'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3: Town rocked by tragic accident, but one player reaps the benefit
Contains spoilers for 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3
KINGSTOWN, MICHIGAN: 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 Episode 7 began with a shocking and heinous act. The deliberate killing of the girls smuggled into Kingstown by Konstantin (Yorick van Wageningen) became the central focus.
The arrival of Konstantin and Merle Callahan (Richard Brake) in Kingstown introduced a new set of challenges for Bunny Washington (Tobi Bamtefa), the KPD, and Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner). Their secret deal remained undisclosed until Season 3, Episode 5, of 'Mayor of Kingstown', and Konstantin and Merle proved to be dangerous adversaries to Mike and the town's peace.
However, the killing of the girls in Episode 7 was the most brutal event of all. The deliberate and violent act intensified the tension within the town.
In 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 Episode 7, the perpetrator behind the killings wasn't explicitly revealed. Instead, the episode dropped hints about who stood to benefit the most from the brutal act.
Who is behind the bus accident?
![A group of Russian girls are killed in 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 (@paramount+)](https://d6ehjqrqtzoun.cloudfront.net/2224a391-26e4-4b84-8819-302225e201e3.png)
In the opening scene of 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 Episode 7, a group of Russian girls heading to Kingstown dies. Ian Ferguson (Hugh Dillon) later reveals evidence suggesting foul play in the deaths.
While Mike suspects Merle, Ian puts forward Bunny as a potential culprit. When Iris (Emma Laird) discovers that the girls were killed, she becomes numb and breaks down in tears, deeply affected by the tragic incident.
Mike confronts Bunny about the killings, but Bunny vehemently denies any involvement. His reaction was one of anger, as he bristled at the accusation, insisting that he had nothing to do with the brutal act.
The girls who died were linked to Konstantin; however, the true aim of the operation remains ambiguous. It is unclear whether the killing of girls was to undermine Konstantin's new venture directly or to create the illusion that he was the primary target.
The attack was precise, indicating that the perpetrators had advance knowledge of when and where the bus would be on the bridge. This suggests that whoever planned the attack was aware of the bus arrival beforehand; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to prepare in a manner that made it hard to uncover their actions.
In Episode 7, Ian says that Merle would not betray or harm Konstantin, someone he is closely associated with, possibly because of a mutually beneficial relationship. Merle is too smart to jeopardize his own interests and stability by attacking or betraying someone who provides him with benefits or support.
However, Mike disagrees with Ian's assessment and suggests that Merle is capable of betrayal, even towards someone like Konstantin.
Why Merle Callahan is the only one who benefits from the bus accident
![Richard Brake as Merle Callahan in a still from 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 (@paramount+)](https://d6ehjqrqtzoun.cloudfront.net/81c3d3d3-c585-4606-a947-dfa0d9ed07b1.png)
The bus tragedy has created a significant amount of instability in Anchor Bay and Kingstown, making the environment ripe for the outbreak of conflict.
Merle has been yearning for such a conflict since his arrival in Anchor Bay. The Aryan Brotherhood had endured significant hardships throughout the prison conflict in Season 2. As the leader of the Aryan Brotherhood, he feels a strong compulsion to retaliate against the other gangs responsible for their suffering.
Throughout 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 2, Mike consistently supported Bunny, providing help and protection whenever needed. Merle's resentment towards Mike's actions grew, particularly because Mike never extended such support to the Aryan Brotherhood, Merle's own faction.
By killing the Russian girls, Merle may have wanted to strike at something that would deeply affect Mike. By committing such a heinous act, he intends to provoke a reaction from Mike and other factions, potentially igniting further violence and conflict.
By working with Konstantin, Merle made himself appear the least suspicious, which allowed him to learn about Konstantin's plans and secretly plot a crime to create chaos. When the tragedy occurred, Konstantin's operation was hurt, and Bunny became the main suspect, who might have wanted to avenge his cousin's death.
![Yorick van Wageningen as Konstantin Noskov and Richard Brake as Merle Callahan in a still from 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 (@paramount+)](https://d6ehjqrqtzoun.cloudfront.net/c3a532ac-20fd-4ebf-a7ad-1d8311c84f58.png)
However, Merle's position remained strong and secure because no one suspected him. The chaos actually made Merle safer and more powerful, as he was seen as an unlikely culprit.
Konstantin may think Bunny killed the Russian girls, leading him to retaliate. This will cause Bunny and Konstantin to harm each other. Merle, who has always wanted to hurt Bunny, will successfully achieve this without doing anything himself.
How to stream 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3?
![Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky in a still from Mayor of Kingstown (@paramount+)](https://d6ehjqrqtzoun.cloudfront.net/13007566-d701-4222-b7e2-41f6d139a42e.png)
'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 Episodes 1-7 are currently available for streaming on Paramount+.
New episodes of 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 are released every Sunday, offering fans a weekly dose of drama, suspense, and a lot more.
Don't have a Paramount+ subscription? Worry not! We have got you covered. Paramount+ Essential plan, priced at $5.99 per month, offers subscribers access to a wide range of content but includes ads during streaming.
Paramount+ with Showtime plan, priced at $11.99 per month, provides an ad-free streaming experience and includes access to Showtime's premium content library.
'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 3 trailer