The Beginning of the End


"I believe you dictate the river of fate through your own actions." — Boyd, "Justified"

Earlier this winter it was announced that the next season of "Justified" — its sixth to premier next winter — will be the last. During the fifth season finale last night, we got a preview of coming attractions. Fittingly, it looks like the final season will focus on Raylan, Boyd, and the reckoning they've had coming for a while.

Since the beginning, it has always been about Raylan and Boyd. They had similar upbringings, and they went down divergent paths. But in a lot of ways Boyd is the mirror Raylan can't escape. They are flip sides of the same coin. Raylan may have a badge, but in a lot of ways he uses people and bends the rules the same as Boyd. He thinks he does it for noble reasons, but he leaves a lot of people damaged in his wake.

At the end of the 12th episode of the fifth season, Raylan challenged Boyd. He said Boyd had left a trail of "human wreckage" in his wake, pointing to a file the Marshals had built against him. Boyd turned the table, saying the same was true of Raylan. In response, Raylan stood silently considering what was said, and I think seeing truth in it.

At the end of Tuesday's episode, Raylan was ready to move on — to his ex-wife and daughter in Florida. Ready to leave the violence and a bit of his trouble behind. But then came the offer to, for once and for all, go after Boyd Crowder.

It seems only fitting that the show should end the way it began — with Boyd and Raylan squaring off. The only question is how many people will be left damaged in their wake.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more