Warning: SPOILERS for Suits LA episode 3.Suits LA cast of characters as Ted Black, an entertainment lawyer with a past life as a New York prosecutor. The pilot episode of Suits LA introduced Ted’s brother, Eddie (Carson A. Egan), as his voice of reason and roommate. Throughout the pilot, Eddie appeared at Ted’s lowest moments to listen and guide Ted in the right direction.

The biggest twist of Suits LA episode 1 was that Eddie was never actually there— rather, Eddie manifested in Ted’s subconscious and began to haunt him despite dying under mysterious circumstances. The spinoff has yet to reveal the cause of death or general circumstances, but context clues imply that Ted and Eddie’s father (Matt Letscher) was involved somehow. Luckily, while the details are still fuzzy, Suits LA episode 3 gave a definite date of death for Eddie, which helps piece the overarching story together.

Suits LA Episode 3 Ending Reveals When Eddie Died

Ted Sees Eddie's Gravestone At His Father's Burial

While Ted’s shady past in New York is at the center of Stuart’s betrayal in Suits LA episode 1, but Eddie’s ghost convinces Ted to attend his father’s burial nonetheless, standing beside Stuart in silence.

Ted was rightfully angry to learn that his father made Stuart the executor of his will (and even angrier to learn he bought the plot next to Eddie), but the mirage of Eddie implored that his brother would go to the burial for his sake so that Eddie could say goodbye. In the closing moments, Eddie’s ghost appears between Stuart and Ted as they stand before two graves, one with a fresh casket and one with a weathered gravestone. Eddie’s grave reveals he died in 2010, a critical piece of Suits LA’s overall puzzle.

What Eddie's Death Date Reveals About Ted's Story In Suits

Eddie's Death Is A Key Part Of The Timeline

While many of the circumstances surrounding Eddie’s death are still unknown, the character dying in 2010 can be compared to other major events in the Suits LA timeline to glean what happened. The very first scene of Suits LA establishes that 2010 was Ted Black's “last year in New York” before he moved to California and eventually started a firm with Stuart Lane. The Suits LA pilot also explicitly says that Stuart and Ted’s meeting was “12 years to the day” that they started their t law firm, placing the creation of their firm sometime in 2013.

Already, the timeline explains why it took years for Ted and Stuart to set up their firm since both characters needed time to grieve Eddie’s death. Plus, Ted apologizes to his brother’s ghost in the pilot for not calling after he left, confirming Eddie was alive when Ted left New York and implying that the guilt Ted has regarding his brother’s death is due in part to not being there when it happened. The flashbacks may have caused some of Suits LA’s poor initial reviews, but they have offered some important context on Ted's backstory and family history.

The Real Meaning Of Eddie's Ghosts In Suits

Ted's Brother Is Still His Closest Confidant

While Eddie’s ghost in Suits LA automatically adds higher stakes to the exploration of Ted’s past in New York, Eddie also serves an important narrative purpose. Despite being the main character of Suits LA, Ted Black isn’t that likable yet— but there’s a good reason why. Whatever happened to Eddie after he left New York must have been horrible enough for Ted to put up his harsh, defensive walls. Eddie’s ghost exists to remedy that by encouraging Ted to forgive his enemies and prioritize kindness over ruthlessness. Unfortunately, Eddie’s ghost may be the closest Ted gets to confronting his past.

Despite being the main character of Suits LA, Ted Black isn’t that likable yet— but there’s a good reason why.

Ted refusing to use his prosecutor skills in Suits LA is enough to jeopardize his hugely consequential murder case, but it also highlights Ted’s biggest character flaw in Suits LA: Ted is so busy trying to escape his past that he ignores how it hinders his present. That kind of deep-rooted denial won’t have a quick fix (even in television), so the memory of Eddie is pivotal to Ted’s growth in Suits LA. It may seem odd, given that Eddie is a figment of Ted’s imagination, but he speaks to a gentler side Ted needs that’s oftentimes hidden in Suits LA.

Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP NOW!

Suits LA continues Sunday on NBC.