Black Rabbit Episode 5 and 6 Recap: Trailblazer and Attaf**kinboy

Episodes 5 and 6 of Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit,’ titled ‘Trailblazer’ and ‘Attaf**kinboy,’ go one level deeper into the criminal underworld, which gives the narrative its shape. In the previous episode, Jack and Vince Friedken’s stories get more complicated with the death of Anna. Given that there are several parties that are interested in her, each connected in unique ways, every development in her case sends ripples through the show, and this run of episodes capitalizes on that. Although the two brothers initially stand worlds apart, their stories eventually begin to converge, and the line between their values blurs beyond recognition. As such, love, trust, and commitment become this crime thriller series’ core tenets, with Jake being forced to choose between his upscaling professional life and his messy, spread-out personal life. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Consequences of Vince and Jake’s Actions Begin to Come to the Surface

The episode begins at Anna’s, with her shower still running as her dead body lies on the floor. As the water seeps through the floors, concerned neighbours ring up the police. The night before, Junior and Babbit, the two people responsible for her death, had fled the scene and burned down all of their clothing. A quick flashback reveals that they were in a pushing contest with Anna, and accidentally knocked her to the floor, bashing her head, thus causing her death. While the duo is certain of having left no clue of their presence, they suddenly remember that the watch they took from Vince was accidentally dropped there. Realizing the blunder they’ve committed, Junior and Babbit make their way back to the house the following day, but by then it’s too late, as the police are already at the door. Worse, the last person at her apartment, Campbell, has vanished into thin air, plunging her murder case into mystery.

Elsewhere, Roxie invites Wes for brunch with a very particular intention in mind. Once there, she brings up the idea of kicking Jake out of the business and running Black Rabbit independently. This initially takes Wes aback, as he considers Jake one of his closest friends. However, Roxie explains that his childish ambitions have gone out of hand, and the lack of firm leadership is widening the cracks within the restaurant. Wes begins to listen more keenly when she brings up the unchecked sexual abuse at play, but is ultimately indecisive on whether he should support her or not. Meanwhile, Vince meets up with his brother to concoct increasingly ridiculous ways to collect money, with the latest one being burning down their family home. Vince believes that the insurance sum on the house will be potent enough to get them through the debt, but Jake reminds him about the sheer illegality of this act.

Estelle Calls it Quits With Wes

While the siblings’ conversation turns into banter, the police investigation of Anna’s death takes a serious turn when Detective Ellen Seung comes on board. Although the flat’s owners don’t know much about Anna, they reveal that she used to work in a high-profile bar, which sets off the larger inquiry. Elsewhere, Estelle prepares to tell Wes the truth about how she feels in the relationship. She explains that his stardom has made their dynamic very him-oriented, and she feels suffocated. However, upon hearing this, he flips out, surprised at how quickly she is willing to call things quits. From there, he gets aggressive about Estelle sleeping with Jake, and wonders why she chose him out of all the people she could have dated. He goes a step further, suspecting that she did it specifically to spite him, and that invites a new round of arguments. Nonetheless, the couple has a messy breakup, and he furiously asks her to leave his place.

At the Friedkin house, Jake and Vince go through their childhood stuff to trigger their memories, which prompts a discussion on their lives so far. Here, they finally find common ground, acknowledging how similar their conditions are despite their vastly different material conditions. They get their hands on a cassette record tape from their olden days, which serves as a bridge between past and present. As the conversation gets more intense, Jake admits to having sex with Estelle and how it is likely to lead to a more serious relationship. Instead of judging him for this, Vince empathizes, and this bonding moment gives way to Hunter’s birthday. The joyous event only sharpens the contrast between what is brewing behind the curtains, as later that day, Detective Seung breaks the tragic news of Anna’s death to the entire Black Rabbit crew, including the protagonist. This comes as a real shock to the Friedken siblings as they quickly put two and two together, but Jake is unable to speak a word of it in front of the police.

The Brothers Have Another Touch and Go With Death

Although Jake and Vince remain tight-lipped, Babbit and Junior’s suspicion gets the better of them, and that night, they usher the two siblings into their car, holding them at gunpoint. From there, the group drives to a desolate spot, where Vince and his brother are made to strip down to their underwear. When it becomes clear that the thugs’ intention is to gun them down, Jake begins to think on his feet and tries to get them to realize the risk of adding two more bodies to the pile. When that doesn’t work, he brings up his trump card, dangling the possibility of scoring a million dollars in one night. The plan involves Black Rabbit itself, and the lengths the protagonist is willing to go to do so do not go unnoticed. However, this triggers a fight, as Jake confronts Vince about being the root of all his troubles, to which the elder brother points out that Jake is full of flaws himself. Furious at each other, the two go their separate ways, still walking the open streets without any clothes.

