Smoke Episode 7 Recap: Is Freddy Fasano Dead?

Episode 7 of Apple TV+’s ‘Smoke,’ titled ‘Whitewashed Tombs,’ targets the interiority of all its characters, forcing them to confront their darker sides and reach their own conclusions. In the previous episode, arson investigator Dave Gudsen finally catches the Milk Jug arsonist, Freddy Fasano, but at the cost of his marriage falling apart. Elsewhere, Detective Michelle Calderon finally brings her suspicions about her partner out in the open, with a special team, including Chief Harvey Englehart, being set up to take down the Divide & Conquer arsonist, Dave himself. This episode continues on both threads and explores their numerous overlaps, both on a narrative and thematic level. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Dave’s Claim to Fame is Contrasted by Michelle’s Growing Anxiety

The episode begins with Michelle having a heartfelt conversation with her former boss, Steven Burk, about the trauma that her mother has inflicted on her. She points out that more than her mother’s actions, her family’s lack of sympathy upsets her. Steve comforts her by suggesting that Michelle serves as a mirror to her mother’s actions, leading the latter to take drastic steps to avoid a confrontation. He further suggests visiting her in person, an indirect plea to rekindle their relationship, but she maintains her distance. Later, she visits her sister-in-law, desperately trying to convince her to keep Sophie safe from her grandmother, explaining how easily the child could be scarred. The mother responds by reminding Michelle of her boundaries, but deep down, she begins to wonder about the truth in her concerns.

Elsewhere, Dave basks in his recent success, having arrested the infamous Milk Jug arsonist. In a talk show, he lies about his motivations, citing family as a driving force. In the same breath, he discusses his novel and how he is close to figuring out its ending. The scene then cuts to Lord and Winters, a literary agency that previously rejected Dave’s manuscripts. The boss, Erica Boswell, realizes the opportunity at hand and urgently demands another meeting with the arson investigator. Meanwhile, Michelle’s crew watches it all unfold on a television, bitter that their suspect turned into a hero from right under their noses. Still struggling to find any evidence, Dawn and Michelle go through Old Sully’s case files once again when a new piece of the puzzle falls into their laps.

Michelle points out how Dave has always used before-and-after pictures of the building’s exits; however, the former are nowhere to be found in the official registry. This implies that Dave clicked some of the pictures independently, right before the fire, which strengthens the case against him. At that point, Harvey gets a call from Boswell, where she relays her interest in becoming Dave’s agent, not knowing that the novel is now tied to a high-profile investigation. Steven steps in, asking her to cease communications with Dave, before promising to explain the situation soon. Things continue to intensify for the arson investigator, who returns home to share the good news with his wife, Ashley, hoping to rekindle their relationship. Instead, he is met with a resounding rejection and forced to leave again.

The Two Arsonists Come Face to Face

Freddy Fasano’s interrogation continues its dull run, with him not uttering a word in two days. The officers try to rile him up through every means, eventually finding success by bringing up the investigator who caught him. Freddy asks for the man’s name before announcing that he will only talk to Dave Gudsen, who shows up at the scene with Michelle. A complicated interaction between two arsonists follows, which begins with the protagonist arrogantly describing how he nailed Freddy’s profile. In turn, the Milk Jug arsonist starts a profile of his own, this time centered on Dave. Freddy questions him about his lingering trauma and who caused it before laser-focusing on his mother. This exchange leaves Dave visibly distraught, and he struggles to find his footing and launch a counter.

The conversation takes an even deeper turn when Freddy directly addresses Dave’s true, malevolent nature, describing it as maggots feasting on rotten flesh. The protagonist stiffens when he begins to draw parallels between them, proclaiming himself not to be a criminal. In response, Freddy merely laughs, securing his upper hand in the battle for dominance. A visibly distraught Dave pukes right after exiting the prison, and none of this goes unnoticed by his partner. Meanwhile, Steven, Dawn, and Ezra pay the literary agency a visit, filling them in on the nature of the investigation. When she begins to fear for her life, a new plan strikes the team, coupled with a chance to earn money off the case, which leads them to plan a deal for getting their own, bigger version of the story published.

