Tulsa King Episode 9 Finale Recap and Ending, Explained

Paramount+’s ‘Tulsa King’ tells the story of Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a mob capo who creates a new crew in the titular city. As the story progresses, Dwight makes some new friends and powerful enemies. Dwight’s conflict with Caolan Waltrip’s Black Macadam gang comes to a head in the season 1 finale, titled ‘Happy Trails’. The episode sees Dwight leave his past behind and embrace life in Tulsa, only to end up on the square. If you’re wondering about the ramifications of Dwight’s actions and their consequences, here’s everything you need to know about the ‘Tulsa King’ episode 9 finale! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Tulsa King’s Final Recap

The Season 1 finale, titled ‘Happy Trails’, opens with a flashback to an incident years ago with Don Charles “Chickie” Invernizzi torturing one of the crime family’s debtors in a New York City home. Armand “Manny” Truisi calls Dwight to handle the situation. When Dwight arrives, he tries to save the man, but Chickie accidentally sets the house on fire. Dwight is forced to kill the man and is arrested for the crime, explaining his 25-year prison sentence.

In the present, Dwight is questioned by the ATF after Stacy Beale was shot during a gunfight. However, Dwight denies knowledge of Caolan Waltrip’s whereabouts. He is saved by a layer and gets out of the interrogation without having to reveal any secrets. Dwight meets Stacy in the hospital and she is revealed to be recovering from her gunshot wound. However, Stacy worries that she will be fired by the ATF. Dwight congratulates Stacy before leaving the hospital and returning to his gang.

Meanwhile, Waltrip gathers the remaining members of Black MacAdam. He gathers the crew for a showdown with Dwight and his gang. When one member insists that they need to stretch out and rebuild since the ATF is on their trail, Dwight kills him. As a result, Black MacAdam is forced into a gang war due to Waltrip’s ego. Later, Dwight meets Mann and asks the latter if he wants to stay out of the impending war with Black MacAdam. Manny exclaims that running away from New York all those years ago made him feel like a coward. Manny doesn’t want to be a coward anymore and wants to stand up for himself. As a result, he promises to join Dwight in the fight against Black MacAdam.

Chickie and his bosses arrive in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to meet with Dwight. Chickie comes under the guise of ending his feud with Dwight. However, Dwight sees through Chickie’s deception and refuses to cooperate with the head of the Invernizzi crime family. Dwight insults Chickie and ends his association with the Invernizzi crime family. However, he gets Goodie Carangi back on his side before sending Chickie and Nico back to New York City. At Mitch’s diner, Dwight introduces the gang to Goodie as an official member of their crew.

Dwight’s gang, including Manny, Mitch, Tyson, Grace and others, gather at Mitch’s restaurant, where Dwight gives them a chance to get away from the life of crime. However, he insists that if they cross that line, there will be no going back for them. The group unanimously supports Dwight, and he gives a speech to lift their spirits as the gang awaits their fight with Black MacAdam.

Later, Dwight meets Bodhi and tells him about Waltrip’s fortune stashed away in a bank account. He instructs Bodhi to hack into Waltrip’s computer and steal the money. The task becomes complicated as Waltrip’s computer is in ATF custody. However, Bodhi bypasses the barrier and wipes millions of dollars from Waltrip’s bank account. Dwight asks Tyson to back out of the fight, but he refuses. After learning that Dwight wiped out his bank account, Waltrip is enraged and opens fire on Mitch’s restaurant.

Tulsa King Finals: Does Dwight Beat Waltrip?

In the final act of the episode, the conflict between Dwight and Waltrip comes to a head as Dwight steals all of Waltrip’s money. The Black MacAdam biker gang arrives at Mitch’s diner to get revenge and end their feud once and for all. The biker gang opens fire on the restaurant and tries to kill everyone inside. On the other hand, Dwight and his gang are prepared to fight back. The group retaliates with their weapons, leading to a gun battle between the two sides.

The conflict between Dwight and Waltrip begins after the former sells drugs in what is perceived to be Waltrip’s business area. Despite starting off on the wrong foot, Waltrip tries to extend an olive branch and wants to come to a mutual understanding. However, Dwight refuses and ends up killing Carson Pike, Waltrip’s right-hand man. Additionally, the ATF goes after Black MacAdam after the incident that led to Waltrip holding a grudge against Dwight. Ultimately, Dwight must defeat Waltrip to assert his dominance and prove that he is the undisputed boss of the Tulsa mob. Thus, the gunfight ends with Dwight turning on Waltrip and shooting him dead.

Why is Dwight arrested?

After Dwight and his gang defeat Waltrip and Black MacAdam, the story jumps forward three months in time. We see Dwight spending time with his daughter, Tina, and grandchildren, who arrive in Tulsa to visit. Dwight takes them to Fennario Farm, where Spencer teaches the boys to ride horses. Later, he meets Margaret and invites her to the opening of his new restaurant/casino after renovating Mitch’s restaurant. However, Margaret does not promise to show up as she has other plans.

At the opening party, Dwight and Tina enjoy a father-daughter dance while Mitch dedicates a song to Dwight. However, the festivities are interrupted when a mysterious woman calls Dwight outside the restaurant. Dwight sees Stacy waiting for him, but is surprised to find the ATF arriving to arrest him. The final moments depict the ATF arresting Dwight for corrupting an ATF officer and taking him away, while a distraught Tina is forced to relive her childhood all over again.

The episode’s ending confirms that Stacy finally stops protecting Dwight. She almost loses her job because of her affair with Dwight. However, when given the chance to make a fresh start, she must also accept one of ATF’s conditions. This condition turns out to be framing Dwight for bribing her, leading to the arrest of the mob boss. Ultimately, things work out in Stacy’s favor as Dwight deals with Waltrip for her, and she arrests Dwight before he can expand his criminal empire into Tulsa. So it’s likely that this was Stacy’s plan all along. Meanwhile, Dwight faces the possibility of another prison sentence and must rely on his friends on the outside to save him.

Read more: Tulsa King Episode 8 Recap and Conclusion, Explained