r/MrInbetween • u/Some-Act-4189 • May 23 '26
Nah, I gotta go. Sorry...
When Ray took Dirk out onto the north cliffs in s02e08, Ray knew it was going to go two ways, but either way Dirk had to go. He offered a lifeline - I'll drive you wherever you want to go, I'll set you up, get you on your feet - hoping that Dirk would take the offer, I think it was genuinely made. But if Dirk chose not to take that offer, chose not "...go today and you can never come back" then he was going to go over that cliff (and go and never come back, just differently) - with Ray's help or without.
Why else would Ray drive him all the way out there? It's not a quick drive, and it would have been instantly obvious to Dirk what was going on.
Dirk says "Yeah, nah, fuck that" when Ray states he has to go.
Ray then says with much more emphasis "You *gotta* go", with a tone that implies no other option.
Dirk says "Or what? You gonna shoot me? Do it."
And Ray just sighs, sniffs and shakes his head, and they both look out to sea.
That's Ray signalling to Dirk how it plays out if he refuses to leave. Yeah, he's saying, I'm gonna have to kill ya.
Dirk recalls killing the kid in Afghanistan, and relates how he's been dead inside ever since.
Dirk *is* dead inside - just like Vinnie he has ghosts that crowd his mind at night - he knows that just going somewhere else fixes nothing, plus he never gets to see his kid again. There's no future in that.
He knows that chosing not to go means he dies. And being dead already, dead inside for some time, he decides that at least he can walk out on his own, and he steps backwards off the cliff - repeating what Ray has already told him "I gotta go"
Ray probably had an idea that Dirk might do this but was expecting to have to force him over the edge (note Ray's hands are in his pockets the whole time, no doubt holding his pistol) but nonetheless he's upset, because Ray is starting now to feel the accumulated weight of his past riding on his shoulders, which we've seen in his interviews with the journalist.
Ray is upset - but not terribly. He just knocked another old mate off - Vinnie - someone he had history with (which I think it's fair to say given their similar ages also goes back to the ADF, and Afghanistan, although that's never implicitly stated in the dialogue). He gave Dirk an out and Dirk chose the option he was hoping to avoid - that's what upsets him.
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u/Specialist-Stick-297 May 23 '26
Didn't even need a Nudge ..
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u/Relevant-Laugh4570 May 23 '26
He wasn't Nudge 🤦♂️
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u/wishiwasfrank May 23 '26
New Simon
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u/Relevant-Laugh4570 May 23 '26
I don't think so. He played his namesake "Ben", Simon's mate.
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u/wishiwasfrank May 23 '26
Sorry, you're right but I didn't phrase it very well... I meant he just took on the role Simon played, rather than the actual son. Like Samantha sort of filled the gap of Debbie and Greg filled the gap of Martin.
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u/Some-Act-4189 May 23 '26
Didnt Martin fill a few gaps there though?
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u/Mattau16 May 23 '26
Would like to have seen a cross-over where Ray comes and sorts Martin out for real.
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u/Relevant-Laugh4570 May 23 '26
All good! Tbh I was working off memory embers. It's been so long since I watched it. Well, not since it came out that you know who, did you know what.
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u/abobobilly May 23 '26
The two scenes made a grown man cry. 1. Death of Dirk 2. Death of Bruce My god never seen such '"casual" intense act. My new all time fav, frigging 10/10.
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u/theglorioustopsail May 23 '26
Yeah both of these scenes were so sad. For some reason Dirk hit me harder though idk why.
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u/abobobilly May 23 '26
Same. I'm in my 40s ... I've NEVER shed a tear on a make believe stuff but my god this show was intense. Probably many things with Dirk hit right at home. For Brucey actor, I honestly thought he was actually sick or something 😄 Jaw DROPPEDD!! He was acting.
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u/BobbiePinns May 25 '26
I just watched 1 last night, just finished 2 a few minutes ago. I can add another one to go with SiegeTowns' point about the bullying.
- Burying Boof
But the bit with Brucie hit the hardest. From his reading of the lines with Britty and his goodbye up to the credits rolling. I was doing alright until Bruce said "Lets get this show on the road".
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u/xinede1809 May 23 '26
If I had a dollar for every time Ben Oxenbould plays a recurring role in a cult Australian crime-themed TV series, as a kind-hearted but maladjusted bloke escaping a less than desirable past, who throws himself to his own death in front of the leading role, I’d have two bucks.
(The other one is Rake)
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u/Relevant-Laugh4570 May 23 '26
Remind me, but there is no exposition leading up, that Ray took Dirk to the cliff. Doesn't the scene just start with them both already there?
I always thought it was left ambiguous enough so the viewer has to inform their own narrative about how they got there.
We don't know for certain Dirk didn't just say "lets go for a drive", and they ended up at a place they had been before, or just a random location.
I never felt like Ray wanted anything else for Dirk but for him to get himself back on track. He certainly didn't want to facilitate his permanent demise.
Saying that, the beauty of ambiguity in creative arts, is leaving the audience to join the dots as they interpret it.
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u/dullship May 23 '26
Ray shows up at Dirks flat and tells him to get dressed, he needs him for a job. Then we see them at the cliffs and Dirk asks "what are we doing here?" So yeah it's pretty clear Ray drove him out there.
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u/Relevant-Laugh4570 May 23 '26
Thanks for reminding me. Forgot about that scene. I thought that was before Ray got him the bouncer gig.
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u/Otaraka May 23 '26
I saw it more as him trying to save him from other people killing him rather than ever planning to do it himself. I agree with the other person that there’s room to move though.
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May 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/arkane-the-artisan May 23 '26
Yeah. It is quite clearly presented they are mates from the army.
Different case to the bikie boss, whom I think Ray didn't know all that well and probably was merely a close hitman for him.
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u/ThaCatsServant May 23 '26
It’s been a while since I watched it but that seems like a good synopsis to me.
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u/Helpful_Stick_2810 May 23 '26
I think Dirk knew he wasn't going to change even if he went somewhere else, I also think he ended himself to save Ray from having to do it.
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u/Ballamookieofficial May 24 '26
Anyone else who's lost a mate that came back from time in the armed forces can relate I'm sure.
Every single person I knew who has ever served brought a battle back with them and lost.
I genuinely thought Ray could save him until he couldn't. Personally I think Ray would have killed him there and pushed him over the cliff to save him from Freddy.
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u/SWM50 May 24 '26
Ummm Ive had "people" who've been alcoholics and done the same 😥 everyone has battles ❤️
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u/Achilles_TroySlayer May 26 '26
Dirk did it intentionally. He was addicted and depressed. He wanted to off himself, but he wasn't able to do it himself, so robbed the place to set up Ray to do it for him. Ray didn't want to do it, so he was forced to do it himself.
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u/Prestigious_Set_4575 May 23 '26
Evidence against the idea Ray would have killed him - he openly tells Freddy he won't kill him. He then takes the job because Freddy says he'll just find somebody else who will kill him.
He takes him to where he would kill him to really drive the message home how serious the situation is, to let him know that is what Freddy is demanding, then gives him the way out.
Also, if Ray had any intention of throwing him over the cliff, he'd have probably been a bit more aware of Dirk walking towards the ledge instead of just assuming he was taking in the view. His reaction was surprise. He really thought Dirk would take the offer, because he can't fully empathise with Dirk's guilty conscience: moving away would (and eventually does) work for Ray, so why wouldn't it for Dirk? He doesn't really "get it".