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The saying goes, “You have to pay the cost to be the boss” and damn has/does Desna pay for the title.
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| Network | |
| TNT | |
| Director(s) | Dale Stern |
| Writer(s) | Eliot Laurence |
| Air Date | 8/12/2018 |
Pre-Wedding Jitters: Desna, Clay, Roller, Clint, Zlata
While Desna speaks a good game, this whole lying and being so intimate with someone who wants to kill her is starting to get to her. Especially since the girls are taking it sort of seriously. But bad turns worse when Zlata talks about Desna killing Ruval rather than her. Just by injection, but still.
She isn’t alone though in jitters. Thanks to Clint, Roller begins to question if Clay was involved with the murder of his father and mother. Which he was but he didn’t plan on telling nobody – certainly not the boys he left orphaned.
Commentary
Desna: What?
I wonder if Zlata wanted Desna to murder Ruval to have that over her head? You know, an insurance policy so that she’d have to continue working for her. Since it is clear Desna is the type of soldier you’d want working for you, in some capacity. Letting her have an out seems foolish and a waste.
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However, not as foolish as Clay is starting to look. Him killing his brother and his wife definitely looks like a dumb move. For even if it was self-defense, how in the world would you justify that to your brother’s sons? Ones you made capable of killing you?
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: Olga, Ruval, Roller, Desna, Zlata, Matilde, Arlene
While a tropical storm keeps the wedding from being as over the top as originally planned, the nuptials still happen and papers are signed. Leaving Desna a very wealthy woman. One who, with Roller still getting up in them guts, especially to deal with the fact Clay killed his parents, is still just adding problems to her list of things to deal with. Olga, Zlata’s daughter, may also get on that list. For with Roller talking about getting her away from her momma, she thinks this new life includes Roller. However, after listening to Roller and Desna have sex, she snitches on the murder plan.
With that, Desna and Ruval end up having the type of fights you usually see in Black Thrillers. Leading to Ruval getting pushed off the banister. Then, oh, did I forget to say Desna is now a snitch? Yeah, she is working with Arlene and wears a wire to tell Zlata everything is done and Zlata blabs more than enough for Desna to get out clean when all this is over.
However, that was not the original plan. Zlata was going to kill Desna and somehow, with knowing something is wrong, Matilde hunts down Desna. Even rises up from her chair. But, she gets shot so that shocking moment doesn’t matter. Also, while Zlata preps to kill Desna, have her on her knees for added effect, Dean kills her. For while he may have never wanted to be involved, it seems her realized his sister was way in over his head. Question is though: Whose gun did he have?
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Commentary
I’m starting to think that is why I had some bumps, mid-season, with this show. Not just because the way this Zlata and Ruval thing was ridiculous, them being lovers screwing Desna over and then getting screwed by some southern hicks. It was also because they weren’t meant to be long term. Which, for me, sucked. Because Zlata came off explosive and could have been a 2 season villain. One who really dismantled Desna’s crew and splintered them up. Then with Ruval, it would have packed such a bigger punch if he ended the season engaged to Desna and midway through season 3, big reveal and all the nonsense we saw.
But, with Claws being like most shows, renewed season to season, long-term planning like that can’t be done. You got to keep the people excited for this season and got to keep things contained enough to make a season whole but with a few things left off, like how Roller’s parents died, for follow up. Making me wonder, would this show be better or worse if it had a larger episode count?
And You Thought You Had It All Figured Out: Desna, Clay, Clint, Roller, Virginia, Ann, Jennifer
With all said and done, Jennifer is off to Tampa, the salon is now federal property so Ann has gone *poof* and all that remains is Virginia. After all, she ain’t got nowhere to go and with Dean her eventual husband, she family. But, you got to add Roller to them ranks too. For with Ruval and Zlata gone, there is a power vacuum and Clay thinks between him, Clint, and Roller, they taking over – with Desna going back to being a ends to a means.
HELL NAH! Before Desna left that room with Zlata’s dead body, she took that BOSS chain and she plans to live that as her truth. For while Zlata was a dirty b**** for what she did to Desna, she did train her to not just be capable of being a boss, but to be just that. So with a finger to Clay and Clint, Desna moves on.
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In fact, she moves on to a casino that the feds, surprisingly, didn’t take. But, lest we forget, there weren’t any eyes on Ruval, just Zlata. So while, I’m sure, Desna doesn’t own every last property he, maybe even his mom, owned, she is doing well. But, you gotta pay the cost to be the boss and a drive-by happens that ends up, likely – considering blood coming from her head – killing Virginia. Someone who saved Desna from being killed.
Commentary
So, new location, and possibly new crew? Ann can’t guard a whole a** casino. Jennifer is gone to live a simpler life and Polly still seeing Lillian. Can Desna do this all herself? Add in Virginia being shot, either dead, brain damaged, maybe paralyzed, knowing this show, and that means Desna has no one. Well, she has her realtor, but what does she know about gangsta s***?
And on top of all that, let’s not forget this power vacuum in the drug world. Plus, Desna is now entering into the gambling world and I bet you between Native Americans and Italian mobsters, we’re about to meet a whole different class of thug. Leaving you to wonder if this may lead to Jennifer coming back or if maybe Desna may start a whole new crew? The possibilities are endless.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So, just to confirm, Desna’s wedding went through, papers are signed, and she owns all of Ruval’s properties right? The feds may have taken the salon but Ruval’s stuff, that wasn’t seized?
- How did Ruval’s death get spun? Self-defense, accident, or what? Did everything get pinned on Zlata?
- Taking note Clint and his people’s style is guns blazing, usually without masks, who shot at Desna?
Highlights
- Desna reached a new level thanks to Ruval’s properties being in her name.
- Polly smacking the hell out of Olga when she revealed she snitched.
Low Points
- The possibility of Olga coming back.
On The Fence
- The show really did clean shop like they were tired of all the drug gang stuff and wanted to start clean. Which I appreciate but it made Zlata and Ruval’s end feel anti-climatic.
- The possibility Desna’s crew is no longer. Well, except Polly whenever she gets out.
- This episode feels like it could have worked for a series finale, but they smacked on that last part just in case they got renewed.
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