WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3.
Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 is largely accurate to the true story, with only a few important changes for dramatic effect. FX on Hulu’s Under the Banner of Heaven tells the true story of Brenda Lafferty’s 1984 murder, with the horrifying details of the case slowly being uncovered by fictional detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield). In depicting Under the Banner of Heaven’s true crime story, the series features flashbacks to relevant real-life historical events, Brenda’s relationship with her husband Allen’s family before her death, and the present-day investigation of Brenda and her 15-month-old daughter’s horrific murders.
Following a cliffhanger of a pointed gun in Under the Banner of Heaven episode 2, the next episode picks up with Detectives Pyre and Taba approaching the cabin harboring Sam Lafferty. When Pyre brings Sam’s daughter, Jenny, into the station for questioning, the young girl recalls her family’s growing division after Brenda and Allen’s wedding. Along with statements from Allen, Robin, and Sam, Andrew Garfield’s Under the Banner of Heaven character discovers how deeply the Lafferty brothers had descended into religious fanaticism and anti-government crimes, thus putting them at odds with Brenda. By the end of Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3, Pyre discovers Dan’s leadership in the brothers’ new religious paths, that more names were on the murder “list,” and that Allen had kept his own criminal past a secret.
Since Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 ended with Brenda finding out she’s pregnant, the stories told by Allen are getting much closer to the moments leading up to her murder. The animosity among the Lafferty family grows as the true story progresses, which accurately reflects the real-life situation with the characters, but Under the Banner of Heaven still uses several manufactured situations to depict such changes. Here’s a fact check on Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3’s true story, including which storylines the series changes.
Did Jenny Lafferty Really Get Questioned By The Police?
Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 sees Sam Lafferty’s young daughter Jenny questioned by Jeb Pyre and officials at the police station about her father, uncles, and Brenda, but this doesn’t seem to have happened in real life. Since Sam isn’t the real name of any of the true Lafferty brothers, it’s unclear which real-life person Jenny is supposed to be the daughter of. There also aren’t any reports that the real detectives on Under the Banner of Heaven’s case brought in any of the young Lafferty children for questioning, so using Jenny in questioning seems to just be a way for the series to use flashbacks for Allen and Brenda’s wedding from a new character’s perspective. Additionally, there’s no evidence that Utah detectives found one of the Lafferty brothers at a cabin screaming biblical phrases while pointing a gun at the officers, so the larger storyline with Sam in Under the Banner of Heaven appears to be fictional.
Did Ammon Almost Lose His House Because Of Dan?
When Jenny recalls the day of Allen and Brenda’s wedding in Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3, she remembers Ammon and Dan fighting due to the Lafferty patriarch almost losing his house. This detail in Under the Banner of Heaven is true, as the real Ammon, Watson Lafferty Sr., returned home from his LDS mission to confront Dan about the government threatening to take away his house and business after Dan refused to pay taxes. The Laffertys were able to keep their home, likely after Ammon finally paid the taxes, but this didn’t stop Dan from refusing to give the government money. Under the Banner of Heaven’s real-life Dan Lafferty had also recalled that once his father returned home from his mission, he tried to explain his anti-government activism to Watson Sr., only for his father to respond by trying to “command the devil out of [Dan]” (via Salt Lake City Weekly). However, it doesn’t seem that the real Lafferty family patriarch publicly punished Dan for almost losing his house by lashing his hands at Allen and Brenda’s wedding.
Was Joseph Smith Really A U.S. Presidential Candidate?
Before Dan announces that he wants to run for office, he recalls Mormonism founder Joseph Smith attempting to push back against the government’s policies by running for president. Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 sees Wyatt Russell’s character claim that taxes go against the original U.S. Constitution, with Joseph Smith having decided to “protect” the Constitution after the 1838 Haun’s Mill massacre by running for president. Just as Under the Banner of Heaven’s Dan Lafferty declares, Joseph Smith truly did run for the 1844 U.S. presidential election. Smith’s real-life presidential campaign platform included his desire to reduce the size of Congress, gradually end slavery, reform prisons, and authorize the federal government to protect the freedom of Mormons. However, Smith’s campaign came to an end in 1844 when he was killed by a mob in Illinois, making him the first U.S. presidential candidate to be assassinated.
Did Dan Lafferty Really Run For Sheriff?
Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 sees Wyatt Russell’s disturbing Dan Lafferty announce his intent to run for county sheriff, which is based on the true campaign of Lafferty in 1982. Shortly after Under the Banner of Heaven’s real Brenda and Allen Lafferty were married, Dan launched his bid for Utah County sheriff, where he engaged in a highly public, involved campaign. Just as he suggests in the FX on Hulu series, Dan Lafferty’s platform stated that he would enforce laws according to a strict interpretation of the original U.S. Constitution, thus only for the first 10 amendments. Under the Banner of Heaven’s previews also suggest that episode 4 will feature a deep dive into the true story of Dan’s campaign for sheriff.
Under The Banner Of Heaven Changes Allen’s Criminal History
Under the Banner of Heaven episode 3 opens with a major twist for Andrew Garfield’s Detective Jeb Pyre when he discovers that the youngest son of the Lafferty family has a criminal record. Pyre finds out that Allen was arrested the day after his wedding to Brenda for unpaid traffic citations, which led him to briefly be held in jail. There are no reports that the real Allen Lafferty spent time in jail for unpaid traffic tickets, with seemingly the only brother arrested for traffic-related crimes being, of course, Dan Lafferty.
The real Dan had been pulled over by police officers for speeding and not having an inspection sticker, where Dan spoke to one officer and sped off while he tried to enter his car. The police quickly apprehended Dan, with the real-life Lafferty family member being charged with five crimes and held in Utah County jail for a 30-day sentence. It doesn’t appear that Under the Banner of Heaven’s true Allen Lafferty was arrested for unpaid traffic fines, but he did eventually join his brothers in refusing to pay taxes or car registration fees. However, Brenda didn’t let this happen, as she made Allen pay his government taxes to obey the law and get the car registration to avoid getting a ticket.
New episodes of Under the Banner of Heaven release Thursdays on Hulu.