Dope Thief Episode 5 Ending Explained

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Dope Thief episode 5.

The Apple TV+ crime series,Dope Thief, continued its thrilling story with another surprising episode. After surviving the horrifying shootout between Son's hired squad and the drug cartel, Manny tries to make amends with those he wronged after relapsing into drug use. Meanwhile, Ray desperately tries to keep both of them and their loved ones alive as he develops a romantic relationship with Michelle in Dope Thief episode 5.

The latest episode of Dope Thief revealed more about the cartel hunting down Dope Thief lead characters Ray and Manny as the former closes in on the duo. Things especially shake up when Ray gets shot by someone at the end of the episode, only for his father Bart to save his life, having escaped from prison. Overall, episode 5 unveiled a lot of secrets as Dope Thief season 1 enters its second half with a thrilling conclusion.

Who Shot Ray At The End?

Ray Was Attacked By The Same Man Stalking Son

A man with tattoos on his face in Dope Thief.

When Ray steps out of his car, about to walk to Theresa's house, a laser pointer hits him before a bullet flies into his body. The shooter then demands that Ray tell him the numbers before Bart, who had been stabbed in Dope Thief episode 3, shoots the assailant and saves his son. It's a sudden plot twist with so much happening all at once. However, one scene from earlier in the episode reveals who the shooter is.

Wagner Moura as Manny pointing a shotgun at a drug dealer in Dope Thief

Ridley Scott's Crime Thriller Show With 84% RT Score Becomes Streaming Hit

A gritty crime thriller series from producer Ridley Scott has become a big hit on streaming following its 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Posts

At his house, Son is seen at his house, stalked once again by the man with tattoos on his face. This time, the stranger taunts Son with a laser pointer, just like the one that touches Ray later in the episode. The fact that this laser was used on Ray before he got shot already gave away who attacked him.

What Is The Significance Of The Flashback With Ray And Bart?

This Flashback Shows Why Ray Is Who He Is In The Present

Dope Thief episode 5 begins with a flashback of Ray as a child, riding in a cart with Bart. Though Bart is pulled over and searched by the police, who suspect he possesses drugs, he is let go. However, after Bart teaches Ray his cynical ideas of morality, the latter reveals that he hid the drugs from the police for Bart. As a result, Bart tells his son that he is proud of him.

Ray doesn't want to end up like Bart, but he is subconsciously trying to be the man that he thinks will make his father proud.

Though Ray hates his father, he really just longed for his love. This approval that he received from Bart for hiding his crime implanted his desire to hide his own misdeeds from the authorities in the present. Ray doesn't want to end up like Bart, but he is subconsciously trying to be the man that he thinks will make his father proud. This could set up their reconciliation later in the series, especially after Bart saved Ray's life.

What Do The Numbers Mean?

Dope Thief Revealed The Cartel's Secret Code

Secret codes are a recurring concept in episode 5, as it all builds up to the twist regarding the money that Ray and Manny stole from the meth lab in Dope Thief episode 1. Early in the episode, Ray suspected that a two-dollar bill he had that was marked with numbers was actually some kind of "claim ticket." Mina is shown with a similar two-dollar bill, and she uses the code written on it to gain access to the messenger sent by Jack's informant.

Ray and Manny walking away from a burning van in Dope Thief.

Is Apple TV+'s Dope Thief perfect for fans of The Wire?

HBO's The Wire is one of the best TV shows of all time, being as gritty as a crime drama should be. So far, Dope Thief has proved to have a similar feel to The Wire for me, with the new Apple TV+ series also focusing on the drug issue. The characters feel fully-formed in only two episodes so far, though the series is more story-driven than I would say The Wire was, as the HBO show put its characters first.

Posts

The truth is revealed when Ray and Manny visit the Amish family whose son Caleb was killed at the Loebsack house. An Amish man tells them that the cartel's "courier" marked their money with code numbers that let him know it was his so he could hide it with Caleb during the pandemic. The cartel had been searching for this marked money since the robbery, as revealed when the tattooed man demanded that Ray give him the numbers.

Was Jack Really A Corrupt Agent?

Mina Stumbles Upon Her Late Partner's Dark Secret

Marin Ireland looking off to the side in Dope Thief.

After Mina visits Jack's widow and goes through his things, he gets in touch with his "informant" in the cartel using one of Jack's phones. Meeting with the informant's messenger at a bar, Mina learns from him that Jack was tricking her when they went undercover in the meth lab together. The messenger tells her that Jack was actually working for the cartel the whole time under the guise of infiltrating the lab for the DEA.

Though Mina refuses to believe him at first, the messenger subtly tells her that Jack bragged to him about his affair with her. This twist all but breaks Mina's spirit, making for a heartbreaking moment in Dope Thief. However, given the fact that Jack cheated on his wife with Mina, it's not that surprising that he would also lie to Mina about being part of the cartel.