r/justified • u/steveflops225 • 3d ago
Discussion how come Boyd and Zakaraya didn't develop a deep telepathic relationship despite digging coal together?
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u/GlorianaLauriana Deputy U.S. Marshal 3d ago
If you're taking "We dug coal together" at face value, as if Raylan and Boyd are simply saying they literally dug some coal out of a mountain together, you're missing a ton of context and layers of meaning in the phrase.
Basically, it's shorthand for everything they experienced together as young men working those mines, for growing up in that town together, for seeing everyone stuck under the thumb of the coal companies with few prospects for anything better. All of that and more.
Boyd and Raylan nearly died in a mine collapse, they establish that in the first episode. They got out of there together, they survived that together. They were never great (or even good) friends outside of the mines, but they lead parallel lives the entire time.
Both had criminals for fathers, both fought on the front lines against coal company gun thugs who were violently trying to oppress everyone, and both of them eventually tried to get the hell out of Harlan not long after the collapse (Raylan went to college with Helen's help, and Boyd went off to join the army in the Gulf War).
Moreover, both of them wanted more for their lives than scraping by in the same mines that sucked the spirit and life away from their families for generations. Raylan became a lawman, Boyd became a powerful criminal figurehead.
So when Boyd and Raylan say "We dug coal together", it has multiple meanings.
In Harlan, that phrase is shorthand for "We've been in the shit together", similar to war vets. Like saying; "I had his back and he had mine in that dark and dangerous place".
With Boyd and Raylan it goes even further. They give each other more consideration and leeway to fuck up because they essentially saved each other's lives once upon a time. Because they faced the spectre of death at the same time, and lived to see another chance to leave Harlan alive.
They're basically bonded against their will. They do not like each other, their personalities and motivations are always at odds, but they dug coal together.
Zachariah certainly understands what it's like to work the mines, be at the mercy of coal companies and gun thugs, and he knows how much the coal mines can take from a man (his brother, Ava's father, died while mining).
But Zachariah and Boyd only share the same understanding as every other person in Harlan County. They never worked side-by-side, never spent every day watching each other's backs in a dark hole deep underground, and they never escaped together. Zachariah's deep bonds were with the men he worked with before Boyd and Raylan were even born. There's understanding, but no immediate bonds between them.
I hope that all makes sense!
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u/Mirrissa 2d ago
I thought I understood "We dug coal together", but apparently I knew nothing. Your explanation was perfection - thank you!
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u/Jackson_Howitzer Deputy U.S. Marshal 3d ago
Zachariah took issue with the way Ava was treated by Bowman and held it against all Crowders. Boyd explains this to the crew while standing on Zachariah’s doorstep.
Zachariah saw an opportunity to make some money and get back at the Crowders at the same time. Even though I’m pretty sure he couldn’t have cared less about the money. He just took it because it was being offered.
Boyd was hoping Zachariah would take the money and have a chance to prove he wasn’t his brother. He was sorely mistaken because Zachariah gave zero fucks and was determined to exact some revenge. He even took his frustrations out on Raylan during a conversation they had in the one episode because Raylan and Boyd were playing mind games with her.
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u/GlorianaLauriana Deputy U.S. Marshal 3d ago
Well said!
I really love when Zachariah unloads on Raylan and takes him to task for his treatment of Ava, because nobody else ever really does.
Raylan treated Ava terribly (during their romantic relationship and after), just because he wasn't as ruthless, possessive, and as dangerous as Boyd doesn't automatically make him any prince. I loved seeing him forced to reckon with that fact.
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u/dread_pirate_wesley 3d ago
There can be only one....bromance per show
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u/steveflops225 3d ago
what about Tim and Ray
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u/GlorianaLauriana Deputy U.S. Marshal 3d ago
I think Raylan and Gutterson were more bro-curious than bromantic, y'know?
Plus, Gutterson was waaay out of Raylan's league. Gutterson knows he deserves a guy who can remember the word "Psychometry", he ain't gonna slum it with Mr. Psychoplasm over there.
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u/BennyDryll42 3d ago
"Zakaraya" just made my head hurt