Warning: Spoilers ahead for Tulsa King season 1.
The Sylvester Stallone-fronted series Tulsa King season 1 ending features a cliffhanger twist that leaves the fate of the action veteran unclear. Tulsa King takes the mafia genre to the Midwest with the story of Dwight “the General” Manfredi. Played by Sylvester Stallone, Manfredi is an ice-cold convict who has just finished serving a twenty-five-year prison sentence for a mob hit gone wrong when Tulsa King season 1 begins.
Although it is clear that Dwight took the fall for someone else, the lead character of Tulsa King isn’t exactly rewarded for his selflessness. Instead, he is essentially exiled to the small city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and told to start a criminal empire there. Never one to give up on a hopeless cause, Manfredi sets to work establishing a relationship with his estranged daughter Tina, forging a rivalry with the gangster Caolan Waltrip, and selling nitrous oxide via a ragtag gang of misfits that he assembles. These efforts pay off in Tulsa King season 1’s last two episodes before a cliffhanger ending puts the General’s empire in peril.
What Happens In Tulsa King Season 1’s Ending
In Tulsa King season 1’s ending, the show reveals how Dwight Manfredi ended up in prison all those years ago. It turns out that he took the fall for a killing that was really Chickie’s responsibility. Dwight’s daughter Tina grew up without knowing her father thanks to his lengthy prison spell, but the General only served that prison sentence because of Chickie's actions. After Chickie handcuffed a hostage, Ripple, to a radiator while torturing him, Wen Dwight tried to stop the torture and a brand that Chickie was brandishing set the room they were in alight. Unable to find the handcuff keys, the General shot Ripple as a mercy killing.
With this background established, Tulsa King season 1’s final episode returned to the present day. In this outing, Dwight first confronted Chickie, who wanted in on his Tulsa operation. Dwight sent him packing to New York and, in a rare smart moment, Chickie left Tulsa without a fight. Dwight then outsmarted Caolan Waltrip, the leader of a local rival gang, the Black MacAdams. Dwight’s prison reading list paid off as the master manipulator tricked Caolan into attacking Mitch’s bar, shooting the rival boss in the ensuing gunfight. This left Dwight with no more enemies, at least until the General’s bar/casino opening was busted by ATF agents who arrested him.
Did Dwight Defeat Caolan Waltrip For Good?
While Caolan Waltrip was even more dangerous than Chickie (who killed his own father in cold blood), he was not impossible to defeat. After Dwight’s confidante, Bodhi, used his technical know-how to take all the money from Waltrip’s account and transfer it to Dwight, the leader of the Black MacAdams instantly attacked the General’s bar in revenge. Dwight knew this is what Caolan would do, so he already had the upper hand when the two faced off. Dwight shot and killed Caolan, effectively ending the reign of the Black MacAdams in Tulsa. While Tulsa King season 2 could reveal that Caolan had a second-in-command, his unstable persona makes this unlikely.
Why Did Stacey Betray Dwight?
Stacey, the hard-drinking FBI agent who Dwight forged an unlikely friendship with throughout Tulsa King season 1, seemed like the last character who would betray the charismatic criminal. However, her drinking impaired her judgment throughout Tulsa King season 1 and, although the General made it up to her by sending her a hefty chunk of Waltrip’s stolen money, he did inadvertently get her shot by letting her get involved in the Tulsa turf war. Stacey sold Dwight out to the ATF, leading to his arrest during the bar’s grand opening in the Tulsa King season 1 finale. While the ATF was watching Dwight throughout Tulsa King season 1, the organization needed the evidence Stacey provided to take him down.
Can Dwight Avoid Another Prison Sentence?
Although Tulsa King season 1’s ending implies that Dwight will struggle to get out of this spot of trouble, it is unlikely that the master criminal will see the inside of a prison cell again. The General’s manipulation of everyone involved in his Tulsa empire, from acquaintances to rivals to even dangerously unpredictable characters like Chickie and Waltrip, proves that his time in prison made him a savvy operator. As such, Dwight should be able to beat the charges against him in Tulsa King season 2. While Tulsa King isn’t based on a true story (and therefore season 2 can go in any direction), Stallone was unsure about starring in a second season.
As such, there is a possibility that Tulsa King season 2 will see Stallone’s character play a smaller role in the series to give the actor a break. However, since Stallone plays the title character, it would be tricky for Tulsa King season 2 to pull this off. The best way for Tulsa King season 2 to get around Stallone’s possible absence (or the actor playing a smaller role while Dwight is in prison) would be for the show to focus on Tina, the General’s daughter. Tina gradually warmed to her father over Tulsa King season 1 so, if Dwight really does end up back in prison, Tulsa King season 2 could focus on Tina.
What Tulsa King Season 1’s Ending Really Means
Tulsa King season 1’s ending shows viewers that the title character’s time in prison made him a perfect candidate for turning the eponymous city into an unlikely crime capital. As Dwight Manfredi, Stallone mixes his brooding macho persona with a warmer, kinder character than he typically plays. The veteran star makes the General a surprisingly agreeable crime boss, and his good relationships with his underlings and henchmen are contrasted with Chickie and Waltrip’s abusive power trips. Eventually, Tulsa King’s season 1 ending proves that Dwight Manfredi’s charm can get him out of almost any trouble before the cliffhanger twist ending proves that this isn’t always a reliable approach.