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.

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