While Cullen undergoes painful surgery to save his leg, The Swede is tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Likewise, does the Swede die in Hell on Wheels? At times, The Swede seems to be daring Cullen to execute him. Still, the decision to kill him off was ultimately a consequence of Common's desire to devote more time to his Grammy-winning hip-hop career. Simply so, why did they kill off Elam in Hell on Wheels?ĭespite his absence for much of the current season, Elam and the actor who portrays him have been a significant part of Hell On Wheels since the pilot. Instead, Elam had survived - though the mauling left him with brain damage. Recently on the AMC drama, the character of Elam (played since Day 1 by the rapper/actor Common) resurfaced after having been presumed dead as the result of a Season 3-ending bear attack.
