Tommy presents the distros with the new version of Dahlia. At first glance, both crews questioned the authenticity of the product. There is no glow. But, after testing it out, they realize the high is equally strong and are 100% on board. Tommy is eager to expand with the new version ready to hit the streets and the distros on board. Whenever decisions are made relatively quickly or informed by ego, something is bound to go wrong— let’s hope this isn’t the case here.
Walter finally receives a diagnosis: he has cancer.
Tommy learns more about JP’s financial woes while helping JP remodel their grandmother’s old home. The club is under foreclosure and his father’s medical expenses are costly. The insurance doesn’t cover the stint he needs in his heart. To help him out (and help his business out), Tommy decides to bring JP on the team. His new role will be working in the lab with Liliana and Lauryn.
Over at the barbershop, Diamond and Jenard spend some quality time. While cutting his brother’s hair, Diamond asks Jenard what he would do differently if he were still running CBI. Jenard tells him that he would expand and invest in the new drug. Although he speaks about these two strategies as hypotheticals, he has already activated both plans without Diamond’s knowledge. In their conversation, he tells Diamond that CBI started with and will end with him. The cryptic messaging feels like both a lie and the truth. I don’t quite yet believe that Jenard has the guts to kill his brother, but he definitely wants out from under his wing.
With Dahlia buzzing on the streets, many organization leaders are trying to figure out the million-dollar question: who is behind the drug? Vic tasks Bennigan with finding out. Another officer is currently blackmailing him, so he charges Vic double from his usual fee for the information (talk about dirty cops). Meanwhile, Jenard puts up $20K for whoever could bring him back information on the drug’s origins.
This episode should be called “Nosey-ass Drug Dealers” because everybody wants to know everything. Walter asks Vic once again to find out what Claudia has been up to. Vic pushes back and tells his father he has no desire to spy on his sister. His father, however, scolds him about the responsibilities of his role in their family business. Apparently, spying on his sister is included in the job description. Upset and wanting to piss his father off, Vic reminds his father of his plans to settle down with Gloria regardless of his approval.
While the Flynn family continues to have internal and external conflicts, Tommy and JP mourn their grandmother. She died at the hospital moments after a visit from JP. When JP shares the news with Tommy, he pushes him to call Kate.
Before Tommy can focus on whether he will call his estranged mother, he makes a requested appearance at the Flynn’s estate. Now, what would Walter Flynn want with Mr. Tommy Eagan? Walter offers Tommy a rather odd proposal. He invites Tommy to join the Flynn organization. Tommy doesn’t take his gesture as flattering and rudely declines. Feeling a bit salty, Walter questions Tommy about his relationship with Gloria. His deep racist beliefs won’t allow him to let go of trying to break Vic and Gloria up. Tommy schools him a bit. He defends Gloria and Vic’s romantic union and points out to Walter that he is the only problem. The conversation ends with Walter threatening to end Gloria’s life.
Walter’s erratic behavior and tumultuous relationship with his kids appear to directly result from grief. After Tommy leaves the mansion, Pauly and Walter have a heartfelt conversation. He points out to Walter that he’s pushing his kids further away rather than closer together. Walter is concerned about the future of the organization. He doesn’t think that Vic is ready and refuses to appoint Claudia as the head of the organization. Pauly now knows that Walter doesn’t have much time left because of his illness. During this conversation, we also find out that Walter initiated a hit on Gloria, but Pauly intentionally disregarded the order.
After realizing Walter’s hatred for Gloria, Tommy decides to give Vic a heads up to protect Gloria. He sets up the perfect getaway plan for Vic and demands that he keeps Gloria safe. Vic is quite skeptical about Tommy’s motives but presents the plan to Gloria anyway. He sold the land and paid off her debt. The two now have an opportunity to leave Chicago and go somewhere forever.
Not only is everyone equally nosey in this episode, but the Flynn family has a knack for offering business proposals to others. Dismissing Tommy’s directions, Claudia visits Diamond and offers him a 10% deal. She doesn’t give him the specifics of the deal yet. But Diamond is wise and has a feeling it is Dahlia. He also realizes that Claudia’s pitch is rooted in bad business practices, so he calls her bluff. If she can only offer 10%, she must be in business with others who aren’t present. He quickly declines her deal.
Diamond’s wisdom also allows him to smell Adrian’s bullshit from a mile away. He questions her motives after finding out who she is through a Google search. She tells him the truth and admits that she’s fallen for him.
The loss of his grandmother causes Tommy to think about Kate more. He spends a few moments looking at old family photos and video footage. The reminiscing is interrupted by work. Tommy packs his bag and heads to Claudia to distribute their profits. Claudia tells him she no longer wants to hide in the shadows anymore. She’s pretty shocked that Tommy supports her decision. The two realize that the decision to let go of their anonymity puts them in danger. However, Tommy reassures her that he’s ready for whatever, even going to war with her father.
On the other side of Chicago, D-Mac puts himself in Tommy’s path and asks Tommy to put him on. Impressed by his hunger and knowledge of numbers, Tommy gives his nephew (although he doesn’t yet know that it’s his nephew) an impromptu audition and hires him on the spot. JP also auditions for Liliana and Tommy for the role of a cook. So far, things are going well, but I hope it remains that way.
On his way to visit his drug-addicted son, Paulie stops to visit Vic. They catch up on family happenings, including Vic and Walter’s relationship. Within that conversation, Paulie drops a slight bomb on Vic. He tells him that his father invited Tommy to join the organization, but he left out the part where Tommy declined. Vic receives this news as Tommy having ulterior motives and delays leaving town. He remains committed to being with Gloria, though, and the two daydream about their new last names and overall fresh start together. Almost immediately after exchanging a passionate kiss, they were ambushed by the Serbs. Vic’s truck is left riddled with bullets — one deadly bullet struck Gloria in the face, leaving Vic heartbroken.
After learning from his crew that the Hasidic Jews had Dahlia, Jenard robs and kills one of the men. He takes the drug to cousin Buddy in Gary. At first, Buddy is not interested in the designer drug, but he quickly changes his mind after sampling Dahlia. With an added army on board, Jenard changes the name of the drug from Dahlia to “Black Magic,” and since he doesn’t actually have the product, he puts a plan in place to rob and kill whoever has Dahlia — decisions that Diamond would never approve of.
Curious about the new kid he hired, Tommy follows D-Mac and notices him burying a box. When Tommy opens the box, he finds photos of a baby D-Mac with JP — he realizes who D-Mac is.
Kate appears back on Tommy’s mind again. He picks up the phone to call her, but when she answers, we realize it is JP, not Tommy, on the other line.
