Every Major Death In Territory, Explained

Includes SPOILERS for Territory season 1.

Netflix's Territory matches the brutality of its Western environment with a series of significant character deaths. The Territory cast is rounded out by several talented stars who bring the Australian-based neo-Western to life with sophistication and authenticity. Despite the show's successful reviews, a significant portion of that cast won't be returning for a hypothetical season 2 due to their characters already being killed off in the first six episodes. The series introduces audiences to the central Lawson family, who own the Marianne Cattle Station, and a number of their political rivals who seek to take it from them.

Territory begins with the death of a major member of the Lawson family, and that's only the beginning of the violence and brutality depicted in the series. The Netflix show has already been frequently compared to Yellowstone, as both shows depict elements of the traditional Western drama in the world of contemporary cattle ranches. Following suit with the Paramount Network's enormously popular series, Netflix's show portrays factions of cattle ranchers, gangsters, mining magnates, and more competing for control over land and power in Australia's Northern Territory, building toward Territory season 1's climactic ending.

4 Daniel Lawson

Daniel's Death Is The Show's Catalyst

The Lawson family has owned Marianne Station, the world's largest cattle station, for several generations, with a long and brutal history of violence and power struggles. The station was once owned by Daniel's father, Colin Lawson, who passed down his ideologies of strength and tenacity from his father before him. At some point before the series begins, Colin Lawson stepped down from control of Marianne and passed on the family legacy to Daniel, even though Graham Lawson was his eldest son.

By the time Territory begins, Daniel Lawson has run the fictional Marianne Station for years, and his premature death creates an immediate conflict of succession. Colin is too out of touch with the industry to return to his old position, Graham isn't trusted by his family members due to his issues with alcoholism, and Emily has married into the family, meaning she isn't trusted to carry on the Lawson name. Marshall Lawson could be a strong candidate, but he's been MIA from the family business for years.

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Daniel's death is shown in season 1, episode 1, with him having fallen from his horse, left to be eaten alive by wild dogs. It's brutal, but there's far more to it than that. Flashbacks later in the season show that Daniel was actually planning on selling out his father and working in cahoots with Sandra Kirby, a mining magnate who seeks after Marianne Station's land for her own financial gain. Daniel and Emily are in on this plot together, but he decides to betray Emily, causing her to shoot him and leave him for dead.

It isn't until the closing moment of Territory season 1 that Daniel's horse is brought back along with gun shells, revealing to Colin that his son was murdered. This should create new conflict between the Lawsons heading into season 2, but it will also, eventually, force Colin to reckon with the fact that his golden boy son was planning to betray him. Meanwhile, Graham, who's suffered from Colin's abuse his entire life, denied Sandra Kirby when she granted him the opportunity for the cattle federation presidency in return for blocking out his father.

3 Susie Lawson

Susie Dies Tragically Trying To Break Up A Fight

Susie Lawson is the only character to perish in season 1 that Territory fans will be sad to let go of. She's the daughter of Graham and Emily Lawson, and she arrives in episode 1 to attend Daniel's funeral after being away at college. While her mother initially rejects Susie's desire to return home and take part in the family business, her parents open up to the idea, and she becomes an instrumental piece of the puzzle throughout season 1. Vitally, Susie is the only member of the Lawson family with whom everyone seems to get along.

Susie may be a supporting character in the series, but her impact is crucial in bringing the band together for their efforts in episode 5. She proves that, though she may be inexperienced, she has a knack for understanding how business works at Marianne Station, particularly regarding cattle biology and breeding. Of course, it's the most beloved characters who tend to die first in shows like this, and Susie's tragic death comes at the end of her brief romance with Lachie Kirby, Sandra Kirby's wealthy son.

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Lachie and Susie take an interest in each other early in the season, and their relationship develops over the first few episodes. In episode 4, however, Sandra plants ideas in Lachie's mind about the political situation that may come about from her son dating a potential Lawson heir. Lachie then suggests these ideas to Susie, who's repulsed that he's considering their romance in such an economic and political way rather than embracing their genuine attraction. They break up, and Lachie is furious with his mother over it.

