One of the great things about the series is how one storyline presented this past season could have veered towards that dreaded white savior trope. Ironically, it is the white savior trope that puts Ka’Kwet and thousands of other indigenous children

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in the horrible situation they are put in once they find themselves attending the residential schools. Created by the government to stamp out their heritage and customs these schools were horrific places where these children suffered abuse and in

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some cases death. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that even the “good” white characters on the show are complicit when it came to Ka’Kwet ultimately attending. Whether it was from ignorance or callous disregard, numerous characters encourage her to attend.

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When we see her in school it’s clear that this is not what she had imagined school would be based on what Anne told her. Anne comes to visit and though the brief meeting with the nun in charge raises numerous red flags, she walks away without seeing Ka’Kwet.

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When Ka’Kwet ultimately escapes, she does it on her own. There is no noble, white person who comes to her rescue. Another young indigenous boy is her only ally in this. She ultimately reaches her home but she is deeply affected by her experience.

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The government comes back and literally kidnaps her from her home and drags her back to the school. When her parents go to GG for help and the Cuthberts are informed of the situation they agree to help. Once again perilously close to leaning into the trope

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once again the show subverts it. Even with Matthew there, they don’t succeed in their goal. Ka’Kwet is still in the school and Anne and Matthew have to leave while her parents stay and wait. Any other show would have given us

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the happy ending. Anne would have given an inspiring speech that would have melted the hearts of the bigots, they would have a change of heart and release all the children cue end credits! Obviously this wouldn’t have been historically accurate but

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hey it’s feel-good TV that would have made people feel good and not have to think about the real possibility that Ka’Kwet will most likely die. Even though Anne vows to write an article and expose these schools this would not make much of a difference

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considering these schools continued well into the 20th century with the last closing in 1996! Telling this story as accurately as possible was important that they even hired Tracey Deer, a Mohawk filmmaker, as a writer for S3.

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It is important to acknowledge that this time the white savior did not rescue Ka’Kwet, the white savior put her in that school.

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