“The Murder of Jesse James” is episode twelve of season one of Timeless.
At the end of the previous episode, “The World’s Columbian Exposition”, Flynn called Wyatt and gave him what he promised in “The Capture of Benedict Arnold” if they helped stop Rittenhouse – which they did, by helping to kill the titular founder – the name of the man who killed Wyatt’s wife. He even told Wyatt what prison the man is currently serving time in. Of course, this gesture does as much harm as good, for Wyatt cannot travel back to stop the murder – he could only travel back to kill the murderer’s parents, or something similar. In other words, doing the same thing that Flynn is doing.
This episode opens with Wyatt going to the prison to see the murderer of his wife – who claims that he doesn’t remember her. Wyatt says that all he needs to know is if the man did do it. As he’s already never getting out of prison, it won’t make any difference. The killer says that he does remember Wyatt and his wife – and that he would change things if he could. But he can’t. Wyatt says, unless he had a time machine.
Lucy comes home to find her sister – who was erased from history following the events of “Pilot” – in her home. But her sister says she isn’t there, that she’s worse than dead – and that Lucy doesn’t care. This is just a nightmare.
Jiya is being trained to become the next lifeboat pilot, replacing Rufus in six months. Rufus had said in the previous episode that he would help kill Flynn, but wouldn’t help Rittenhouse any other way. Which is why Rittenhouse is training his replacement, after which Rufus becomes expendable. Mason says that he’s picked a side, like Rufus said. Only not the one Rufus wanted.
Flynn has jumped back to April 3rd, 1882, the day Jesse James was shot in the back by his partners, the Ford brothers (in particular Robert), in exchange for a reward and a pardon. As they were about to shoot him, whilst he was dusting a painting of all things, Flynn enters and shoots them both dead. Lucy’s guess as to why Flynn wants a bank robber may be because he wants to rob something. The nightmare with her sister has shaken her.
Flynn is heading into hostile Native American country – Indian Territory – with Jesse James, because Flynn is looking for someone important. He is following a cause, but James only wants money. So Flynn pays him. James tells Flynn that he was once just like him -a killer looking for a reason to kill. Otherwise known as a cause. The others follow him, but they first need to hire a local guide, the man on whom the Lone Ranger is apparently based on. There are several possibilities for his origin; Bass Reeves is the one picked. Rufus is as a result impressed, as Reeves was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. Reeves is initially not interested but, because Lucy knows his history, she talks him around. However, Reeves want to capture, not kill.
The person that Flynn is looking for is not at all what might be expected. Back in the present, Jiya is training on the simulator to use the lifeboat, but it seems her own suspicions may have been triggered by Mason – and she finds out something that is connected to what Flynn is doing.