Line of Duty season 5 episode 4 review: Is Corbett dead? McQueen’s move

Line of Duty finale

Early on in tonight’s Line of Duty season 5 episode 4, we received at least the slightest slice of good news. After all, we did learn that Ted Hastings’ estranged wife was okay after the attack at home.

Now, let’s get now to the larger question: How far would Ted go to get justice for it, especially once he decided that Corbett was the responsible party for the attack? Well, he wanted revenge and because of that, we got to one of the biggest confrontations of the entire season. Think Steve vs. Corbett, in broad daylight, and a situation that led to the two of them point guns at each other. Ted wanted him to be brought in, but Steve wasn’t entirely clear to comply. This was a reflection of the general sentiment of this season, one that is themed all about Corbett’s role and value to AC-12.

In the end, Steve’s decision to let Corbett get away, at least for the time being, is one that could have sweeping ramifications. Yet, Steve does realize that the intelligence Corbett has is enough to blow up the police force, let alone OCGs. That’s why he was left out in the wind, and Steve got information from him on a potential future meet.

Here’s the big twist — John Corbett isn’t actually his real name. Instead, he was adopted. He is originally from Northern Ireland, and he’s got a backstory that nobody quite knows about. What makes this so important is largely that it’s yet another bit of information that he can use to disguise himself, and it’s certainly proving valuable in testimony already.

Corbett, near the end of the episode, did make it to a meet with McQueen in tow — a card game, and a particularly dangerous one where the two of them had to wait patiently in order to make their next move. Just from the screams from outside, you could get a pretty good sense as to the sort of environment this was. This was before John even picked up the gun and showed that through all of his darkness, he still as some goodness in his heart. He set up this meeting and card game as a ruse to free many of the women who were being trafficked and effectively being used as livestock.

Well, here is the problem — Corbett never anticipated that it was his own partner who was the real traitor here. McQueen was the one responsible for selling him out and leaving him there to bleed out and die. While it’s hard to believe for sure that anyone is dead until they’re in the ground, this one feels clear. Corbett’s heading six feet under and ultimately, he would’ve been better off going to AC-12 in the first place.

The latest “H” clues…

We don’t know if we can even call misdirection a clue, given that it does feel as though, clearly, this is what Jed Mercurio is doing. He really wants for you to think that he’s the responsible party, even down to the misspellings of “definitely” as evidence.

CarterMatt Verdict

Line of Duty is officially nuts. Right when you start to get a sense as to who Corbett may actually be behind the mask, he’s gone — meanwhile, the real traitor rears her head and we’re set up for an insane final two episodes of the season.

For some more info on the next Line of Duty…

Be sure to visit the link here! That’s where we have some more information, plus, some of what we’re expecting to see in the upcoming story.

What did you think about Line of Duty season 5 episode 4 overall? Be sure to share right now in the comments. (Photo: BBC.)

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