I love how Wake Up Dead Man subverts the usual mystery trope of the detective gathering all the suspects in a room to explain the case and reveal the murderer. They could have done that, but this is a story where we see domineering, charismatic individuals imposing their will and their power over people to do whatever they like - to tragic and horrific consequences for everyone involved. And Benoit almost -almost!- becomes one of those individuals. He literally climbs the pulpit to silence them all with a thunderous voice, to start telling the story that he wants them to see as the truth. If he had gone on, unmasked the murderer in front of everyone, he would have solved the case but been no different than Jefferson or Prentice. Not in the sense that he would act out of malevolence or that what he told the other characters was going to be a false version of events - but he would be one more righteous preacher on the pulpit, looking down and condemning the sinner. It is so significant that he has that Damascus moment, that he stops. He lets the murderer come forth freely, of their own will, in private, and it is Jud who hears their confession. No dramatic accusations or passionate explanations. Just a kind man and a good priest kneeling down with the culprit, listening to what they have to say, offering grace. And in doing so, he finally breaks the hold that the Wicks have had over the story and their parishioners for decades - not with anger or hatred as Jefferson wanted from him, but with kindness and compassion.
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