Abhiroop Das
Created by Spencer Hudnut, Paramount Plus’ ‘Marshals’ builds on the ending of ‘Yellowstone’ with the journey of Kayce Dutton. After a series of traumatic incidents in life, Kayce much prefers the quiet of the ranch, but that doesn’t stop a part of his psyche from urging him towards something dangerous. When a former Navy SEAL teammate, Pete Calvin, reconnects with him as a US Marshal, Kayce finds himself pulled back into the world of high stakes, all to protect Broken Rock and its surrounding regions from a string of nefarious forces.
In episode 8 of this neo-western police procedural series, we are introduced to an enigmatic character named Garrett, who was once a part of Kayce’s tightly knit Navy SEAL squad. However, much has changed in the years since their last meeting, and both characters have to come to terms with it in ways they aren’t prepared for. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Garrett Sacrifices Himself in an Act That Proves His Loyalty to His Brothers in Arms
Episode 11 of ‘Marshals’ ends on a tragic note, confirming Garrett’s death due to his extensive burn injuries. Though things don’t seem too dire in the episodes building up to this moment, with Garrett briefly showing signs of recovery, we soon learn that the burns also affected his internal organs, making it nearly impossible to save his life. With this, the “Four Musketeers” are whittled down to just two, who have to carry forward the immense feeling of guilt with them. Even at the end, Garrett dies while attempting a heroic feat, trying to save Kayce’s horses after a fire breaks out at the stable. Though Kayce steps in and brings Garrett out after he loses consciousness, it is already too late by then.
Garrett’s intense desire to save the horses likely comes as his response to the trauma from Roner’s death all those years ago. Fittingly, the episode also intersperses flashbacks from the Musketeers’ last military operation together, where they lost Roner. Though we are initially led to believe that it was Pete’s poor judgment that led the group to essentially leave Roner for dead, the final moments of the episode reveal something else entirely. In reality, it was Garrett who made the wrong call and told Pete that Roner was dead when he wasn’t. In the years since, Garrett’s guilt has manifested in countless ways, and he only finds some semblance of stability while sharing the space with his fellow brothers in arms.
Though the episode begins with Pete and Kayce increasingly at odds with each other, the reveal about Garrett leaves them stumped. As they walk to his now empty hospital bed, they find a picture from their Navy SEAL days, a sign that this is truly the life that Garrett knew and cherished all along. Pete, who has been cold to his brother in arms all along, breaks down at last, while Kayce recalls that the best of them don’t make it home. Whether it is the battlefield, or out here in the ranch, Garrett embodies what it means to be loyal to a brotherhood forged in steel.
Riley Green’s Character Was Likely Conceived With an Ending in Mind
Garrett’s death means that actor Riley Green’s time with ‘Marshals’ has come to an end. As Green’s debut performance created quite the stir among the show’s fans and his music followers, this early exit from the show leaves a lot to be desired. Green reportedly went the extra mile to get this particular episode right, as it involves several technical and military sequences. Though there is a possibility that Green shows up on screen once again through flashback sequences, which ‘Marshals’ is particularly good at, the chances of that happening are slim.
The role of Garrett was reportedly tailor-made for Green and originated after he expressed his desire to act with Luke Grimes, the show’s star who plays Kayce. Grimes even joined him during the script reading sessions and was glad that Green came out to be the perfect fit. However, because Garrett, as a narrative presence, was fitted later into the larger story of Marshals, it makes sense that his arc is short-lived and designed for maximum impact. In portraying Garrett’s heroic conclusion, Green gets a chance to show off his acting prowess, and though this likely means that he will not be sharing another scene with Grimes in ‘Marshals,’ the door is now open for him in the wider world of acting.
Read More: Who is Garrett AKA Double G? Who Plays Kayce’s SEAL teammate in Marshals?
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