Spoilers ahead for last week’s episode of Walker, “Defend the Ranch.”
It had bene three weeks since Episode 12 of Jared Padalecki’s Walker ended on a shocking cliffhanger that saw Keegan Allen’s Liam Walker get shot by criminal Clint West (Austin Nichols). And last week’s episode featured the direct aftermath of Clint holding the Walker family, and friend Hoyt (Matt Barr) hostage at the ranch. While it looked as if Liam’s time had come, there was a different character who was in danger and ultimately died. Padalecki is now talking about the major death and why it’s a "dramatic" game changer.
The climactic scene involved the Walker fam trying to outsmart Clint and get away from him. When Hoyt tries to stop him, Clint stabs him. Having just gotten out of jail and redeemed himself, Hoyt dies trying to protect himself and the Walkers, who he views as his family. It was a heartbreaking scene and Jared Padalecki told Entertainment Weekly why Hoyt’s death will lead to a dramatic change for Walker:
That's yet another person that Walker loves and holds dear and has for many, many years that seems to be lost and gone because of what Walker does in some way shape, or form. I think with the death of Emily [Genevieve Padalecki], Walker opted to live in denial. Now that it's Emily and Hoyt he finally goes, 'Okay something has to change, and that something has to be me.' It finally becomes real. He can't deny it. It's time for real, dramatic change.
Jared Padalecki’s Cordell Walker already has to deal with the death of his wife, Emily (Genevieve Padalecki), which hit him hard. Even with Hoyt's stint in jail and his eventual release, it seemed like the longtime friendship between him and Walker never changed. Now with Hoyt’s death, in addition to Liam nearly getting killed, Walker will change even more and, according to the Supernatural alum, he'll be changed for the better.
Following Emily’s death, Walker cut himself off from his family. So it will be interesting to see what he does after Hoyt's passing, especially since he only came to the ranch to talk about him kissing Geri (Odette Annabelle).
There are still five episodes left in the first season of Walker, so getting a major death at this point means that the aftermath will likely be a big storyline moving forward in the season. Walker doesn’t seem to handle change easily, as he’s lived in denial about Emily’s death for so long. However, Hoyt’s murder seems like it will be a change of pace for him and he’ll come to terms about what he needs to do in order to preserve his relationships with his family and friends.
New episodes of Walker airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.
