Watchmen Planted Some Damning Info About Senator Keene, but You Won't See It on the Show

Mirroring the graphic novel, HBO's Watchmen is full of Easter eggs and hidden connections that reveal future plot points. In fact, attentive viewers and fans have noticed a few already. And, as the Seventh Kalvary plot progresses, one character is starting to look mighty suspicious.

Introduced in the second episode, Senator Joe Keene is deeply connected to the show's vigilante history. His father was responsible for the Keene Act before the events of the graphic novel, and now Joe has spearheaded DOPA – which allows cops to hide behind masks in Oklahoma. So far, his motivation seems to be protecting DOPA to help his bid for the presidency. To do so, he enlists Laurie Blake to pursue a different theory from Tulsa PD. Unlike the local cops, he doesn't believe the Seventh Kalvary is responsible for the murder of Sheriff Judd Crawford, but instead a vigilante.

And he might be right. If Angela's grandfather is telling the truth, he's the one who killed Crawford. But being right doesn't mean Keene is any good. There are plenty of signs he's hiding something.

First, he's quick to show off — twice now — his knowledge of Angela's true identity (something he's not supposed to know), acting as if it's a veiled threat. Second, extra content on the show indicates the Crawfords and Keenes have a long, dark history together. On the HBO website, Peteypedia, there's a letter indicating Joe's and Judd's fathers might've been members of the KKK. Being part of the Kalvary could explain why Keene is so convinced the group didn't kill Judd.

Not only that, but fans pointed out Keene's assassination attempt in episode three seems very similar to Veidt's faked attempt from the graphic novel. To throw suspicions off him, Veidt staged an attack, and this might be what Keene is trying to do. This could mean he's using the Seventh Kalvary to spread unrest, justify his law, and further his political career. And perhaps he brought Laurie on board to throw off an investigation that might've exposed his connections to the organization.