'I Know This Much is True' Episode 6: Dominic's grief and guilt find an outlet in a heartbreaking climax
In the finale of 'I Know This Much is True', the show forces us to take a hard look at the guilt that Dominic (Mark Ruffalo) was drowning in for not being able to take care of his brother Thomas (Mark Ruffalo) as best as he could. From when Dominic was a young child, he resented the hold that Thomas had over his life. All the times that Dominic tormented Thomas at Ray's (John Procaccino) words and tried to 'make a man' out if his twin, flashes before him, reminding him of all the times that he did not only fail to protect his brother but was also the reason he was punished by Ray. It is strangely disconcerting, this mood of doom that has surrounded Dominic since he began reading his grandfather's journal.
Before bringing Thomas home to live with him, Dominic had begun to believe that the curse that his grandfather spoke of might be the reason for all that his family had to experience in the past. After he was able to bring Thomas home, however, Dominic dumps the journal and let's thing fall into place. Just when things look up for the twin brothers, things get worse for Thomas. Without the care that comes with living at a secure facility, the 24/7 watch on Thomas that helped to keep his movements monitored, Dominic, wakes up to a nightmare hours after helping his brother settle in for the night. Only, Thomas is missing.
This happened the day that Thomas was discharged from the secure facility. All that Thomas managed to do was visit the falls in town. He is strangely allured and wants to walk into the water but Dominic stops him as the water is too cold. Thomas has always been adamant when it came to doing things his way so the fact that he would sneak out to go back to the falls isn't surprising. However, to find out that Thomas died the same way that their primary school classmate did, by drowning at the falls and this dark foreshadowing is shocking but it is fitting. This classmate of theirs, Penny Anne Drinkwater was someone that Dominic had hated and had also lied about to get her in trouble. When Thomas and Dominic cross the cemetery to go to the falls, they even see the headstone with her name on it and bring back all the dredged up feelings that Dominic had. More memories he recollects, more guilt gets piled on until Dominic is unable to curtail it any longer and ends up lashing out at Ray.
He needs someone or something to blame other than himself and he does that by blaming Ray for disciplining Thomas for everything that he had wanted to do as a child because it was not manly. Dominic had gone along with Ray's ways and that weighs on him heavily. By lashing out at Ray at Thomas's wake, all that Dominic does is hope to lessen his pain. This self-hatred is something that no one can help him work his way through except Dr. Patel (Archie Panjabi) and thankfully, Dominic visits her again and this time, he visits after he digs his grandfather's journal back from the garbage and completes reading it. There is no information about who his father might be, however, what is certain is the fact that his grandfather was a cruel, selfish man who had no values.
Thomas's passing has a massive effect on Dominic who is unable to move on from his most recent loss. It is with Dr. Patel's help that Thomas gets a better handle on himself. Especially after the huge row that he had with Ray in the wake, Dominic has alienated himself from everyone around him. So when Dr. Patel suggests that he have a word with Ray, he accepts and it is this decision that pulls him out of the reverie that he was in. He realizes that Ray has had a heart attack that needed multiple bypass surgeries and this wakes Dominic up from his contemplation. He also understands that he came too close to losing the only family member he has left. This helps him move on from his loss, and grieve in a healthier manner.
This transformation also results in Ray confessing to Dominic that his real father was a man named Henry Drinkwater who lost his life in Korea when he fought the war. This shocks Dominic, but the question that has haunted him is now answered. With this, Dominic moves forward but doesn't leave Thomas behind. He just accepts his flaws and the conflicting emotion of truly loving his brother.