Warning: Spoilers forTrue Detective: Night Country.
The Season 4 finale ofTrue Detective: Night Countryis quickly approaching, and anxious viewers are undoubtedly ready to find out how everything will inevitably end. The show premiered last month on HBO and has quickly becomeTrue Detective’smost-watched seasonwith 12.7 million viewers, surpassing the inaugural season’s record of 11.9 million. Upon its release, the latest season was immediately met with critical acclaim despite theapparent war between the show’s creatorand its current showrunner regarding its direction and overall narrative. Nonetheless,Night Countryhas undeniably been successful. As such, this season’s finale will most likely continue to break series records, especially considering how its penultimate episode unfolded.
Set 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, where Polar Night has just begun, the series follows Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), who are reluctantly pushed together by circumstance. After the disappearance and subsequent deaths of local scientists, the pair realize the case appears to be linked to the unsolved murder of a local Inupiat woman, Anne Kowtok, six years prior.
So far, the story has unfolded over the course of five episodes, drawing fans into the mystery. The finale ofTrue Detective: Night Countryis set to air this Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT on HBO, with streaming on Max available following its release. In addition, the previous three seasons ofTrue Detectiveare available on Max. Season 1, in particular, shares some connections withNight Country, so viewing those eight episodes before the Feb. 18 finale could be beneficial. Given the trajectory of the season leading up to its finale, the episode is likely to pack quite a punch and will most definitely shock viewers.
What’s Happened So Far?
True Detective
While much of the season has felt like a slow, calculated burn, thepenultimate episode 5undoubtedly ignited the powder keg. While viewers have yet to discover who actually killed Anne Kowtok, it’s revealed Captain Hank Prior (John Hawkes) moved her body at the behest of Kate McKitterick (Dervla Kirwan), an executive of the regional mine, Silver Sky. At the center of the local protests due to its notorious pollution practices, the mine clearly has an interest in what the resident scientists had to say about the surrounding environment. As such, there are nefarious connections between the mine, Anne’s death, and the mysterious deaths of the scientists, one of whom is still missing.
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In an effort to traverse the nearby ice caves in order to find out what happened to Anne, Danvers manages to track down Otis Heiss (Klaus Tange), a scientist who previously worked at the research facility and originally surveyed and mapped the caves. Before leaving on their excursion, Danvers brings Otis to her home, where they plan to wait for Navarro, who will be joining them.
However, unbeknownst to Danvers, Hank has been following her and intends to take Otis with him at the request of McKitterick and Silver Sky, who fear what Danvers and Navarro will uncover. Unfortunately, Hank is unaware that his son, Officer Peter Prior (Finn Bennett), is close by and will inevitably bear witness to his impending crimes.
True Detective Ripped Off Its Best Moments
Season four continues the streak of True Detective, TV’s most unoriginal series, of ripping off better films, books, and shows.
After Peter’s wife kicks him out of the house because he dedicates more time to his job than his family, he eventually finds himself in a shed behind Danvers’ house. Although previously at his father’s house, their falling out drove Peter away. Thanks to his proximity, he’s within earshot when his father shows up and kills Otis inside Danvers’ home.
When Peter walks in with his gun drawn, Hank confesses to moving Anne’s body but offers no other information about who killed her or why. He then proceeds to raise his weapon toward Danvers, just before Peter reluctantly pulls the trigger and kills his own father. Arguably the most shocking scene of the season so far, Navarro then arrives before the trio eventually agrees to “clean up” the situation on their own without going throughproper police procedures. Pressed for time, Navarro and Danvers leave to explore the ice caves while Peter is left behind to take care of the bodies.
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What’s Likely to Happen in the True Detective Finale?
One of the spookiest mysteries of the series will likely be answered during the season’s finale. Since the beginning of Season 4, fears of awakening an unknown woman have befallen nearly every major character. Ominous warnings of “she’s awake” have created a chilling tone without any real explanation as to who the woman might be. Questions regarding her identity and the purpose of her presence will undoubtedly be answered come Sunday’s episode.
Also, theconcept of the spiralhas been quite pervasive throughout the season, which has caused a bit of controversy concerning the entire series. Although present in the first season, there has never been a definitive explanation as to what it means for the show. There’s plenty of lore and meaning behind the use of spirals, but their explicit purpose inTrue Detectivehas been unclear. Fans of the show are most definitely hoping for some sort of definition as to its purpose in the context of Season 4’s narrative.
Finally, it’s all but guaranteed viewers will learn who killed Anne, as well as how the dead scientists turned intothat massive corpsicle. Furthermore, how it all connects to the Silver Sky mine will undoubtedly be revealed. However, whether or not the explanation will satisfy viewers remains the ultimate question. The season finale ofTrue Detective: Night Countrywill premiere on HBO on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, with streaming on Max available following its release.The first five episodes of the show are currently streaming on Max.
