‘Tulsa King’: Samuel L. Jackson Joins the Fold & Dunmire Makes a New Move Against Dwight’s Crew

[Warning: The following post contains spoilers for Tulsa King Episode 9, “Dead Weight.”]

There was a new gangster coming to play in Tulsa King‘s penultimate episode of the season: Samuel L. Jackson‘s long-awaited character (who’ll be leading up the spinoff NOLA King), Russell Lee Washington Jr., started out the episode with a bang — literally speaking.

After executing a random hit in a hotel in Newark, New Jersey, he was summoned by “Quiet Ray” Renzatti (James Russo) for one last job: Take out Dwight Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone).

Back in Tulsa, an unsuspecting Dwight showed up to Bred-2-Buck for a drink and came face to face with this dangerous blast from the past. Russell admitted he was hired to take Dwight out by Ray, but he decided to instead show up and warn him before heading to New Orleans to start a new life. He had a life debt from 20 years ago and was finally ready to pay up.

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That didn’t mean the trouble was over for either of them, of course. Ray was highly displeased by Russell’s insubordination and turned his threats towards him; meanwhile, Mitch (Garrett Hedlund) had a friend over at a local motel who reported on a group of suspicious New Yorkers coming into town, which meant Ray wasn’t strictly relying on Russell.

When Russell showed up at Dwight’s house, he looked finally ready to follow orders. Yet again, though, he decided to spare Dwight and, after a chummy conversation about Russell’s ambitious plans in the bayou, they headed together to the motel for a “meet and greet” with Ray’s friends. Afterward, Ray’s sidekick Vince (Vincent Piazza) looked on as the police swarmed the now-crime scene.

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Elsewhere in the episode, the Montague distillery was in full swing, with devastating consequences for the Jeremiah Dunmire (Robert Patrick) distribution contracts. He almost shot — er, axed — the messenger but stopped before hurting Cole (Beau Knapp). Instead, he sent his guys after Joanne (Annabella Sciorra), with her fate still to be determined.

Meanwhile, Tyson (Jay Will) and Spencer’s (Scarlet Stallone) ecstasy enterprise continued — this time, with supplies made by Bodhi (Martin Starr) and dealing at another club where they quickly learned they were not welcome. Also, Mitch got a surprise visitor of his own … but it was a welcome one as Cleo (Bella Heathcote) returned after hearing about the bomb and realizing she didn’t want to be away from Tulsa or him anymore.

Tulsa King, Sundays, Paramount+