How perfect was that last scene? If anything, this show was always about the relationship between Cohle and Hart. For me, personally, the detective case always came second in this series. It was never about who Yellow King was, or how Hart and Cohle got there. Yes, it played a significant role in terms of story and plot, but this show was always about Cohle and Rust's relationship, how it developed, and how the two needed each other.
I can count the amount of times that television shows had me on the edge of my sheet, and I can safely add the finale of this show to that list. The finale was truly some captivating television. The cinematography and atmosphere of the finale made the scene palpably intense and cinematic, and the eerie voice throughout the tunnel was haunting, but also beautiful in its menace and sense of danger. Very little shows, if any, have produced this sense of a palpably intense atmosphere before. But the finale worked for me personally because of Hart and Cohle. Their relationship is at the centre of this show, and the final scene truly encapsulated that idea. I liked how Cohle finally got closure and a needed sense of self-respect in finally ending the seventeen year hunt for the Yellow King. Yes, he still has his problems, and he misses his daughter horribly, but for once, he finally has closure in what he's doing. He persevered in his hunt for Yellow King, even under the duress of everybody believing he killed the girls previous. I realize Cohle's sense of self-respect and integrity better than many other characters in television. He never gave up, he always persevered, and he came out on top.
Like the final speech suggests, there will always be darkness. But even under the immense darkness of the world, there is always a minuscule amount of light that shines through the never-ending darkness. It is these people that make the world a better place. Cohle characterizes these people perfectly; he always persevered in his intents and beliefs, and he was validated at the end. Even when everyone was against him, he still believed in what he was doing, and he still believed he could make a difference. Cohle represents the shining light peering in through the sea of blackness that is death and decay, that is the never-ending darkness. Like the star in the sky, Cohle shines through the darkness and makes the world that much brighter. He is the True Detective everyone needs; not only the precinct, but the world, and the darkness.
