"Under Different Circumstances, I'm Sure Plenty Of People Could Have Been Happy Here."

[redbrunja]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Timothy Olyphant for the Emmy. Or in other words, Raylan Givens, you just broke my heart.

From the opening scene where the sound is muffled to rest of the entire episode where Raylan has just buried his pain as much as he can to the ohmyfuckinggod scene in the woods.... it is abundantly clear that Raylan didn't kill Dickie because of what Helen wanted for him; I love that the show doesn't make that explicit but trusts us to just know.)

"Don't talk about her like you knew her. You didn't know shit about her. That woman saved my life, did you know that? Criminal for a father, working a deep mine, wondering 'what on earth could come along and save me?' Helen did. She told me to leave this place behind, be better than Arlo, and she gave me the money to do it. That woman raised her dead sister's kid like he was her own. Because–"

Comments

[littlepunkryo.livejournal.com]

Everyone in this episode was fabulous (Jeremy Davies begging Raylan not to kill him, I actually felt my stomach turn I felt so sorry for him even though I HATE him) but Timothy. Ahhh he was amazing ♥ I felt so proud when Raylan turned Dickie in instead of killing him, is that weird? Because it's like...everyone else in that town in his place would have killed him, because that's just what they do and Raylan has been trying to escape it his whole life and he keeps getting dragged back, but this was the one time he could prove to himself and everyone that he's not like his father or Bo or Dickie, that he can be better than where he came from. I bet the first time he ever heard someone tell him that it was from his Aunt Helen :(

NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE INTENSE.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I actually felt my stomach turn I felt so sorry for him even though I HATE him)

Oh, not me. I was like, 'seriously? are you begging? are you truly that craven?' (Yes, yes, he is.)

I bet the first time he ever heard someone tell him that it was from his Aunt Helen :(

Without question. And I think that he has been telling HIMSELF that he was better than where he came from and the one time he was like, 'no, fuck it, I'm just going to shoot this son of a bitch in cold blood' the memory of Helen stopped him.

[littlepunkryo.livejournal.com]

I'm a soft touch! I always feel pity in situations like this :( It helps that Jeremy Davies is a fabulous actor, too. The talent on this show is amazing.

(Yes, yes, he is.)

What got me was - Helen was facing down two men in her own kitchen who were going to kill her for something she had nothing to do with and she never begged, and he was there as a direct result of something he'd done and was like wetting himself. And then when he was all "he put a gun to my head, mama!" I was like "oh GEE I WONDER WHY, OH THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU SHOT A WOMAN POINT BLANK IN HER OWN KITCHEN!" He would have deserved it.

Without question. And I think that he has been telling HIMSELF that he was better than where he came from and the one time he was like, 'no, fuck it, I'm just going to shoot this son of a bitch in cold blood' the memory of Helen stopped him.

alsdjkals Helen ;___; For me I really do think that she saw getting Raylan out of Harlan County as one of the best decisions she ever made (maybe even one of the only good ones) and I just love that she loved Raylan enough to get him out of that house, both when his father was beating on him and then that final time. She really did give him a life :(

It got me thinking: Raylan's childhood must have really been terrible. Surrounded by crime and violence he was supposed to become part of when he got old enough, living in a house where his father beat him and his mom for no reason and nobody would do anything about it because his father was too powerful, probably thinking he had no real future because he sure as fuck wasn't going to be his father but the only other option was going down into the mines. It seems like Helen would have been one of the only bright spots. I want to know more about his childhood so badly.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

What got me was - Helen was facing down two men in her own kitchen who were going to kill her for something she had nothing to do with and she never begged, and he was there as a direct result of something he'd done and was like wetting himself. And then when he was all "he put a gun to my head, mama!" I was like "oh GEE I WONDER WHY, OH THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU SHOT A WOMAN POINT BLANK IN HER OWN KITCHEN!" He would have deserved it.

I know! It's especially egregious on this show in particular because most the the people are really realistic about who deserves to get shot - last year we had Ava shooting her husband, and both Boyd and Bo agreed that it was justified. This season, Raylan shoots Coover and EVEN WITH all the history between the Bennets and Givens, Mags is like, 'well, he was protecting Loretta, so..."

