Wild Cards season 2 episode 13 recap: Will Roman Locke be arrested?
For two seasons, Roman Locke has reigned as Wild Cards' most formidable and untouchable crime lord, wielding police cover, political clout, and hands stained with blood.
As season 2's finale begins, the all-important question is: Will Locke at last be caught and charged with Daniel's murder and his crime empire torn apart?
The emotional burden of that question becomes more severe when Samson Ramos finally admits what occurred the night Daniel died.
With the truth on his side and stakes greater than ever before, Cole Ellis sets into motion, hell-bent on taking Locke down. The finale provides a resounding yes—Roman Locke is finally arrested, the mole within the police department is apprehended, and crooked Commissioner Russo is revealed. But justice isn't cheap.
The price is paid in multiple deaths, moral concessions, and emotional scarring that lasts. Episode 13 provides closure, but also leaves a battlefield of personal loss. Justice is achieved, but at the greatest possible cost.
Wild Cards season 2: The real story behind Daniel's death
The series premieres with a highly anticipated confession. Samson Ramos (Dylan Schombing) tells Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) that he and Daniel were at his mom's club when Daniel eavesdropped on Roman Locke (Aleks Paunovic) discussing something sinister. Samson describes that Daniel was teaching him and only went to get a book. But when they interrupted Locke's gathering, things shifted.
Daniel attempted to cover up for Samson when they were overheard. Locke's assassin, Zippo, murdered Daniel the following day. Samson had kept quiet at the behest of his mother, thinking he was to blame. Cole consoles him, telling him the fault doesn't rest with him.
Wild Cards season 2: The mole in the department
With the truth at last revealed, Cole contacts Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan), who is tailing Locke in the meantime. Elena Ramos (Erica Cerra), Samson's mother, gives notice that someone within the police force is protecting Locke.
Simultaneously, Ricky (Fletcher Donovan) and George Graham (Jason Priestley) look into Locke's expanding empire. Arrests linked to Locke's network mysteriously ceased two years previously—proof of an inside informer. Mole suspicion then becomes the driving force behind the episode's suspense.
Cole and Max lay a trap. Max goes back to Elena's club with an excuse to sing, while Cole invites Locke for a private meeting, taunting him. Their argument gets out of hand, and eventually, Cole overpowers Locke. Max activates the fire alarm and engages in a fight with Locke's guard, making it possible for Cole to escape with vital information.
At the precinct, Cole reports his conclusions to Chief Li (Terry Chen) and Commissioner Russo (Karin Konoval). They establish a phony safe house to apprehend the mole. The trap is sprung: Officer Jim (Giacomo Baessato) shows up and murders Elena and Samson. He is arrested on the spot. Ballistics verify that his gun was used to murder someone else, and Jim owns up to setting up Cole and covering Locke.
Cole and Li arrest Russo, exposing her complicity with Locke in exchange for a political promotion. She is detained, and Cole himself eventually apprehends Locke.
Wild Cards season 2: Personal consequences
While justice is finally achieved, Cole is placed on leave due to his use of off-the-books methods. He agrees with the decision, realizing the personal cost of his vendetta. Chief Li promises to fight for him.
In the meantime, Max, George, and Ricky crack the last part of Jonathan Ashford's puzzle. With video clues and Ashford's magnetized desk, they gain access to an offshore account of more than $103 million. The last password? "George." The inheritance brings closure, particularly for George, who has a lengthy and complicated past with Ashford.
In the last scene, Cole is getting ready to sail away on Daniel's boat of dreams. He invites Max along. She wants to—but her mother shows up at her doorstep, and she has to choose between family and liberty. By the time she's ready to depart, Cole has already set off by himself.
Wild Cards season 2, episode 13, fulfills its promise. Roman Locke is in jail, the police mole is exposed, and political corruption is brought to light. But the path to justice comes at a cost: Elena, Samson, and Daniel are dead, and Cole gets away battered in body and soul. The Wild Cards season 2 finale reminds us that justice, when it arrives, is never clean or easy, but it's worth fighting for.
Catch all the episodes of Wild Cards season 2 streaming on CBC.
