Although I love romance with every fiber of my being, another aspect I love in Turn is the family dynamics shown, especially when it comes to familial love.
As a spy, one of the greatest risks you take on is not only your life, but your family’s. We see this through the risks Abigail takes to keep Cicero looked after when she cannot be there with him, how desperately Abe wants to help the cause while also keeping Thomas and Mary safe, and the relationship between Robert Townsend and his father, Samuel.
Although Abe tries to persuade Robert to join the ring as their “man in New York,” it is Samuel who convinces his son to join. Robert joins after his father is attacked by a group of soldiers at his home in Oyster Bay. No one wants to see a family member in pain, especially when you weren’t able to protect them from it.
But, even though he wanted his son to join the cause, he says this to Abe:
Before you go, ahem, let me ask you a favor. Look after Robert. We both encouraged him to take this plunge, but... he's my only son.
And somewhat selfishly, I suppose,
I can't imagine my life going on without him.
Moments like this show that the Revolution was not only a war on battlefields. It was a war fought by families who, yes, some of them wanted independence from the crown, and yes, some of them wanted to stay with the crown. But most of all, they just wanted to keep each other safe.