Season 1 laid Animal Kingdom's foundation, picking up with J (Finn Cole) calling his estranged grandmother, Smurf (Ellen Barkin), after his mother's overdose. With nowhere else to go, J moved in with his crime boss grandmother and henchman uncles and quickly adapted to their way of life. Now in Season 5, Animal Kingdom has come a long way since its 2016 debut. However, one Season 1 moment still gives fans pause: why Smurf stole Julia's shirt in the pilot.

Animal Kingdom's drama starts in the pilot's opening seconds. 17-year-old J watches his heroine-addicted mother overdose. After, he calls his grandmother, who he and his mother haven't spoken to in 11 years. Smurf arrives with open arms and welcomes the high schooler into her home. However, while waiting for J to pack his bags, Smurf sneaks into Julia's bedroom. There, she rifles through some of her drawers before landing on a tan shirt. Smurf stows it in her handbag for safekeeping.

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Animal Kingdom - Pilot Smurf and J

Later in the episode, Smurf dons the shirt on the day of Julia's funeral. J notices immediately, saying, "My mom had a shirt just like that." Smurf replies with a lie, claiming the shirt is hers and that Julia always liked it and must have bought one for herself. She then says she's wearing it to feel closer to her and ends the conversation with a cheerful "how do I look?"

It's possibly the shirt, in fact, once belonged to Smurf, and Julia took it for herself. Given Smurf's strained relationship with her daughter and her ice-cold demeanor, that provides enough motivation for her to steal it back as some twisted sense of justice. However, Animal Kingdom fans know that Smurf is known for twisting the truth and calculating manipulations. As such, many of her actions and words hide secret agendas to further whatever angle she's working.

In that regard, it's likely Smurf took the shirt as symbolism, wanting J to view her as his new mother figure. By wearing Julia's shirt, J associates his grandmother as his main caregiver. In turn, Smurf creates a trusting bond that -- in the long run -- will lead to another douting henchman to carry out her many heists and demands. After discussing the shirt, Smurf licks her hand and smooths back J's hair in another maternal gesture. All the while, J stares back at her with a hesitant, slightly confused but hopeful expression.

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Smurf and J on Animal Kingdom

Ultimately, it seems Smurf's plan is a success. At Julia's funeral, J's neighbor warns him about his grandmother and uncles, encouraging him to step away from his criminal family. However, J shuts her down as he stands next to his grandmother. Later, after J messes up a car theft with Pope, Smurf questions them about J's bruises. While J brushes it off, Pope becomes combative. He grabs hold of Smurf's wrists, but J demands Pope to leave her alone when things escalate. Unbeknownst to him, it was a test to see if J was protective and loyal to his grandmother -- and he passed. If not for Smurf's decision to wear the shirt and establish their grandmother/grandson bond, J's outcome in Pope's test may have looked a lot different.

In Animal Kingdom, Smurf doesn't do anything without it benefiting herself or her family. While it's possible Smurf stealing Julia's shirt was a form of justice, it's more likely a symbolic move. It also establishes Smurf's character right off the bat. By wearing the shirt, Smurf reminds J that she is his only caregiver. As such, she encourages a bond, making J more likely to do her bidding without question and less likely to betray the Codys, which is always Smurf's primary concern.

The Codys story continues in Animal Kingdom Season 5. New episodes drop each Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

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