Emancipation follows the story of an enslaved man in Louisiana, Peter, who became famous as the subject of the picture, ‘Whipped Peter,’ a symbol of slavery and its brutalities.
Starring Will Smith as Peter along with Ben Foster, Mustafa Shakir, Gilbert Owuor, Michael Lunwoye, and Charmaine Bingwa, Emancipation follows Peter as he escapes from the clutches of slavery upon hearing the news of Abraham Lincoln’s army marching to abolish slavery and free all the slaves.
Emancipation Story Summary
The landowners are ready to take Peter (Will Smith) away from his family while Peter and his family spend the last few minutes praying for them to reunite one day. Peter is mercilessly thrown into the wagon as his family pleads to spend a few more minutes with him. On his way, Peter sees the severed heads of previous slaves on sticks served as a sort of warning and posed as a trophy by the white landowners.
The slaves are forced to work on building the Louisiana rail track under inhuman conditions and are constantly punished if they do not work according to their white owners. Peter stands up for the slaves who are ill-treated and too weak to stand up for themselves; this catches the attention of Fassel, the white slaveowner. He treats Peter like his dog, making him beg for food and tying him up in front of his barking dog, humiliating him.
One day during his break, Peter overhears the white masters talking about an army under the command of Abraham Lincoln at Baton Rouge that is giving refuge to escaped slaves and aims to give all slaves freedom from their white masters. Peter talks about this to his acquaintances who act reluctantly at first as they fear getting caught would lead to their brutal deaths. Peter, however, is determined to escape from the clutches of Fassel.
Peter is tasked with burying the dead slaves while the slave masters supervise him. He uses this opportunity to fight the white masters and runs away along with other slaves. Fassel and his men chase after the runners and kill one of the escapees. Peter and two other slaves split ways to avoid being caught.
Peter runs through the marshes of Louisiana to make his way to Lincoln’s camp. Fassel lets his dogs guide him to Peter, so Peter hides in the marshes where he escapes Fassel but is caught by a large alligator. Peter fights off the beast but sustains wounds that make it hard for him to carry on his journey.
Emancipation Ending Explained
Peter marches ahead and finds the house of a white landowner where he steals onions to mask his scent from Fassel’s dogs. He continues onward with his injuries which made it hard for him to walk. Peter meets one of the other slaves who had escaped with him – John.
John blames Peter for having led Fassel and his men to him and as they hide from them, Fassel catches on to John and shoots him. John falls to the ground, and Fassel asks him about Peter’s whereabouts. Peter watches John being killed and beheaded by Fassel for not having revealed where Peter hid. Peter cries over the loss of his friend.
Meanwhile, back at the plantation where Peter’s wife and kids worked, the owner of the plantation, Captain John Lyons, sells Peter’s wife, Dodienne, to another plantation owner. Fearing the fate of her kids, Dodienne puts her hand through the cotton mill so that the injury would prevent her from being sold to the new owner and she can remain with her kids.
Peter was walking through the woods when he sees a herd of horses running from the direction of a burning house. Peter goes inside the house in hopes of finding food but instead finds a young Black girl on the verge of death. Peter carries her out so that he can save her, but Fassel’s men catch him. He tries to convince them not to shoot him yet as he only wants to save the little girl. The men tell him to step away but Peter is adamant to help her. However, Peter fails in his wish, and the little girl dies. Peter, in a fit of rage, attacks and kills both men and runs from there.
Does Peter Reunite With His Family?
Peter finally reaches the Baton Rouge camp but is intercepted by Fassel. Fassel points a gun at Peter’s head and makes him beg for a piece of meat as if he is his dog. Peter gives up his fight and just when he is about to be shot, Fassel is shot by a black Native Guard.
Peter is taken to the camp where his wounds are tended and then is told to join the army if he truly wishes to be free. Two white photographers ask Peter to take a picture of him which would go on to play a major part in showing the brutalities of slavery. Peter fights battles for the army of Lincoln and after emerging victorious, is sent to John Lyon’s plantation to free the slaves there.
What would now be called the Louisiana Native Gaurd, reaches Lyon’s Plantation and declare that the slaves are free. Peter searches for his family but is unable to find them. He looks around and sees everyone rejoicing in their freedom and hugging their loved ones, but then among the crowd, Peter’s daughter calls out to him. Peter finally reunites with his wife and kids.
Emancipation is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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