It’s Day 40 and the psy ops continue outside. Inside folks are stir crazy. Thibodeau is playing the drums and Steve is eating food warmed by a lantern. The women and children are holed up in the freezer which is something of a bunker with the power out.
Day breaks. Noesner is trying to get through but David stopped answering the phone. The radio host is talking about the situation again. He’s got a theology expert on and then takes a call. David and everyone else are listening. It’s one of the cameramen outside. He points out that there is a satellite dish on top of the compound.
He thinks it would be cool if the folks inside could use it to listen to the show and communicate. They are so they do. Next thing Prince knows, some lawyers stroll up saying they represent David and Steve. Prince doesn’t want to but they argue their case and get a chance to go inside.
The lawyers talk to David and Steve though several others listen in. They figure this case is self-defense and the evidence speaks for itself. They want to go for a full acquittal. They leave and David tells them he will be in touch. He and Steve stand on the porch and bask in the fresh air. David sees all of this as a sign.
Noesner’s phone rings. It’s David talking of miracles. He got his sign from God. They are coming out. He wants to transcribe his version of the Seven Seals and then they will come out. Steve looks pleased as punch to hear that but Noesner makes David definitively say that when he is done they will come out.
He hangs up and Noesner goes to tell Prince and Rogers. He points out that David said he didn’t plan to die in the compound. The latter is not happy but Prince is willing to give him the week David asked for so long as he works out the details during that time. Steve announces it to everyone else inside.
They all seem relieved. Noesner, Rogers and Prince talk to the lawyers to go over the terms. Rogers has issues but Prince agrees to the terms. Thibodeau and Michele talk about what they are going to do when they get out. He figures he will go to jail and she tells him that when he gets out she will be waiting to drive him home.
David dictates his manuscript as Judy types it on a typewriter. Prince wants proof. Noesner talks to Steve and says that they need something to show. Steve says he’ll see what he can do but when Noesner goes to relay the message he finds out Prince flew back to DC. Steve tries to get pages from David but ends up getting yelled at.
Prince and Rogers went back to DC. They make a case for the attorney general to be allowed to use tear gas. She asks questions about the kids inside and Rogers tells her that they are still being abusive. She says she will take the case to the president.
Day 50 and they are back in Texas. Rogers is looking at something on a truck and Noesner sees. He checks it and sees the tear gas. He confronts Prince but comes up empty. He calls Steve because he needs pages but Steve just relays David’s message. Noesner starts yelling and Prince cuts the line.
He sends Noesner home. He’s done. Rogers says he had two months but it didn’t work. Prince tells him to leave even after Noesner pleads with him to not use the gas. Noesner gets his stuff and starts to wrap up. He points out that before they showed up the sheriff kept David in line by talking.
The tanks roll through the yard again as David watches. Thibodeau comes to get him because the FBI is on the phone and it sounds important. David takes the call, ready to yell at Noesner and finds out that he was reassigned. He asks the assistant what they want and why they are destroying evidence. He says they want a peaceful resolution but David doesn’t buy it.
It’s Day 51 and the psy ops are still going strong. Steve is asleep but Thibodeau is up. He answers the phone and they ask for Steve. Thibodeau wakes him as Wayne yells about the tanks. The FBI tells Steve that it is tear gas not an assault but Steve says that they had a deal. He pulls the phone out and throws it at the tanks, yelling for everyone to put gas masks on.
Thibodeau and Steve run to tell David. He wants to talk to the FBI but now there is no phone so he tells them where to put everyone. Steve wants to leave though. David thinks this is just a way to contain his message. Walter from the FBI gets on the PA to keep repeating that it is not an assault and the gas is non-lethal.
After running around the compound to find Michele, Thibodeau tracks her down and brings her and her kid to the bunker. He gives them his gas mask. A small fire starts but Steve puts it out. Noesner gets home to find his wife watching the siege on television. Gas continues to pour in as Judy makes her way through the upstairs. She finds Rachel trapped by some debris.
Judy rescues her and relays David’s instructions but Rachel has had enough. She starts leading her kids elsewhere and Judy follows. The men are in the chapel listening to radio. Outside Prince gets word that there are people gathered in the vault where the gas can’t penetrate. He relays it to Prince who orders the tanks to break in there. They do.
David tries to break into the bunker through the debris from the outside while Judy, Rachel and the kids get to the back entrance. Its blocked and they can’t escape that way. Rogers watches and is confused as to why no one is coming out. Women and children start to drop in the bunker.
Noesner and his wife watch. So do Thibodeau and David’s mothers. Prince is watching too and sees a fire start. The men in the chapel see the fire too and Thibodeau takes off running. The women in the vault lay down. Rachel and Judy are still trying to escape but it’s no use. David is crying and sees the tank come into the kitchen.
He gets up and starts walking back through the compound. He passes Thibodeau who runs and jumps out. He is taken into custody yelling for Michele. Noesner outs his head in his hands as he sees the compound go up in flames. Rogers gets to Thibodeau and asks where the kids are. Thibodeau just keeps repeating Michele so he takes off.
Rachel is still trying to get out. She’s dragging her kids toward and opening and screaming. Rogers finds her and tries to pull her through and opening. She tells him that they give up and he keeps yanking her arm and yelling for help. He can’t get her out.
Steve walks through the upstairs and finds David just sitting there. David takes off his mask and nods and Steve shoots him in the head. He starts crying and then puts the gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger. The compound burns as agents lead Thibodeau away. Rogers and Prince can do nothing but watch.
Noesner cries. Prince holds a press conference announcing the survivors. Thibodeau’s mother is thrilled to hear his name but immediately comforts David’s mother. The radio host goes on the air explaining that both sides are pointing fingers at the other for starting the fire. He lists several other uses of tear gas that ended in flames.
He points out the FBI knew it could happen and did not have a plan in case it did. Thibodeau gets released from custody and his mom is waiting for him. They hug and cry. In DC, Noesner is at the Capitol to testify. Thibodeau is there too.
They look at each other and Noesner seems to want to say something. He doesn’t though. Thibodeau later goes back to the site. All that’s left standing is the bunker. He walks around and finds the necklace he gave Michele’s daughter for her birthday.
I mean. You can’t really know the specific conversations that happened outside of those involving Thibodeau and even that you have to take with a grain of salt but I feel really bad for Rachel and Judy and those kids if it actually was a case where they were trying to get out and the way was blocked. Overall I thought this was well done, especially because they didn’t actually pick a side as far as the cause of the fire is concerned. I’m glad it was a miniseries because a movie would have been too short but any more episodes would’ve just been dragging it out.