Question: There was one thing I wasn't really sure on, and I don't even know if there is a definitive answer. Did Mark Wahlberg kill Matt Damon because he figured out that Matt Damon's charecter was working with Frank and he had killed all those cops, or did he just kill him for revenge over the way Matt Damon treated Wahlberg when he took over his job?
Dandude
8th Dec 2006
The Departed (2006)
Answer: I would argue that Dignam (Whalberg) kills Colin (Damon) out of loyalty to Queenan (Sheen) and Billy (DiCaprio). Although we are shown that Dignam has a general dislike for Billy (in the way that he speaks to him), he is a loyal person who believes in honourable justice. Colin was a rat that not only deceived the very institution that Dignam believes in, but his deception also cost the lives of his dear colleague Queenan and Billy, both of whom were unjustly murdered. Despite Dignam's general apathy or arguable dislike for Billy, he understands that he deserved better (since he knows that he was a good man). Killing Colin ensures that restitutions are paid to all those who were affected by his deceit and illegal affairs.
Dignam didn't dislike Billy, he was just rude to everyone. There are hints throughout the film that Dignam liked Billy including the interview scene where they first meet where Dignam drops his facade to say "We need you pal" softly in an attempt to get Billy to go alone with the undercover plan.
I thought the "we need you, pall" line was sarcastic and manipulative, trying to convince Billy to take a potentially life-threatening assignment.
Answer: I'll add one more possibility: Wahlberg was another mole for the crime boss, Frank Costello, and Damon's assassination was in response to the rat's betrayal of the code.
Not even remotely possible, as he wouldn't have sat back and allowed Billy to work uninterrupted without reporting it to Frank if this was the case.
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Answer: The assumption is that Wahlberg learned of Damon's betrayal from the envelope given to Vera Farmiga, Damon's therapist girlfriend. It could also have been for revenge, but Wahlberg did know that Damon was the rat when he killed him.
Dandude