The Sylvester Stallone-fronted series lead character of Tulsa King isn’t exactly rewarded for his selflessness.

Instead, he is essentially exiled to the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and told to start a criminal empire there. Never one to give up on a hopeless cause, Manfredi sets to work establishing a relationship with his estranged daughter Tina, forging a rivalry with the gangster Caolan Waltrip, and selling nitrous oxide via a ragtag gang of misfits that he assembles. These efforts pay off in Tulsa King season 1’s last two episodes before a cliffhanger ending puts the General’s empire in peril.

What Happens In Tulsa King Season 1’s Ending

Dwight Eliminates His Enemies But Ends Up Arrested Anyway

In the Tulsa King season 1 finale, the show reveals how Dwight Manfredi ended up in prison all those years ago. It turns out Dwight took the fall for a killing that was Chickie’s responsibility. Dwight’s daughter Tina grew up without knowing her father thanks to his lengthy prison spell, but the General only served that prison sentence because of Chickie's actions.

After Chickie handcuffed a hostage, Ripple, to a radiator while torturing him, Dwight tried to stop the torture, and a brand that Chickie was brandishing set the room they were in alight. Unable to find the handcuff keys, the General shot Ripple as a mercy killing. With this background established, Tulsa King season 1’s final episode returned to the present day.

Dwight first confronted Chickie, who wanted in on his Tulsa operation, by sending him packing to New York, and Chickie leaves Tulsa without a fight. Dwight then outsmarts Caolan Waltrip, the leader of a local rival gang, the Black Macadams. Dwight’s prison reading list paid off as the master manipulator tricks Caolan into attacking Mitch’s bar, shooting the rival boss in the ensuing gunfight. This leaves Dwight with no more enemies until ATF agents raid his bar/casino opening and arrest him.

Did Dwight Defeat Caolan Waltrip For Good?

Dwight Kills Caolan & Stops The Rival Gang

While Caolan Waltrip was even more dangerous than Chickie (who killed his own father in cold blood), he was not impossible to defeat. After Dwight’s confidante, Bodhi, used his technical know-how to take all the money from Waltrip’s and transfer it to Dwight, the leader of the Black Macadams instantly attacked the General’s bar in revenge. When the two faced off, Dwight knew this was what Caolan would do, so he already had the upper hand. Dwight shoots and kills Caolan, effectively ending the reign of the Black Macadams in Tulsa.

Why Did Stacey Betray Dwight?

Stacey Was Never A Bad Person & Did The Right Thing

Stacey, the hard-drinking FBI agent with whom Dwight forged an unlikely friendship throughout Tulsa King season 1, seemed like the last character who would betray the charismatic criminal. However, her drinking impaired her judgment throughout the show, and although the General made it up to her by sending her a hefty chunk of Waltrip’s stolen money, he did inadvertently get her shot by letting her get involved in the Tulsa turf war.

The organization needed the evidence Stacey provided to take him down.

Stacey sells Dwight to the ATF, which leads to his arrest during the bar’s grand opening in the Tulsa King season 1 finale. While the ATF watched Dwight throughout the season, the organization needed the evidence Stacey provided to take him down.

Can Dwight Avoid Another Prison Sentence?

Stallone Could End Up Taking A Smaller Role In Season 2

Although Tulsa King season 1’s ending implies that Dwight will struggle to get out of this spot of trouble, it is unlikely that the master criminal will see the inside of a prison cell again. The General’s manipulation of everyone involved in his Tulsa empire, from acquaintances to rivals to even dangerously unpredictable characters like Chickie and Waltrip, proves that his time in prison made him a savvy operator.

There is a possibility that Tulsa King season 2 will see Stallone’s character play a smaller role in the series

As such, Dwight should be able to beat the charges against him in Tulsa King season 2. While Tulsa King isn’t based on a true story (and therefore season 2 can go in any direction), Stallone was unsure about starring in a second season. As such, there is a possibility that Tulsa King season 2 will see Stallone’s character play a smaller role in the series to give the actor a break.

However, since Stallone plays the title character, it would be tricky for Tulsa King season 2 to pull this off. The best way for Tulsa King season 2 to get around Stallone’s possible absence (or the actor playing a smaller role while Dwight is in prison) would be for the show to focus on Tina, the General’s daughter. Tina gradually warmed to her father over Tulsa King season 1 so, if Dwight really does end up back in prison, Tulsa King season 2 could focus on Tina.

What Tulsa King Season 1’s Ending Really Means

Dwight Proved He Was Never As Bad As Others Around Him

The ending of Tulsa King season 1 shows viewers that the title character’s time in prison made him a perfect candidate for turning the eponymous city into an unlikely crime capital. As Dwight Manfredi, Stallone mixes his brooding macho persona with a warmer, kinder character than he typically plays. The veteran star makes the General a surprisingly agreeable crime boss, and his good relationships with his underlings and henchmen are contrasted with Chickie and Waltrip’s abusive power trips.

Eventually, Tulsa King season 1's conclusion proves that Dwight Manfredi’s charm can get him out of almost any trouble before the cliffhanger twist ending proves that this isn’t always a reliable approach.

How Tulsa King Got To The Cliffhanger Ending

Dwight Made Too Many Mistakes Along The Way

When Dwight came to Tulsa to set up his new criminal empire, he might have thought it would be easy, but he was quickly proved to be dead wrong. He found small-time gangs getting in his way, and old faces from his past showed up and demanded a share of his new empire. Dwight got a little sloppy along the way, and he trusted the wrong people. The ATF was watching him every step of the way, and he should have known this was going to happen.

What he never expected to happen was for someone he put his faith in to betray him

Despite this, he trusted in Stacey. He might have felt it was good to have an enemy close by as a friend, but in the end, this led to his downfall. It was a huge cliffhanger ending because it seemed that Dwight used his brains to get out of trouble and end all the threats surrounding him. However, what he never expected to happen was for someone he put his faith in to betray him in the end.

How The Tulsa King Season 1 Ending Was Received

Critics Gave It Positive Reviews & Audiences Loved It

The reviews for Tulsa King were mixed to positive, with critics awarding it a 79% fresh Rotten Tomatoes score. However, the audience Popcornmeter score was a very high 91% positive. But not everyone was happy with the way the season ended. One audience reviewer gave it a positive rating but then pointed out how things seemed to make little sense at the end, prefacing that "Even at the end, the show is still watchable, but not what it could have been."

One reason the critics' scores are not as high is that many felt the season 1 finale left a little to be desired. Shreejit Nair of Collider said that the finale found some success in the emotional resonance of the twists and cliffhanger ending, not because of any action scenes. However, he also calls that ending slightly "underwhelming," although he also argues that it strengthens the overall storyline.

"Despite all the easy choices and understandable weaknesses, Tulsa King manages to thrive because it always embraces its ability to successfully explore and heighten character relationships and emotional arcs. By the end of its finale episode, its clear that the strongest path forward for future seasons of Tulsa King lies in its ability to capitalize on its characters' emotional stakes rather than its tendency to opt for the obvious."

As for the top critics, Nick Schager of the Daily Beast agrees, saying he enjoyed the show and gave it a mostly positive review. In the review, he praised the writing of Taylor Sheridan, someone who has proven to be "television’s reigning macho melodramatist." However, with Tulsa King, the critic said it isn't what people might expect when sitting down to watch the first season. "Much of Tulsa King’s maiden installments revolve around Dwight’s acclimation to an American society he doesn’t recognize."