Summary

• John's investigation into Olivia's disappearance leads to shocking truths and puts his own allies at risk.
• A major reveal shows John is not a typical detective, with origins hinting at extraterrestrial connections.
• The series blends film references with character development, captivating audiences and sparking self-reflection.

Since its early April premiere, Apple TV+'s Sugar has been nothing short of a moody, enthralling mystery. Focusing on the titular detective's (Colin Farrell) investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Hollywood royalty Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler), last Friday saw fans perplexed by a mind-bending twist in the final moments of the latest episode, "Go Home."

The past few episodes highlighted a restless John and his growing obsession with the Siegel case, easily picking up on discrepancies presented to him by Olivia's immediate family. However, the closer John comes to learning about the truth behind Olivia's disappearance, the same discrepancies that are littered throughout the case begin to implicate those closest to him, resulting in a bloody yet somewhat subdued unraveling.

During the investigation and Sugar's friendships with longtime confidante Ruby (played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and newfound friend Melanie (Amy Ryan), the series has also hinted at John's uniquely furtive personality. Be it through juxtaposition with classic film noir icons like Humphrey Bogart or a close look at John at his most anxious, audiences were always left with an inkling that John is not quite like the detectives that came before him, and the sixth episode provided a major reveal as to why.

Sugar Unveiled

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During a tense battle with a human trafficking gang led by Byron Stallings (Eric Lange), John learns Ruby was the person responsible for alerting Byron and his subordinates of John's arrival, leading to the disappearance of John's trusted ally Charlie (Paula Andrea Placido) and a surprise pile-on that results in John staring back at the barrel of several guns. After stunning the crew with his abnormal strength against a close-range shot, John eradicates the crew and barely finds his way back to a secluded hotel, both physically and mentally scarred.

On the brink of death, Melanie calls in a favor from Henry (Jason Butler Harner), who slyly advises Melanie to pick up some medicine from a nearby drugstore. Sometime after, a medicated John believes himself to be well enough to confront Ruby, who tearfully admits to tipping Byron off about John's investigation but refuses to delve into the true reason behind her intervention, instead implying that the case is bigger than both of them.

The Moment of Truth

Returning with much on his mind, John muses to himself about a desire to "go home," returning to the hotel bathroom and injecting himself with a mysterious substance that finds John unsheathed from the human cloak audiences have come to recognize him in, instead revealing a blue, humanoid-alien staring back at the mirror.

John, At A Glance

Throughout the series, John is shown to be a kind and approachable protagonist, despite his rather jaded disposition. A more inviting counterpart to the detectives that dominated film noir media during its golden age, John finds it feasible to make new friends, maintain strong relationships, and successfully interrogate folks who are less than willing to open up to him. Despite his seemingly warmhearted approach and desire to resolve conflicts nonviolently, John is by no means someone to undermine. With stellar hand-to-hand combat skills, John's reputation precedes him, and for great reasons.

Stepping back and taking the reveal into consideration, John's fascination with film noir and references to The Thing have always struck audiences as clues to his true origins. However, looking back with newfound information, it's also noteworthy to detail how John references these films as if they are his own memories, using them as a guiding light toward his every decision rather than pulling ideas from his lived experiences.

An Eye-Opening Revisit

His relationship with film seems to suggest that his time on Earth is relatively short, which further explains his rather swift learning abilities. Between his keen insight on the Siegel case, generally strong deductive reasoning, and the revelation of his unusually quick stint at the Defense Language Institute, it is safe to say that John's eagerness and a potentially larger brain capacity were of great assistance.

One aspect of John that fans have picked up on is his relationship with animals, at least, the canines he comes across. While his adoption of Wiley seems innocuous enough to look past, it is this moment with Stallings' Dobermans that calls his connections to dogs into question. Approaching the Stallings base, the Dobermans run out, howling aggressively as they attempt to ward off the intruder. However, they eerily stop in the presence of John before affectionately embracing him.

While it's clearly established that John is some form of extraterrestrial, the rule is still out on where he exactly originates from, inspiring intriguing discourse about how he may be a fallen angel rather than a simple alien. Furthermore, other viewers look to the secret society that binds John, Ruby, and Henry to an extensive network of talented and like-minded peers, potentially embarking on investigations in their own right.

The Relevance of The Reveal

Aside from offering an exciting development that enhances the series a few episodes before its conclusion, John's true identity also paints an alluring portrait of film's impact on the human psyche.

With the reveal in mind, John's aforementioned appreciation for film noir like The Big Heat and Double Indemnity initially reads as an attempt to assimilate into American culture. However, his continued allusions mirror the many ways everyday people reference the media they feel has shaped them into the person they are.

Instead of an unsuccessful, anti-climactic reveal, the final moments of "Go Home" manage to simultaneously shock audiences while also sparking new epiphanies that help them see themselves in John rather than completely discarding him as "other".

John as an Avatar For the Fan

While fans are not a monolith, fandom serves as one of many makeshift cures for loneliness in the modern age. Before discussing one's favorite media with like-minded fans, many can relate to feeling and feeding a connection to a particular character or story arc. It is that infatuation and immersion that can serve as a crux for self-exploration and development. Would it be a false generalization to assume the same obsession John has with film serves as a mirror to the very viewers watching his tale unfold? Neither an indictment nor a celebration, one of Sugar's more overlooked accomplishments is its illustration of this familiar dynamic in such a compelling story.

What's Next For Sugar?

Between the continued search for Olivia, the seediness of the Siegel family, and his bosses' share of secrets, Sugar seemingly has much to explore in the few episodes it has left. With knowledge of the interconnected nature of the three parties and the reveal in mind, it has become all the more interesting to predict the conclusion of the season and exactly how it will look like. Will John meet a fate similar to the film noir heroes he has come to adore, or do the many allusions serve as a foundation for a subversive and unpredictable ending?

With two episodes left, the reveal gives the series an additional boost, expanding the traditional definition of a vivid, noir-inspired mystery that could very well go down as one of the best offerings of the year. Stream on Apple TV+.