Line of Duty’s sixth series concluded on Sunday, with H unmasked at last, and many burning questions that have been eating away at viewers were answered – though not all of them.
H was unveiled as DCI Ian Buckells, who admitted he was taking orders from the OCG, and was the “fourth man” after DI Matthew ‘Dot’ Cottan, Senior Legal Counsel Gill Biggeloe, and ACC Derek Hilton were revealed to be the other three in charge.
Buckells admitted he passed on orders from the OCG, and boasted that he had “made mugs” of the OCG all along.
Jo Davidson found out that Tommy Hunter, the leader of the OCG, was both her father and her uncle – and he had groomed her to be a mole in the police, and she was devastated when she found out the truth about her family after believing Patrick Fairbank was her father.
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But she was given a new identity in witness protection and was glimpsed in what looked like an idyllic life with a new girlfriend and a dog.
Terry Boyle, who was framed for the murder of Gail Vella, was allowed to go home, and the end credits revealed he was given a new address, and an investigation was being launched into failures to safeguard his wellbeing.
Meanwhile, Carl Banks was confirmed as having been the real killer of journalist Gail, who was threatening to uncover damning information about police corruption and the concealing of reports into systematic child abuse, with DNA evidence confirming Banks was the one who pulled the trigger.
A rather convenient box containing all the incriminating DNA evidence the OCG were harvested as blackmail material was found, which confirmed Maneet Bindra was murdered by the OCG, as was Jackie Laverty, though the gang were set to pin it on Tony Gates after planting his prints on the knife.
Another knife complete with prints confirmed Ryan Pilkington was the one who killed Corbett – and Ryan is now dead too, seriously limiting the OCG’s resources within the police force.
The two prison wardens who terrorised Lindsay Denton during her time inside were also apprehended at last having being unveiled as corrupt and following orders from the OCG.
Ted Hastings came clean about giving Steph Corbett the missing £50,000, and he also admitted to informing Lee Banks that the OCG had a rat – which is what led to the murder of John Corbett.
He confessed to DSU Patricia Carmichael, and the end credits did not seem to suggest Hastings was disciplined for it, though questions still remain over him being pressured to retire.
Fans were also relieved to finally be assured Hastings was not H, and was the moral bastion of anti-corruption as we had hoped – save for a couple of indiscretions.
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Darren Hunter, who is the son of Tommy, was seen imprisoned for the murder of Lawrence Christopher, while Marcus Thulwell was confirmed as dead after all, following fan predictions he was still alive, as James Nesbitt played him and was bizarrely only seen in one photograph.
However, who killed them and why is as yet a mystery, which could be answered in a series seven – if one materialises – otherwise it may have simply been one of Mercurio’s famous “Jed Herrings”.
And with Steve Arnott admitting his issue with addiction to painkillers, viewers may have been relieved to learn he was given professional help, told to surrender his firearm license for the time being, and go under medical review.
And while AC-12’s powers were described as “now weaker than ever” the unit has not been disbanded, and may continue to fight corruption, perhaps in series seven.
* Line of Duty is available to watch on BBC iPlayer
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/line-duty-mysteries-finally-solved-24024469