- "George, Can you see anything we could have done to stop all this?" (Orry)
- "I don't know. I think we had a chance somewhere along the line, and we missed it" (George)
It is probably the height of unreasonable simplification that two people have a power to change history. Seemingly, simple people merely drift on the waters of events and yet...a nation does not only consist of mob but should rather rely on single individuals...
Some wounds are healed, some other ones opened up... George Hazard comes to Mont Royal and apologizes to Orry for the useless quarrel at Lehigh Station that placed their friendship in jeopardy - Stick and Stump are united again; Billy and Brett finally receive Orry's long awaited blessing and get married despite the undiminished determination of some 'hostile' vipers who aim at complicating their mutual happiness. Meanwhile, Madeline flees Resolute for Mont Royal in one of the emotionally climactic moments of the episode. Cousin Charles, a true southerner for whom 'southern pride' is no slogan, experiences his bitter moments of confronting the reality in Texas (John Jakes does a great job in the novel depicting Charles at Camp Cooper, harsh expedition and the encounter with the Lantzmans and Layayette O'Dell while fighting with the Comanches). Virgilia turns into a 'bag lady' abolitionist with no means by herself relying on a carpetbag she fills to the top having set foot in her house for the last time; Stanley and Isabel never give up the unrestrained desire for power and money in the ill ambition to take over the responsibility for the foundry. Yet all stand before the political turmoil of the time, particularly George and Orry. Even if Orry may state bravely: "My deepest sympathy may be for the south," the country's destiny of civil war is slowly turning into everyone's destiny...
The secession of the south with the loud manifestation of 'southern pride' materializes when Abraham Lincoln is elected the new president of the United States. The rift between the north and the south reaches the undeniable climax on April 12th 1861 when Fort Sumter is being fired upon. 'We are now at war' becomes a statement of reality. However, is it the reality enforced upon all people? A new life in the Hazard family proves the fact there is always ... 'HOPE'...
Episode Six occurs to be an important part of the TV series as the last episode based on John Jakes's first volume of the novel NORTH AND SOUTH Book One. Pre-war reality comes to an end and the literary characters are blended with the historical ones more intensely. To view come president Abraham Lincoln played by Hol Halbrook and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln wearing flowers as jewelry. In the background, of course, as a spiteful backbone of historical moments, appears ill-mannered, ambitious, Elkanah Bent (Phillip Casnoff) with his new mistress Burdetta Halloran (Morgan Fairchild). Although there are some clichéd and weakly executed moments in the episode, including the duel between Billy Hazard and Forbes LaMotte, the following scenes are noteworthy as entertaining and absorbing:
- the scene when Constance tries to persuade Virgilia to stay at her home. The contradictory interaction between the fanatical bag lady who claims to 'have means' to survive, an abolitionist who claims 'her eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,' an extremist who has 'no tolerance for her enemies even if they come in the shape of a friend' versus a reasonable, distinguished, caring young mother/wife is beautifully executed. Besides purely marvelous performances, the moment is supplied with haunting tunes by Bill Conti. The viewer is surprised when it finally becomes clear what 'means' for living Virgilia really has;
- the wedding of Brett and Billy with a lovely little touch: Jean Simmons and Genie Francis...Brett is surely a bride the family may be proud of;
- the moment when George comes to Mont Royal in order to apologize to Orry ... "I've missed you"... (another great scene of two true friends beautifully played by Patrick Swayze and James Read)
- Orry's visit at Lehigh Station with the money from the cotton mills (true southern honor). The parents show him their joy at the youngest generation of the Hazards, their girl baby named Hope (actually, a liberty taken with the literary source where George and Constance have two children, William and Patricia) – but it is a very meaningful touch;
- an emotionally haunting scene of Madeline who flees from Resolute, wounds her tyrant husband and informs the Mains about the plot against the groom - more or less a verbatim adaptation of the novel;
- Virgilia delirious in her bed and her mother who enters the room (suffering of a mother who sees her daughter marked by suffering);
- above all, the final moment - a true gem! Stick and Stump with their 10 dollar bid again, are forced to endure a sad 'good bye' and bound to fight against each other. Will they see each other again? The quotation that marks the beginning of this review along with the lovely depiction of diverse emotions of the scene make the moment one of the most unforgettable pearls of the TV series - you will never forget the intensity of emotions as friends embrace and hold hands in the finale for NORTH AND SOUTH Book 1 directed by Richard T Heffron.
All seem to 'march into darkness' and yet, Hope makes true friends see there is a future that will preserve and protect all genuine feelings within the stormy night of cannons, battles and wounds to come...
