Under God's Power She Flourishes
Boardwalk Empire | Season 2 | Episode 11

Under God's Power She Flourishes

TV-MA | 59 MIN

Written by Howard Korder
Directed by Allen Coulter

Usable Weapons

Flashing back to Jimmy's college days, a younger Angela sneaks out of Jimmy's Princeton dorm. In class, Jimmy reads Jacobean literature and after upsetting his classmates with a joke about the war, gets some advice from his professor: Without the advantages of his well-to-do classmates, he'll need to marshal his thoughts and feelings into a usable weapon.

In the present, Bill Fallon tells Nucky Esther Randolph is out to get him for the murder of Hans Schroeder. When Fallon mentions that Agent Van Alden will also testify, Nucky's hired servant Harlan reveals his congregation witnessed Van Alden drowning his partner Sebso.

Maintaining Faith

Van Alden explains to Sigrid why he is not close with his family: His father was a doomsday believer who can't stand the sight of his son since it means the world did not end. Sigrid reassures Van Alden that he is a good man who needn't be afraid.

Margaret and Father Brennan encourage Emily as she takes her first steps in her new leg braces. The priest tells Margaret the Parable of the Spoons – rewards will come to those who help others. He thanks her for her donations to the church and urges her to continue expressing her devotion. When Margaret tries to discuss it with Nucky, he argues what's happening is purely bad luck, not divine retribution. Learning that Eli might be testifying against him, Nucky tells Margaret most of his money is tied up in 160,000 acres of land that will be transferred over to her for safekeeping.

Odd Man Out

Eli's lawyer, Douglas Wallbridge, tells him that Halloran is accusing him of murdering Hans Schroeder at Nucky's command. Wallbridge advises him to cooperate so Randolph won't pursue the death penalty.

Angela and Louise's bodies are removed from the house, but Gillian refuses to answer questions about Jimmy's whereabouts. When a sheriff's deputy tries to talk to Harrow, Gillian dismisses him as a simpleton. Harrow walks away and examines a pool of Angela's blood.

Lucky, Lansky, Capone and Doyle meet at the warehouse to take stock of the remaining inventory from Remus. Until Mickey explains Manny Horvitz was behind Angela's murder, the others assume Jimmy killed her and ran off. The men decide to sell Jimmy's liquor and split the earnings. Doyle protests when he's told his share will only be 5 percent, but shuts up when Lansky reminds him Rothstein holds a $500,000 life insurance policy on his life.

A Jacobean Tragedy

Back in the Princeton flashback, Jimmy helps Gillian unpack when she arrives for a visit. He tells her about Angela; Gillian explains the man she was seeing turned out to be married. Angela meets Gillian at the student mixer. As Jimmy watches Gillian flirt with his professor, Angela tells him she is pregnant. Jimmy promises they'll get a place together. Increasingly drunk, Jimmy spots Gillian in disarray after being manhandled, and confronts his professor, beating him to Gillian's satisfaction, while Angela watches horrified. Both drunk, Jimmy helps his mother back to her hotel and into bed and Gillian tells him there's no one else for her. She begins kissing him and, with her reassurance, the two sleep together. Jimmy wakes up alone and watches student-cadets reporting for maneuvers. He approaches a recruiter to enlist in the war, describing himself as an orphan whose brother died on the Lusitania.

Lasting Impressions

Randolph and her team puzzle over Margaret's involvement in Schroeder's death. When asked for his opinion of her, Van Alden says Margaret left no impression on him, and then signs his divorce papers. Van Alden goes to see Doyle who asks him to raid the warehouse in exchange for $100,000 but the agent turns him down.

Owen encounters Margaret in the kitchen adjusting Emily's braces. Helping her sand down a rough edge, he tells her he thinks about her. Katy walks in and overhears the conversation.

Called to Account

Van Alden arrives at the post office to find Fallon, Randolph and Deacon Cuffy waiting for him. Fallon shows Van Alden the possessions of his deceased partner, Agent Sebso, and as Lathrop begins to detain him, Van Alden bolts.

Margaret gets upset when she is subpoenaed and Nucky tells her to let Fallon handle it—Van Alden has been discounted as a witness. She insists she is being called to account for her sins—stealing, cheating and lying. Nucky asks for details, but instead of revealing what happened between her and Owen, she says she is living with the man who had her husband murdered. Furious at the accusation, Nucky reminds her he has given her everything -- and she is not going to ruin what he has achieved.

Back in Atlantic City recovering from a heroin-induced haze, Jimmy stares blankly as Gillian explains how they'll spin Angela's death to Tommy. Overcome, Jimmy tries to strangle his mother but the Commodore intervenes by spearing him in the shoulder. The two wrestle until Jimmy stabs the Commodore with his trench knife; Gillian tells him to finish the job. Jimmy wavers in and out of sleep, only partly aware that Harrow is cleaning up the murder scene. Gillian brings Tommy downstairs to show him everything is OK when the boy wakes from a bad dream. Gillian promises her son everything will be better now.

HBO Max