On the surface, Netflix’s The Abandons looks like just another gritty Western Action drama with guns and clouds of dust. But if you take a step back to look at it properly, you’d discover that the conflicts in the show aren’t just over land or silver, but for the soul of Angel’s Ridge itself. Simply put, there’s something deeper driving all that chaos.
The show follows a family of orphans and misfits, all led by the fierce mama bear Fiona Nolan (Lena Headey). They’re just trying to keep their land from the clutches of a wealthy mining tycoon named Constance Van Ness (Gillian Anderson) who wants to take everything for herself and her family. While guns and fists fly, the deepest cut comes from a clash of beliefs: Fiona’s strong Catholic faith versus Constance’s trust in the religion of cold, hard wealth and power.
Fiona’s Catholic Faith Shapes Her Toughest And Boldest Actions
Right off the bat, the show makes it clear that Fiona’s Catholic faith isn’t just something she does on Sundays, it’s like a voice in her head all the time, especially when things get messy. You can see her strong convictions clearly in episode 1, “Orphans”, when she finishes off an already injured Willem Van Ness (Toby Hemingway), who, by the way, tried to force himself on Dahlia (Diana Silvers). Moments before she commits the act, the camera shows her clutching her rosary in her room, a scene that suggests she’s seeking guidance from a higher power.
Then later, in episode 2, “The Hunt”, when a visibly shaken Dahlia worries about confessing the murder to a priest, Fiona’s advice is fierce and loaded: “What happened to Willem wasn’t your fault. Any burden you feel, give it to God.” That wasn’t just the mum in her talking, it’s also the Catholic in her. It shows she’s quite used to the idea of sin and guilt, and giving it to God. In this case, she uses religion as a shield to hide a sin as grievous as murder.
Throughout the season, it’s quite clear that Fiona isn’t fazed by much. But the thing that almost breaks her is when Father Duffy (Timothy V. Murphy) switches teams. One minute, he’s her friend, hearing all her secrets and representing God’s mercy, and the next, he’s on his way to sell her out to her biggest rival. You can see the faith literally drain from her face when she discovers that her safe space, the confessional, was about to become a weapon against her. After that, her prayers change. They become less about asking for guidance and more about hurling angry questions at God. Overall, her faith doesn’t necessarily disappear; it just gets meaner, more personal, and way more desperate.
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Constance Van Ness Uses Wealth and Power Instead of Faith To Control The Frontier
Constance Van Ness is technically a Protestant, but don’t let that fool you. To her, religion is just an old-timey rulebook for people who aren’t playing to win. Her real faith? Power and money. It’s that simple. You see it right from the jump when Fiona talks about “God-given rights,” Constance doesn’t even argue. She just looks bored and then smirks before replying, “If I knew I was getting a sermon, I would have won my Sunday finery.” She thinks Fiona’s whole belief system is just an act, a pointless show that gets in the way of getting things done in Angel’s Ridge.
Another major difference between the two women, especially about how they treat religion, is how they pray. When Fiona prays, she uses a rosary and bows her head in reverence. But for Constance, prayer involves making a power move. For instance, when her son, Willem, goes missing, she hires a dangerous outlaw named Xavier Roache (Michael Huisman) to find him. And when Fiona and the rest of the have-nots insist on not selling their land, she resorts to threats and intimidation to force them to play ball. To her, none of this is a sin; it’s just how the game is played.
Her coldest power move happens in episode 5, “The Joaquins.” Here, the marshals find a dead soldier’s body and bring it to her to identify. Perhaps, it’s her missing son. Constance knows it’s not her son, but she goes along with it anyway. She uses it to throw a huge public funeral, playing the grieving mother so everyone feels sorry for her and turns against her enemies. In short, there’s no right or wrong for Constance. There’s only what works, and the truth is whatever story she’s telling that day.
So when you watch, don’t just watch the shootouts. Watch the stares. Fiona is fighting for her home, her family, and her soul. Constance is also fighting for her family and the empire at large, but the main difference is that she sold her soul a long time ago. That final episode 7 showdown in the burning Van Ness mansion? That’s not just two people trying to kill each other. That’s their whole world, everything they believe in, going up in flames.
Stream The Abandons on Netflix and watch for these moments where religion is the real troublemaker.
