Trixie and Alma are two of the strongest characters in Deadwood, and they couldn't be more diametrically opposite. Each woman occupies a different place in society, and yet over the course of three seasons on HBO's acclaimed series, their lives become more fatefully intertwined. They begin their acquaintanceship as enemies, then slowly form a professional relationship, before finally coming to an understanding and becoming friends.
Life is hard in the small frontier mining town, and Deadwood's harsh realities make securing friendships difficult, but all the more important to maintain. Determining the right allies often means the difference between life and death, which Trixie and Alma become all too aware of. Sometimes they were friends, sometimes they were foes, but they were always survivors.
NOT FRIENDS: TRIXIE DISAPPROVES OF ALMA'S AFFAIR
While most of the camp knows about Alma's affair with married man Seth Bullock, only Trixie seems to be vehemently opposed to it. Al Swearengen may make off-color remarks, but Trixie carries vitriol for Bullock that jeopardizes any conciliatory relationship she has with Alma.
Trixie never explains exactly why she detests the sheriff, but fans have surmised it's because he won't leave his wife for Alma, and Alma will accept whatever crumbs of affection he gives her. This can be seen as projection on Trixie's part, who try as she might, can't shake her attachment to Al.
FRIENDS: ALMA TRUSTS TRIXIE WITH SOPHIA'S CARE
After Sophia's family is murdered by highwaymen, Alma becomes her sole guardian, and she's helped in her duties by Trixie, who shows a surprisingly maternal side to the young girl. She's one of many women who make an impression on her, but Sophia seems to delight in Trixie's presence the most.
That Alma trusts Trixie with Sophia speaks volumes. She doesn't reduce her skills and abilities to those that come from her trade, but recognizes that just because she's a prostitute doesn't mean she's incapable of being a suitable figure in Sophia's life.
NOT REAL FRIENDS: TRIXIE THINKS ALMA IS A SNOB
Being one of the only aristocratic ladies in the camp, Alma stomachs a great deal of pernicious gossip. She's made to feel like an outsider by even the men, with the likes of E.B. Farnum calling her disparaging names under his breath while she passes.
Trixie views Alma in much the same way, as someone who is content to tolerate her presence the way she would a servant, but without feeling the need to form a lasting connection.
FRIENDS: ALMA TRIES TO SEND TRIXIE BACK EAST
Before Alma decides to take on the responsibilities of caring for Sophia herself, she decides that she'll entrust her to Trixie and send the pair of them back East where her family resides. She views the trip as a chance for them to leave Deadwood behind and start a new life.
That Alma would do this for someone she hardly knows, with a letter of introduction, indicates how much she wants Trixie to succeed in an environment where her tenacity will be rewarded. She feels that the opportunities for Trixie are limited in camp, where she's always compelled to answer to Al Swearengen.
NOT FRIENDS: TRIXIE WORKS WITH AL TO STEAL FROM ALMA
Al makes it clear that he's displeased that Alma won't sell him her claim, so he enlists Trixie's help in refueling her opioid addiction so that while she's in an altered state, she'll sign over her claim to him for a small sum.
Trixie agrees to help him because she feels that Alma believes herself to be above her, and she wants to teach her a lesson in humility. Any gold Trixie gets from Alma in payment for minding Sophia she gives to Al.
FRIENDS: ALMA GIVES TRIXIE A JOB AT THE BANK
When Trixie begins to learn how to balance a ledger form Sol Star at the hardware store, she doesn't feel like she has the mind for sums and integers, but her diligence earns her the respect of Alma, who hires her as a teller at Deadwood's first bank.
This allows Trixie to fully extricate herself from Al and The Gem Saloon, giving her agency in her life and a means to make her own money in a way that draws on her intellectual capacity. Because Alma sees value in Trixie's mind, she gives her the opportunity to prove it to herself.
NOT FRIENDS: ALMA FIRES TRIXIE
No sooner has Trixie been hired at the Deadwood Bank than its owner and founder, Alma, decides to fire her. It has nothing to do with poor work performance and everything to do with the fact that Alma's relapsed in her addiction.
The addiction warps Alma's mental faculties, and she feels that rather than battle something she can't control, she'll relish what control she does have and use it against Trixie. By firing her, she only receives momentary satisfaction in wielding power, and is left with twice as much work to do in Trixie's absence.
FRIENDS: TRIXIE REFUSES TO FEED ALMA'S ADDICTION
Even when Al wanted Trixie to encourage Alma's opioid addiction, she wouldn't do it, acknowledging that Alma was in the throes of battling her mental demons in the same way that Trixie had. She allowed Alma to get clean (at least for the first season) and banish her habit from her life.
Trixie went against Al's wishes to do this, and risked incurring his wrath for her disobedience, but she felt that her loyalty to another suffering woman was greater than her loyalty to her boss.
NOT FRIENDS: ALMA DOESN'T TAKE TRIXIE INTO HER CONFIDENCE
When Alma was suffering from the pressures of running the Deadwood Bank, caring for Sophia, and being married to a man she wasn't in love with, she turned to opioids to dull the pain of her life. She could have just as easily sought Trixie's confidence, but she was too ashamed.
Trixie had made it clear she knew the sort of internal struggles Alma was facing, but Alma didn't respect Trixie enough to deepen their friendship by letting her know she was using again.
FRIENDS: TRIXIE AVENGES THE DEATH OF ALMA'S HUSBAND
After Whitney Ellsworth is shot in the head by one of George Hearst's men, Trixie vows revenge against the empire builder for killing one of Deadwood's most forthright men. His death devastates her, Alma, and the entire camp.
Trixie grabs her gun and marches to the Grand Central Hotel, intent on assassinating Hearst in his room. She only gets off one shot into his shoulder, but it's more than anyone else does, and proves that Trixie wouldn't let Alma's husband die in vain.