John says of his sons, Lee, Kayce, and Jamie: “I acquired one baby I miss, one baby I pity, and one I remorse.” It isn’t clear which he pities and which he regrets.
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This line additionally comes throughout John and Rip’s chat the evening earlier than the cattle branding in episode 5.
John would not clarify which baby he’s referring to in every occasion however viewers can confidently confirm that it is Lee, his eldest son, who died in the course of the season one premiere, he misses.
As for which son he pities, it is potential that he’s referring to Kayce, provided that he lately misplaced a baby. His pity may additionally come from the truth that Kayce, as a younger boy, watched his mom die. On the identical time, he would possibly remorse the way in which he handled Kayce previously, and the injuries the 2 won’t ever be capable to heal.
It is extra seemingly, although, that he’s referring to Jamie because the son he regrets, and that remorse may be that he ever adopted Jamie and raised him as his personal. Certainly, elsewhere within the episode, John tells Clara that he solely has one son, making it apparent that John would not acknowledge Jamie as his in any respect.
Nevertheless, there’s additionally a case to be made for John pitying Jamie, as a result of he’s not associated by blood to the remainder of the household, which means that it doesn’t matter what, he’ll at all times be handled in another way.
In the event you had been questioning what John makes of Beth, his solely daughter, he provides to Rip afterward: “However that woman, that baby, I envy.”