Black Rabbit Recap: Just an Ending

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The show immediately reveals how Junior and Babbitt accidentally killed Anna Dixon while trying to question her. In their clumsy attempt to break down her bathroom door, they knocked her over, and she fatally hit her head on the tub. It’s a senseless act, making her the most innocent person to be harmed by the Black Rabbit‘s dealings. However, the show makes it clear that the power behind this New York underworld operates with a similar sense of karmic justice as the one seen in *Breaking Bad* – every selfish act will eventually be met with consequences.

Jake returns to a trashed apartment only to discover Vince is already plotting a new $100,000 con at their mother’s home. Vince has bribed Jeffy, a fire marshal from South Brooklyn, to approve the insurance claim after they intentionally burn down the apartment. It’s a foolproof scheme that would allow them to pay back the Mancusos. Though completely illegal, Vince points out to Jake that stealing hundreds of thousands from a restaurant – something Jake did – is also a crime.

Even though it’s illegal, the heart of the episode lies in the quiet moment Vince and Jake share before burning down their mother’s house. They only take one thing: a box of old cassette tapes, including a demo from their old band and a decades-old joint. Vince lights the joint, makes Jake share, and they begin to grieve over all the misfortune they’ve faced. He realizes, “Everything seemed possible, but it was just the end.” Jake admits to sleeping with Estelle, and Vince, acting like an older brother, holds the burning joint like incense and jokingly “absolves him of his sins.” As the house – a symbol of their troubled past – burns, the renewed connection between them feels temporary, destined to disappear as soon as they receive the insurance money.

Before everything changes, the Friedken family gathers for a quiet birthday dinner for Jake’s son, Hunter. Uncle Vince gives Hunter a box of old tapes as a symbolic gift, holding back one special tape to give to Gen. You realize how troubled this family is when Gen unexpectedly accepts Vince’s long-standing invitation to go to a Mets game.

Jake was still celebrating when Roxie arrived with a surprising offer: she wanted to buy the Rabbit and take over. She explained she’d found an investor willing to buy Jake out, which immediately upset him and ended the conversation before she could reveal the investor was Wes. The initial proposal didn’t go well, as Wes felt Roxie was being manipulative after she mentioned seeing Jake and Estelle together. However, Roxie’s warning proved accurate when Wes returned home to find Estelle preparing to leave him. Feeling betrayed by his friend and facing a breakup, Wes quickly agreed to financially support Roxie’s takeover attempt.

Jake quickly tries to change the subject, telling Roxie to forget their conversation and prepare for customers. This dismissive attitude is unusual for him and feels like a turning point, especially when Detective Seung arrives shortly after with news of Anna’s death. While the police currently believe Anna’s death was an accident, Detective Seung is a perceptive investigator and immediately suspects something isn’t right with the situation.

I was horrified as Jake and Vince sped away from that awful scene, rushing to meet Junior and Babbitt. It quickly became clear what was going on as they got closer to this shady spot by the river – Junior and Babbitt were planning to murder the Friedken brothers to cover up everything surrounding Anna’s death. Jake found himself in a terrible situation, literally on his knees with a gun pointed at his head and nowhere to escape. But then he realized something – the big auction at the Rabbit in a couple of nights. Millions of dollars worth of diamonds, jewelry, and watches were going to be there, just waiting for Junior and Babbitt to steal. Jake figured out he could offer them a deal – his life in exchange for letting them have a clear shot at the heist. He had to survive, and they had to have an easy score.

The deal saves Jake and Vince, at least for the moment, leaving them with nothing but each other and the clothes on their backs. Abandoned in their underwear by the side of the road, Jude Law and Jason Bateman portray a heartbreaking pair: two brothers caught in a damaging cycle created by their deceased father. Jake bluntly tells Vince, “You don’t lead the way, you hold me back.” While not the worst thing they’ve said to each other, it’s the final break in their already strained relationship, leading to one last, high-stakes gamble that will have serious consequences for everyone involved.

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2025-09-18 22:57