BIG LOVE questions (mainly, why did Bill marry Nicky?)

[Sampiro]

I don't have HBO but I've watched the first season on DVD and seen a few episodes this season. I may have missed something though: why did Bill marry Nicky?

I know that when Barb got cancer he took her back to Juniper Creek and Nicky nursed her, and it was agreed that when she died he would marry Nicky to be mother to his kids. BUT,

1- Why on Earth did he go back to Juniper Creek? There's no hospital there and he was expelled from the place.

2- Why did he still marry her when Barb lived? I'd have thought that a member of Roman's family would be the last person he'd want to become involved with.

Has it ever explained the above?

Other questions:

-Alby's faked seizure with the gay guy- has there been any follow-up on that this season?

-Bill's father Frank has several other wives, but has it mentioned whether or not he has kids with them? The implication (when they were expelled) were that Bill and Joey are his only kids (Joey/Wanda were expelled when Frank and the wives were but no other kids came with them). I also wondered this when Ernest Holloway (the old man whose shares Bill bought) and his wives left the compound- if he had that many wives, wouldn't it stand to reason he has many children he has to worry about leaving behind? That's the whole point of polygamy, after all.)

-Has it ever explored (this season) the Embry's church? Obviously it's not as backwards as Juniper Creek and it would seem to give the Henricksens a much needed place to socialize. Certainly the Embrys are good friends and like-minded, so it would seem that their church would be accepting of the Henricksens.

-Does anybody else think the series is leading to Bill returning to/taking over Juniper Creek as the Prophet?

Thanks for any answers.

[friedo]

I don't think it was ever said that Bill brought Barb back to Juniper Creek -- just that Nicki was involved in her care.

It was insinuated (but we don't know for sure) that Bill marrying Nicki had something to do with the loan he got from Roman to open the first Home Plus store.

As for the other questions:

- There has not been a follow-up about Alby's freak-out, though Nicki seems well-aware that he's a closet-case. We don't know if Roman or anybody else knows.

- Embry's church is a constant source of amusement. They're not as nuts as Juniper Creek but they still think the Feds are constantly out to get them. Upon the arrest of a fugitive polygamist leader this season, Embry commented "I heard they're taking him to Guantanamo!"

[DoctorJ]

I know that when Barb got cancer he took her back to Juniper Creek and Nicky nursed her, and it was agreed that when she died he would marry Nicky to be mother to his kids. BUT,

1- Why on Earth did he go back to Juniper Creek? There's no hospital there and he was expelled from the place.

2- Why did he still marry her when Barb lived? I'd have thought that a member of Roman's family would be the last person he'd want to become involved with.

My understanding has been that Roman paid for Barb's treatment, and Bill married Nicky in exchange.

As for why Bill was still in touch with Roman at all after being kicked out, that's a good question. I guess he stayed loosely connected since his mother and brother were still there.

-Alby's faked seizure with the gay guy- has there been any follow-up on that this season?

There were a few bits of snark from Nicky a few eps ago about Alby being gay. As for the weirdo behavior, we haven't seen that followed up specifically.

-Bill's father Frank has several other wives, but has it mentioned whether or not he has kids with them? The implication (when they were expelled) were that Bill and Joey are his only kids (Joey/Wanda were expelled when Frank and the wives were but no other kids came with them). I also wondered this when Ernest Holloway (the old man whose shares Bill bought) and his wives left the compound- if he had that many wives, wouldn't it stand to reason he has many children he has to worry about leaving behind? That's the whole point of polygamy, after all.)

I don't think they've ever said anything about it. You're right--you'd think he would have more.

-Has it ever explored (this season) the Embry's church? Obviously it's not as backwards as Juniper Creek and it would seem to give the Henricksens a much needed place to socialize. Certainly the Embrys are good friends and like-minded, so it would seem that their church would be accepting of the Henricksens.

Not much that I can remember specifically. Bill did meet with sort of a polygamist men's group; that may have been a part of Don's church.

-Does anybody else think the series is leading to Bill returning to/taking over Juniper Creek as the Prophet?

I wouldn't be surprised. They've set him up as a rightful heir. If it does happen, though, I don't think it will happen anytime soon.

[alphaboi867]

Originally Posted by DoctorJ

My understanding has been that Roman paid for Barb's treatment, and Bill married Nicky in exchange...

