Lets start off with why Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) is really the Yellow King. While I am well aware and still leaning towards the fact that neither detective is actually the killer, if I had to choose between the two, all facts point towards Marty.
As a side note, unless the drugs in Cohle’s head have completely taken control there is no way he is the killer. He is set up to be a red herring. But we see footage of him searching in 2002 without the police consent which leads more to a man obsessed with the case then one trying to cover anything up.
On to the important stuff. Hart is the ying to Cohle’s yang in this show. He provides a much needed comedic value to a show that is otherwise unbelievably dark. But he also keeps Cohle grounded, making light of some of Cohle’s aggressive theories. In the first episode he says “There a part in your books about jumping to conclusions? A man comes to a conclusion he starts twistin the facts to support his argument.” Now most of what Hart says seems to be making sense. However, when listening to his words objectively, he is consistently derailing the investigation. He brings up a family dinner at the worst murder case he has ever witnessed? Really? Throughout every step of the investigation, Hart either suggests Cohle is wrong, or compromises Cohle’s efforts: Kills Ledeux, prevents Cohle from speaking to the lawnmower man (green eared spaghetti monster), almost ruins woman’s confession.
The Reverend Tuttle also has to be an evil character. The fat pompous southern fried asshole is definitely part of this whole business involving this corrupt church. He set up the school program. And his face…he has a smirk that “makes me wanna do things to it”. But nothing made me more skeptical than the Tuttle in the first episode. As he leaves the police department he turns to Hart and Cohle. He tells Hart hes done a good job and shakes his hand. Then smiles at Cohle and leaves. I would argue he is directly thanking Hart for his actions.
Hart treats women very strangely and I think it has a lot to do with the King in Yellow. Whether they are the same person or just showing similarities between the two, we can tell that Hart shares characteristics with the King in Yellow. He is protective of his little girls when they are young. But he treats just about every other woman like shit. He habitually cheats on his wife. He kicks the snot outta the poor bastard trying to date Hart’s girl on the side. He always needs to be in control of women. Even in his interviews, and legitimately being funny he says “I don’t have a type, just a regular guy, with a big ass dick.” Funny, but he always seems to just need to be in control of all the women. I think his humor masks his true and ugly persona.
Hart’s actions could be simply put into perspective in all of this though. Cohle says time is a flat surface and everything that has happened will happen again. Pizalatto may be pointing out that the qualities that are imbeded in the killer/cult are parallel to that actions of Hart.
For the record I don’t believe that the King in Yellow and the killer are the same person. The yellow king could symbolize simply the blond girls: Yellow, with the antler crown: King. Although ppl seem to be afraid of the yellow king which kinds makes my whole argument moot because who is afraid of a girl they are going to rape and kill?
ps. As I write this I am currently pooing. G’day.
To be continued.
HOW AH WE? 