Snowfall: That Was The Ending We Deserved

By: Mark T. Wilson

Snowfall didn’t end the way most wanted but it ended the way it should have. From the start, you were on the edge of your seat just waiting for something dramatic to happen. And after 6 seasons, we got the unexpected which was exactly what the fans needed but didn’t want.

What was so special about the ending is that it left the door open for possibilities.

Make no mistakes about it, Snowfall is not a ghetto fairytale story. There was no glass slipper, no chariot waiting, or someone coming to wake the Prince or Princess up in a forest with the answers to life’s questions. It’s a coming-of-age story about a kid who built a drug empire with the help of his family, friends, and the CIA.

Franklin Saint is a criminal. He did criminal things. He committed countless murders. Hell, in the last episode, he killed 3 people in the same house. Franklin was indeed no Saint.

And yet, viewers wanted him to walk away as if he did nothing wrong. They wanted him to get the $37M Teddy had promised him. They wanted him to make amends with his mother. Wanted him to ride off into the sunset with either Veronique or Leon. No, Karma is a bitch and it was just waiting for the right moment to walk up to Franklin and introduce itself.

Did Franklin Saint Die In Snowfall

Franklin Saint did not die in the series finale of Snowfall but he got what he deserved. Franklin was greedy and that was one of the things Avi warned him about. I get it. One minute you’re rich and then another someone steals $70M from you. That would drive anyone crazy. Did Franklin go too far?

Truth be told, yes and no. Getting his revenge on Teddy was the right move. Killing Peaches was the right move. But disrespecting his mother and going after Veronique, were not his finest moments.

Franklin helped destroy his community and for that, he needed to suffer. On the flip side of things, he made plenty of people rich. Jerome’s death was not on his hands despite what Louie thinks. Yes, he helped set her up but Louie and Jerome must take responsibility for their own actions.

In the end, Franklin becoming a mirror image of his father was a thing of pure beauty from the writers. Franklin’s hatred for Alton could also account for his downfall. How many times does someone have to warn you about the road you’re heading down? Franklin would not listen. He was blinded by the money.

What viewers hated the most in the Snowfall finale was the downward spiral of Franklin. To them, it came out of nowhere. That’s not exactly true. His spiral was happening at the end of Season 5 when he took the money and drugs from his aunt and uncle. It was at that point, Franklin lost his way.

Season 6 was just him reaching that climax. His closure to the street life was only going to end in 2 ways. Either death or jail. But the writers had other plans. Instead of killing Franklin, they assassinated what made him so special since the first episode. But here is where things got wild. During his visit with Lee at the end, we got a glimpse of the old Franklin. The one that loved to crack jokes and smile. As he stated to Lee, he’s finally free.

That was a strong statement that went over the heads of some viewers. Since he got into business with Teddy, Franklin had to live a certain way. But not anymore. Although his demons got the best of him over a 5-year span, Franklin was more of himself in the end than he was for the past 2-3 seasons of Snowfall.

The ending was not popular but it was the ending Franklin and viewers needed.