The following contains spoilers for Animal Kingdom Season 6, Episode 8, "Revelation," which aired Sunday on TNT.
At the heart of TNT's Animal Kingdom is Smurf's manipulative relationship with her sons and grandson. By using her own children, Smurf essentially created a workforce of career criminals to build her empire, and she stopped at nothing to keep that shtick going for as long as possible. In a way, Smurf twistedly played on her sons' strengths. Baz's (Scott Speedman/Darren Mann) intelligence garnered him the role of right-hand man, while Deran (Jake Weary) and Craig's (Ben Robson) close bond and strength had them working closely together as "grunts." When it came to Pope (Shawn Hatosy/Kevin Csolak), Smurf darkly preyed upon his propensity for anger and obsessive-compulsive tendencies to get what she wanted.
With Ellen Barkin's Smurf gone and Leila George stepping in as a young Janine Cody, Animal Kingdom shows fans just how the Cody family operation came to be via flashbacks. More specifically, Season 6, Episode 8, "Revelation," spotlighted a moment between Smurf and young Pope that set the stage for their future relationship.
The majority of Season 6's flashbacks thus far have focused on Julia (Jasper Polish) and Baz's growing romantic relationship. Although the teenagers attempt to keep their exploits a secret, Smurf isn't easily fooled and disapproves of the situation. While she claims it's because Julia and Baz should behave like siblings, despite Baz being adopted, that's not the true reason. Smurf likes to keep total control of her children, and Julia's reluctance to get involved with the family's criminal heists presents an unwanted challenge. Now, with Julia becoming sexually involved with Baz, Smurf only sees her daughter as even more of a distraction. However, instead of Smurf tackling the situation directly, she works from the shadows, eliciting Pope's help without him even knowing.
Smurf interrupts the trio -- Baz, Pope and Julia -- while they are playing a game of Uno. She asks Pope for help making bullets. However, after making a few, Pope grows impatient because he wants to go to the movies with his sister and Baz. After a little pushback, Smurf agrees to let him go and sends him off. Upon returning to find the Uno game abandoned, Pope discovers Julia and Baz engaging in sexual activity -- just as Smurf knew they would be. The sight causes him to vomit and run off. While Julia is upset and chases after him, Baz isn't quite as bothered, at least until later when he also runs off after a confrontation with Smurf.
It's unclear if this marks the true end of Julia and Baz, especially considering Baz is likely J's father. However, it is clear that Smurf intended for Pope to out their "secret" and upset Julia enough to put an end to her relationship with Baz. More importantly, though, it spotlights Smurf's way of manipulating Pope into doing her bidding. Ellen Barkin's Smurf called on Pope for her dirtiest work, including murder. She convinced him to kill Catherine (Daniella Alonso), Baz's girlfriend and the woman Pope loved, partially through genuine fear that Catherine was talking to the feds and partially by manipulating him into thinking Catherine never loved him.
Leila George's Smurf does something similar here by confusing Pope with the sight of his twin sister and adopted brother engaging in a sexual act. It plants doubt in his mind that he can trust his siblings, thus pushing him closer to his mother and further away from Julia, specifically -- and it's all part of Smurf's master plan. She kills two birds with one stone by comforting Pope and taking back control from Baz and Julia. With Pope oblivious to her manipulations, he learns to trust his mother while she essentially turns Pope into a monster.
It's why he willingly killed Catherine on Smurf's command, despite his love for her. And, once again, Smurf killed two birds with one stone: Catherine couldn't talk to the authorities, and Baz no longer had another distraction (or so she thought). While the present-day Pope has since become privy to Smurf's manipulations, young Pope has not. Thus, he could help push Julia away from the family with a little whisper from his mother.
To see what happens to young Pope and Julia, new episodes of Animal Kingdom's sixth season air each Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.