In the third episode of Manhunt, titled "Let the Sheep Flee," the narrative continues to unravel the complex web of conspiracy and evasion following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The episode opens with a dream sequence featuring John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle), who envisions himself being sworn in as the second leader of the Confederate States of America, a stark reflection of his delusions of grandeur and the gravity of his actions.
Booth's journey takes a turn as he and his accomplice David Herold (Will Harrison) are led by Oswell Swann (Roger Payano) towards Rich Hill, with tensions rising and the threat of Union soldiers ever-present. Swann's demand for payment and the subsequent encounter with Samuel Cox (Thomas Francis Murphy), a member of the Confederate Secret Service, highlights the desperation and disarray within the Confederate ranks. Cox's insistence that Booth's actions have kept the Southern dream alive contrasts sharply with the reality of Richmond's devastation and the flight of Confederate leader Jefferson Davis.
The episode delves into the personal motivations and the broader implications of Booth's quest to reach Richmond. His insistence on finding Davis and becoming a symbol of the Confederacy speaks to his misguided belief in the cause and his own significance within it. Meanwhile, Herold's refusal to kill the horses under Booth's command adds a layer of complexity to their relationship, hinting at the internal conflicts and the moral quandaries faced by those involved in the conspiracy.
President Andrew Johnson's (Glenn Morshower) frustration with Edwin Stanton's (Tobias Menzies) reconstruction plan and his demand for immediate victories in his new role underscore the political turmoil and the struggle for power in the wake of Lincoln's death. Johnson's pardoning of racist police officer Frank Leech (Ted Welch) and his plans for amnesty for the Confederacy further exacerbate the tensions between him and Stanton, who is determined to hold the traitors accountable.
The flashback to Lincoln's (Hamish Linklater) meeting with Stanton and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Elvis Nolasco) adds depth to the historical context, emphasizing Lincoln's commitment to securing lasting freedom for slaves and the role of the Underground Railroad in this mission. Stanton's struggle with asthma throughout the episode serves as a metaphor for the suffocation of progress and the challenges in enforcing freedom in a divided nation.
The plot thickens as the manhunt extends to Montreal, where Wallace (Josh Stewart), posing as a Confederate, uncovers the involvement of Confederate financier George Sanders (Anthony Marble) in the assassination plot. Stanton's journey to Canada to extradite John Surratt Jr. (Joshua Mikel) adds an international dimension to the story, as he discovers Booth's name on a ship's manifest and a trunk full of costumes, indicating a plan to fake Booth's death.
The episode concludes with Stanton realizing the extent of the conspiracy and the role of the media in shaping public perception. Sanders' acquisition of a newspaper and the publication of a cartoon depicting Stanton working alongside Booth highlight the battle for control over the narrative. Stanton's challenge is to counteract the misinformation and expose the true extent of the conspiracy, as Sanders and his confederates plot to restore the slave trade under the guise of Johnson's pardons.
"Let the Sheep Flee" is a gripping installment of Manhunt that deepens the conspiracy and raises the stakes for the characters involved. It explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the struggle for power in a nation still reeling from the aftermath of a presidential assassination. As the manhunt intensifies and the conspiracy widens, the episode leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, eager to see how the pieces of this historical puzzle will fall into place.