Brother Pratt & Abish’s Fates In American Primeval Explained

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for American Primeval!

Brother Pratt and Abish Pratt are two of the most significant characters in American Primevaland here are their fates in the new Netflix Western miniseries explained. Dane DeHaan’s Jacob Pratt and Saura Lightfoot-Leon’s Abish Pratt are two of the many travelers who were victims of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, with Jacob being severely wounded and Abish being kidnapped by Red Feather’s Shoshone tribe. Throughout American PrimevalJacob goes on a quest across the frontier to find his wife, and here is how this exciting revenge storyline ends.

American Primeval is one of Netflix’s most exciting shows of 2025, with the series being created by The Revenant screenwriter Mark L. Smith. The show mainly follows Sara Rowell, a fugitive who travels across the frontier with her son in order to find their husband. While Sara is the main character of American PrimevalJacob Pratt is one of the most important supporting characters, with him having to unknowingly work with the Mormons who carried out the Mountain Meadows Massacre in order to locate his wife.

Why The Shoshone Never Killed Abish Themselves

She Wasn’t Afraid Of Death

Although the Shoshone tribe almost immediately kills the other hostages after the Mountain Meadows Massacre, they choose to leave Abish alive, with it never fully being explained why they do this. However, it seems that Abish not being fearful of death impressed Red Featherwith them deciding to take her in. Although Abish initially has conflicts with Red Feather’s tribe, she soon creates bonds with the various members, with her being accepted into the ways of the Shoshone people.

Despite having seen her Mormon sisters be killed at the hands of her captors, Abish almost never shows fear, with this being key to her survival. After her necklace is stolen, Abish decides to loudly confront the man who took it, with this act of defiance highlighting how Abish lacks all fear. So, while Abish doesn’t make it out of American Primeval alive, this isn’t the fault of herself or Red Feather’s Shoshone tribe.

The Meaning Of Jacob Killing Abish

He Was Behind Her Death

In the American Primeval finale, Jacob Pratt joins the Nauvoo Legion, with them battling against Red Feather’s Shoshone tribe. The two warring American Primeval factions begin massacring each otherwith the violent climax of the series featuring all kinds of major character deaths. However, the most tragic moment in the battle sees a masked Jacob shoot who he believes to be another member of Red Feather’s Wolf Clan of warriors. However, it instead turns out to be Abish, with her wearing the makeup and clothing of the Shoshone.

Jacob almost immediately realizes his mistake, with him running to Abish and holding her in his arms as she dies. Throughout American PrimevalJacob’s hatred for Red Feather and the Shoshone people grew as he attempted to find his wife, with him believing that they were behind the Mountain Meadows Massacre. By killing Abish, American Primeval shows that Jacob’s growing hatred has taken away the man he once was. It was his actions that led to Abish’s death, with his hatred causing the death of the one person who he still cared about at the end of American Primeval.

Why Brother Pratt Took His Own Life After Killing Abish

It Is One Of The Show’s Saddest Moments

After realizing that he has shot and killed Abish, Brother Pratt turns his gun on himself, with him ending his own life. This may seem surprising to viewers of American Primevalas Abish had survived all kinds of hardships throughout the show, with him never succumbing to death before the finale. However, Jacob Pratt made this tragic choice for two main reasons. Firstly, Jacob knows that he could never live with the guilt of being behind his own wife’s deathwith him alone being the one who shot and killed Abish.

Secondly, the Mountain Meadows Massacre meant that everything else had been taken from Jacob, with him believing that Abish is all that he had left. Since Abish is now dead, Jacob believed that taking his own life was better than starting over. It is possible that Jacob wasn’t scared of this choice for the same reasons that Abish wasn’t scared of death, with him possibly believing that he was moving into the Mormon afterlife. While Jacob’s death is a tragic end to American Primevalit is just one of the many tragedies seen throughout the Netflix miniseries.