ANOTHER ENDING: THE SISTERS BROTHERS PG 224

WARNING: SPOILERS (duh)

Hey fellow readers!!! We are ending our journey with the Sisters Brothers... AND THINGS ARE CHANGING!!! There's so many things to touch on, so let's just dive right into it!!

Firstly, we see the brothers heading towards Warm's settlement on the river. After passing a mentally insane prospector who brews "coffee" with dirt (ewwww) and leaving the dying Tub (Eli's one-eyed horse), the two brothers finally meet the anticipated Warm who actually does closely resemble his descriptions in Morris's diary. Simply put: he is an honorable and courageous man, confident when facing the Sisters Brothers and impressing them to some degree: "[Warm] was not afraid of [the Sisters Brothers] in the least, which is to say he was not afraid of death, and [Eli] though he liked him very much... Charlie was also impressed with [Warm's] boldness and strength of character." (Dewitt, 252) Warm's unique and positive character leaves a positive impression on the Sisters Brothers, influencing them to join his side and his venture.

IMO, I feel like the situation is kinda strange. Throughout the Sisters Brothers' entire journey of finding Warm, they go through multiple violent encounters where they must kill multiple people to survive. Despite knowing that Eli begins to catch cold feet as their journey goes on, I still can't wrap my mind around how the two suddenly change their views. They went on crazy adventures with bloodshed and worked for the Commodore for a long time before their current job and they now just suddenly "erase" this past and join forces with the random stranger Hermitt Warm, who, by the way, they are supposed to kill? I mean, do they think they can escape their past that easily? I feel like there must be at least sooommmeeee repercussions, such as the Commodore sending out more mercenaries to kill the Sisters Brothers (and Warm) or maybe karma in some way, shape, or form...

Karma is always around the corner... (ignore the grammar mistake on the picture 😛)

Jon. Karma. Digital image. Dump a Day. Dump a Day, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 May 2017.

Between the two brothers, I have to say that Charlie changes the most. At the beginning of the book, he is seen as an efficient and ruthless killer, displaying hostility towards Morris. Now, it's as if he turned a new leaf, walking, having fun, and happily talking with his supposed enemies. The changing of the Sisters Brothers seems to further inspire change in Morris as well: "Morris... actually despised [Charlie] before [the Sisters Brothers] helping [Warm and Morris] last night. And yet this morning [Charlie and Morris] were walking arm in arm." (Dewitt, 260). Out of all the changing, Warm stays static (in a good way). By having an extremely likable and trusting personality, he is able to give an immense amount of trust into total strangers (and murderers), which, in turn, influences the strangers to return the favor. With the purity of Warm inspiring the brothers' dramatic change and the ripples of smaller and similar changes in the attitude of Morris, the four are able to form a cohesive team from initial unlikely allies in their pursuit of gold and wealth.

As the alliance is established, Eli begins to learn more and more about Warm, to a point where Warm's whole backstory is revealed... And let me tell you something: I'm 101% sure that his backstory can be converted to a movie or something. Just imagine a dark Tim Burton movie with emotional Steven Spielberg moments, combined with M. Night Shyamalan plot twists!!

The Life of Hermit Warm: Best Biography EVAR made.

Best ever meme. Digital image. Imgur. Imgur, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 11 May 2017.

However, I just cannot wrap my mind around Hermit's life. I just don't get it. How does your father be a maniac inventor of torture devices and NOT be investigated by police (where are the police anyways)? How do you feel happy thinking that you are "living waste matter" (Dewitt, 271)? Oh and most confusing: how is the militia able to randomly drag people into their barracks and have them enlist in the army without their knowledge??? Is that even legal???

Is this me just being too cynical, or are you wondering the same things?

Buuuut I digress. Warm's past life seems to build the character of who he is during the present setting of the book- his knowledge of chemistry is spurred by his curiosity since a young child and his ability to invent is passed down from his father. Through Warm's life story, connections between the Sisters Brothers and Warm can further be drawn. It can be seen that both parties have unique backgrounds, allowing them to obtain the specific personalities needed for their "professions" and to reach the current peculiar situation they are in.

