Tulsa King Season Finale Explained: Does Stacy betray Dwight? 

Paramount+’s “Tulsa King” wrapped up its first season with lots of cliffhangers and received a positive response from both the critics and the viewers. The twists and turns in the finale have made the fans already speculate about the plot for Season 2 and what it holds for the show. 

If you still wondering about the consequences of Dwight’s actions and their aftereffects, here is everything you need to know about the ending of “Tulsa King.” 

“Tulsa King” Season Finale Recap 

We didn’t expect that ATF agent Stacy Beale (Andrea Savage) would become the biggest enemy of Tulsa gang leader Dwight Manfredi at the end of Season 1.  

Stacy, who spent the season in a friends-with-benefits situation with Dwight, has him arrested for dropping her a $1 million bribe after she was shot by biker gang leader Caolan Waltrip. She turned from frenemy to possibly the “Big Bad” of Season 2. 

The Season 1 finale, titled “Happy Trails,” opens with a flashback to an incident years ago. Don Charles “Chickie” Invernizzi is seen torturing one of the crime family’s debtors at a New York City house. Armand “Manny” Truisi calls Dwight to handle the situation. 

Dwight’s attempts to save the man prove unsuccessful when 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, we see Dwight being interrogated by the ATF after Stacy Beale is shot during a gunfight. However, Dwight refuses knowledge about Caolan Waltrip’s whereabouts. Ultimately, he leaves the interrogation without having to reveal any secrets and is rescued by a layer. 

Dwight meets Stacy at the hospital who is recovering from the gunshot wound and is worried at the same time that she will be fired from the ATF. Dwight wishes Stacy well before leaving the hospital. 

On the other hand, we see Waltrip attempting to gather the remaining members of the Black McAdam. He rallies the crew for a face-off with Dwight and his gang. When Dwight kills a member, Black MacAdam is forced into a gang war due to Waltrip’s ego. 

Dwight meets Manny and asks the latter if he wants to stay out of the impending war with Black MacAdam. Manny says that he no longer wants the cowardly feeling that bothered him when he fled for New York all those years ago. Thus, much to the fan’s excitement, Manny promises to join Dwight in the fight against Black MacAdam. 

Chickie and his underbosses arrive in Tulsa to meet with Dwight. Chickie comes under the guise of ending his feud with Dwight. However, Dwight sees through Chickie’s ruse and refuses to cooperate with the Invernizzi crime family’s head. 

However, he turns Goodie Carangi to his side before sending Chickie and Nico back to New York City. At Mitch’s restaurant, Dwight introduces the gang to Goodie as an official member of their crew. 

Later, Dwight meets Bodhi and tells him about Waltrip’s fortune accumulated in a bank account. Upon Dwight’s instruction, Bodhi plans to hack Waltrip’s computer and steal the money away. The task becomes too complicated as Waltrip’s computer is in ATF’s custody. 

But this doesn’t stop Bodhi from wiping out millions of dollars from Waltrip’s bank account. Dwight asks Tyson to back out of the fight, but he refuses. 

“Tulsa King” Season Finale Explained: Does Dwight Defeat Waltrip? 

In the episode’s finale act, the conflict between Dwight and Waltrip reaches its peak after Dwight steals all of Waltrip’s money. The Black MacAdam biker gang opens fire on Mitch’s restaurant to get revenge and end their feud once and for all. 

On the other hand, Dwight and his gang are already prepared to fight back. We see the group retaliate with their guns, leading to a gunfight between both parties. 

The conflict between Dwight and Waltrip starts after the former sells drugs in what is perceived as Waltrip’s area of business. Despite starting on the wrong foot, Waltrip tries to extend an olive branch and wants to come to a mutual understanding. 

But it’s too late now. Dwight is in no mood for reconciliation as is evident when he ends up killing Carson Pike, Waltrip’s right-hand man. Moreover, the ATF goes after Black MacAdam following the incident. This leads to Waltrip holding a grudge against Dwight.  

 Ultimately, Dwight must now defeat Waltrip to assert his dominance and prove that he is the undisputed mafia boss of Tulsa. The gunfight ultimately ends with Dwight cornering Waltrip and shooting him dead. 

Why is Dwight Arrested? 

The story jumps three months forward in time after Dwight and his gang emerge victorious against Waltrip and Black MacAdam. We see Dwight spending time with his daughter, Tina, and grandchildren, who arrive in Tulsa to visit him.  

Dwight takes them to the Fennario Ranch, where Spencer teaches the boys horse riding. Later, he meets Margaret and invites her to the opening of his new restaurant/casino following the renovation of Mitch’s restaurant. 

However, Margaret does not promise to show up as she has other plans. 

The opening party belongs to Dwight and Tina as the father-daughter duo dance while Mitch dedicates a song to Dwight. However, the festivities are cut short when a mysterious woman approaches Dwight outside the restaurant. 

Dwight finds Stacy waiting for him but is surprised to find the ATF arriving to arrest him. The final moments depict the ATF arresting Dwight for bribing an ATF officer and driving him away. Tina is shocked and is forced to relive her childhood trauma all over again. 

The episode’s ending confirms that Stacy finally stops protecting Dwight. She almost loses her job due to her association with Dwight. However, her opportunity for a fresh start comes with a condition. That ATF condition turns out to be framing Dwight for bribing her, leading to the mafia boss’s arrest. 

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 in Tulsa. Therefore, it is likely that this was Stacy’s plan all along. 

 Meanwhile, Dwight faces the possibility of another prison sentence and must rely on his friends outside to save him. 

The Dwight Twist Sets Up a Big Tina Change For Season 2 

The “Tulsa King” Season 1 finale paves the way for Tina to make a big change in Season 2. The finale episode saw Dwight Manfredi in handcuffs in front of his daughter once again.  

In “Tulsa King” Season 2 it would make sense for Tina to become involved in her father’s dealings in Tulsa. Although she was hesitant about her father’s illegal activities, she eventually decided to join him in Tulsa. She even brings her kids to meet him in Season 1. 

Given the revelation of Tina’s trauma in “Tulsa King”, it was a shock she even decided to pursue a relationship with Dwight. With his current arrest, she’d have every reason to return to New York.  

However, with her involvement in the final scene of “Tulsa King” season 1, it looks like Tina will stick around to seek justice for her father. 

The season finale of “Tulsa King” was a shocker, something which the fans were not excepting. The ending has already raised hopes for the second season and the fans are already excited.  

About Tulsa King

Tulsa King is an American crime drama television series created by Taylor Sheridan with Terence Winter showrunning for Paramount+. The series stars Sylvester Stallone, marking his first leading role in a scripted television series.

Stallone plays a Mafia capo who just got out of prison and is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he tries to set up a criminal organization. It premiered on November 13, 2022. In November 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.