- The fur trade of the late 1700s was a time of greed, violence and ambition -- Part Game of Thrones (HBO), part Turn (AMC), the story is one of a vicious and violent struggle for control of the fur trade.
- At a Hudson's Bay Company outpost in Canada's Disputed Territories in the late 1700's, a British soldier begs for his life while a large man, half Irish and half Native American, named Declan Harp (Jason Mamoa) sharpens a knife. Harp slits the man's throat and also kills two other soldiers next to him. As Harp orders his men to pack up loot from the outpost (furs, gunpowder, muskets), they bring another soldier who had been hiding. Harp tells the soldier to go home and tell his officers that "I am here". At the HBC headquarters in London, Captain Chesterfield (Evan Jonigkeit) reads the report to Lord Benton (Alun Armstrong), who expresses some admiration for Harp's abilities. Benton had trained Harp and held him in high esteem until Harp deserted him to live with his mother's people. Benton promises to make an example of Harp. At a wharf in London, a young Irishman, Michael Smyth (Landon Liboiron) and his girlfriend, Clenna Dolan (Lyla Porter-Follows) and her brother run to shouts of "Stop thief!". However, they are disappointed to discover that their sack of loot consists solely of rotten fruit. Smyth spies a ship being loaded with gunpowder, and he develops a plan to steal gunpowder from the ship. In the Disputed Territory, Harp tells Rivard, a French fur trader, that he wants to meet with Rivard's employer, Samuel Grant, a wealthy American living in Montreal. Rivard tells Harp that he does not have enough furs to interest Grant. Harp says he will soon have an agreement with the Lake Walker tribe (Cree) to sell their furs. Back at the dock, Smyth and his friends sneak aboard the ship, as British soldiers talk about Lord Benton wanting to shove off for the New World that night. Smythe and Clenna grab a powder keg from below decks and start their getaway only to discover that soldiers have caught the brother. The soldiers stab the brother and throw him overboard. Clenna is captured and taken to prison. Michael escapes and hides below decks until morning, when he learns that the ship has set sail. He is now a stowaway. At Fort James in Canada, Father Coffin (Christian McKay) enters a tavern and talks with the proprietor, Grace Emberly, informing her that a ship carrying a senior HBC man will soon arrive. A drunken Governor Threadwell, dining at the next table, overhears and says that the ship carries Lord Benton and reinforcements. Michael is discovered aboard the ship, wrongly accused of theft, and is taken to see the ship's captain and Lord Benton. Benton offers Michael a job...find and join Harp's men, and then report back to Benton with Harp's location. Michael also asks that Clenna be released. In Montreal, Rivard arrives to ask Samuel Grant (Shawn Doyle) to travel to the Disputed Territory to meet Declan Harp. Grant does not wish to travel, but will meet if Harp comes to him. Benton's ship arrives in Fort James, and Michael disembarks. Father Coffin helps Michael escape being charged with murdering a soldier, and says that he is Michael's guide. They go to the Tavern to drink and eat. Grace wants to know what they are discussing and sends one of her workers, Mary (Breanne Hill) to eavesdrop. Michael drinks too much, and awakens at a stream. Father Coffin finds him, chased by two men who fire at them. Coffin says they are Xavier's men. Grace reports what was overheard to Lord Benton. Benton introduces Grace to his concubine, Imogen (Diane Bentley), and offers that Imogen will work in the tavern. Chesterfield tells Benton that he does not trust Grace, and Benton explains that they now have a spy working for her. Captain Chesterfield goes to the tavern and asks Mary if she saw Michael, and threatens her. Grace comes in and holds a knife to Chesterfield's gut and runs him out of the bar. A British soldier finds Michael and Father Coffin in the woods, and takes them to Chesterfield. He tells Michael that he has found a guide for him. That night, Michael and Coffin watch an Indian woman ambush the soldiers, who then tells them to come with her. She is Sokanon, a friend of Harp's. Michael and Coffin's hands are bound as they leave with her and her party. They arrive at a Lake Walker village, and Sokanon reports to Harp, who asks why they were with the soldiers. Harp is ready to kill them until Michael says he has information about Lord Benton. Harp will listen.
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