"The White Spirit" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American television drama series Hell on Wheels, which aired on September 23, 2012 on AMC.
The seventeenth episode of the series is written by Bruce Marshall Romans and directed by David Von Ancken.
In the episode, the Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl) returns to town to help Lily (Dominique McElligott) with the railroad's accounting ledgers, against Cullen's (Anson Mount) wishes.
Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke) and his brother Sean (Ben Esler) seek to expand their franchise.
In town, Toole (Duncan Ollerenshaw) is concerned that Durant's (Colm Meaney) possible death would affect their job security but Cullen orders them back to work.
He joins Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) in mourning over Reverend Cole's (Tom Noonan) coffin in the church.
He confesses to putting the knife in Joseph's (Eddie Spears) hands, but she says her father chose his own death and admits to thinking some souls are beyond redemption.
Elam (Common) approaches and asks about the brothers’ bid for the Starlight Saloon, but they tell him the owner, Carl (James Dugan), is not keen on selling.
At the bridge construction site, Cullen orders Psalms (Dohn Norwood) to stop telling stories and work.
He knows it was he who armed the Sioux, to which the Swede calls it "wonderful" and adds: "Bloodthirsty heathens with modern weapons, led by a drunken white man of God."
At the saloon, the McGinnes brothers threaten Carl with continued destruction of his whiskey shipments as well as bodily harm if he does not sell the bar to them.
"[2] Sean McKenna of TV Fanatic gave it 4.6 out of 5 stars, calling it "another phenomenal addition to season two", adding "All of the characters had a chance to shine.