At the end of episode 5, Lachie is shown to be drinking and doing drugs with Ethan Hodge, the guy he befriended after their first fight in episode 3. Ethan suggests that Lachie's best course would be to return to Susie to express his love for her, setting his mother's wishes aside. Still intoxicated, he does so. Susie is immediately disgusted by him and tells him to leave, and Marshall tries to enforce her wishes, causing a fight to ensue. Their scuffle enrages a nearby bull who charges, slamming Susie in the back and killing her.

2 Rich

Rich Dies Trying To Rob The Lawson Family

Rich is one of the more aggravating characters throughout Territory season 1, and his death in the finale might be a cause for some viewers to celebrate. Prior to the show's events, Rich and his girlfriend Sharnie have essentially recruited Marshall to their lowly criminal operations. They're essentially bandits who steal cattle, and Marshall even robs a helicopter to use in their operations. In episode 1, Rich realizes that Marshall is a Lawson when they arrive at Marianne Station for Daniel's funeral.

Rich is a thieving, selfish man who has little regard for anyone else, and he constantly brags about how he uses Marshall as a gopher. He basks in his superficial superiority over the wealthy-born Lawson, commanding him to do his dirty work at every turn. The trio's dynamic shifts when Rich realizes that Marshall has feelings for Sharnie. He starts to grow frustrated whenever Marshall and Sharnie spend time alone together, and he takes to drinking and using drugs in response, causing him to act more erratic.

While Sharnie denies having feelings for Marshall, she does reciprocate his romantic interest, and Rich begins to pick up on this, feeling betrayed by Marshall. His actions start to put the three of them in trouble, eventually leading to a shootout in episode 3, where Marshall and Sharnie leave him to die. In turn, Rich accepts a job with the dodgy Campbell Miller to kill the Lawsons. Territory's season 1 finale sees Rich taking Colin and Marshall Lawson captive.

Rich manages to open up the Lawson family vault and has an opportunity to walk away with tens of thousands in cash. However, he requests to see the contents of a smaller vault, which Marshall denies him access to. After things get violent, the Lawsons come out on top, and Colin Lawson executes Rich on the floor of his house. Because of this, Sharnie chooses not to stay with Marshall, worrying that he'll turn out like Colin.

1 Campbell Miller (Unconfirmed)

Nolan Shoots Campbell Miller At The Uranium Operation

Campbell Miller is one of the antagonist wildcards in Territory season 1, and he's another character audiences likely won't be mourning. However, Miller's death is the only one that's unconfirmed, as it was explained that he's in the hospital following the shootout in episode 6. It seems like Territory could be setting up his eventual return at some point, but his final moment in the season seemed like a pretty direct execution at the hands of Nolan.

Miller is introduced in Territory as a gangster-like cattle baron who has his eyes set on Marianne Station. Importantly, he has a romantic history with Emily and nearly convinces her to leave Graham for him earlier in the season. He spends episode 3 buttering up Susie and spends some quality time with Emily at the bar, causing Graham to show up drunk with a rifle. While this arc creates notable embarrassment for Graham, the Lawson man's trip to jail ultimately cleans him up, allowing him to earn back his wife's favor.

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In episode 5, Emily speaks to Campbell Miller, telling him that she's chosen to stay with Graham and won't be seeing him anymore. Miller reacts poorly, sending Rich to kill the Lawsons and aligning himself and his men with Sandra Kirby. Kirby's mining company has plans to utilize goldmines on Marianne's land as storage for radioactive waste, and to do so, she hires Miller and his men to detonate an Indigenous "sacred place" to clear room for a road.

In Territory's finale, the Lawsons and the Indigenous community arrive too late to stop Miller. He detonates the sacred land, and a shootout ensues. Miller's men lose the confrontation, and, in return for his actions, Nolan shoots Miller.

A power struggle erupts after the death of the Lawson family patriarch, leaving their massive cattle station without a clear successor. Rival factions, from cattle barons and Indigenous elders to billionaires and gangsters, vie for control. Tensions rise as the once-dominant Lawson family faces betrayal from within and outside forces.

Cast Anna Torv , Michael Dorman , Robert Taylor , Sam Corlett

Character(s) Emily Lawson , Graham Lawson , Colin Lawson , Marshall Lawson

Release Date October 24, 2024