Animal Kingdom's final episode proved to be an unlucky one for the Codys. Pope (Shawn Hatosy) and Craig (Ben Robson) met heartbreaking ends, while Deran (Jake Weary) was left to face the world alone. For longtime fans of the TNT drama, it was an expected but somber end for Oceanside's once-reigning crime family. And it all went up in flames (literally) because of J's (Finn Cole) big betrayal.
J's thirst for revenge had been hinted at throughout Animal Kingdom's earlier seasons, with him even promising in Season 3 to destroy everything Smurf (Ellen Barkin) ever loved and cared about. J's crusade stemmed from his desire to obtain justice for his mother, Julia (Jasper Polish), who Smurf essentially left to die. Thus, J decided to betray his uncles by stealing all their money and attempting to get them killed or locked away for life. However, a few problems resulted in his plan making little sense.
J's Uncles Didn't Really Deserve the Hate
Perhaps the worst part of J's revenge plot was that Deran, Craig and Pope didn't really deserve it. Sure, they were untrusting and sometimes cruel to him in the earlier seasons, but they pretty much got past that once J proved his worth and loyalty. There was also the fact that they were victims of Smurf, too. As Craig explained to J in the penultimate episode, he and Deran were just kids when all the drama went down with Julia. Pope was older, but he was brainwashed by his mother.
Deran and J previously had been working well together in Animal Kingdom's sixth season, mending the rocky relationship they had prior. While Pope was more challenging to connect with, he stuck his neck out for J on multiple occasions and even brought him to visit his mother's grave on her birthday when no one else in the family seemed to care about Julia's memory or J's feelings. Thus, J's revenge made him a bit of a hypocrite. He hated what Smurf did to his mother, yet he didn't afford his uncles the same sympathy.
J's Revenge Was Lost on Smurf
Like the rest of the Cody gang, Smurf was the source of J's issues. Her negligence and disregard for Julia sent her daughter on a deadly path of drug use. As a result, J became another one of Smurf's victims. Despite all that, J spent the majority of Animal Kingdom's earlier seasons as Smurf's right hand, and he even saved her life. In Season 3, he chillingly promised to take everything she cared about and loved as revenge, but when he finally made good on his word, Smurf was already dead.
J was a lot like his grandmother, right down to her sociopathic tendencies. Animal Kingdom set up J's relationship with her as part of the long con. He wanted to learn as much as he could from Smurf, so he could one day use it against her. The idea is pretty poetic; however, the execution lost its punch without Smurf around to witness the revenge. So, while J planned to use Smurf, Smurf actually used J, with him serving her up until her final moments in Season 4.
J's Bloody Revenge Wasn't What Julia Wanted
One can debate whether the Cody boys had it coming or if J's revenge would have been sweeter had Smurf been alive to see it. But the fact remains that Julia wouldn't have wanted J to seek vengeance the way he did. Flashbacks confirmed that Julia was an intelligent and kindhearted person who wanted to distance herself from her mother, not destroy her family. She understood that Deran, Craig, Baz and, specifically, Pope were Smurf's victims, just like she was. She wouldn't have wanted her brothers to be killed, hurt or locked up for Smurf's misdoings. J even confirmed that in the finale by telling Pope, "She loved you. She always loved you. She never stopped."
As such, the finale turned into a cautionary tale. Like many great stories that came before, Animal Kingdom proved that a noble cause could quickly turn dark. J's quest for vengeance became misdirected, and using his uncles as he did made him no better than Smurf -- the person he hated most. With him alone, unhappy and an angry Deran plotting revenge of his own, at least J got a little of what is surely coming for him.