH:
What do you call this, Doc?
DOCTOR:
Folks over in Scotland play
this. It's called golf.
JOSIAH:
Uh-huh.
DOCTOR:
Give it a try.
JOSIAH:
Love to. Wow!
DOCTOR:
Now you're hooked.
[Thwacking at golf balls
and nearly taking Ezra’s head off as they ricochet back.]
JOSIAH:
Humility. That's the lesson
of this game.
EZRA:
Well, you appear to have
mastered it.
JOSIAH:
[sighs]
JD:
You know they played golf
on the estate where I grew up? How's your swing?
JOSIAH:
Humbling. It's the kind
of game you play with your worst enemy, which...turns out to be yourself.
JOSIAH:
Ezra, you hit? Nathan! Cover
us!
EZRA:
I've been cheated. Cut down
in my prime.
JOSIAH:
No blood.
EZRA:
The best years of my life...
JOSIAH:
(Realizing why he can’t
find a bullet hole in Ezra.) It hit the diamond.
EZRA:
(Panicking) My diamond!
My diamond!
JOSIAH:
What the hell you doin'?!
You lost your senses?!
EZRA:
Worse, I lost my diamond!
JOSIAH:
[Literally dragging him
out of the line of fire.] Ain't gonna do you no good in the hereafter!
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