With the release of True Detective: Night Country episode 2, avid fans of the show pointed out a discovery they made. It turns out Rose Aguineau and Rust Cohle in True Detective are related. Here's how.
Before you proceed, let this be a reminder that this article contains spoilers. If you haven't watched True Detective: Night Country, it would be best to skip this explainer.
How Are Rose Aguineau & Rust Cohle in True Detective Related?
If you've been a fan of the franchise since the start, the name "Rust Cohle" may ring a bell. This is because he was one of the protagonists in True Detective Season 1 and was played by Matthew McConaughey.
As revealed by True Detective: Night Country's episodes 1 and 2, Rose Aguineau and Rust Cohle are related: they're mother and son.
Rose (played by Fiona Shaw) revealed that Travis Cohle (played by Erling Eliasson) had Leukemia. But because he refused to die of cancer, he "went into the ice."
True Detective: Night Country protagonist, Trooper Evangeline Navarro (played by Kali Reis) was the one who found his lifeless body.
Before he had died, Travis brought croissants to Rose and sang to her. But he didn't talk much since he was tired.
In the show, however, it seems like that's not all we see Travis as Evangeline continues to see his ghost. He pointed her in the direction of the dead researchers.
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True Detective Season 1 Made References About Rust's Dad
But how sure are we that Rose Aguineau & Rust Cohle in True Detective are related in the first place?
In one of the hints we got from the first season, Detective Martin Hart (played by Woody Harrelson) asked Rust if his mom was still alive. Rust simply responds with an unsure "Maybe."
Also, in True Detective Season 1, Episode 4 entitled Who Goes There, it was revealed that the name of Rust's dad was Travis. He also revealed that his dad was in Alaska.
Going back to the fourth season, the ghost of Travis also reveals some sort of resemblance with Rust. And given True Detective: Night Country showrunner, Issa López', fascination with easter eggs from the first season 1, this isn't just a coincidence.
And to top it all off, Rose confirmed this fan theory by calling Travis by his full name: Travis Cohle. This confirms that Travis, Rose, and Rust are related.
In the episode, Rose says: "One last gift from Travis Cohle, I got to meet you.”
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Is True Detective: Night Country Connected to True Detective Season 1?
With the connection between Rose Aguineau and Rust Cohle in True Detective: Night Country, avid fans can't help but wonder whether the two seasons are connected.
Not to mention, López has thrown in several Season 1 Easter eggs, which seem to suggest the two shows are linked.
But as of this writing, it's too early to tell. Since each season is a standalone story, this might not be the case.
Also, there's the big question whether Matthew McConaughey would be returning to True Detective: Night Country to reprise his role in a guest appearance.
But who knows? This just might be something that the showrunner has lined up towards the end of the season.
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