Marshall Lawson and Sharnie stumble on skulls on Lawson land inTerritoryseason 1, setting up a future narrative and mystery to solve. The Netflix neo-Western series introduces audiences to theLawson family, a cattle dynasty that’s owned the world’s largest cattle station for several generations. While they may serve as the protagonists of the series,the Lawsons have a long history of violence that’s coming back to haunt them, and much of the series is about how that history reflects on the current generation.
Marshall Lawson is played by Sam Corlett in theTerritorycast, representing the newest generation of Lawsons. Though he was raised in Marianne Station, by the start of the TV series, he’s shown to be an outlier in his family who’s run off with friends and has close to no interest in the family business. In episode 4, Marshall and Sharnie are finally on their own away from Rich whenthey make a horrific discovery on Lawson land: a family of skeletons left in a cave.
The Human Skulls Are Implied To Be A Family Of Aboriginal People Killed By Colin Lawson’s Ancestors
Colin Claims He’s Only Seen It Once
As of right now, one can only really speculate on the exact nature of the family’s death, but Colin Lawson claims it was done by his ancestors and something he’d only seen once in his lifetime. Due to the music queue, which plays at other points inTerritory’ssoundtrack,it’s implied that the bones belonged to an Aboriginal family, connecting them to the show’s thematic examination of land and the cultural divide between the Lawsons and the Indigenous community. However, given its place in the show, there could be more to the story.
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In that environment, it’s not impossible the bones could’ve held up for generations, but it’s slightly fishy that Colin knew precisely what Marshall was speaking about. If Colin had seen those bones before, he could have had them buried. Whether Colin was directly involved or not,it seems clear that there’s a violent history with the Lawsons that he doesn’t want to be uncovered. This could also connect to the small safe box inTerritory’sending.
What The Skulls Being Found Means For The Lawsons In Territory Season 2
The Lawsons' Enemies Can Use This Against Them
The Lawsons have numerous problems on their hands already, and the skulls might not have an immediate threat unless Sharnie decides to bring it to someone’s attention. However,in the situation where this was brought to light, it may cause conflict with the Indigenous community, who are already likely to be upset and distrusting of the Lawsons after the incident at the end ofTerritoryseason 1. With Marianne Station’s leadership in question, the Lawsons' enemies will take any opportunities they can get to destroy their image.
Territory
Set against the backdrop of the world’s largest cattle station, this drama follows the intense generational conflict that ensues when a clear heir is absent. As rival factions compete for control, the series examines themes of legacy, power, and the struggle for dominance over the land’s future.
