The finale didn't disappoint, and leaves clear indication the producers are headed for a spin off with Bobby Axelrod back at Axe Capital, and Charles Rhoades Jr. as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York riding future oversight of the business.
The ending had all the elements of the final scene in 'It's a Wonderful Life.' An office suite of happy, happy people looking at their phones and realizing they are all mega-millionaires. Where do I get a phone like that? Verizon?
It was obvious the producers had to take down Michael Prince. But how? Well, exsanguinate his firm from all his money. And what a collection of conspirators to do it!
The overthrow cabal went beyond the Magnificent Seven. Through a series of flashbacks from the penultimate episode we see the scene extensions that set Mike Prince up. Never did one guy make so few friends.
Until the final episode we were led to believe that only a select few inside Mike Prince Capital and Chuck and his posse were intent on brining him down. Turns out Mike's No. 2 guy Scooter's nephew Philip is in on it, as is Kate Sacker, the well-traveled legal consul that was once Chuck's No. 2 at the U.S. Attorney's office.
Up till now it was thought that there would no way to get Prince to screw up with his investments and create sub rosa conflicts of interest on his way to the presidential nomination. Mike's too careful.
Mike has it timed. Go to cash, and after he's cleared a path to the nomination and met with the president at Camp David for his national security briefing on the basis of being a presidential candidate, go back into the markets and restore all positions. But don't be greedy about it. Just get back to level.
Oh boy. The wheels have been spinning out of Mike's sight. At the Rao's confab between Axe and candidate Nancy Dunlop we now see through a flashback that Bobby has answered Nancy's question as to what he can do for her: Clear a path to the nomination. Accept Mike's bid to be his VP, and just let Axe and the group do the rest. Trust them.
We also are treated to a scene where Wendy meets young Philip in a bar where he's drowning his sorrows over Mike taking over his favorite professor's idea for organic concrete, cutting the professor out of his invention and soon to be guaranteed wealth. This was in a prior episode. This does not sit well with Philip, a sensitive, bright guy who knows a bastard when he looks at Mike Prince.
Also joining the cabal of revolutionaries from the inner circle of MPC is Kate Sacker, who we see in a scene joining the cabal, waiting for zero hour when the axe falls at Mike Prince Capital. Unbeknownst to us at he time is that Kate has gotten the programmer for the proprietary trading program used by MPC to act with destructive instructions. So, when Mike goes back into the market, he's in for a surprise. A BIG surprise.
Mike is chuffed that he's on his way to Camp David with Scooter, his No. 2, and Bradford Luke, the political wunderkind adviser. Unbeknownst to them is that on the road to Camp David in rural Maryland they pass a utility truck on the side of the road manned by Chuck's go-to fixer who communicates that the Prince party is 9 minutes out from entering Camp David. Battle stations.
Prior to this Chuck has floated a "rumor" in the office that his office will be investigating several countries over a conspiracy to fix natural gas prices worldwide This will of course send shock waves through the market. Chuck's dad has been feeding all the financial media people of this "leaked" information from the comfort of his Fifth Avenue den. The Rhoades come from money.
Inside MPC Philip has put all of Mike's cash that is going back into the market into stocks of natural gas companies, companies whose value is about to go over the cliff when the "rumor" hits, and it does.
This has happened when Mike is in a communication blackout with his phone having been taken by the Marine guards on entering Camp David. No one in his party knows he's tanking.
Mike and his posse emerge from the meeting from the president, a meeting the producers have no need to show us, and checks his phone. It nearly explodes in his hand. Not the news he was hoping for.
He looks like the doctor in the movie 'The Hospital' who learns his stock portfolio has tanked, thanks to the crazy avenging angel patient, Diana Rigg's father.
Mike is frantic. Tries to log on: frozen out. He orders a helicopter to get back to New York; orders the SEC be contacted. Halt trading, reverse his trades.
Chuck has taken care of all this. He's gotten the New York Attorney General to keep the trading open on the natural gas companies, and to insure that trades cannot be reversed. Mike is starting to realize the world is against him.. "They're all in on it."
Once storming off the elevator at MPC he immediately wants to know "where is fucking Wendy Rhoades." He's astonished she is there, and he shot puts a good size office chair through her glass office. Wendy's not hurt, just astonished.
Mike is purple. The rest of the scene that plays out in the office suite is reminiscent of the final scene in "It's a Wonderful Life." Joyous people start appearing from all over to witness the meltdown. Kate Sacker is there. Chuck is there. Nancy Dunlop comes in and scoops up wunderkind Brandon to work on her revived campaign. The elevator door bings sound like Clarence the Angel has entered MPC office suite as witness.
Mike is stunned, but not contrite. What happens to all the MPC employees whose money is wiped out by the sell off. Well, it seems that's been taken care by a backdoor fund called The Admiral's Fund, the title of the episode. Tens, hundreds of millions of their dollars have been carved out of the landslide and are resting nicely in individual's account. Their money has increased 3x. They are all quite rich. Filthy rich.
Mike threatens to sue their asses. Chuck laughs. Mike is not penniless. He's been left with a parting gift of $100 million to go back to Indiana and live like a billionaire.
Chuck and Bobby look like Redford and Newman at the end of 'The Sting.' They did it. They shake hands. They got Lonigan to run out the back door with a briefcase emptied of his cash because he greedily put all his money on a past post horse on the nose rather than to show. He's wiped out, and has now witnessed a guy getting shot. Time to beat feet.
Euphoria all around. A very busy successful day. The investigation "rumor" has been debunked, and the markets are behaving rationally again.
Wendy has told Chuck she's not joining the resuscitated Bobby Axelrod at Axe Capital; she's going to be the CEO of that new startup mental health provider, but yeah, we can be a happy family for now. Gone are the S&M episodes.
Wait for the sequel. There are too many power broker restaurants to plug in New York City for there not to be more meals in empty eateries between two scheming people.
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