Did Hank commit suicide in True Detective? Hank has always been suspected of being involved with the closed case of Annie K, and yet somehow, he's refusing to talk. Fans are convinced he purposely died by pulling a cop stunt.
Did he intentionally have himself killed to escape his fate? Here's what fans think.
SPOILER WARNING: This article includes spoilers for True Detective, so proceed with caution.
How Hank Died in True Detective Explained
Ever since Hank was caught keeping track and hiding files about the unresolved case surrounding Annie K's death, he had been suspected by Detective Liz Danvers of involvement with the victim.
As it so happens, Hank Prior's rookie Officer son, Peter, enters and sees his father aiming his gun at Danvers.
Considering that it was Peter who stole Annie K's files right under his dad's nose, his relationship had always been strained with his father.
Now faced with the dilemma of having to tell his dad to put the gun down or help him clean up his mess in the house, Peter keeps his cool in assessing the situation.
When Hank realizes that his son isn't siding with him, he "fesses up" to Danvers, "I didn't kill Annie K. I just moved her body."
Right before Hank is about to shoot Danvers, he turns to Peter and says his last words, "Blood is blood, Peter. Remember that." On instinct, Peter shoots his father in the head to protect Danvers.
But something's amiss here. Hank had been quite secretive about his involvement with the Annie K case, and yet somehow, he admits that he helped in moving her body away. So, what's going on?
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Fans Think Hank Committed 'Suicide by Cop'
Fans are convinced that Hank Prior purposely provoked an action from his kid the minute he pointed his gun at Danvers.
'Suicide by cop' is a term used by police officers when individuals behave threateningly to provoke the police into using deadly force to take their lives.
In Hank's case, however, fans speculated that he knew his son, Peter, would take Danvers' side over his own, which led him to choose this path.
Peter, whose strong sense of justice and morality outweighs his father's, knew what was at stake when he saw Hank armed against Danvers.
Apart from Hank escaping potential legal punishment for getting rid of the evidence, one fan surmised that Hank was "beaten down and defeated" with his life, despite wanting "to do right by his son and his family."
Although the tragic past that went between this father and son duo has yet to be explored, fans feel horrible right after Hank seemingly chose to die by his son's hands rather than still live through as a "deadbeat dad" to Peter.
Not to mention, what drove Hank to get mysteriously involved with the disposal of Annie K's body. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
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