Animal Kingdom brings with it a plethora of plot twists and the line between reality and the supernatural is very thin and hazy. Given the recent release of Season 6, a lot of questions about our beloved Pope has birthed in the minds of the fans.
In this article I’ve tried to answer a few of them as a devout fan of the show from the very day it was aired for the first time.
1. The Origins of Pope’s Nick Name
Animal Kingdom fans just got a huge dopamine rush as the series’ new season got around to talking about the origins of Pope and how he got this nickname.
The TNT series’ sixth and final season has so far focussed on J’s (Finn Cole) scheme to rob a high-end jewelry store. While the fans learned about Smurf’s(Ellen Barkin) nickname way back in season 1, they had to wait a long time (till Season 6, Episode 5) for the show to shed some light on the origins of Andrew’s (Shawn Hatosy) nickname Pope.
The nickname, as fans might’ve already predicted, has a religious connection. It all begins in 1992 as Smurf’s twins Andrew (Kevin Csolak) and Julia ( Jasper Polish) along with their adopted son Baz(Darren Mann) go to high school. Smurf’s only aim is to keep them in the family business and she easily manipulates Andrew intro doing her bid. Smurf takes Andrew to the church where he’s taken a keen interest in Bible study.
Because of Andrew’s newfound interest in Bible study and religion, Baz makes fun of him and when Julia asks whether Andrew wanted to join the party, Baz remarks,” Andrew isn’t interested in our sinful ways. We’re living with Pope Andrew now.”
This marks the first use of the name and it apparently sticks.
2. What did Smurf do to Pope?
Smurf interrupts the trio- Pope, Baz and Julia while they are playing a game of Uno. Smurf manipulates Pope to go for a movie when she knows that there is sexual tension between Julia and Baz.
Pope finds them engaging in intercourse and becomes traumatized and vomits. It is unclear whether that moment marks the end of the dynamic between Julia and Baz. But we are exposed to the way Smurf manipulates Pope into doing her bidding.
Ellen Barkin’s Smurf uses Pope for doing her dirtiest work which includes murder. She convinces him to murder Catherine (Daniella Alonso), Baz’s girlfriend and the woman Pope loved by manipulating him into thinking that Catherine had some connection with the feds and by convincing him that Catherine never loved him.
3. What mental illness does Pope have?
After having served in the Falsom State Prison for three years for a robbery gone wrong, Pope returns home to the Cody family and shows signs of mental illness and OCD.
The actor Hatosy thinks that Pope comes off as a “wild card” in the show. While every step of the pope can be comprehended to have an infinite list of potential meanings, Hatosy believes that the Pop mostly suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder.
Every character in Animal Kingdom needs some sort of help in some way. Pope has three relationships and all of them become potential rungs of the ladder for Baz to climb. And the wounds inflicted stay raw for Pope and turn him into a monster.
4. Is Pope J’s dad in Animal Kingdom?
One of the most crucial plotlines in the TNT drama series is J trying to figure out who his father is after the demise of his mother.
Over the seasons we see him trying to find answers from different people including Smurf and Baz but with no conclusive evidence. So, is Pope really J’s father?
No. Baz is J’s father. It was confirmed in Season 3 after Baz passed away. When J met Smurf in prison and asked her again, she affirmed it.
5. What drug does Pope consume in the series?
Still coping with the demise of Smurf, Pope finds himself in a cult where he might actually have a supernatural encounter. There he encounters Cassandra and he is offered a glass of hallucinogenic tea. In spite of insisting that drugs don’t work on him, he consumes the tea.
Pope starts experiencing blackouts and having weird episodes. In Episode 5, “Family Business,” Pope breaks down saying, “I’m looking for ghosts. I’m hearing voices. I’m hearing Smurf’s voice in my head.”
6. About Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is an American drama television series developed by Jonathan Lisco. It is based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name directed by David Michôd, who is executive producer for the series, alongside Liz Watts, who also produced the 2010 film.
The series follows a 17-year-old boy, who, after the death of his mother, moves in with his estranged relatives, the Codys, a criminal family clan governed by the matriarch Smurf.
The crime drama stars Ellen Barkin, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Danielle Alonso, Molly Gordon, and Denis Leary. Season 6 will be the final season of the show.
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