Slaughterhouse

"Slaughterhouse" is the third episode of the second season of the American television drama series Hell on Wheels, which aired on August 26, 2012 on AMC. The thirteenth episode of the series is co-written by Jami O'Brien & Bruce Marshall Romans, and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan. Bauer, the town butcher and friend of the deceased Schmidt, seeks to avenge his murder. His target: a bragging Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke) and his brother Sean (Ben Esler). With no help from Elam (Common), Lily (Dominique McElligott) admits her involvement with Schmidt's murder to Durant (Colm Meaney), who asks Cullen (Anson Mount) to control the angry mob. Plot The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl) goads Bauer (Timothy V. Murphy), the town butcher, about Schmidt's murder. Bauer is upset that his friend was killed over a prostitute. At the saloon, Durant asks a hungover Elam to monitor Cullen. He agrees, but later mutters to himself that he could have done Cullen's job. At the brothel, Mickey promises prostitute Ginny (Sydney Bell) that anyone who threatens her will end up like Schmidt. When she asks if he killed Schmidt, Mickey does not deny it. In his tent, Eva (Robin McLeavy) thanks Elam for killing Schmidt. They kiss, but she scolds him for wanting money more than a good woman and leaves. Reverend Cole (Tom Noonan) complains to the Swede about daughter Ruth (Kasha Kropinski). He believes she has taken his place in the church and corrupted Joseph (Eddie Spears). The Swede encourages Cole with the biblical story of Jesus casting out the temple's moneychangers, adding, "We must cast them out." Ruth delivers Schmidt's eulogy at church but is interrupted when Cole accuses her of sleeping with Joseph, calling her a fornicator. Enraged by the interruption, Bauer lunges at Cole, but the Swede redirects his anger toward "the Irish brothers" who killed Schmidt. Bauer and his friends, along with The Swede, hunt down Sean and Mickey and direct them to the slaughterhouse.