TNT’s Animal Kingdom follows the Codys, a criminal family governed by the ruthless matriarch Smurf (Ellen Barkin) and comprised of her grandson and four sons. With a specialty in robberies, the Codys are infamous in Oceanside and have attracted the attention of law enforcement. To keep the family out of prison, Smurf encourages the boys to put family above all else. However, her strict code ensures that anyone who threatens them must be dealt with by whatever means necessary.
The Codys’ unconventional lifestyle isn’t short on drama, violence and trouble. Unfortunately, many of the people who cross their paths get sucked into that drama and have to pay a price one way or another. With fans eagerly awaiting the sixth and final season of Animal Kingdom, here are seven characters who met tragic fates thanks to the Codys.
Catherine Blackwell Met an Undeserved Demise
Animal Kingdom‘s first season shocked fans by killing off Catherine (Daniella Alonso), the wife of Smurf’s adopted son, Baz (Scott Speedman). Catherine and Smurf had a long history of butting heads, and with a young daughter to care for, Catherine decided enough was enough. After stealing some money from Smurf’s washing machine stash, Catherine planned to run away with Lena (Aamya Deva Keroles), leaving Baz and his family behind. However, Smurf caught on to Catherine’s plan and believed she was — or would — talking to the police. As such, Smurf ordered Pope (Shawn Hatosy) to kill Catherine.
In a gut-wrenching scene, Pope smothered Catherine with a pillow then buried her in the desert. The worst part was Catherine hadn’t planned to talk to the police — Smurf jumped the gun. However, Catherine may get some justice come Season 6 after Season 5’s finale revealed a construction crew had uncovered her body.
Baz Suffered the Full Intensity of Smurf’s Wrath
Baz remains one of the more questionable names on this list primarily because he functioned as Season 2’s villain — at least according to Smurf. Betraying his adoptive mother, Baz stole from Smurf’s storage unit. Although he claimed to divide the spoils evenly among his brothers and J (Finn Cole), Baz’s greed ultimately got the better of him. In an act of revenge, Smurf ordered a hit on Baz, with Baz succumbing to his gunshot wounds in Season 3’s premiere.
Despite Baz’s villainy, he remained a fan favorite for many, and his death certainly rocked Animal Kingdom‘s family dynamic. At the end of the day, Baz was essentially another one of Smurf’s victims. So, whether audiences are pro-Baz or not, his death remains tragic for that very reason.
Lena Became Another Cody Victim
While Baz is a divisive character, one of the saddest things about his death is that Lena became an orphan after being treated pretty poorly by her father. Despite Pope’s attempts to care for his niece, she fell into the foster care system. Smurf didn’t think twice about leaving her granddaughter behind, although — to be fair — that was partly because of Pope’s decision to let her go.
As a silver lining, a caring family adopted Lena. And although Pope struggled to say goodbye, he knew she was better off away from the Codys’ criminal ways. However, with the discovery of Catherine’s body, it’s unknown if Lena will return to play a role in Animal Kingdom‘s sixth season.
Mrs. Fullerton Served as a Reminder That the Codys Can Be Heartless
J and Deran (Jake Weary) abandoning poor Mrs. Fullerton at the bus stop in Animal Kingdom‘s third season still remains one of the show’s saddest moments. With Smurf in prison, she tasked J with managing her properties. As part of her money-laundering scheme, she required some of her tenants to lie about what they paid in rent. Unfortunately for Mrs. Fullerton, she developed dementia and struggled to lie because of her confusion. Taking matters into their own hands, J and Deran left the old lady and her beloved cat at a bus station in the middle of nowhere after taking her license and other forms of identification.
Although they don’t hurt or kill her, leaving Mrs. Fullerton alone, scared and confused is shockingly cold. Like most anti-hero shows, Animal Kingdom fans love the Codys. However, they’re technically the bad guys at the end of the day, and Mrs. Fullerton’s abandonment serves to remind audiences of that.
Adrian Got Mixed Up In the Wrong Crowd
Like Baz, Adrian (Spencer Treat Clark) played a role in his own undoing. After attempting to smuggle cocaine overseas in a scheme separate from the Codys, the DEA nailed Adrian. They made a deal for Adrian to avoid prison time by leading them to his supplier; however, that deal soon involved turning on the Codys once they realized his romantic connection to Deran. Knowing Smurf would kill Adrian to protect her family, Deran made the heartbreaking decision to send Adrian off to Southeast Asia.
While it’s true Adrian’s bad judgment led to his downfall, it was ultimately his involvement with the Codys that ruined his life. If he hadn’t been Derna’s boyfriend, he likely would’ve walked away and continued his promising surfing career. Instead, he was forced to leave his lover and family behind to go into hiding.
Morgan Met a Grisly End
In one of Season 3’s more shocking moments, J killed Smurf’s lawyer, Morgan (Laura San Giacomo). With Smurf in jail, J took the opportunity to steal three of her properties with his newfound Power of Attorney. Although J cleverly tried to put the blame on Morgan, he knew it wouldn’t be long until his grandmother put two and two together. So, in a desperate attempt to cover up his betrayal, he abducted Morgan and drove her out into the middle of the ocean. There, he sliced her up before dumping her into the water to drown.
After Smurf’s arrest, Morgan became a reoccurring character. Although she wasn’t overly adored by fans, she certainly didn’t deserve to go out the way she did. As such, her death confirmed how ruthless and sociopathic J could be, and the worst part was, Smurf found out about J’s betrayal anyway.
Nicky and Her Family Would’ve Been Better Off Without the Codys
Nicky Belmont (Molly Gordon) played a significant role in Animal Kingdom until her Season 3 departure. She first appeared as J’s high school girlfriend, who he desperately tried to protect from his family. However, the Codys robbed the Belmont’s house and managed to rope Paul, Nicky’s father, into one of their heists, threatening his high-ranking military job and, ultimately, resulting in him packing up his family — minus Nicky — and moving to Guam. Nicky joined him later in Season 3 after overdosing on heroin.
While Nicky had a penchant for trouble, the majority of her teenage rebellion was fueled by immaturity. She needed a guiding light and instead found the Codys. After her initial break up with J, Smurf and Craig only made things worse. Mia (Sohvi Rodriguez) was right when she said Nicky didn’t belong in J’s world. Eventually, the lifestyle took a toll on her, and she turned to heroin. Saddest of all, J abandoned her at the hospital during her overdose.
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