I just love that she loved Raylan enough to get him out of that house, both when his father was beating on him and then that final time. She really did give him a life :(

She really did. As tragic as Helen's death is, she left as her legacy this great, great man who has done a hell of a lot of good in this world only because she gave him the chance to.

It got me thinking: Raylan's childhood must have really been terrible. Surrounded by crime and violence he was supposed to become part of when he got old enough, living in a house where his father beat him and his mom for no reason and nobody would do anything about it because his father was too powerful, probably thinking he had no real future because he sure as fuck wasn't going to be his father but the only other option was going down into the mines. It seems like Helen would have been one of the only bright spots. I want to know more about his childhood so badly.

Oh, I have no doubt that Raylan's childhood was pretty awful and that Helen was one of the few bright things about it (I also think that it wasn't that bad all the time; judging from what Helen said, I bet there was times when Arlo was really charming and nice, and I think Raylan was raised as a bit of a golden child of Harlan, what with playing baseball and how handsome he is. But yeah, Raylan's childhood must have sucked so much (and I never get tired of learning about it) and the more I learn about Arlo, the lower he sinks in my esteem. I have no doubt that given the choice between justice for Helen and money he would have picked money.

[littlepunkryo.livejournal.com]

This season, Raylan shoots Coover and EVEN WITH all the history between the Bennets and Givens, Mags is like, 'well, he was protecting Loretta, so..."

Yes! It really highlighted that this was nothing more than Dickie's personal agenda at work; he's nothing like Mags. None of her boys seem to share her idea of an honor system, really. Maybe Doyle does sometimes, but the other two? Not a bit.

I bet there was times when Arlo was really charming and nice, and I think Raylan was raised as a bit of a golden child of Harlan, what with playing baseball and how handsome he is.

Ohh I had forgotten about that! I wonder if it was a situation where outside the house, everyone loved him, and then he'd go home and be absolutely miserable half the time. Or maybe he didn't get abused too often but he was still miserable. The solution to this is: moar flashbacks \o/

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it was a situation where outside the house, everyone loved him, and then he'd go home and be absolutely miserable half the time.

That is what I bet happened.

The solution to this is: moar flashbacks \o/

Agreed!

[elizchris.livejournal.com]

I don't imagine straightforward abuse all that much. Arlo probably didn't spare the rod, but I don't really see him being flat-out abusive. Arlo is a shitheel, but Helen loved him. I can't see her loving a man who abused her nephew physically. (By the local standard of physical abuse, to be sure. I would have trouble accepting the idea that Arlo has never hit his son.)

I could easily see Arlo as neglectful. As he got involved in various rackets, he'd probably disappear for unpredictable stretches. Additionally as a career criminal, his income probably fluctuated a great deal, so that his family would be financially sound some of the time and desperate at others. Also given Raylan's strong sense of justice, he likely felt ashamed of his father.

Either way, Helen was a savior to Raylan. I would definitely be up for flashbacks of Helen.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I don't imagine straightforward abuse all that much. Arlo probably didn't spare the rod, but I don't really see him being flat-out abusive. Arlo is a shitheel, but Helen loved him.

Oh, I totally do. Boyd flat-out states that Arlo beat Raylan's mother in the first episode and the conversation on tornado weather in 1x05 reads as straight-out abuse to me:

"Sometimes with Arlo you don't have to push at all. You're not from around here - do you know tornado weather? Sky turns green, you know something's coming. Some days that's the way it was in the house. Arlo'd ask a question, you'd try desperately to come up with the right answer, what he wanted to hear, except there wasn't any right answer at all."

I mean, shit.

As unflattering as it is to Helen, I am damn sure that she married the man who abused both her sister and nephew. Which, frankly, says a lot about how ingrained and normal the cycle of abuse can be in general and ESPECIALLY in Harlan.

[elizchris.livejournal.com]

I had totally forgotten these elements. Even though they are in fact, totally in character for Arlo, I think they didn't gibe with what I wanted Helen to be. I think it's excellent writing that reflect a tragic reality, but, in my head, I just smoothed those elements out to uncomplicate things.

