True Detective: Night Country – Episode 5 explained

Warning: Major spoilers ahead

Evangeline watches on as Julia’s body is cremated. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Liz speaks to Otis to find out if he knew Clark from before. He tells her he had been aware of the research station in Tsalal, but didn’t know the men there.

Otis shares that Clark said “she’s awake” – alarming Liz as it triggers a memory. Asking about his accident 30 years prior, Otis shares there was a cave-in and men died trapped in the ice. Otis and a few others ran out into the blizzard to get help, but suddenly there was a screaming sound and all the men started following after it. The next morning Otis woke up in the hospital with his injuries, but no idea how he sustained them. He points out the cave system on the map, warning Liz that she can’t go alone as the whole system has collapsed.

Liz tells Evangeline she’s found the entrance to the cave system – thanks to Otis – so they drive over to check it out. During the drive, Evangeline asks after Leah, with Liz saying she’s turned into “one of those crazy radicals”. They arrive at the cave to find someone has sealed the entryway shut. Having been kicked out by Kayla, Peter asks his father if he can stay with him for a while. Leah participates in a protest at the mine, with the troopers called in when things turn violent.

Evangeline sees a vision of Annie among the crowd, causing her to lose focus – but she’s snapped into the present when she spots Leah being attacked by one of the troopers.

Back at the station, Liz receives a call from Captain Connelly telling her to report to Kate’s offices to discuss the protest. Evangeline takes Leah to the station so she can be booked – as per Liz’s instructions. Peter shows Liz what he’s found – the LLC that funds the research station traces back to Tuttle United, who also have links with Silver Sky mining.

Liz arrives at the mine to meet with Kate and Captain Connelly. Having thought she was there to talk about the protest, she soon discovers that what they’ve really called her there for is to review some CCTV footage which shows Evangeline and Liz at the entry to the cave - which happens to be on Silver Sky property. Liz tells Kate and Captain Connelly about the intel they got from Otis but the forensic results are in – they’re putting it down to a weather event. Liz refuses to believe that the scientists froze to death, telling Connelly about the link between the Annie K case and scientists but he’s having none of it. He tells her that the case is closed and to go home.

Kate tells Hank that Liz is looking for the location of Annie’s murder and that she “can’t find that cave”. It is clear Hank has covered things up for Kate in the past and once again, Kate is counting on him to sort this out.

While at a launderette, Evangeline continues seeing things. Qavik’s friend reveals stones with a spiral symbol were often left out as a warning to hunters, and that they were placed in areas where “the ice would swallow them whole”. Evangeline rushes back to the station to speak with Liz, where she’s informed that the case is closed and Captain Connelly knows about what happened on the Wheeler case – the murder-suicide case she and Evangeline worked together before falling out.

Evangeline pours Julia’s ashes into the water out on the ice, with Rose helping her break through it for her. A new vision distracts her, and almost causes her to almost fall in, but Rose manages to get to her in time and pull her to safety.

Liz calls Peter into her office and challenges him to ask questions about Wheeler. He point-blank asks her if they staged it to look like a suicide, but she refuses to answer, instead giving her the keys to her shed so he can stay there instead of with Hank.

Liz brings Otis to her house so he can show her where the caves are, and in return she gives him drugs she took from the evidence room. Hank arrives to arrest Otis, but when Liz refuses to let him leave, he pulls his gun out and shoots Otis dead. Peter emerges from Liz’s shed having heard gunshots to find Otis dead on the floor and Hank with his gun pointed at Liz. Hank confesses to moving Annie’s body before raising his gun to shoot Liz but Peter stops him by shooting him in the head.

Evangeline enters the house to find Hank and Otis dead on the floor and comes up with a cover story. Peter agrees to clean up the house, so that Evangeline and Liz can head to the caves.