When The Abandons arrived on Netflix on December 4, the Western thriller series promised something different: two powerful women at the helm of a bloody frontier feud. Set in 1854 Washington Territory, the series follows the explosive collision between the Van Ness mining dynasty and the Abandons, a found family of orphans and outcasts. With powerhouse performances from Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey, the series promises to spark conversation about its portrayal of matriarchal power in the traditionally male-dominated Western genre.

The series picks up in the unforgiving landscape of Jasper Hollow, where a piece of land sitting atop a valuable silver lode becomes the battleground for two very different families. As violence escalates and secrets unravel, the show explores timeless questions about family, survival, and morality on the American frontier. This is your go-to guide of who’s-who in the show.

The Abandons is available to stream now on Netflix.