Summary
Stallone ends the freshman season of this thoroughly enjoyable brass knuckles comedy in a cathartic episode of team building, leadership, and a betrayal we never saw coming. Tulsa King is easily one of the most entertaining series on streaming.
We recap the Paramount+ series Tulsa King Season 1 Episode 9, “Happy Trails,” which contains spoilers and explains the ending of the finale.
The finale of Tulsa King Season 1 starts with a flashback of why Dwight (Sylvester Stallone) was arrested. Chickie (Domenick Lombardozzi) and Vince (Vincent Piazza) have a guy named Ripple handcuffed to a radiator in what looks like an abandoned building. He hasn’t paid his debts, so the guys do what they do — beat him bloody and stick a piping hot cast iron brand to his face.
Armand (Max Casella) is there as well on this cold and stormy night. He calls Dwight and tells them to get over there fast. He lets them have it when he arrives. However, Chickie tosses the brand and starts a fire in the corner when it’s thrown on some papers.
They cannot put it out, and they can’t find the key to the handcuffs, so Dwight does what any humane gangster would do. He shoots Ripple in the head so he won’t burn to death. When Dwight leaves, the cops are there to arrest him. (Was this a setup?). And the police cannot enter the top floor because it is engulfed in flames.
Tulsa King Season 1 Episode 9 recap – the finale
Back in the present day, someone sends in a real estate lawyer who springs Dwight from the FBI interrogation. The General then visits Stacy, who is at the hospital. She breaks the bad news to him. Waltrip is probably gone for good. Maybe even Mexico because he has a large bank account and nefarious connections throughout North America. Dwight pledges to find him and make it right with her. Why? Because she is consorting with a known felon. However, Waltrip is still in town, and he is a real son of a bitch, if you don’t mind me saying. He gathers the troops to announce that they will not lay low. One of The Black Macadams is brave (or, in this case, stupid) enough to voice what everyone else isn’t courageous enough to say. The ATF and the FBI are… Bam! Waltrip puts a bullet in his head.
Armand lets Dwight know that Chickie, Vince, and Goodie are in town. Instead of running and hiding, they meet these guys head-on and are reading for war. They confront the trio at their hotel, and Dwight is blunt. This is his town. He answers to no one and has his own family now. Dwight even does something unexpected; he tells Goodie he needs to join his crew and has three seconds to decide. Why? Well, because who the hell wants to work for Chickie? Goodie makes the best decision for him — he joins The General, and we don’t mean he takes a job with the insurance company.
Dwight then finds his inner Braveheart by delivering a speech that unites his crew, and they go to the mattresses at Bodhi’s home. The hacker/weed dealer shows his true value. He hacks into Waltrip’s account and steals his eight million dollars. This happens simultaneously when the FBI looks over Waltrip’s computer. The money suddenly disappears. The FBI is flummoxed. Waltrip sees his account is empty and is angry. Dwight then offers Stacy her retirement package, putting $1,000,000 in her account. This is with the help of Bodhi. We assume this because she was given an encrypted flash drive and shows the dough in what appears to be a Swiss bank account.
The crew sets up at Mitch’s place, and their bikes arrive. In some true rated-R home-alone escapades, Waltrip and his boys walk into the establishment and set off a trip wire while the classic Phil Collins tune In the Air Tonight plays. Dwight and company stand up behind the bar and open fire. Waltrip takes cover using one of his men, and some other bikers show up with machine guns. Tyson takes a bullet. So does Armand. Grace is the hero killing two bikers before Tyson and Dwight can be executed. When Dwight catches Waltrip trying to flee, he throws him against the wall, then his head into some antlers. He then puts a bullet into him to end the threat.
Tulsa King Season 1 Ending Explained – why does Stacy arrest Dwight?
The season ends three months later. Dwight has his daughter over to Margaret’s horse ranch, and his grandkids are riding his horse. He also enjoys a dance with his daughter when the new casino opens. Goodie is now running the casino portion of Dwight’s new business. Mitch is playing “Ramblin Man” quite well, in fact, on the stage. Dwight enjoys a dance with his daughter.
However, Stacy is given a reprieve by the FBI and arrests Dwight. Wait, what? Why does Stacy arrest Dwight, and what is the charge? Stacy arrests Dwight to get a slap on the wrist with a six-month suspension but with one condition. We do not know what that is until she shows up that night at Dwight’s grand opening. Our favorite ATF agent arrests Dwight for bribing a federal agent. He is put in handcuffs and driven off with Phil Collins playing him off.
What did you think of Tulsa King Season 1 Episode 9 (finale) and the ending? Comment below.
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