The final episode of Prime Video’s Three Pines brought some closure to the season’s overarching mystery, while also setting the stage for a possible season 2. In “The Hangman, Part 2,” Inspector Armand Gamache finally unraveled what really happened to Blue Two Rivers and her boyfriend Tommy Kis. But discovering the truth was far from a triumphant moment for the detective. He was left shaken when he realized that the person responsible for Blue and Tommy’s disappearance was far closer to him than he ever expected.
The ‘Three Pines’ finale reveals who killed Blue and Tommy
Three Pines’ eight-episode debut season covered four standalone mysteries, each drawn from author Louise Penny’s series of novels featuring Chief Inspector Gamache. But the show also layered on a new mystery, not from Penny’s books, which unspooled over the course of the season.
Gamache (Alfred Molina) and his colleague Isabelle Lacoste (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) both became consumed with finding out what had happened to Blue (Anna Lambe), a young indigenous mother who had vanished along with her boyfriend Tommy (Joshua Odjick). Though Blue’s family had reported her missing, no one was taking the case seriously, until Gamache and Lacoste decided to dig deeper.
Eventually, Tommy’s brother Kevin (Colton Clause) came forward with some damning allegations. He, Tommy, and Blue were smuggling cigarettes over the border when they were pulled over. The two cops demanded to be cut in on the illegal enterprise, an altercation ensued, and the officers shot both Blue and Tommy as Kevin fled into the woods.
Kevin was later arrested and turned up dead in his jail cell, supposedly of an overdose. But it was clear a major coverup was going on within the Sûreté du Québec. Gamache knew one of his fellow officers was to blame. But even he was stunned when he realized his old friend Pierre Arnot (Frank Schorpion) was actually a cold-blooded killer.
Arnot shot Gamache in the ‘Three Pines’ Season 1 finale
In “The Hangman, Part 2,” Gamache headed to a remote cabin to confront Arnot. He discovered that Arnot had already killed Chowski (Robert Montcalm), the other cop involved in the crime. His plan was to blame Chowski for everything, though Arnot was the mastermind. Arnot insisted he couldn’t go to prison, but Armand was prepared to take him in.
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As the two walked away, Gamache unwisely turned his back on Arnot. Arnot drew his gun and shot his friend, leaving him for dead. Some time later, Isabelle and Jean-Guy Beauvoir (Rossif Sutherland) arrived on the scene and called for an ambulance. But it wasn’t clear if they’d made it in time. The episode ended with Gamache bleeding out on the ground.
Three Pines Season 1 leaves Gamache’s fate up in the air (though it’s hard to imagine the show actually killing off its lead character.) And that’s not the only thread the show left dangling. While Gamache was confronting Arnot, Isabelle and Jean-Guy moved in to arrest the couple who murdered the hanged man found in the woods in episode 7. A high-speed car chase ensued, with Jean-Guy behind the wheel. But the detective — who was in despair over his failing marriage — had been drinking steadily all day. He ignored Isabelle’s pleas to slow down, and his frantic attempt to catch the killers ended with their car careening off a bridge. The suspects died instantly.
An angry Isabelle declared that she would say she was driving in order to protect Jean-Guy. That move may shield Jean-Guy from professional fallout (and possible jail time). But it’s also sure to affect their working relationship. And guilt over the crash may end up sending him into an even deeper tailspin.
Will there be a ‘Three Pines’ Season 2?
The first season of Three Pines ended on an unsettled note, setting the stage for a possible sophomore season. Will Gamache survive being shot? And if he recovers, how will the incident affect his work as a detective moving forward? Will Isabelle’s attempts to cover for Jean-Guy be successful? And how will Jean-Guy deal with knowing he inadvertently caused the death of two suspected murderers? Those are all questions we want to see answered in Three Pines Season 2. We’re also eager to learn more about the show’s core characters and see how their relationships evolve.
Unfortunately, Amazon has not yet announced whether Three Pines has been renewed. The good news is that Penny has written more than a dozen novels in her Inspector Gamache series. That means there’s no shortage of source material to draw from. But fans will have to wait and see if the streamer decides to continue the series and reveal what’s next for Gamache and his team of detectives.
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