Aahana Swrup
‘Duster’ invites the viewers for an unexpected ride through the criminal underworld of Phoenix, Arizona, in the 1970s. The central storyline follows the narratives of dual protagonists, Nina Hayes, an FBI Agent, and her informant, Jim Ellis, the trusted getaway driver to crime boss Saxton. Over the course of eight thrilling episodes, the duo works closely to bring down the Valley’s kingpin and uncover the convoluted threads behind the death of Jim’s brother, Joey. Inevitably, their fates come down to one epic showdown, in which shots are fired and blood is shed.
In the aftermath of a successful operation, Agent Hayes finally gets the recognition she deserves, and with it comes a new assignment with many confidential secrets to unpack. Thus, season 1 of the J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan show perfectly sets itself up for a continuation. Yet, without an official confirmation about a season 2, we can only speculate about its future. Still, an evaluation of past patterns suggests that if the project gets renewed soon, fans can expect another season to hit the screens as early as late 2027 to early 2028.
Duster Season 2 Will Probably Dive Into the Mystery Surrounding Joey/Xavier
The joint reveal about Joey’s death and mysterious Xavier’s identity presents one of the key plot twists that arrives in the ‘Duster’ season 1 finale. The former has been haunting the show’s narrative from the very first episode as his ghost becomes the source of motivation for Jim Ellis to become Hayes’ informant. Once the driver learns that Saxton, his boss and a lifelong friend of his family, may have contributed to his brother’s death, he’s inevitably compelled to collaborate with the FBI Agent on her case. On the other hand, Xavier has been an equally influential, but unseen, presence in the narrative. He’s directly connected to the bigwigs in Washington, DC, who are working with Saxton and against the benefit of their own federal investigations.
Therefore, the fact that these two individuals have been the same people all along comes as a commendable twist. As it turns out, Jim’s brother had actually faked his death in order to climb his way up to the top under a new pseudonym. Naturally, this imparts a certain amount of intrigue to Joey/Xavier’s character. As such, it’s only fair to assume that this yet-faceless character will finally make his appearance in a potential season 2. Furthermore, the character and both his identities still have plenty of enigma surrounding them. For instance, Joey’s decision to fake his death and keep it a secret from his family, but not from Saxton, raises many questions about his situation. Furthermore, Xavier’s connection to the White House and the criminal underworld paints him in a distinctly curious light. Ultimately, all of these unanswered questions make him the ideal new focus for the future installment in the series.
Mad Raoul Might Show up in Duster Season 2
Similar to Xavier, Mad Raoul is also a notorious but fairly ambiguous element in Jim’s storyline. He’s introduced into the plot after Hayes first approaches the latter to become her informant. The driver remains firmly against the idea of betraying Saxton. For the same reason, he tries to skip town by signing up to be in the criminal organization of Mad Raoul, who’s a big name south of the border. Nonetheless, once Hayes reveals the Joey card up her sleeve, Jim relents and decides to stay in Phoenix and work alongside the Agent. Nonetheless, this puts him on Raoul’s radar in the worst way possible. Even though he manages to settle his score with the Mexican crime boss, the latter eventually enters the overarching picture.
Saxton had been working to acquire a highly valuable and incriminating tape recording of President Richard Nixon. By the end of season 1, a twist of fate brings this tape into the hands of Mad Raoul. As such, with Xavier’s eye on the recording and Hayes’ eyes on Xavier, the Nixon Tape is bound to become a central part of season 2. Consequently, we can expect Mad Raoul to play a more prominent role in the future. Furthermore, Jim has an existing connection with the crime boss. As a result, Raoul can even go on to fulfill the more overarching criminal impact in the show that Saxton previously held.
Season 2 Will Likely Swap Out Some Familiar Faces for New Friends and Foes
In the wake of Saxton’s death, the most prominent cast changes in season 2 will most will possibly be in the Phoenix criminal underworld. With Saxton gone, we can expect a future departure for actor Keith David, who masterfully inhabits the role. However, while his exit remains more sure and certain, the same can’t be said for those characters that are closely connected to the Phoenix crime boss. Saxton’s kids, Royce (Benjamin Charles Watson) and Genesis (Sydney Elisabeth), occupy an ambiguous place in terms of their possible return in season 2. On the other hand, there’s a little more certainty around actors reviving the roles of characters whose storylines were more federally focused.
Since Hayes is continuing on with her career as an FBI Agent, there’s no intrinsic need for her to shed her friendship with her partner, Awan Bitsui (Asivak Koostachin). Similarly, her boss, Nathan Abbott (Greg Grunberg), who is also in the know about the federal investigation into a growing conspiracy, might stick around in future seasons as well. Inversely, there are plenty of new characters that a new season is bound to bring. For instance, we can expect an electrifying casting announcement about Joey/Xavier and Mad Raoul. Therefore, it seems exciting changes may be on the horizon for ‘Duster,’ should the show be able to secure a renewal.
Read More: Is Duster a True Story? Are Nina Hayes and Jim Ellis Based on Real People?