A flashback reveals the story behind the brothers’ watches, dialing back to the time when their father, Dick, was a bar owner. One night, he ventured into their room to hide his things, but found the boys to be awake. There, he revealed his present for the two of them, a pair of expensive watches that the two brothers promised to wear at all times. In the present, both Jake and Vince have their own set of problems to deal with, and the former’s set materializes in a harmless-looking aquarium. Here, he meets Junior, who is more excited than ever about their upcoming robbery plan. As it turns out, in a few days, Black Rabbit is set to host a celebrity jeweler, and Jake has suggested the criminal duo to rob the place and take the jewellery with them, thus earning everyone a significant profit. Although the protagonist cooks up this plan in a moment of life and death, in the present, he shows hesitation in coming through, but that does not stop the tides from turning against him.

Jake Begins to Lose His Grasp Over His Empire

While things are over between Estelle and Wes, her dynamic with Jake is yet to find a firm footing. As the two deal with their newfound romantic potential, Jake gets a call from Campbell once again. Anna’s death has changed the playing field, and with the police honing in on them sooner or later, Campbell wishes to seal the deal with a Non-Disclosure Agreement. To top it off, he returns the money taken to cover up Jules’s crimes and adds an additional sum to ensure the protagonist’s loyalty. Suddenly, with this much money at hand, Jake no longer needs the robbery mission and hurriedly makes his way to Mancuso. However, here he learns that the mob boss has no idea about the scheme his son is planning, except that it’s beyond his control to pull it off. Behind the scenes, Mancuso gets increasingly concerned about the brewing murder conspiracy and what it will mean for his son, and decides to take a step.

Still bitter about his breakup, Wes joins forces with Roxie and arranges for an investors’ meeting. When many, including Naveen, notice that Jake is missing, Wes and Roxie reveal their real plans, which involve cutting out the protagonist not just from The Pool Room but also from Black Rabbit. This bold move is met with cautious eyes, but the investors nonetheless give in, kickstarting Jake’s painful fall from grace. Following this, Roxie and her sous chef, Tony, sit down together to discuss Anna’s death. Although it appears to be a simple case of accidental death on the surface level, Roxie is unable to let go of the sheer absurdity of it all. To that end, Tony suggests that they can still help Anna’s case by informing the police of the truth. Their perspective comes as a breath of fresh air for Detective Seung, who asks about the degree of Jake’s involvement in all of this.

Although she is surprised to learn that Jake knew of these crimes pertaining to Jules, but refused to take any action, she finds some solace in the possibility of proof, in the form of his CCTV footage. When Seung converses with the protagonist, he feigns ignorance about any of the darker things that might have transpired at his restaurant, and this charade extends beyond mere words. Upon checking the camera footage, Tony is surprised to find that all recordings of and around the fateful day have been erased, while this suggests that Jake is complicit on some level, it also leaves the crew with no firm proof at hand. Nonetheless, the fact that the cops have eyes on him makes Jake’s involvement in the upcoming robbery all the more troublesome.

The Black Rabbit Robbery Takes an Ironic Turn

On the other end of the equation, Mancuso rains hell down on his son and his crewmates, berating them for their series of rash decisions. With the death of a girl looming around them, the mob boss rejects Junior’s robbery plan and instead doubles down on his son, keeping a low profile. This involves sending him off somewhere safe by plane, and Mancuso assigns Babbit to do the job. While on the journey, Junior suggests breaking his father’s rule and enacting the plan on their own accord, but is met with silent dejection. Meanwhile, Vince, sensing his impending doom, makes his way to Gen one last time. This time, he orders a full-body tattoo. From there, he turns the process into a life lesson, explaining to her that the bonds forged with others over time have a greater significance than blood relations, and one must live for the former over the latter. Not long after, he sees Junior’s car and accepts his fate as he walks right into it.

Once inside the car, Vince demands to be killed somewhere far away from his daughter’s vicinity, but is surprised to learn that death is not in his cards just yet. Instead, Junior announces that he is still going through with the robbery plan, and Vince will be filling in his partner’s role for the night. This revelation not just contextualizes the cold open of the show, but also reframes it. From here, we see Vince don the mask and sneak his way into the party, with Junior creating a rampage. He does not stop at stealing the jewellery, as his attention then gets directed to the wealthy public. At this moment, Vince jumps over his brother, who quickly figures out who is behind the mask. While Vince’s intention is to calm things down, it fails, as Junior guns down Wes, causing a mass exit that adds to the bloodshed. Enraged, Junior reaches out to fulfill his revenge and kill Jake, but it is ultimately Vince who pulls the trigger first, instantly killing Junior and saving his brother.