Abhiroop Das
The protagonist of Netflix’s ‘Untamed,’ National Park Service Agent Kyle Turner, is a complicated character who prefers to express himself through actions instead of words. This often leads to him bottling up his emotions or projecting them in violent ways, as made possible by his alcohol abuse. However, beneath the tough, cold exterior hides a broken man still holding on to his past. As his failures begin to mount, the protagonist begins contemplating some drastic steps. Meanwhile, his quest to find the truth regarding a woman’s death in Yosemite National Park ends up putting a target on his back. Both these plotlines ultimately collide, and Kyle’s life hangs in the balance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Kyle Turner Tussles With the Idea of Living
Kyle’s complicated dance with death begins with his very first appearance in the show, wherein he observes the traces left behind by illegal bear hunters, while his son, Caleb, urges him to take a trip to the lake. However, in that moment, the protagonist is called to El Capitan to investigate Jane Doe’s death and has to cut the trip short. What initially comes off as a warm interaction between parent and child, interrupted by the former’s work, takes on a new meaning with the reveal that Kyle is hallucinating his dead child. Furthermore, he is revealed to be facing suicide, with his real reason for visiting the lake being an attempt to end his life.
Handling the Jane Doe case puts a temporary halt to Kyle’s wish, bringing him back to a life of crime and darkness. However, things take a turn when the girl is identified as Lucy Cook, one of Kyle’s previous cases, in which he misdirected his energy, thinking that she had passed. Upon learning that she was alive this entire time, the protagonist feels guilty, with bringing her killers to justice becoming his sole way towards redemption. As such, Lucy’s case also functions as his way to vicariously move towards healing and finding closure regarding his child’s death. A major turning point in his thought process happens with his ex-wife, Jill’s suicide attempt, owing to similar reasons to his. While she survives, he is forced to confront the possible after-effects of his own actions.
When the dust settles on the investigation, Kyle finds himself back at the lake, planning to finish what he started. However, right before he takes his final plunge, he stops and realizes that he still wants to live. This realization is the compound effect of several prior events, most notably the resilience shown by Glory in the face of death, contrasted with the final antagonist’s cowardice when put in a similar situation, and above all, Kyle’s reaction to the suicide attempt of his Jill. All of these experiences fill in the vacuum that his life has resembled since Caleb’s passing, showing that his life still has promise. This is further exemplified by his stint with Lana, which shows the potential to blossom into a special relationship.
Kyle Turner Has a Close Call with Death
Kyle’s suicide attempt is not the only time he has come close to death. His journey into figuring out the truth about Lucy Cook ultimately pits him face to face with Shane Maguire, the Park’s wildlife specialist, who turns out to be in cahoots with the drug gang that operates inside the Park. Shane is the man responsible for embroiling Lucy Cook in that lifestyle, and his name coming out spells his doom. Understanding that, the assassin decides to kill Kyle, the sole investigator on his tail. He does so by waiting for the protagonist to show up at his hideout, after which he takes his shot. However, even though the bullet landing deep in his abdomen, Kyle survives.
Ironically, the hallucination of Caleb, who previously wanted to accompany Kyle to the end of his life, now alerts him of the advancing danger, following which, the Agent gets back on his two feet and escapes. In the ensuing chase, Kyle takes many measures to save his life, from asking locals for help to sealing his wound with wet earth. These actions show how desperate he is to live. When he is ultimately narrowed and all hope seems lost, Officer Vasquez rescues him at the last moment, killing the antagonist before he can become a bigger problem. Kyle survives the wound and is admitted to a hospital, where he rapidly gets better.
With a second chance at life, Kyle looks back on all the lessons he has learnt, culminating in his rejecting suicide. Instead, he decides to continue a life of adventure, moving away from Yosemite National Park. On his way out, we see how his bonds with two people, Officer Vasquez and Jay Stewart, have changed over the course of a few days. The former grows into a Park Ranger with the skillset and intuition to make it on her own, while the latter develops newfound respect for the protagonist. With Kyle’s relationship with his ex-wife improving as well, all things seem to look up for him. The decision to fight for his survival ultimately rewards Kyle with a new perspective on life altogether.