Everything seems to be looking better and better for the Sisters Brother... until "everything immediately after [using the gold finding solution] went just as black and wrong as could be imagined. Everything after this was death in one or the other way" (Dewitt, 284). It appears that the witch's curses in the first part have finally caught up and that the bookkeeper's protection in the second part has finally faded. In a quick turn of unfortunate events, Charlie's shooting hand gets corroded to a point where it needs to be amputated, Warm and Morris both die, and the remaining Sisters Brothers get robbed by half a dozen Native Americans who take all their collected gold. The alliance and the positive change the brothers whole heatedly accepted is quickly shattered.

But.... It gets worse

It gets worse meme. Digital image.Meme Generator. Meme Generator, n.d. Web. 11 May 2017.

Once in Mayfield, Eli and Charlie lose their pistols, get beat, and, returning to Oregon, have their entire savings stolen by a drunken Rex, a fellow mercenary. Now, maybe all this bad luck is a good thing for Eli and Charlie. OK OK I'm just trying to be optimistic, but just hear me out. As Eli and Charlie are forever changed by Warm, the bad luck keeps the change permanent- the two brothers lose everything that connects them back to their previous identities as the notorious Sisters Brothers: Charlie's shooting hand, their stockpiled cash, and their revolvers. These loses ensure that the two do not revert back to their previous mercenary lifestyle, forcing them to reconnect with their disconnected mother, who symbolizes peace and common life. Soon, Eli's actions of killing the Commodore (who has the WORST security for a head honcho I've seen in my life) puts the nail in the coffin, both literally and metaphorically. The Commodore is dead, done, gone, nada. Similarly, the brother's lives and monetary benefits as professional killers are permanently erased. There is no more turning back for the brothers... and this seems to be exactly what Eli has wanted all along. In the wake of Eli's new start, if I have to give him some advice, I will outline the points found in this article.

How do you think Charlie and Eli should live after their work with the Commodore?

Overall, I personally feel that the ending is a too quiet. In the beginning, I feel like everything is so hyped up- the book is about two mercenaries, who go on crazy adventures into the unpredictable wild wild west to find their next victim. After the alliance with Warm, everything in the two brothers' worlds just falls in between the cracks, while they do nothing to stop it. The extent of their actions just includes sleeping, drinking, and nothing else. Hmmmmm, I guess that's what happens when you exit the professional killing industry... at least they didn't have to kill many more people, unlike John Wick, who I compared Charlie to in part 1. Let's just hope that they don't want to go back into the business...

Watch them enter the business again under the next person in line after the Commodore

Nevaehbrown. John Wick. N.p.: Imgur, 24 Jan. 2015. GIF.

Looking back, I feel like the whole book is constructed by fate. Just think about it! Though the superstitions of the witch's curse is balanced by the bookkeeper's protection, I always feel that the burning of Mayfield's hotel will result in some sort of consequence down the road. In a way, it can be fate (or coincidence if you're not superstitious) that the two brothers have their gold pillaged, meet the weeping man again (a symbolism for sorrow and failure, perhaps?), encounter the enraged workers under Mayfield, and have their savings stolen all in a very VERY short period of time (legit one day or two). All these unfortunate events outline an idea of karma in the book as the actions that the brothers perform and overlook ultimately come back to bite them when they are most beaten down.

Aaaand now we are at the end of another suspenseful (and somewhat unfulfilling) journey led by Patrick Dewitt and the Sisters Brothers. It has been my utmost pleasure to take you on this journey and guide you along, while sharing all my thoughts and my opinions with you (though you probably judged me aloooooot). I really hope reading the WAAALLLLLSS OF TEXT isn't that bad and that it isn't too lame or anything...

Hmmmmm, now at the end of the story, there is only one more question to ask:

How did you think of the book? Are you satisfied with the ending? Do you think Charlie and Eli have a good future ahead of them??

I can't wait for the next journey into another world... and I hope to see you next time. 😉