All fair criticisms. If someone asked me if they should check out True Detective, I’d say, “Yes - it’s a bog-standard serial killer cop story, but told with a ton of style and excellent characterization.” However, I feel like the finale does rely on more pedestrian tropes without the artistic flourishes that made the first half of the season so mesmerizing.
I believe in the underground tunnels, the weird skeleton figure draped in yellow cloth was a representation of the god they were worshiping. As I said, I don’t think The Yellow King by Robert Chambers exists in this universe - it’s supposed to be a deity in their degenerate Santeria-Voodoo-Whatever-Insanity religion. Possibly invented by Sam Tuttle.
I think what’s shown supports a narrative that Errol went rogue (though not a simpleton) - torturing his father to death certainly dovetails with that. Perhaps he also killed the Reverend, either out of vituperation or self-protection. I’ll have to watch it again . . .
Ya got me there. That was full of WTF-ness.
It’s not shown, but implied by Marty saying, “Everyone has a phone - where’s yours?!” then running out of the house like he’d taken care of what he needed to do in there.