Gomorra La Serie, episode 107

“Imma Against All”

Luca Giacobone enters a shop and asks the owner, Franco Martucci, for a month of leniency, but Franco questions the request. At night, Luca shoots himself in his apartment kitchen where his daughter Marta finds him. The next day, Imma tells Genny that she has sent “a thousand and one nights gift” to his Honduran hosts, but Genny says that they’re expecting “a thousand and three” and won’t let him leave otherwise. Imma stays firm.

She soon notices a stray, large-breed dog. Imma tells her driver, Maria, to stop and decides to adopt the dog. Imma later addresses the gang—declaring that Ciro hasn’t been invited—and states that if things go smoothly, they’ll cut their cocaine-selling price by 20 percent. She admits that the plan is a risk and orders the gang to find new dealing spots. Afterward, Imma tells the disappointed Ciro that she has a plan for him.

Imma and Little Baron inspect an apartment complex that has a courtyard for soccer. The now-fatherless Marta approaches Imma and invites her to the family apartment. Imma notes the interesting view and Marta explains that her father had owned a bridal shop and had been in debt to Franco, whom Imma knows. Imma later visits Franco on behalf of Marta and learns about his 70-percent interest rate. “The rules have changed,” she says.

Afterward, Imma tells Ciro that he has two days to open a dealing spot at the complex. Ciro begrudgingly accepts the assignment. Imma later encounters Marta, who has been physically beaten and says that she’ll be killed by Franco if she doesn’t pay. Malamo and Zecchinetta later grab Franco from his shop and take him to a rooftop where Imma and Marta meet them. Franco pleads his case before Malamo fatally shoots him.

Marta brings a gang lackey to the family apartment and tells her confused mother that he’ll be at their window for a few days. At night, Little Baron and Malamo observe a shipping dock where the first shipment of Honduran cocaine arrives; a pair of police officers tacitly let it happen. Soon, workers convert the premium cocaine into buyer-friendly pills. The next day, Ciro supervises others as they fortify the complex.

Marta shows her father’s shop to Imma. Impressed, she assures Marta that they’ll find a buyer for the shop. The complex is busy on its opening night, although Ciro assaults a disruptive would-be buyer who then vandalizes a statue of the Virgin Mary. The next day, Little Baron tells Imma about the statue and something worse: he can’t contact Genny and the dismembered body of a white male has been found. Imma stays firm again.

She and Little Baron visit the complex where residents bemoan their vandalized statue. Imma also meets a woman who asks for help with getting a job for her wheelchair-bound daughter. In contrast, Marta thrives as a trusted member of the new operation. At the end of the day, Ciro gives advice to some lackeys while he waits for another one to bring his car. In the distance, his would-be valet enters the car and it suddenly explodes.

At the ensuing gang meeting, Ciro insists the he’s been targeted, but Imma states that all of them have been targeted. Malamo urges them to retaliate and notes that the Martone brothers are said to be responsible. Ciro offers to go after them with Rosario, but Imma declares that Malamo will handle things. Ciro then offers to go with Malamo, but Imma angrily dismisses him and ends the meeting.

Later, while the Martones sit in the stands of a boys’ soccer game at the complex, Malamo and another gang member discretely shoot the two brothers. Imma employs the wheelchair-bound daughter as a daytime cocaine-dealer and provides the complex with a new statue of the Virgin Mary, which enjoys a ceremonial procession from the residents. Despite her effective stewardship of the gang, the unknown fate of Genny takes its toll on Imma.

She visits Pietro and asks whether she’s done the right thing. Pietro describes his recent dream involving Genny and tells her to not be afraid for their son. In her father’s shop, Marta dons a wedding dress just before two masked gunmen attack. She flees to a nearby butcher shop where she is killed. At night, police officers and fire fighters arrive at the complex; Ciro and the lackeys race to hide evidence and escape detection.

Imma summons the gang for another meeting. Recognizing that the Conte gang is responsible for the recent interference, Imma states that they will meet with them before doing anything else. Malamo dissents with Imma’s idea and then Ciro tries to undermine her, but Imma rebukes him and ends the meeting. Later, the gang arrives at a meeting spot, presumably in Conte territory, where Imma states her case to the rival gang.

She affirms that she doesn’t want war, but she emphasizes that Genny has done the difficult work of securing the Honduran cocaine. Imma offers to sell some of it to the Conte gang for a mutually advantageous price, but she re-iterates that her gang makes the rules. She also warns them to not underestimate her merely because she’s a woman. During the ride home, and with an apparent deal, Imma basks in self-satisfaction with her dog.

Later at night, Imma is awakened in her home by sounds of a physical struggle. She rushes from her bedroom to find her now-dead dog and Genny, who has a different haircut, a gashed forearm, and a grim expression. “I should kill you, too,” he says.

Thoughts

1. This episode is the best one yet, mostly because of its ending. It creates so many questions. Will the Savastano and Conte gangs go to war? What has Genny faced in Honduras and how/why has he changed? How will the new Genny fit into the current power structure?
2. I now realize that minor characters often die in the episode in which they’re introduced. Such is the case for Luca, Franco, and Marta.
3. The writers keep coming up with ways to surprise me. Besides Genny’s return, I was surprised to see the wheelchair-bound woman dealing cocaine. I was sure that Imma was going to hire the woman to run the bridal shop because she was said to be fashion-minded and because Marta said she didn’t want to do it.