After the first two episodes of East of Eden, we're certainly off to the races with Steinbeck's iconic characters. In the first episode, we became acquainted with the backstory and dynamic of brothers Adam and Charles Trask, and in the second episode, we learned everything about the mysterious Cathy Ames and her past before she wed Adam and seduced Charles.
East of Eden episode 3 begins with Adam and Cathy taking their wedding portraits about one month after getting married. Charles requests to take a photo with the couple since they are moving to California. As Adam and Cathy pack up to head West, Charles appears to be taking the move hard since he's clearly fallen for Cathy... and the feeling just might be mutual.
Charles sees them off on the train and later tries to soothe the pain by sleeping with a prostitute, but he fails to be able to sleep with her and breaks down crying. On the train, Cathy throws up in the bathroom, which is a telltale sign of pregnancy. Everyone on board celebrates 1900 and rings in the new year. Once in California, Adam gifts Cathy with a shiny gold wedding present.
Adam and Cathy receive a surprise when she gives birth
Adam meets with Samuel Hamilton (Ciarán Hinds) about finding a home, and they head off on horseback to look at the vast land and possibilities. Adam wants to buy Cathy this farm to repay her for making him happy and give her the happiness she deserves. Back at the hotel, Cathy heats a knitting needle with a flame and seemingly inserts it inside herself.
Adam returns to the hotel to find her collapsed on the floor. The doctor asks Adam to leave the room to ask Cathy more questions about her attempted abortion. She nearly killed herself, but the baby is still alive. She doesn't speak to the doctor, but he threatens that she will be tried if he learns the baby has died. Cathy lies that epilepsy runs in her family and that's why she attempted to abort the baby.
Obviously, the baby. might not actually be Adam's and could be Charles', which is a secret that will remain hidden. The doctor informs Adam that Cathy is pregnant, and he's elated. Adam writes to Charles as he and workers fix up their home. He invites him to their farm but crumples up the letter. Lee (Hoon Lee) waits on Cathy and notices the change of her expression when Adam's around.
She's even more miserable during dinner with Samuel, who notices Lee's look as he stands nearby. He abruptly leaves the table and speaks with Lee on his way off the land. Lee reveals that he doesn't actually speak with an accent and that he tried to assimilate but gave up when it no longer worked. Samuel asks if there's something wrong with the Trasks, and Lee admits Cathy acts strangely.
While in the bathtub, Cathy admits to Adam that she didn't want to come to California and shares her intention to leave as soon as she can. In the days ahead, Cathy goes into labor and Samuel assists with the birth. He tries to calm her down, but she bites his hand and draws blood. Unexpectedly, Cathy delivers two boys from their own sacs. She tells Adam she doesn't want them.
Cathy shoots Adam and abandons her children
Cathy hides her face and tells Adam to take the babies away and leave her alone. She insists that she won't change her mind about the babies. Since Cathy won't take care of the babies, Samuel's wife Liza and Lee step in to help. The next day, Cathy finally emerges from bed and asks Adam to accompany her on a walk through the garden. She wants new bottles for the babies, too.
Since they have given Lee the night off, it's up to Adam to take care of them. Cathy unlocks her bedroom door and is dressed, prepared to leave as she warned Adam she would. He pushes her to the ground after she tells him to throw the babies in one of the wells. He then locks her inside the bedroom, and she begs him with apologies to let him out so they can talk about it.
When he unlocks the door, she shoots him in the arm and grabs her bags, walking away without another word. She leaves the gun on a nearby stand before walking down the stairs. Lee returns to the property and hears the babies crying from a distance. Inside the dark house, he finds Adam lying on the ground on the second floor. When the sheriff arrives, he lies that he accidentally shot himself.
Sheriff Quinn doesn't believe him, calls Lee by a racial slur, and asks to speak with Cathy. When Lee announces that Cathy has "gone away," Quinn asks if Cathy shot him. The sheriff threatens to arrest Adam if he doesn't tell the truth. He admits his wife had a secret he never asked about. Samuel pushes Adam to finally name his sons since they are now walking.
Samuel recommends the names Caleb and Aron, which Adam agrees to. Adam gets a pep talk on fatherhood from Samuel, and he continues to ask if there's any news about Cathy's whereabouts. When Adam reaches his hand out to Aron, the baby pulls his hand away. It's clear that the boys don't know him as well as they should, but by the looks of it, that will soon change.
Watch East of Eden only on Netflix.
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