No Martyrs, Only Men - Midnight Letters Prompt #21

I used to watch movies, but for about two years I have shifted completely to shows. Shows tend to have exceptional character building and a certain depth that develops around the characters. Not only is the plot important, but the way it is carried. Media allows us to step into lives we cannot control and experience emotions we would otherwise never feel.

Ray Velcoro from True Detective is a man shaped by pain and guilt. After his wife is assaulted, he becomes obsessed with revenge and begins working with criminals while serving as a detective. Over time, this choice makes him bitter, violent, and morally lost. Much of his life feels like he is simply surviving rather than living. Still, one thing that keeps him grounded is his son. Even when he doubts whether the boy is biologically his, Ray continues to care deeply for him.

As the story moves forward, Ray slowly tries to do something right. Beneath his rough and broken exterior, he still wants to protect his son and leave something better behind. His final moments show a man who understands the mistakes he made but still hopes his son will know that he cared. Ray’s story is tragic because he spends most of his life lost, yet in the end he tries to make one honest choice before everything ends.

Contrary to many, I like when the ending is uncertain. I like when we do not get clear answers. But the thing different about Ray Velcoro is that in confronting himself, he walks a path that leads to his end. His kid, family, and colleagues do not like him much. Unlike many shows where the good guy takes down the bad guys in the end, that is not the case here. He dies, but his death is not the central point. In death he is labeled corrupt, someone who worked with the bad, while the people he was fighting seem to live on and get another day.

He is no martyr in the show. He is a real character, like many people who get caught in the mess of living.

All Images are from wikipedia.

Midnight Letters Prompt #21: What is the death of a fictional character you still can't get over