Animal Kingdom: 5 theories after the events of Season 4, Episode 2

J is too cool for school

Baby J and Grandma Smurf are coming to head as the two spend most of their scenes together in cat-and-mouse staring contests. His double life with Mia, who should not be trusted, is starting to wear on him, especially with Smurf breathing down his neck for answers.

Smurf knows J killed Morgan and tries catching him in the lie by hiring a guy to pose as a detective and claim they have footage of J at the harbor the day Morgan went missing. He doesn’t admit anything of course, but he’s feeling the pressure.

What this could mean?

Smurf needs J gone if she wants to control her sons again. She’s starting to realize that he holds a stronger control over them and if asked to pick sides, she’ll end up with no one. This was shown at a family gathering where Smurf and J disagree over which buildings to fix and launder their money through. None of the boys came to her defense, unknowingly giving away which side they were on through their lack of response.

J has played the frightful target before, pretending to be scared until he revealed himself to be the venomous viper in their little Garden of Eden. Whatever fear J showed about possibly getting caught for Morgen’s murder could be an act.

Pope and Colin

I think we’ve finally (unofficially) met Pope and Julia’s father, a handsome hothead by the name of Colin. The flashbacks starring Leila George are looking to be a regular thing this season, telling a story that correlates with the current one.

I had originally thought young Smurf’s boyfriend was Pope’s father but as it turns out her boyfriend is Jake, Craig’s father, and I’m assuming she grows tired of him sometime during their relationship because every time they interacted in the present time she appeared very unimpressed with his presence. This attitude doesn’t change with the flashbacks either.

Jake clearly likes her, but Smurf acts as if he’s a sad puppy she picked up at the pound, one that she puts outside the minute Colin walks in the room. There’s some drool dripping off your chin Smurf.

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What this could mean?

Does anyone remember in Season 1 when it was implied that Smurf and Pope had an incestuous relationship? Sex or sex appeal is how Smurf controls her sons, raising them to fall in love with her so they’d do anything for her, and because Pope is the oldest, I think it’s fair to assume that he took the brunt of this manipulation strategy.

Is there a reason for these flashbacks? It’s possible that Colin is dead in the present day, so they’re introducing him in a different way, but none of the other father’s mattered that much to Smurf. Not even Jake. There’s clearly something special about Colin, her first love maybe? Whatever happened between the two of them, whatever happened to him, might be what drives her strange need to control and constantly baby her oldest son.

Smurf will do anything to keep her son’s nested against her bosom, but for Pope, she’ll literally sell her soul 10 times over if it meant he’d stay in her line of sight. Is this her way of keeping Colin with her? Smurf isn’t exactly all right up in the head herself; I wouldn’t be surprised if she sees Pope as some kind of Colin replacement.