There’s been a substantial amount of character growth when it comes to Wendy in the last couple of episodes. She went from being no more than Daryl’s (Michael Rapaport) legal errand boy to being a strong contender for the person that will cross the less desirable Crowes off of Raylan’s to-do list. She has also proven to be a much more likeable character than the one we were originally introduced to. Allison took a big risk by sending Kendal back to Harlen, but at least Wendy appears to have the motivation to change their situation. Unfortunately that involves making tough decisions and standing on her own two feet for once, something that might be a painful process – especially given how this episode ended.
Wendy isn’t the only one trying to branch out on their own, as Ava (Joelle Carter) intends to do the same. Boyd may have the best intentions, but ultimately his plans to secure Ava’s freedom have backfired one after another. Now that his reliability is in question, Ava has made a choice to define herself separately from her relationship to her beloved Harlan outlaw.
Whether Ava is fully committed to this new single lifestyle or it is all she can do to keep from facing the realities of her situation, she has put up a brick wall – emotions on one side, present affairs on the other. Ava is a character who for some time now has been criticized for falling in step so quickly behind Boyd the moment she gave up on hating him. The greater the distance that is created between them, the more this relationship seems to unravel. It has now reached the point where Ava has realized that she has to once again survive without his assistance, and that she might not be able to rely on him to keep promises he made in the past.
The emotional scene in the prison where Ava walked away from Boyd set the stage for Ava to become a powerful character on the show once more, bringing her character full circle. You may remember back in season one, Ava shot her husband at the dinner table after his abuse – emotional and physical – pushed her to her breaking point. That woman was one that refused to be pushed around, and even though she has her reservations about doing what needs to be done now to establish her independence, she knows it has to be done anyway. To be fair, it’s not like her hand wasn’t forced. Boyd, on the other hand, is all about retribution and even he couldn’t follow through.
Tell us, how did you react to Boyd letting the prison guard go after his confession? Will Wendy be alright now that she’s found herself on Daryl’s bad side? Let us know all your Justified theories in the comment section below!