I think one of the reasons Barb went along with it was she didn't think she'd survive.

[John Mace]

There are a lot of unanswered questions about the backstories of these characters, but they have told us that Roman helped pay for Barb's medical expenses. Whether he forced Bill to marry Nikki is unclear-- HBO's cite just says they fell in love while she was taking care of Barb (not at The Compound, btw).

Bill has a sister, but she is deceased. I assume that they don't too much into the many children just because it would make the cast unwieldy. Clearly both Bill and Barb came to embrace The Principle or Margene would never have been allowed into the family.

Many of us have been speculating that Bill will take over the compound at some point, but I suspect the writers will use that to end the series. Bill grandfather (Lois' father) was once The Prophet and he was apparently tricked out running things by Roman, who was sort of the accountant/business manager at the time.

[Unauthorized Cinnamon]

This is really just my imagination, but I think Barb agreed to the second marriage partly because she felt bad that she couldn't produce any more children. In my mind, they got married thinking they would have like eight kids, and it was very devastating to find out three was her limit.

Add to that the implication that there was pressure from Roman as their creditor, and that Nikki had been in the household taking care of Barb and presumably the children, and I can kind of see it happening.

Mostly though, it seems that the root cause of Barb's acceptance was that she was afraid she might otherwise lose Bill. It's been made very clear that she is not really happy with the decision to go down this road.

[LVBoPeep]

Hi all..


I don't think you can overestimate Nikki's influence in this case- Barb would have been very vulnerable in her illness and Bill very conflicted when Roman was helping them out. In the "Ceremony" episode, I can't remember the exact words but when Margene and Nikki were at the Mexican restaurant, Nikki said something to the affect that she made it all happen.

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Smokinjbc

Hi all..


I don't think you can overestimate Nikki's influence in this case- Barb would have been very vulnerable in her illness and Bill very conflicted when Roman was helping them out. In the "Ceremony" episode, I can't remember the exact words but when Margene and Nikki were at the Mexican restaurant, Nikki said something to the affect that she made it all happen.

From HBO's episode guide:

Oblivious to the drama unfolding at the Governor's mansion, Nicki and Margene share a consolation dinner at a Mexican restaurant, still dolled up in their dresses, and wonder what their lives would be like if they hadn't married Bill. "I'd be dating someone...probably in Portland," Margene imagines. Nicki doesn't have to imagine. "I probably would have been placed with a husband in the compound." There was a guy named Jerry who made overtures to her father about her. He was nice enough, and "younger," only in his 40s. "Sometimes you don't get a lot of choice there." Margie thinks fate brought Nicki to Bill. "Marge, I brought me to Bill," Nicki tells her.

[LVBoPeep]

Originally Posted by John Mace

From HBO's episode guide:

Thanks.. that's exactly the scene .

[Indyellen]

Originally Posted by Unauthorized Cinnamon

This is really just my imagination, but I think Barb agreed to the second marriage partly because she felt bad that she couldn't produce any more children. In my mind, they got married thinking they would have like eight kids, and it was very devastating to find out three was her limit.

Mostly though, it seems that the root cause of Barb's acceptance was that she was afraid she might otherwise lose Bill. It's been made very clear that she is not really happy with the decision to go down this road.

I get the impression from the few scenes with Barb's sister that she was regular LDS before she agreed to the Principle with Bill (for the reasons you listed above). As I understand it, the whole large family thing is VERY important in LDS to save as many souls as possible, and if she was already LDS, the fact that she couldn't have any more kids would certainly be an issue.

We already know about Nicki growing up with it; I think Margene was Catholic (or lapsed Catholic) before she met Bill, and doesn't much care what "religion" she's supposed to be as long as she can be with her Family.

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Indyellen

I get the impression from the few scenes with Barb's sister that she was regular LDS before she agreed to the Principle with Bill (for the reasons you listed above). As I understand it, the whole large family thing is VERY important in LDS to save as many souls as possible, and if she was already LDS, the fact that she couldn't have any more kids would certainly be an issue.

Yes, they were regular LDS, which is how Ben knows that Bishop who visited with Barb recently. They were apparently active in his ward (I guess that's like an LDS parish) before the went poly.