Max - Sultan of Television: Justified: Who Will Survive Harlan?

Starting off, the conflicts set up at the end of season five are ever-present. Ava is now an informant for Raylan, being made to spy on Boyd. In turn, Boyd is returning to his dark side. Ever since Ava returned from prison, she has been tougher, harder, and much more toned down. No longer is she an essential part of Boyd's business. She sleeps constantly, acts detached, and seems far from recovered after doing time. Ava has had the longest journey out of any character in the show. She started out as a damsel in distress, waiting to be saved by Raylan. A little later in the series, she had turned toward the criminal side, pairing herself with Boyd. She grew there - becoming more self-sufficient; more capable. Then, she was sent to prison where she learned to be her own woman in the truest form. She had to kill, she had to make alliances, and she had to survive. Now she's out of prison, set back to the world she hasn't been in for a decent amount of time. Where does her loyalty lie? Will she be killed by Boyd? Raylan? Herself? Ava's character has been on a long road, and it is unclear whether that road will be cut short in the near future.

Speaking of Boyd, he too has developed nicely along the course of the show. In the beginning, Boyd was nothing but a Neo-Nazi prick - a thorn in the side of the police. However, after being shot by Raylan in the pilot and recovering miraculously, he was reborn. No longer did he side with racist hicks. Instead, he became a leader, a prophet, a success (in the eyes of the underworld). His narrative has led him to kill and to steal but also to love. Boyd is a villain with a heart, one that is fighting for a reason other than just to fight. However, it is the final season of the show and as a result, things are closing in on Boyd. Boyd must have one last reward before he leaves Harlan forever. But... guess who else wants to leave Harlan forever?

Our ever-badass, cool, collected protagonist is on his way out of Harlan as well. With a wife and baby back in Florida ready to go back to, Raylan wants one last reward before leaving as well: putting Boyd in a cell or the ground. Thus we have our seasonal conflict: Boyd wants money to leave Harlan. Raylan wants to take down Boyd to leave Harlan.

However, there is a number of supporting players to consider as well. As of the pilot, we have not seen Wynn Duffy, the local Mafia leader, Katherine Hale - his associate, or the promised Sam Elliot character which is rumored to be a villain. Additionally, we have Garrett Dillahunt (an old co-worker of Timothy Olyphant's in Deadwood), a mysterious man who is offering to buy Raylan's father's house. Then there's the police force of Rachel and Tim, two ever-present good guys who could easily take a bullet for the greater good of the Boyd-hunt. Finally, there is (was) Dewey Crowe.

In the premiere of season six, we saw the last remaining Crowe, the lovable fuck-up Dewey Crowe leave prison. He wants to reinvent himself, join Boyd's organization again. However, like always, Dewey is just not smart enough. After six seasons, it's a marvel that the character is still breathing. However, at the end of the episode, as Dewey complains to Boyd that he should be more trusted within the organization, the darker side of Boyd is drawn out. Dire times have come. Thus, there is not more time for lovable idiots in Boyd's schemes. Strings must be cut. Ends must be made. In the last shot of the episode, Boyd tells Dewey to stare at a picture of their Grandfathers way back in the day. As Dewey, oblivious, stares at the picture, a single shot rings out, spelling the end for our favorite klutz.

Overall, the premiere of Justified's sixth season has renewed interest in the show once again. Being the final season, expect the show to be ruthless in it's body count - unafraid to kill off old favorites. With only twelve episodes of the entire show remaining, if the show does its job correctly, expect to laugh, cringe, and gasp at what is in store for us. It'll be a difficult process saying goodbye to this show, especially when we've just lost Boardwalk Empire and the Mad Men conclusion looms ominously in the distance.