Wild Cards – Season 1 Episode 10 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Romancing the Egg

Why is Olivier Laroche back in the US?

Max’s husband, Olivier, is a high-profile international thief. In the previous episode, we saw that Olivier was at Max’s house. Episode 10 of Wild Cards begins with an explanation of his reason for coming back. He abandoned Max two years ago when they were married and in love.

The two have a chequered history as George is in prison presently because of Olivier’s trickery. In his absence, Max has stolen four of his properties for the paltry sum of $1 each. He wants the properties back but it is a trap.

What is Olivier’s history with Max and George?

Max has made a very layered plan whose true purpose and outcome are only known to herself and Ricky. She stole the properties to lure Olivier back. The job on which George was arrested involved stealing the Russian Imperial Egg, a highly valuable artefact whose market price runs into millions.

George and Max mostly operated on low-risk con jobs, even though they were quite good at it. Olivier had a rousing reputation and contacted Max to be a part of the heist.

She talked George into participating and that is when they were betrayed. Max wants revenge for her father and includes Ellis in her plan. The next day, after Olivier agrees to help Max steal the egg, she and Ellis have a meeting with Chief Li and Commissioner Russo.

What is the plan to steal the egg?

The egg is currently in the possession of Jeremiah Greaves, a business tycoon, at his house. Whenever he procures such a valuable artefact, Graves throws a lavish party to show off. Since the Mayor is also invited to this party, Li and his team are in charge of the security detail. The plan is to work together with Olivier and steal the egg.

The reasons for his participation are two-pronged. Firstly, Max wants to get Olivier arrested. Due to his status with Interpol, the police also want the same outcome – to catch him red-handed. Secondly, the lock installed on the vault behind which the egg currently rests can only be cracked by him.

Olivier will steal the egg, and hand it over to Ellis, who will then use Max’s help to get it to safety. Russo approves the plan but places a high price if there is any deviation from it. However, if Ellis and Max are able to pull it off, they will get what they set out to achieve in Episode 1. Additionally, George’s sentence will also be commuted. 

Everything is set for the heist to be successful. Right before Olivier goes to the vault, he confides in Max his feelings of regret. He expresses his continued feelings of love for her since the day they met and got married. Max is moved but it doesn’t change her plans.

Graves’ bedroom has a special alarm system built into the flooring. It measures his exact weight when he gets up in the morning and if the weight of anyone walking into the room is different, the alarm is triggered.

To get his weight, Ellis distracts Greaves by citing his peacocks. Graves unwittingly stands on a scale and Ricky, who is outside in a surveillance van, is able to get the exact number. Ellis then prepares to put some weight on Olivier to get him up to that number.

There is one more hiccup as Olivier tries to execute the heist. Greaves has recently installed an additional digital lock on the vault connected to his watch. Max quickly adjusts and grabs it off him with her sleight of hand. Ellis gets it to Olivier, who is able to crack open the vault and steal the egg. 

Ending Explained: Who killed Daniel Ellis?

However, Olivier decides to run off with the egg. Ellis goes after him. But Olivier ends up behind him, pointing a gun at Ellis. Before they can make a plan, Simmons and Yates come in running from behind and arrest Olivier. Russo and Li hold up their end of the bargain, granting Ellis his full status as a detective and ending Max’s probation. George’s sentence is also commuted to a single year.

Ellis and Max have an emotional goodbye before she leaves the country. While sitting alone at the office, Ellis suspects that Max might have played him and tests the egg in the evidence box.

He is right as the egg is a fake. In a flashback, we learn that Ricky and Max had been planning this robbery for over a year. Ricky approached Jeremiah as a tech guy to install the vault in the house. Under this garb, Ricky also installed a secret passage to reach the vault, which Max used to switch out the original with a fake before Olivier stole it. The duo are preparing to go on the run, although Max confesses that she feels bad about duping Ellis.

Ellis rushes to their house but finds it empty. However, when he gets back to his boat, he is surprised to see Max. Ellis becomes emotional and admonishes Max for breaking his trust. But before he can arrest her, Max gives him a flash drive that has the identity of the person who killed Daniel, Ellis’ brother. Ricky picked up on something while listening to the mob tapes… but it remains unclear who the person is behind the murder.

The Episode Review

The suspension of disbelief is pushed to its extremities in the finale of Wild Cards. Overall, it is a tepid effort compared to some of the best episodes of the show. Season 1 looked like it was heading for a spectacular conclusion but what we get in return is a washed-up version of cable network witchcraft at its finest. The lack of complexity or suspense in the heist is quite appalling. Its entire setup reeks of lazy and unimaginative writing that replaces creativity for contentment.

Dewshane Williams’ cameo is wholly uninspiring. His expressionless face fails to make a connection or get us genuinely interested in the character. The makers miss a trick by letting go of their strongest attraction – Cole and Max’s chemistry – to reach for the stars with an ambitious concept. We also do not learn anything about how Daniel died or what happened in Ellis’ past except through words.

Besides the main plot, the lack of development of such subplots leaves us with a feeling of emptiness as Season 1 concludes. I had high expectations but this isn’t a great way to end what has been a season of some bright sparks but nothing substantial.