To borrow a phrase from Ted Hastings himself: MOTHER OF GOD.
That is the only way we can describe the events of the latest instalment of Line Of Duty.
Sunday night’s watercooler episode saw writer Jed Mercurio’s habit of killing off a huge character strike again, as the series’ antagonist John Corbett had his throat slit after the organised crime group worked out that he was “a rat”.
But his bloody demise was not the only shocker, as screams of “I told you so” could be heard up and down the country as Hastings revealed his inability to spell the word ‘definitely’.
As the nation tries to fathom where the story can possibly go next, here’s the questions we’re asking this week…
Who was contacting the OCG via chat?
Before AC-12 found a way to hack into the chat service H has been using to contact the OCG, Corbett and McQueen were seen communicating with H once again. But with Hargreaves now dead and Hastings having disposed of his laptop, does this rule both of them out of being H?
Why is Jackie Laverty’s body in Terry’s fridge?
When Corbett, Ryan and McQueen paid a visit to an associate’s house, he was found to be keeping a body in cold storage - a known OCG technique used to bribe corrupt officers.
This was presumed to be the body of Jackie Laverty, who was working for the OCG in series one. But why have the OCG still got it seven years on, and who are they planning to bribe with it?
What is the rest of Corbett’s back story?
Thanks to a hunch from Arnott, it was discovered Corbett was actually adopted. He was born to the McGuiness family in Northern Ireland, and subsequently adopted by the Corbett family in Liverpool in 1989 as a 10-year-old, with his adoptive mother’s maiden name also being McGuiness, suggesting she was a close relative.
His Northern Irish roots acted as an explanation for why he was able to use a Belfast accent during his attack on Hastings’ wife, but did little to explain the motivations behind it, or why he gave her a pattern of injuries consistent with the paramilitary.
Then there was also the mention of a woman called Anne Marie during Corbett’s phone call to his wife - who is she, and what relevance does she bear?
Is it significant both Corbett and McQueen are adopted?
Cast your mind back to last week’s episode, and you may remember that when Arnott was looking through McQueen’s files, he discovered she was adopted. With Corbett now revealed to share a similar history, is there more to this connection?
What did Hastings and Banks discuss?
After Arnott failed to follow Hastings’ instructions to apprehend or shoot Corbett, Hastings was seen paying a visit to OCG member Lee Banks in prison. We were not privy to what was said in their conversation, but Hastings was seen telling Banks that he would be “glad” they’d spoken.
Did he rat out Corbett to Banks, and reveal his real identity to avenge the attack on his wife?
Was Hastings’ spelling mistake a coincidence?
Last week, fans were left convinced H’s misspelling of the word ‘definitely’ during an internet chat with the OCG was significant, and sure enough, it was revisited in tonight’s episode when Hastings misspelt it in the same way. Was this just an unfortunate coincidence, or does this further prove he could be H?
Did Hastings order McQueen to kill Corbett?
During AC-12’s online chat with the OCG, Hastings (acting as H) ordered McQueen to “bring it to a close”. She seemed to understand what this instruction meant, whereas Corbett did not. Was this the order to have Corbett killed?
What’s McQueen up to?
After having Corbett’s throat slit, she had a moment by herself where she was horrified by what had unfolded - just as she did in episode one when Corbett ordered Maneet’s death - which has forced us to question yet again how genuine her involvement with the OCG is. Is she simply in above her head? An undercover officer? Or is she connected to Hastings somehow?
What flavour muffins did the DCC send to Hastings’ wife?
Chocolate, surely?
Line Of Duty continues next Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.