Under the Banner of Heaven Episode 7 ending explained: Why does Ron try to kill Dan?

With the release of the final episode of Under the Banner of Heaven, the show finally completed the saga of the Laffertys, whose staunch Mormon belief shook the small community of East Rockwell, Utah. The show followed two detectives, Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) and Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham) in their quest to solve the brutal murder of Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her infant daughter Erica.

As the investigation slowly singled out the two oldest Lafferty brothers, Ron (Sam Worthington) and Dan (Wyatt Rusell), the detectives discovered a motive much bigger than they had initially expected. This twisted bond of faith took both the protagonist and the antagonists through a series of unusual endeavors, ending up with Ron strangling Dan in a casino bathroom.

But how did the two brothers, who were strong followers of the same faith, end up in this tumultuous situation? Read on to find out.

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Under the Banner of Heaven ending: What went wrong between Ron and Dan?

If there was a simple answer to what went wrong between Ron and Dan, it would perhaps be "nothing." That is how twisted their belief in the religion was.

From the early stages of the investigation in Under the Banner of Heaven, the show made it clear that the murders were not based on hatred or vengeance, instead, they were a form of religious cleansing. From earlier interrogations with the other Lafferty brothers, Allen (Billy Howle) and Samuel (Rory Culkin), it was also evident that the murderers would not stop at Brenda and would take on anyone who stands in the way of true Mormon beliefs.

When the two brothers joined the School of Prophets, Prophet Onias told Ron that he could be the 'one true prophet,' who would guide the world to the new age of Mormon fundamentalism. His apparent revelations made others believe the same, and they finally embarked on the quest to take down all those in the way, starting from Brenda and Erica.

However, Dan's presence at the helm with Ron made the latter feel threatened as Joseph Smith’s prophecy claimed that there will be 'one mighty and strong.' Moreover, Ron believed that anyone who challenges the belief of 'the one' should be punished.

All this culminated in Ron's attempt at killing Dan without shedding blood. According to their belief, if he shed blood, Dan would be condemned to heaven, which would be a sin as he has challenged 'the one.' Hence, Dan tries to draw blood instead of saving himself from his brother in the last moments. The extent of their belief was shown clearly in this scene, as Dan cared more about the promised afterlife than he cared about saving his life.

Dan was saved by Jeb Pyre's intervention and both the brothers were apprehended for the murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty.

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Pyre's tryst with faith

Jeb Pyre's religious affiliation has been one of the dominating themes of Under the Banner of Heaven. By the final episode, it is evident that the Detective's faith has completely shattered after witnessing the ugly side of the religion.

Though Pyre does distance himself from the faith, he does not give it up completely, mostly because of the repercussions it would have on his family. For people of faith, a large part of their life is centered around it, so leaving it entirely is not a solution.

By the end of Under the Banner of Heaven, Pyre remained a Mormon for the sake of his wife and family, but he mentally distanced himself from the faith and its fundamental laws. Perhaps he will continue down this road of questioning his faith in the future.

The finale of Under the Banner of Heaven is now streaming on Hulu.