Snowfall - S1E9 - Story of a Scar

Previously on Snowfall, “Baby Teeth”

It wasn’t much of a surprise that everyone’s personal stake in the coke business was laid waste by a series of unfortunate events this week. Be it from the powerful influence of outsiders or one’s own unchecked hubris, “Story of a Scar” proved none of the players anticipated the worst possible scenario, no matter how well connected, thorough or adaptive they may be. With their backs against the wall, each group was forced to scrap their best laid plans and desperately latch on to any open play they had, knowing it will cost them in the near future.

Just when Teddy thought he was done with Victoria (Justine Lupe), this amateur sleuth and pursuer of justice experienced a significant amount of brainwave and found an image of Alejandro and Kristin together in the club photographer’s archives. Fucking great. Of course she doesn’t know the closer she gets to the truth, the most likely Teddy will have to kill her. Better him than Ale, who certainly won’t have the heart or wherewithal to bury her remains in a nondescript area far from a major highway.

If Victoria’s persistence wasn’t enough, “Reed” has to somehow restore the pipeline as his suppliers - Elena’s unit - were hit by the Sandinistas. Alejandro claimed to have a back-up plan which made the hairs on the back of Teddy’s CIA trained neck instantly stand up. Though it occurred at the expense of his unit and wife’s health, this was the opportunity Alejandro has been waiting for: an advantage over his American handler. Turnabout is fair play and it could be exactly what this uneasy partnership needs to keep viewers enthralled. It’ll definitely be lively for the foreseeable future now that Teddy and Alejandro have to deal with Ramiro, who definitely won’t take any excuses or rowdy behavior from anyone.

In South Central, crack is spreading through neighborhoods like wildlife and all concerns Jerome and Louie had about poisoning their own people have evaporated once money began pouring in. Once Jerome realized he could make more money in one day from a few dozen rocks than months of dealing weed, he and Louie changed their minds quick about Franklin’s foolhardy scheme. Don’t get it twisted: Saint’s plan to attain wealth and power on the backs of his own neighbors and family remains a disaster in the making.

[bctt tweet=”“But you can’t see anything else besides what’s in that fucking bag”” username=”ProjectFandom”]

It’s getting harder and harder to sympathize with Franklin from his increasing disdain towards his knucklehead friends and manipulating virtually everyone who shares genuine concern for him, there’s little to nothing redeemable about the young man. In his desperation to save his own skin as his best friend is bleeding out in his back yard, Franklin threw his backpack full of crack into the closet of his crush, who need I remind you is the daughter of a cop. If that isn’t the epitome of an emotionally detached opportunist, I don’t know what is. Where’s Avi when we need him to smack some sense in his “son”?

We deftly switched from one twisted family dynamic to another far more murderous bunch in the Navas. Thanks to Pedro’s erratic coke-fueled personality - and glaring inability to strike out on his own - he ran back to daddy for support, resulting in his and Lucia’s small operation being fully absorbed into Ramiro’s . It’s everything Lucia’s cousin probably wanted all along: Pedro never wanted to earn his money but the prospect of making a big enough impact against the family cartel would grant Pedro all the attention he could want from dad.

Now Lucia has to walk on eggshells for the remainder of her life because of Nava’s insecurities. If one recalls, it was Pedro’s ill-conceived plan in the very beginning of the series that immediately set the cousins and Oso on the wrong path; for a time, the only partner to pull his weight was Gustavo, but now he and his contacts been cut off by Ramiro and a contract has been put out on him. Although it’s a dog eat dog world, Oso plies a soft yet firm hand with his allies, personally admitting to Stomper and Hernan what occurred in the last few days.

What has been a satisfying through-line in this arc is Gustavo’s regression into his old personality, one we still don’t have a real bead on but know, not so long ago, he lived up to his name on the streets. Never one to take any form of disrespect lightly, Stomper wants to make an example out of the cartel with Oso’s help, which he gives freely. Earlier in the episode he did have an off-camera conversation with Lucia about finding another way to rid themselves of their troubles… it wouldn’t be surprising if it was a simple double-cross that eliminates most if not all of Ramiro and Stomper’s crews.