Preacher Review: Les Enfants du Sang (Season 3 Episode 6)

While Preacher Season 3 Episode 6, “Les Enfants du Sang,” is all about Jesse and Tulip’s continued journey to break free of Gran’ma, the real shining stars are Eugene and Cassidy.

We haven’t seen Eugene “Arseface” Root since the end of last season, when he and Hitler broke out of hell. Throughout this entire season, I have waited for a glimpse of him.

Previously, when The Saint of Killers made an appearance and was given the job of bringing some souls back to Hell, I prayed this meant not only Hitler, but also Eugene. Imagine my excitement when the episode opens with Eugene!

While he isn’t in the majority of the episode, his few scenes are well worth it for me, since I’m a fan of his.

Ian Colletti is a master of grasping our attention in the most subtle ways. Despite Eugene’s facial deformity, Colletti’s acting gets audiences to see beyond his face and into his soul.

Eugene: God’s got something to do with everything.

Eugene’s simple yet determined faith in God is in stark contrast to the rest of the characters. Whereas everyone else has lost faith in God and given up on even trying to find him, Eugene never stops believing. Even in hell, Eugene believed that he survived because it is God’s plan for him.

That bit of faith is just what Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy all need in their current predicaments. These three have issues with trust and faith in each other. It’s what creates the most conflict from episode to episode.

Part of the reason why Cassidy is always angry and separated from Jesse and Tulip is that he can’t trust them to have his back or even really appreciate what he can offer. That is why seeing Cassidy connect with another vampire in New Orleans gives me hope that he may find what he longs for yet.

Despite his snarky comments and his blasé attitude, Cassidy really just wants to feel like he has a place where he belongs. He sees being a vampire as a curse. He hides his loneliness with drugs and alcohol.

Maybe meeting this other vampire is just what he needs to realize there is more to his eternal “life” than what Jesse and Tulip have to offer.

Cassidy: What’s wrong is being a vampire sucks.
Eccarius: Does it really?
Cassidy: Really.
Eccarius: Maybe you’ve been doing it wrong.

“Les Enfants du Sang” is really a look into the heart and soul of Cassidy, underneath his tough exterior. All this time, he has been telling everyone that Jesse and Tulip are his friends. However, a trip to Angelville, a fist fight with Jesse, and a return to New Orleans all culminate in this one moment of realization for him.

In scoffing at his new vampire friend, Cassidy realizes just what he missed by trying to blend in with humans. I hope that this leads him down the path of true vampirism. It’s what he deserves.

As for his “friends” Jesse and Tulip — and I use this term loosely, given how easily they constantly dismiss him — their faith in one another is really coming into conflict with Gran’ma. With Tulip’s life linked to Gran’ma’s, their priorities have to change in order to find a long-term solution.

As much as I sing the praises of Tulip as a singular, badass woman in her own right, I will admit there are parts of her I don’t like.

Sure, it’s okay with me that she uses men to her advantage sometimes, but I don’t enjoy it all the time. Honestly, I’m only okay with it when she does it to characters like TC and Jody — even Jesse, from time to time.

However, when she calls up Cass at the end of the episode and runs the whole show, I find myself bothered by her. She is a champion for letting her voice be heard and letting herself be victorious in all facets of life. So why can’t she show the same courtesy to a man she calls her friend?

She calls up Cassidy and immediately blathers on about everything they’ve been doing, barely even acknowledging that they abandoned him in New Orleans “for his protection.” Then she has the audacity to ask him to hold on.

It’s like Tulip is basically telling Cassidy that he isn’t worthy enough to come back and help them in their fight against Gran’ma — that he’s done all he’s good for and is no longer useful.

This is a moment when Joseph Gilgun’s body language shines as bright as the moon up above. He speaks volumes without saying a word. The whole time Tulip is talking, you see Cass physically get smaller and smaller.

Gilgun doesn’t move his body much, per se, but the audience feels like he does. His facial expression continues to sink lower and lower the more Tulip talks. Then when he finally does speak, his tone breaks your heart.

Tulip: You better just hang in there and stay alive.
Cassidy: I’ve been alive for 119 years. You and Jesse’s of this world, I’ve been through thousands of them. I’ll go through thousands more. I don’t hang around for people. They move on.

What’s even more heartbreaking is that Tulip doesn’t even seem to react to his tone. Granted, she gets drugged and dragged away by Gran’ma not long after that, but still. I don’t have much faith that she will even address it with Jesse once she is free from Gran’ma’s clutches.

I don’t have faith in Jesse being any better of a friend to Cass either. If Tulip does tell him in the future, I think he’s more likely to dismiss it as not important rather than actually worry about it. For a “man of faith,” Jesse really doesn’t walk the life of a man who has faith in anything he can’t clearly see.

While that is the point of him being the protagonist, I just wish it made him a bit more selfless towards his friends. It’s not just Cassidy who deserves better, but Tulip as well.

Ultimately, the battle that is going to commence this season is a matter of faith. It would make me one really happy fan if I get to see Eugene and Cassidy at the center of that battle. After all, they represent the polar opposite points of the faith spectrum.

Further Preachings:

• The dynamic between Herr Starr and Allfather is causing me to be sympathetic to Herr Starr. Which scares me a bit.
• I’m sad to see Madame Boyd go. She’s another complex female character that really makes this show great.

What did you think of this episode of Preacher? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Catch up with our review of Preacher Season 3 Episode 4, “The Tombs,” right here.

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Preacher airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC.

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