Who the Heck Is John Milton on ABC's 'Big Sky'? Everyone Wants to Know

ABC's Big Sky has become known for its mysteries — not just the ones being investigated by Cassie (Kylie Bunbury) and Jenny (Katheryn Winnick), but the ones about the show itself. In a series that includes dead bodies, questionable life choices, and a massive conspiracy, the biggest question of all is: Who is John Milton?

Fans are tearing their hair out trying to identify Milton, who has been mentioned during both Season 1 and Season 2. But clues about him are few and far between.

Audiences would have better luck finding Waldo in a crowd than figuring out the truth behind Milton. The only thing that's definite is that the character plays a huge role in the criminal element running rampant through Big Sky. But who is John Milton, or who could he be? Here are all the pieces of the Milton mystery so far.

The first mention of Milton happens during Big Sky Season 1, when Ronald Pergman tells his girlfriend Scarlet Leyendecker to look up someone by the name of "John Milton" on a hard drive if he's ever captured.

In the Season 1 finale, "Love Is a Strange and Dangerous Thing," a corrupt state trooper subsequently shows up, wrecks a police car, and gives Scarlet a new phone like some kind of criminal Liam Neeson. Later, Cassie recovers a phone that only has Milton's number in it.

However, Milton's name comes up again during Season 2, Episode 13, "The Shipping News." Legarski's twin brother Wolf, who's been helping out Cassie, is captured. Just before he's suffocated, his captor tells him that "John Milton sends his regards."

That seems to imply that Milton is pulling at least a string or two in the human trafficking conspiracy that has propelled Big Sky for almost two full seasons. The show has hyped him up too much for him to be a disposable bad guy.

Since audiences keep hearing about Milton, it seems obvious that Big Sky has to physically introduce him before the end of Season 2. The show needs another big antagonist after killing off Ronald Pergman, who drove the action through Season 1 and into the second season, and there's only so long the viewers can tease Milton's identity before viewers lose interest.

None of ABC's official synopses for upcoming Big Sky episodes mention Milton by name or any actor playing him. However, the character is powerful enough to have his hooks into law enforcement and to order people's deaths, so he has to be a pretty important person. With what fans know about him, he sounds like a Montana version of Rowan Pope from Scandal, minus the family drama.

One name pops immediately to mind for the role. Oscar winner J.K. Simmons went to college in Montana and one of his earliest TV roles was playing truly despicable racist murderer Alexander Rausch in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. Simmons would make a perfect John Milton, if he's not busy with those Farmers Insurance commercials or winning another award.

Big Sky airs on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.