The Settlers

In 1893, Segundo, MacLennan, and Bill embark on an on horseback expedition to delimit and reclaim lands granted to José Menéndez. What begins as an administrative mission soon becomes a violent hunt as the trio encounters the Tierra del Fuego frontier. The trip establishes the power dynamic among the three men, especially Segundo's discipline compared to Bill's and MacLennan's ambitions.

On the departure day, Menéndez insists Bill accompany the team, and he joins the group. Bill challenges Segundo's reliability and wonders why a supposed lieutenant commands so few men. MacLennan defends Segundo's discipline as more valuable than sheer numbers.

They meet Argentine border soldiers and a scientist charting the border. The trio engages in contests—shooting, arm wrestling, boxing—and the scientist muses about the dangers of boredom and a perverse interest in Native Americans. MacLennan subtly questions whether the man knows where more natives live.

The trio discovers a group of Onas. MacLennan and Bill slaughter most of them, while Segundo cannot bring himself to kill. He even contemplates shooting Bill but resists, stopping short of violence himself in this moment.

After the massacre, MacLennan and Bill rape a young Native survivor. Segundo refuses to join, and MacLennan threatens to kill him. He pretends to consent, but secretly kills the young woman to spare her further pain.

They encounter English mercenaries. The leader reveals MacLennan is not a lieutenant but a private; Bill is killed by the mercenary leader. The leader offers MacLennan a Native woman as replacement, which MacLennan accepts, and the trio depart with the woman after the mercenary’s assault on MacLennan.

Seven years after the expedition, José Menéndez lives in a Punta Arenas mansion with his daughter and a clergyman. A government envoy, Marcial Vicuña, arrives to assess the country’s centennial efforts. Menéndez defends MacLennan as Lieutenant and counters the envoy's questions with his own narratives about peace and power.

Vicuña asks about the violent deeds attributed to MacLennan and whether those acts can be reconciled with national progress. Menéndez defends his former employee, insisting that MacLennan acted under his command and that he cannot be judged harshly. The discussion reveals differing views of history and accountability.

Vicuña travels to Chiloé Island to locate Segundo and speaks with Rosa, his wife. Rosa warns that Segundo is out at sea, but Vicuña presses to speak with him. This meeting foreshadows a confrontation and potential confession.

Inside their home, Vicuña asks about how Segundo met Rosa and about the past. Segundo then recounts a beachside banquet where MacLennan and others slaughtered hundreds of natives after a drunken feast, driving them into the sea or strangling them. The confession exposes the scale of violence.

Vicuña arranges a tea ritual with Segundo and Rosa outside their house, filming them as Laura pours tea. Rosa refuses to drink, signaling a refusal to participate in the nation's moral reckoning. The scene emphasizes the personal cost and unresolved tensions surrounding the past.

The interview sequence culminates in a public camera record of crimes and the uneasy acceptance of responsibility. Menéndez's defense, Segundo's confession, and Rosa's resistance converge to question how a nation should remember its violent history. The story hints at future consequences as the centennial approaches.