The Birth of a Nation Scene 25 Summary

  • Klansmen from all over the area organize to disarm black people. Meanwhile, Lynch dispatches spies to discover any secret members of the Klan.
  • Lynch decides to "wreak havoc on the Cameron house." Apparently this means that soldiers will enter the house and capture the Cameron patriarch.
  • The Cameron women run upstairs and ask Elsie to get her father to free Dr. Cameron. Meanwhile, the Camerons' servants mount their own rescue effort.
  • The servants blend in with a group of black people who are mocking Dr. Cameron as he's taken away. They attack the soldiers and give Dr. Cameron time to flee, with the help of Phil, who has suddenly appeared.
  • The Camerons, Phil, and their servants hop into a cart and escape.
  • Elsie waits for her father to arrive at the house he shares with Lynch. Meanwhile, Lynch arrives home with a group of ladies.
  • The Camerons' cart has crashed. The group takes cover in a cabin shared by two Union veterans.
  • These people, according to the caption, are united by their "Aryan birthright." Yup—we're in Nazi territory now.
  • Elsie goes to Lynch for help because her father still hasn't shown up. Lynch decides this is a good opportunity to ask for her hand in marriage.
  • She threatens to whip him. Yes—this is our supposed heroine.
  • Lynch responds by showing her the chaos on the streets and saying that he will make her the queen of his "Black Empire." He tells his compatriots to prepare for a wedding. Well, that was quick.
  • Meanwhile, we see Klansmen riding horses through the woods.
  • Just as Lynch is about to kiss a passed-out Elsie, Stoneman arrives. Lynch sets Elsie aside and talks to his boss.
  • He tells him that he wants to marry a white woman and Stoneman pats him on the back.
  • We see an even greater number of Klansmen charge towards the city.
  • Lynch then reveals that it's Elsie who he wants to marry. Stoneman responds angrily and says no.
  • Having awoken, Elsie breaks the window and tries to run outside.
  • Meanwhile, a group of soldiers surround the cabin where the Camerons and Phil are holed up. Dr. Cameron wants to give himself up, but the Union veterans say that they want to fight.
  • On the streets of the town, sympathizers of the KKK are tarred and feathered.
  • Finally, the KKK militia arrives in town and begins attacking the black townspeople.
  • So, we find the historical revisionismabhorrent, but this movie has next-level music cues for its time. "Flight of the Valkyries" begins playing as the battle scene cuts between the streets of Piedmont to the cabin in the woods.
  • Stoneman and Elsie are now being held hostage inside Lynch's house. Seeing that the tide of battle is turning, Lynch grabs Elsie and attempts to escape.
  • He's killed two seconds later by Ben and his fellow Klansmen. At the same time, some Klansmen learn of the Camerons' predicament and give them aid in battle. They fight off the soldiers just as they're about to break down the door.
  • The KKK wins the battle and celebrates. This is supposed to be a big victorious moment, but...you know. It's just so gross.
  • The next election, the KKK intimidates a bunch of black people into not voting. Again, this is supposed to be a big triumphant moment.