Snowfall season 2 finale recap: Education

On the season finale of Snowfall, it was time to face the music.

What would happen to Franklin after his arrest in episode 9? That was the most prominent question heading into the Snowfall season 2 finale. Most of the episode was centered around it, and was better for it.

The daily routine in the jail was brutal. Officials didn’t show detainees any sympathy, and the others in there weren’t exactly open toward Franklin. Franklin was desperate to get out and both Jerome, who he spoke to on the phone, and his lawyer didn’t think raising bail would be a problem.

Teddy and Lorena had a debate over the DEA’s goal and Teddy’s mission in Nicaragua. Teddy asked her for a year for his operation, and then he would turn over everyone he worked with, essentially double-crossing them the whole time. She didn’t answer.

Franklin’s cell-mates gained some friends and stole his shoes. No one else in the jail seemed to notice, which was a bit odd. Maybe it’s not that uncommon of an occurrence? Franklin went to court trying to get his bail set. It was originally set at $75,000, but eventually denied. The lawyer for the state pointed out that Franklin had shot Kevin and then fled. She assumed (probably correctly to be honest) that were Franklin to be released he would disappear. He was, after all, about to run when he was arrested.

Still without shoes, Franklin was transferred to a longer-term detention facility. The new place was larger, but Franklin still looked by far the youngest one there. He ran across an old friend (or at least acquaintance) from his area and joined up with them. Maybe this was the family Aunt Louie was talking about. But that didn’t end well, as he was pulled out of his bunk and beaten up badly enough that he had to go to the hospital (or hospital equivalent) for stitches and such.

While he was there, Jerome and Leon came to see him. Jerome was making plans to get him out, and Leon told him the only way to get respect was to beat someone else up, as badly as was done to him. Jerome ended up having to pull Leon away form the phone. That night the men made as if they were going to beat up Franklin again, but they didn’t get the chance. Before they could, one of their neighbors hung himself with his sheets, and they decided there was no need to complicate things further … for now.

When Franklin’s parents came to see him (and saw how beaten up he was), his mother couldn’t keep it together. His father tried to use some traditional “don’t give up” motivational stuff, but it didn’t work. In fact it pushed Franklin over the edge, he started yelling, and was dragged away. Then he lost his cool in the common area and ran into the guy who stole his shoes. He got them back, but got in trouble. He then went back to the others who had attacked him and threatened to have his people kill their families if they touched him again. He also named their families, just to make sure they knew he was serious.

Aunt Louie went to Teddy, but not really for the reasons that would be assumed. She wanted to convince him first that she and the others could continue selling the drugs and providing the money while Franklin was in prison. But what both she and Teddy thought was best was getting Franklin out. Apparently Franklin had mentioned making Lorena “disappear” somehow.

Teddy was unconvinced initially, but eventually agreed and went to go see Lorena. The first subject: Teddy’s request that his drug operations be allowed to continue. She agreed, with the provision that, in a year, she would be allowed to arrest everyone involved. The high-end people. She was less enthusiastic about retracting her statement about Franklin shooting Kevin. But he convinced her of Franklin’s importance as well, and Franklin got to go home. One of the first places he went was Kevin’s grave. Teddy (Reed) found him there.

The two of them agreed to start things back up ASAP, and Franklin said he learned not to trust people too much. It had also taught him about Teddy. Before that, he hadn’t been sure who Teddy worked for. Maybe he was just another drug dealer. Once they started up the operation again, Franklin figured out the connection to the government and Nicaragua (Teddy probably just told him). So that opens up  a whole new world of possibilities. And seeing as Snowfall was recently renewed for a third season, we’re going to get to see where it goes.