“Blood Atonement,” Under the Banner of Heaven’s finale subtly renders on the question that has loomed over its past few episodes: who is the one mighty and strong? “The One” is meant to put God’s house in order and this power is part of what has corrupted Ron (Worthington) and Dan (Russell). However, “Blood Atonement” offers a new suggestion that neither of the Lafferty brothers is the coveted “One.” More than that, Under the Banner of Heaven’s finale does something that so few crime dramas do, and leaves out the punishment that follows the apprehension of the criminals. For Under the Banner of Heaven, it’s the right call.
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Naturally, one of the biggest mysteries since the start of Under the Banner of Heaven was where Ron and Dan were. It became painfully clear early in the series that they were the ones responsible for the murders of Brenda (Edgar-Jones) and Erica. “Blood Atonement” could have easily focused on Ron and Dan’s consequences but instead, the series waits to apprehend them in the final 10 minutes. It doesn’t feel rushed and allows the series to give a voice to Brenda and Dianna (Gough), and continues to explore Pyre’s new attitude toward his faith. The backbone of Under the Banner of Heaven is how it treats its victims. Everyone in Under the Banner of Heaven is driven by justice and pursuing what’s right, and “Blood Atonement” is the culmination of that.
One of the strengths of Under the Banner of Heaven’s finale is that the series does not overdo Brenda’s death scene. The crime scene that Pyre enters in Under the Banner of Heaven’s first episode says enough without the audience having to witness the actual killing being carried out. Instead, Under the Banner of Heaven allows Brenda’s final moments on screen to be a testament to the woman she was. The series has done an exceptional job of portraying Brenda as a strong-willed and minded woman that would do anything to protect those she cared about, even if it meant going against her priesthood holder. Her devotion to helping Dianna and any of the other wives who would follow in leaving their abusive relationships in spite of the threats she received is nothing short of moving.
Before condemning her killers, Brenda pleads with Ron to see the treachery in his actions. Edgar-Jones is spectacular in this scene, once again demonstrating Brenda’s willingness to appeal to the goodness she knows resides in these men. Under the Banner of Heaven’s use of flashbacks to Brenda’s initial meetings with both Ron and Dan are painful to be reminded of, but add a layer of understanding to the men Brenda is trying to reason with. Those initial welcoming, kind-hearted men who valued their families are the men she’s appealing to, not the manic men they have become. There is strength in Brenda’s final moments and Under the Banner of Heaven awards it justifiably.
Where “Blood Atonement” truly shines is the gas station scene with Dianna (Gough). After learning of Brenda’s murder and reading the final letter Brenda wrote her, Dianna returns to Utah to rescue Matilda (Chloe Pirrie). On their way out of the state, Dianna stops at a gas station where she is discovered by Sam Lafferty (Rory Culkin), who snatches Matilda from the car. Dianna pleads with the many bystanders to do something, but they do nothing. This scene stands out because it is a genuine testament to the events of Under the Banner of Heaven.
The series has shown the lack of regard, so many have had for Brenda, the other wives, and their children. Members of the church who goaded these women back to their abusive husbands and members of the Lafferty family who had suffered the abuse themselves knew how dangerous Ron and Dan were. Their devout followers and those Ron and Dan befriended, knew of the list Ron and Dan created and the blood atonement they called for from those on it. By doing nothing to stop them, all of them have the blood of Brenda and Erica on their hands. Even if they had no part in planning and carrying out the murders, they’re just as guilty for being a bystander and doing nothing. The gas station scene that saw no bystanders move to help Matilda and Dianna echo this.
Words are not enough to capture what Under the Banner of Heaven’s cast brought to the finale. The performances from Garfield and Russell throughout the limited series deserve to be acknowledged at this year’s Emmy ceremony, though the rest of the cast and crew should not be forgotten. How Under the Banner of Heaven’s writers Brandon Boyce, Dustin Lance Black, and Gina Welch wove the stories of Pyre, Brenda, the Laffertys, and the church together to create a story that is still painfully relevant today is incredible. As dated as some ideals of the LDS Church are presented, how detrimental, constricting, and exclusive any set of ideals can become is part of what makes Under the Banner of Heaven such a haunting series. In the end, Pyre’s true faith is in his family, giving him and those around him, a stronger understanding of what truly matters, and a hopeful ending that the grim series needed.
Under the Banner of Heaven is now streaming on Hulu.
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