Dave’s Literary Ambitions are Used Against Him

Boswell, the lead literary agent, agrees to play a role in the investigation by pretending to show interest in Dave’s story. Dawn Hudson tags along, going undercover as Hillary Milton, Boswell’s assistant. They plan to reel in Dave with the allure of his story getting published, while slowly gathering more information about his activities. While the conversation starts out well, the tone shifts when Dave is asked about the motivations of his characters, particularly Donald, who stands in for the Divide & Conquer arsonist. Dave explains that Donald’s actions are motivated by his wish to assert his intelligence in the world, especially when others often get the privileges he doesn’t. This flares up an argument with Boswell, who calls out Donald, and by extension, Dave’s, white privilege.

Although Dawn manages to contain the heated exchange, it’s already too late, with Dave’s rising suspicion making him more cautious for the rest of the conversation. With one door closed, another opens up in the form of Michelle’s heart-to-heart with Ashley, Dave’s wife. After dispelling her doubts about Dave cheating with his partner, Michelle probes deeper into Ashley’s take on her husband. The latter reveals that Dave tries to maintain a charade of the perfect, loving husband, but it is given away in the smallest of details, such as his reflection on the television screen, revealing his deep desire to kill her. A more grim revelation is that of his perverse desires, with Ashley revealing his fantasy to sexually assault her in a burning building.

Dave and Michelle’s Secrets Come Out in the Open

Michelle’s quest takes her back to Ezra, who runs a pornographic company. A quick confrontation confirms that Dave indeed participated in those productions with his former wife, Reba. With a new player introduced to the fray, Michelle makes her way to Reba’s house, eager to confirm her suspect’s pattern of behaviour. In a surprising turn of events, Reba covers for her ex-husband, describing their fallout as a mutual decision. Hoping to bring her at ease, Michelle opens up about her own past, comparing her relationship with Steven to that of Ashley and Dave. However, Reba still does not relent, describing Dave as a regular man with various shades of grey. Disappointed, the protagonist makes her exit, while Dawn and Ezra worry that their suspect is on to them.

The Arson Department hosts a big party for their newest hero, and Dave quickly gives in to the euphoria. However, his celebration is interrupted by a phone call from Reba, who shows her stance by telling her ex-husband everything that transpired between her and Michelle, including the latter’s affair with her boss, whom he quickly identifies as Steven. Equal parts surprised and angry, Dave decides to aggravate Steven by comparing his relationship with Michelle to that of a father and daughter. Triggered, Steven nearly gives away the mission, directly accusing Dave of liking fire. Michelle tries to tone things down, but to no avail, as the two men begin to attack each other’s insecurities. Ultimately, Dave loses his patience first, and his aggressive charge is immediately met with a surprise punch by Steven, disrupting the entire party.

Humiliated, Dave leaves the party but is interrupted by Harvey. The two get into an argument of their own, with the former asking why his friend didn’t support him during the altercation. The Chief struggles to come up with an excuse, giving Dave the last proof he needed to solidify his suspicions: his team is now working against him. Harvey realizes the gravity of the situation and quickly alerts Michelle to cover her tracks. Meanwhile, Dave rushes off with his car, reckless driving it through the roads and onto the curbs, losing his tracker in the process. This accident works in his favor, as Michelle’s team struggles to locate their suspect, who has already made his way to Harvey’s office. When his search comes up empty, he decides to drive to Harvey’s house, where he finds Ezra and Dawn, whom he knew as Hillary, leaving the building. Their secret is now out, and Dave quickly realizes that so is his.

Freddy’s Death Marks an End to a Tragedy

While Dave begins to plan his next move, the scene shifts to Crawford Prison, where Freddy sits in his cell, tightly hugging the bed sheets. A look up to the ceiling confirms his plans, as the arsonist slowly tears through the sheets to create a makeshift rope. With this, we see the final moments of Freddy’s life as he hangs himself. His final conversation with Dave serves as a moment of catharsis for him, while functioning as an unsettling moment of reflection for the latter. The episode ends on a somber note, as the harrowing life of Freddy Fasano finally comes to an end, shifting the focus of the narrative completely to the cat-and-mouse chase that is soon to follow between Dave and his friends-turned-foes.