It's funny, normally when I like a tv show, my interpretations make things more complicated than they actually are. Nice job, Justified writers, reversing that!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Even though they are in fact, totally in character for Arlo, I think they didn't gibe with what I wanted Helen to be.

*nods* I know. You really want her to have the faith in herself that she had in Raylan but sad to say, she didn't.

[shiegra.livejournal.com]

I had that gut-wrench of unwilling empathy for Dickie too, even though I loathed him, but one character I just burned about? Arlo. Trying to make Raylan believe Helen died because of him. I swear to god I nearly fucking screamed aloud (I did a little bit, in a smothered raging-hate sort of way) during those lines, and my family was like oh my god shut up do it now except more politely.

But yes, he was SO AMAZING. And when he starts to try to return the usual banter with Boyd and he just. can't.

;_;

[norgbelulah.livejournal.com]

opening scene where the sound is muffled to rest of the entire episode where Raylan has just buried his pain as much as he can

This made me want to cry for the entire episode. The pain is Raylan's face is just visible enough that you can tell what he's trying to do. Props to Mr. Olyphant, he did a super great job in every scene in this ep.

I just wanted to give him hugs and tell him it would be okay. And I just KNOW that's what Ava (and probably Boyd :P) wanted to do as well. D:

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

This made me want to cry for the entire episode. The pain is Raylan's face is just visible enough that you can tell what he's trying to do. Props to Mr. Olyphant, he did a super great job in every scene in this ep.

Agreed. That scene in the woods was so intense I had to pause if for a minute.

I just wanted to give him hugs and tell him it would be okay. And I just KNOW that's what Ava (and probably Boyd :P) wanted to do as well. D:

Yep, yep.

[1epic-love.livejournal.com]

He was just complete and utter heartbreaking perfection, the Emmy's should just give him the award now.

I'm anxiously waiting for next week, I can't believe it's the finale, I don't know how I'm gonna function without my weekly Justified fix.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

He was just complete and utter heartbreaking perfection, the Emmy's should just give him the award now.

Here here!

I'm anxiously waiting for next week, I can't believe it's the finale, I don't know how I'm gonna function without my weekly Justified fix.

I don't know either! Thank god In Plain Sight is starting back up this week. That will help me curb my fix.

[river-soul.livejournal.com]

Oh this episode had some great parts in it, mostly on the Ava/Boyd end but that scene in the woods just takes the CAKE.

It was beautifully sad and so in character for Raylan. I love that we could see he was good and ready to kill Dickey and be fine (maybe even better for having done that) but that the memory of Helen does stop him. She's the driving force behind the man he was today.

As sad as I was to see her die I think Raylan's life and the man he is today is a testimonial to her and it's beautiful.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

As sad as I was to see her die I think Raylan's life and the man he is today is a testimonial to her and it's beautiful.

I completely agree. I get teary-eyed when I think about how Raylan really is her legacy.

[elizchris.livejournal.com]

Oh man, this episode!

One of the things that I liked this season was how it portrayed Raylan bending the rules for more than doing the job. We see that Raylan's sense of justice extends beyond pushing confrontation until they lead to shooting into outright subverting the law and active investigations. The law is significant to Raylan to the extent that it matches his sense of right and wrong.

I knew Dickie was going to die in this episode. Raylan is smarter than Dickie and more ruthless than many people realize. Aunt Helen is dead. Dickie couldn't survive killing her. So the scene in the woods completely blew me away. Every rave that's been written about Olyphant's performance in this episode is absolutely deserved. He blew me away.

Raylan was just amazing.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

We see that Raylan's sense of justice extends beyond pushing confrontation until they lead to shooting into outright subverting the law and active investigations. The law is significant to Raylan to the extent that it matches his sense of right and wrong.

I think you've nailed something really pivotal about Raylan with that last sentence. His own internal sense of right and wrong is WAY more significant and guides his actions more than the law does; that's shown really clearly in this episode but it also goes back to his shooting of the gun thug in the pilot.

[spirited-lizard.livejournal.com]

That woman raised her dead sister's kid like he was her own. Because–"

THAT BROKE ME!!! I kept repeating that sentence in my head over and over!

*claps hands* Awesome episode!!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It was so amazing!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was a beautifully written scene and then Olyphant just knocked it out of the park.