There’s a great scene in episode two of Outer Range where Royal asks to say grace, descending into an aggressive rant where he doubts God and becomes enraged by the things he cannot explain.
At the time, we don’t really know why Royal is having a nervous breakdown, other than the murder cover-up and this strange alien portal. It’s a very obvious depiction of mental instability, but a shocking and entertaining one at that. Cecilia’s breakdown is addressed in a totally different and equally perplexing way.
She is Royal’s wife and the rock of the Abbott family, keeping everyone else stable. Yet she struggles to keep herself sane as things start to fall apart.
Cecilia Abbott
Mother to Perry and Rhett, grandmother to Amy, Cecilia is the supportive and nurturing foundation of the Abbott family. A religious and level-headed woman who stands by her husband’s side through thick and thin.
Many would see Cecilia as a stereotypical mother figure, happy to do the household chores and look after the children, yet there is a deeper, more profound side to Royal’s wife and the series gives her the space to explore the female’s perspective on the strange goings on down at the ranch.
Cecilia is damaged by all the lies just as much as the other family members, when they agree to cover for Perry with regards to Trevor’s murder. It just takes longer for the cracks to visibly show on the mother.
At first she can’t cope with a distant Royal, who keeps multiple secrets from her and she decides to have her own. In one of the shows more bizarre plot points, Cecilia finds a dead bear cub and stores the corpse in an outhouse.
This bear cub represents many possibilities. It could be her guilt towards Trevor’s death, a symbol of her mental state or just a distraction from the issues at hand. In another surreal moment she cuts herself against the bear’s teeth.
Maybe the self-harm is a coping mechanism as she feels separated from her lover and can’t fathom all the cruelty in the world. This strange scenario leads to one moment of madness when she is attacked by the parent of the dead bear. This gripping scene shows a different side to Cecilia as she kills the animal with only a hint of remorse.
Cecilia continues with the cover up and questions Royal as much as she can, with little respite. She struggles to find any comfort in church or her bible group and even refuses communion.
This is a woman on the verge of a breakdown, who appears to be losing her own faith due to the tragedies around her. The finale pushes her over the edge as she loses both her sons and Amy in the process. The final declaration of her anger is summed up perfectly in the final moments.
Cecilia kicks over the family table, after preparing a meal no one will eat. This destructive act is even more powerful when you consider her mild mannered ways in the opening episode compared with this final scene. Hopefully Cecilia can find her faith in a second season and regain some stability to her life.
