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(LESTER) Getting beat up
Lester is wearing an orange coat when he gets beat up in the first episode. This is the inciting incident which leads to him meeting Malvo and killing his wife. His orange coat symbolizes his victimhood and his illumination, and will continue to symbolize this through the rest of the show. -
(LESTER) White Shirt
Lester wears a white shirt when killing his wife, representing the destruction of his purity from violence, and his rebirth. -
(GUS) Seeing Malvo
Gus wears all black when he pulls Malvo over. In a mistake that haunts him for the rest of the show, he lets Malvo go out of fear for his daughter. The black is foreboding, as Malvo comes to represent death. -
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Episode Timeline
Each date represents an episode -
(LESTER) Trying and failing to seem innocent
Lester wears a suit when being questioned by the police and attempting to appear innocent. The dark colors of his suit, however, represent that he truly is not innocent, which one of the police officers realizes. -
(GUS) Realizing his mistake
Gus wears a gray/red plaid shirt when he talks to his daughter and tries to figure out when it's best to do what's right and when one should protect their family. The red is his love for Greta and the gray is the guilt he feels for letting Malvo go. -
(LESTER) Still acting like the old Lester
At this point in the show, Lester is still hanging on to much of his old submissive personality. This shows through his subdued, beige clothing. -
(GUS) Trying
Gus tries to fix his mistake by telling his boss, but he is reprimanded and told to go to Bemidji's police station. He wears his light blue uniform during this and while having dinner with Molly and Greta. In this context, the blue represents softness, truth, integrity, and honor. -
(LESTER) Kidnapped
Lester is once again victimized while wearing his orange coat, which is reminiscent of when he was beat up by Sam Hess in episode 1 -
(LESTER) Transformation begins
Lester wears black when he is in jail, having escaped his kidnappers and feeling good about himself. This is when he starts embracing his darker side and enjoys it, and starts feeling powerful. -
(GUS) Arrests Malvo
Gus wears black when he arrests Malvo, but Malvo fools everyone and is released from custody. He confronts death (Malvo), which the black represents. -
(GUS) Feeling helpless
When Gus tells Molly about Malvo getting away, he is again wearing black. This shows their helpless feeling and the creeping in of despair. -
(LESTER) Hasn't come into himself
Even though Lester is still wearing black, his gunshot wound infection is getting to him and he's physically weak. -
(GUS) Getting angry
When researching Malvo's alibi, Gus gets angry and wants to take action. He is wearing red here. The red also represents his love for his daughter, who he is trying to protect from Malvo. -
(LESTER) Frames his brother
When Lester frames his brother, he wears cold colors, and a coat that notably isn't his orange one. This makes him appear cold and unfeeling. -
(GUS) Red again
Gus wears a red shirt again when he talks to Molly about leads on Malvo. The red shows his growing love for Molly as well as their determination to track down Malvo. -
(GUS) Shoots Molly
Gus accidentally shoots Molly in the blizzard. He is wearing black when this happens, to show the air of death in the scene. -
(LESTER) Getting revenge
When Lester has sex with Sam Hess's widow, he looks at a picture of Sam on the wall. He literally gets off on conquering his victimizer (Sam Hess); He wears a cold colored shirt again to show the coldness of his soul -
(GUS) Feels guilty
Gus tells Molly that is was hiim who accidentally shot her and that he feels horrible about it and might quit being a police officer. The blue uniform here represents understanding, truth, and trust, as Molly reassures him and jokes around. -
(LESTER) Stands up to the Hess family
Lester stands up to Mrs. Hess and her sons while wearing basically the same thing he wore when he had sex with her. -
(GUS) Mailman
After the time jump, we see that Gus has become a mailman instead of a cop, and is wearing all black. The black in this case represents letting Malvo win. -
(GUS) Happy family
Gus wears red when he is with Molly and Greta, showing his love for his daughter, his new wife, and their unborn child. -
(LESTER) Complete transformation
When the show skips forward in time, Lester has fully transformed into a self-assured cocky asshole. He wears a sleek black shirt and continues to wear a lot of black throughout the rest of the show. -
(LESTER) Sends his wife to die
Lester is again wearing black when he sends his wife out to be killed. He makes her wear his orange coat, which symbolically is shot through the hood as his wife is shot through the head; his innocence and former victimhood are completely dead and he has become the victimizer. -
(GUS) Settled in
Gus' beige shirt at breakfast with Molly shows that he has settled in to life in Bemidji with his new family. Beige is a homely, comfortable color. -
(LESTER) Shootout
Lester wears all black during his final confrontation with Malvo. This is showcasing his powerful side and foreshadowing the deaths of both him and Malvo. -
(LESTER) Death
Lester wears a red coat when he runs from the policeand falls through the ice to his death. This signifies his impending doom, his determination, and the danger he poses to other people. -
(GUS) Kills Malvo
Gus wears black again when he confronts Malvo and redeems himsel after his mistake in the first episode. He faces death and shows courage. -
(GUS) Happy ending
Gus wears a red shirt in the closing shot of the show, when he is happy with his family. The red is once again his love for them.
