The End of Drum-Time

Easter morning arrives and is filled with the typical preparations and anticipation. Risten and her family prepare meticulously, reflecting on the importance of presenting a perfect image, especially with her impending marriage to Mikkol. Despite doubts and questions about her choices, Risten is determined to project confidence and happiness. However, Mikkol is absent at church, making Risten anxious. Eventually, he arrives, but his disheveled appearance and apparent nervousness leave Risten feeling uncertain. The Easter service, delivered by Mad Lasse (Lars Levi), is intense, focusing on themes of repentance and salvation, especially condemning alcohol consumption. The sermon triggers various reactions among the congregation, including a response from Mikkol, which surprises Risten.

Willa, dealing with her own sadness and disappointment, spots Ivvár in the crowd. Their brief eye contact intensifies her longing and loneliness. After the service, she searches for Ivvár but fails to find him, adding to her despair. Despite the festive atmosphere and the lively company, Willa feels disconnected and unfulfilled.

Ivvár, on the other hand, feels a special bitterness during the holiday, heightened by witnessing his father's fervent religious display. Unable to reconcile his feelings, he avoids Willa and seeks solace in Rikki's company, longing for the solitude and freedom of the wilderness.

Willa and her family experience a terrifying night as her brother, Lorens, coughs up blood. Willa, half-dreaming, wakes her parents, and Lars Levi quickly responds. Old Sussu arrives to examine Lorens, trying various treatments but ultimately suggesting fetching a doctor from Muonio. Despite Brita’s protests, Lars Levi departs for Muonio, hoping to find help.

Willa follows Old Sussu outside, seeking answers about Lorens’s condition. Old Sussu evades direct explanations, implying that death is a natural part of life. Willa reflects on Sussu’s cryptic words and actions and feels a sense of foreboding about her brother's fate. Meanwhile, Nora takes charge of the household, managing tasks and comforting the family, including Willa’s baby brother. Henrik watches from a distance and is ignored as the crisis makes smaller problems seem insignificant.

Willa, driven by her desire to see Ivvár again, skis out to his herd. Upon arrival, she encounters Ivvár's cousins, Ánde and Niko, who tease her but ultimately direct her to Ivvár’s tent. Inside the tent, Willa and Ivvár have a tense, emotionally charged interaction. Ivvár, exhausted from herding and recent events, initially responds coldly. Willa shares the grim news about Lorens, expressing her fear that he will die. The silence between them becomes laden with unspoken feelings and desires.

The tension between Willa and Ivvár escalates as they sit in silence in the tent. Willa struggles with her emotions and desires, feeling a need for Ivvár to offer her an alternative to her father's religious beliefs and to save Lorens. Ivvár, exhausted and lost in memories of his mother, is unable to provide what Willa seeks. He eventually tells her to go home, and though she does so reluctantly, there is a lingering sadness between them.

Back at the cabin, Lorens's condition worsens. Lars Levi returns with a doctor and Biettar, and the doctor examines Lorens, who is pale and covered in blood. The doctor bleeds Lorens to relieve pressure and orders everyone out of the room.

At Henrik’s store, Nora and Willa begin cleaning, and Henrik tries to manage the chaos. Biettar confronts Henrik about his debts and accuses him of facilitating the devil's work by selling alcohol. Henrik is filled with resentment and frustration, feeling powerless against Biettar's accusations and the financial burden of the unpaid debts. As the scene unfolds, Henrik contemplates extreme measures to reclaim his losses.

Ivvár is haunted by thoughts of Willa, which affects his focus and behavior. He decides to return to town, hoping to help Lorens and see Willa. He gets a ride with a grieving couple and finally arrives at the parsonage, where he sees the sick Lorens. The parsonage is crowded, with the doctor bewildered by Lorens's condition but tending to him out of respect for Lars Levi. The family sleeps together in the main room, and Willa busies herself with chores. She is preparing the sauna for the doctor when Ivvár arrives.

Ivvár and Willa share a moment of intense intimacy in the sauna, but they are abruptly interrupted by Willa's father, who orders Ivvár out. Willa is left to face her father's and family's revulsion. Willa's mother slaps her, and Willa resolves to take on the worst chores as self-punishment, feeling undeserving of comfort or forgiveness.

Lorens hovers on the brink of death for several days but ultimately survives. During this time, the atmosphere becomes tense and uncomfortable, particularly due to Willa's unpredictable behavior as she shifts between sorrow and anger. Nora tries to comfort her sister, who is now ostracized by their family after the incident involving Ivvár in the sauna. The event leads Nora to question her maturity and attractiveness compared to Willa.

Biettar is aware of what happened and feels a complex mix of shame and understanding toward Willa. He empathizes with her plight and tells her a story about his own struggles with pride and redemption. His story emphasizes the importance of humility and finding peace in God, which he hopes Willa will understand.

Meanwhile, Risten, now married to Mikkol, reflects on the complexities and adjustments in her new marriage. She compares her new husband and the mundane aspects of married life to Ivvár, whom she still has feelings for.

Willa, exhausted and desperate, seeks refuge with Risten's family. She is found in a miserable state after skiing alone and carrying everything she owns. Despite her initial cold reception, Risten's mother takes her in, providing her with care and warmth. Willa expresses her desire to reach Gilbbesjávri and eventually, the sea, seeking a new beginning and willing to help in any way to earn her keep. Risten recognizes her mother's unwavering dedication to helping others, even at the expense of her own well-being.