Was There a Baby in Wheeler's House? True Detective Fans Have Theories

wheeler baby true detective
Credit: Parliament of Owls | Passenger | Anonymous Content | Neon Black | Peligrosa | HBO Entertainment


wheeler baby true detective
Credit: Parliament of Owls | Passenger | Anonymous Content | Neon Black | Peligrosa | HBO Entertainment

The True Detective: Night Country finale reveals what really happened in the Wheeler case and adds a surprising new detail. Is that really a crying baby Navarro hears at the Wheeler house? If yes, whose baby is that and what does it mean for the mysteries still left unanswered?

Here's what fans have to say.

CONTENT WARNING: This article includes depictions of domestic abuse and spoilers for True Detective: Night Country, so proceed with caution.

Was There Really a Baby in William Wheeler's House?

wheeler baby true detective
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Credit: Parliament of Owls | Passenger | Anonymous Content | Neon Black | Peligrosa | HBO Entertainment

Who killed William Wheeler? Fans have long speculated that it was one of the two main characters in True Detective: Night Country.

The sixth and final episode, however, finally solved the mystery: enraged by the gruesome scene they were called to, Navarro shot Wheeler and, with Danvers' help, made it look like a suicide.

A flashback shows that on that day, the two officers had responded to yet another domestic disturbance call at William Wheeler's home. Although his abuse of his young girlfriend was well-documented they felt unable to do anything as the woman wouldn't press charges. As Danvers explained earlier in the series, they knew how it would end.

However, this is where it gets confusing. Earlier episodes revealed that Navarro saw a screaming apparition pointing an accusing finger at the crime scene.

The finale adds another missing piece of the puzzle: a baby crying somewhere in Wheeler's house. While the baby's cries were loud and clear in Navarro's memory, no one else there seemed to acknowledge them.

So, was there actually a baby in Wheeler's home in the first place? If so, whose baby was it? Fans have some theories to share.

READ MORE: What Is the Meaning of Siqinnaatchiaq, Navarro's Spiritual Name in True Detective?

True Detective Fans Have Some Theories About the Crying Baby

wheeler baby true detective
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Credit: Parliament of Owls | Passenger | Anonymous Content | Neon Black | Peligrosa | HBO Entertainment

As one fan pointed out on Reddit, Liz Danvers' late son Holden, could be the baby the Wheeler's house. The theory goes, when the dust settled, the two officers discovered the crying baby and Danvers adopted him as her own.

Other fans suggested the baby could have been Leah, Danvers' adoptive daughter, who plays an important role in the season's present timeline.

This, however, doesn't quite fit, considering that, when Liz lost Holden and her husband in a tragic car accident, Leah was already a teen.

Another theory is that Danvers didn't actually hear a baby crying, but may have experienced a flashback to her own son because of the song Wheeler had been whistling: Twist and Shout by the Beatles, a recurring musical theme throughout the season.

Another theory suggests that the baby's crying was only a figment of Trooper Navarro's imagination. This would have been a foreshadowing of Navarro's future encounters with entities not of this world.

Other, more pragmatic fans, however, suggested the auditory hallucination (if that's what it was) could mean Navarro was suffering from a mental health condition, which seems to run in her family.

It is worth mentioning that these are just theories and the series has left the ending open to fans' interpretations, but these pretty much line up the potential answers to the mystery baby.

READ NEXT: The Cleaning Ladies Did It: True Detective's Wild Crab Factory Theory Was Right

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