Preacher Review: The Lost Apostle (Season 4 Episode 6)

God and Jesse finally have a showdown — sort of — on Preacher Season 4 Episode 6, “The Lost Apostle.” This season has been leading up to the battle between these two but, no one is expecting it to go down as it does.

The reunion between Cass, Tulip, and Jesse is quick and a long time coming. While the timing isn’t right for the three of them to really have a heart-to-heart, there should have been at least something. 

These characters have been so complicatedly connected for the whole series and time after time the real heart of the matter gets shoved aside. While that makes for great television — because of all the action we get instead — it leaves much to be desired in the character development department.

Character development is something I have always felt Preacher struggles with. The show will create a moment that is wonderful and forward-moving for a character and then do nothing with that to further the character’s growth. 

The lack of consistency is what prevents the show from moving ahead of good and becoming great. As we move into the final episodes of Preacher, I am starting to lose hope in the further strengthening of the dynamic between Tulip, Cassidy, and Jesse.

As it stands this trio is mediocre at best when they could be great and blow everything out of the water. This whole penultimate showdown could’ve come sooner and been stronger if they weren’t constantly fighting with each other. 

This continuous infighting is what holds these characters back from reaching their full potential.

Cassidy is an immortal vampire, and yet we haven’t really seen him use that to his advantage consistently since Season 2. Tulip and Jesse are strong and independently talented and yet they continue to hold back in order to work together. 

If Tulip could just get her mind away from constantly wanting to help Jesse and reunite with him, she could really take this world by storm.

In fact, I believe that if she wasn’t so focused on Jesse — who she is still mad at — she could have really made it harder for Herr Starr to initiate his apocalyptic plan. She could have gone back with Jesus and worked to delay Phase 2 from happening.

That being said, their ability to come together and fight as one at the tail end of “The Lost Apostle” is the dynamic that this trio should strive to be all the time. While it didn’t quite work out the way they hoped, it is one of the best showings of them combining their strengths for a cause we’ve seen on Preacher ever.

With Jesse sacrificing himself to save Tulip and Cassidy, does that now mean they will be able to showcase their talents more fully? Will our desires for their character development actually come to fruition? 

It all depends on what Jesse’s fate is because, whether we like it or not, the three of them are intrinsically linked to one another. Preacher has made it look as though Jesse is dead, but there are still 4 episodes left in the final season, and I don’t think that fate is set in stone. 

What would be cool is if the show decides to take things towards the direction of Jesse changing the world for good. It will not only be an erasure of God’s maniacal thinking but also of Jesse’s past misdeeds. 

That would be the greatest ending to a show all about what makes us worthy of heaven vs. hell and how the actions of humans need to be answered for. What if Jesse becomes that “messiah” all though he turned down that role in the past?

It is easy to assume that his death on “The Lost Apostle” could lead to a run in heaven or even hell. Jesse has been our anti-hero this whole time, and now it seems as though he must choose between dying and actually taking on the burden of saving humanity. 

With Jesse’s fate up in the air we are left wondering what this means for everyone else. We have discussed that it could be of great benefit for the development of Tulip and Cassidy. 

What about everyone else linked to Jesse? The Saint of Killers and Eugene are the first who come to mind, but there is also Herr Starr and Featherstone.

How are all these players going to end their journeys by that final episode? With the apocalypse in Phase 2, what does that mean for the full apocalypse plan? 

Did God mean for Jesse to die or was that an accidental oversight? My money is on God meant for it to happen because, with Jesse out of the way, God no longer has anyone stopping him from creating the end of the world.

Just when I thought this show couldn’t twist things around anymore, “The Lost Apostle” happens, and I am left shell shocked. It’s putting me on the edge of my seat for the fifth week in a row. To be honest, Season 4 is shaping up to be Preacher‘s best season yet.

Further Preachings:

• Jesus, Hitler, and Starr were the comedy of this episode. Hitler asking Jesus about death bed conversions is everything.
• Also, Starr forcing Jesus and Hitler to decide which souls go where after the apocalypse — I want in on that meeting. I’d be interested to know who went where.
• Jesse using Genesis to force Cassidy to let go had me in tears. Their friendship is my favorite part of this show.

What did you think of this episode of Preacher? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Be sure to catch up with our review of Preacher Season 4 Episode 5, “Bleak City” right here!

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Preacher airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC.

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