Justified: Is Boyd Really Teaming Up with the Bennett Clan?

JustifiedstarWalton Goggins says that Boyd Crowder needs to keep his friends close and his enemies closer. How else to explain the strange alliance that is brewing in the remaining episodes of the FX drama's second season.

FX's Justified hits the mark

In the April 6 episode, Boyd made a deal with the devil of Harlan County: Mags Bennett (Margo Martindale). Boyd secured some key tracts of land that allowed Mags to extort the mining company. "What Boyd is able to do as well as any other foe on television is understand the pieces on the board, the players in the game and how things move," Goggins tells TVGuide.com. "He's able to zero in on an opportunity, and when that opportunity presents itself, he's able to take advantage of it."But should Mags — or viewers — really trust him? "He's a wily guy," Goggins says with a wry smile. "He understands that his strength lies in ambiguity and manipulation. Boyd Crowder will always have a thing or two up his sleeve."In Harlan County, duplicitous people make strange bedfellows," Goggins continues.  "People that [Boyd] starts off with as allies may not be allies when everyone is left standing." Indeed, in Wednesday's episode, Boyd begins assembling a crew to assist him in his master plan, none of which helps the Bennetts. Boyd's ultimate goal: to restore the Crowder name to its former glory in Harlan.

Check out photos of the Justified cast

"Harlan County is clan culture," Goggins says. "Clans tend to be violent when need be. ... The people that you see on-screen now might not be on-screen as the episodes continue."This imminent bloodshed will most certainly put Boyd back in the sights of U.S. Marshal Rayln Givens (Timothy Olyphant). "They will butt heads in ways they have never butted heads before," Goggins says. "But at the end of that, they may see the world the same."Justified airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.

Watch our video interview with Goggins below: