Mr. Poe brings the Baudelaires to V.F.D., a bird-loving village with an Old West vibe. Jacques and Olivia continue their search for the Quagmires.
Poe drops the Baudelaires off at the village named V.F.D., where their guardian will be the whole village, as part of a new program. The Baudelaires take up residence with Hector, a handyman who is secretly building a hot-air mobile home, and find clues that the Quagmires are being held nearby. Olaf, Esme, and the troupe also arrive at the village, taking up residence in an abandoned firehouse-turned-saloon, with Esme disguising herself as chief of police Luciana. Jacques and Olivia arrive and detain Olaf.
The village learns of Olaf's capture and hold a town hall meeting, where Olaf appears in the disguise of Detective Dupin, tricking the town into believing Jacques is Olaf. Jacques is sentenced to death, but Olivia convinces Esme to free her and Jacques in exchange for the location of "The Sugar Bowl", an object with ties to Esme's past. Jacques directs Olivia to Madame Lulu, an associate of Jacques', in order to find the Sugar Bowl before Esme and Olaf do.
After Olivia leaves, Jacques confronts Olaf, revealing Olaf's past life as a V.F.D. agent. However, Olaf and Esme incapacitate and kill Jacques. The next morning, the Baudelaires are informed that "Olaf" has been murdered.
