Gomorra La Serie, episode 106

“Spanish Roulette”

While Genny drives him to the airport, Ciro worries about his trip. He arrives in Spain without incident, however, and meets Massimo, a chauffeur who’s been sent by Conte. Ciro goes to a washroom and signals an anonymous courier who is waiting inside. Without Massimo noticing, Ciro gets a package from the courier. Ciro later asks if he can meet “Don” Salvatore immediately, but Massimo explains that he has to take Ciro to an arranged hotel.

Ciro remarks that the view from his hotel room is nice, and Massimo says that everything in sight belongs to Conte. Ciro is then told to rest and is left alone. He calls the reception desk and asks to change his room. Elsewhere, a member of Conte’s gang gets a call and learns about Ciro’s request; the gang member approves the room change. In Naples, Genny and Noemi are lying in their love nest when Imma arrives.

Imma tells Genny that their cash is back and that if Ciro makes up with Conte, they’re “all set.” Imma explains that Genny needs to go to Honduras to establish their gang as the strongest. She also emphasizes that nobody, including and especially Ciro, can know that he’s going to Honduras. Ciro is surprised when Massimo calls his new room, but the surprise turns to anger when Ciro learns that he has to wait until the next day.

At night, Genny appeases an angry Noemi, but he becomes offended when she eyes his watch and asks for a token of love. She curses him and leaves. In Spain, Ciro realizes that he’s been locked in his hotel room and panics. He wakes up unharmed in the morning, though armed with a pistol. During another car ride, Ciro tells Massimo to pull over. Ciro chokes him and demands to meet Conte. Massimo makes a call and says that they’re coming.

Ciro later meets Conte at a dock. They board a yacht as Conte implies that he knows who has set fire to his mother’s home. The yacht goes to sea where Conte suddenly accuses Ciro, who acknowledges his involvement. Conte throws Ciro overboard and leaves him stranded. In Naples, Imma watches as Little Baron advises Genny about buying wholesale cocaine in Honduras. In Spain, Ciro finally gets both a rescue and a meeting that Conte has arranged.

At night, Ciro meets Conte at a nightclub that the man owns. Ciro proposes a settlement and promises that he and Genny will be “fresh air.” Genny tells Imma about his breakup and expresses his concern and love for her. Conte agrees to think about Ciro’s proposal and goes to the restroom. Ciro alerts a bodyguard after a stranger follows Conte, and they soon watch Conte abuse the man, who works as a translator for a Russian rival named Vitaly Eremenko.

Later, Ciro and Conte talk in Conte’s home when they face a barrage of gunfire. Conte is escorted to safety and Ciro is left alone. The next day, Ciro prepares to return to Italy, but Conte immediately nixes the idea. The rival boss tells Ciro to negotiate a 60-40 deal with Eremenko. With no other choice, Ciro is chauffeured to Eremenko’s office building. On the way, he writes the names of some candidates who are running in an upcoming election.

The bruised translator leads Ciro though the office building, past a party, and introduces him to Eremenko. Ciro proposes a 50-50 deal. He gives his list of candidates and claims that they will be elected and are controlled by Conte. Eremenko calls the bluff, but he admits that he seeks “friends.” He takes a fully-loaded, six-chamber revolver and removes three rounds. Eremenko states that if Ciro wins this game of Russian Roulette, they have a deal.

The partiers enter the dark room. Ciro puts the revolver to his temple, and Eremenko instructs him to wait for the light. The lights in the room turn on, and Ciro squeezes the trigger. He is alive and Eremenko is satisfied. Ciro celebrates by frolicking in the surf outside while fully clothed. The next day, Conte expresses his disappointment in the 50-50 deal, but he tries to recruit Ciro, who declines the offer.

Imma has an emergency meeting with the family’s lawyer in her husband’s office. The lawyer says that Pietro is unhappy with Ciro’s and Genny’s international journeys. Imma excuses herself. Ciro returns to Naples and is surprised to learn from his driver that Genny has left. Because Imma and Little Baron are the only ones who know where Genny has gone, Ciro tells his driver to take him to the Savastano house.

Imma visits her husband in the maximum-security facility. He questions her decisions, so she opens an album of family photos and shows the pages to make her point: she has been beside him throughout their marriage, literally and figuratively.

Thoughts

1. I like this episode’s foray to Spain and the return of Conte, even if the Savastano-Conte beef is settled a bit conveniently. I’m assuming that the Spain scenes are set in Barcelona because of the Catalonia references.
2. I wonder why Conte even bothers to be in Naples, aside from being near his mother and possibly other family members. He seems to have everything that he needs in Spain.
3. I also wonder about the possible consequences of Imma’s decision to send Ciro to Spain. Will Ciro or anyone else know that Imma, and not her husband, had made the decision?
4. What will happen to Genny in Honduras? What will Ciro do if/when he learns that Genny is there?
5. Little Baron was mentioned by Ciro in the previous episode; I incorrectly thought that he was talking about Musi. Interestingly, Ciro told Genny that they need to stop working with the man. I wonder if there will be conflict between Ciro and Little Baron.