Holy cow…what an episode! Not only did FX’s Mayans M.C. season three episode five end with a shocking twist, the 50ish minutes leading up to the conclusion of “Dark, Deep-Laid Plans” were some of the season’s best. I’ve admitted to not being a fan of the EZ and Gaby relationship up to this point, but I’m reconsidering that position after the events of episode five.

Episode four ended with the discovery of Allesandro’s dead body outside the clubhouse. Taza (Raoul Max Trujillo) does what needs to be done to protect the club by taking care of the body in such a way that it won’t ever be discovered as episode five begins.

Angel (Clayton Cardenas) wakes and discovers Adelita (Carla Baratta) is no longer beside him in bed. He wanders the house calling her name and finally finds her curled up on the floor, fast asleep.

Felipe (Edward James Olmos) wakes to see Angel walking around the house, and Angel explains he was just looking for something. Angel compliments his dad by telling him he’s looking better but turns down his offer to stay for coffee.

Adelita’s lying on the bed when Angel returns. He explains he’s been thinking about his past mistakes and regrets, confessing he’ll never regret loving her. He withdraws something from his jacket and it’s revealed to be a wedding ring. (This is what he retrieved from Felipe’s.) He believes they can build a life together and tells Adelita she doesn’t need to give him an answer now. Angel wants her to think about it, placing the ring on the nightstand (within Adelita’s reach) as he leaves.

After Angel leaves, Adelita goes through the drawers and closets. She picks up a spatula, examining it as if it’s a relic left behind by an ancient culture. She takes a seat on the couch to contemplate her next move.

EZ (JD Pardo) speaks to Bishop (Michael Irby) alone and reveals he’s still certain his plan should have worked. He knows no one could have known Vicki would betray them and once again takes full responsibility for the plan’s failure. EZ asks Bishop to let him run point on the Bridge Over the River Kwai escapade and Bishop reminds him if he’s caught, he’ll be spending lots of time in jail.

Bishop ultimately agrees and EZ assures him he won’t let him down. Bishop knows that’s a promise EZ can’t guarantee he’ll keep.

Meanwhile at the Galindo estate, Miguel (Danny Pino) goes through the box of his mother’s belongings and finds the photo of Dita and Felipe. He leaves home in a hurry, not even pausing to say goodbye to Emily (Sarah Bolger) or Cristobal.

Miguel shows up at Felipe’s shop with the photo and demands the truth. Felipe looks at the photo and says, “I was in love with your mother.” From Miguel’s face, that was definitely not the response he was expecting.

Felipe describes Miguel’s mother when she was younger, revealing she used to love to dance. She wasn’t good at it and Miguel chuckles as he tries to picture his mother dancing. Miguel confesses there was so much he didn’t know about his mom and Felipe explains Dita was forced to hide parts of herself in order to fit into Miguel’s father’s world.

Felipe offers Miguel some sage advice: “There’s no reason to try to make sense of all this now. What’s done is done. To hold onto the dead for too long…they’ll take you with them.”

Felipe assures Miguel his mother wouldn’t have wanted him to continue mourning. Miguel asks if his mom had feelings for him, and Felipe diplomatically replies that she was always loyal to Miguel’s dad.

Gaby (Sulem Calderon) picks that moment to show up at the store, cutting short Miguel and Felipe’s conversation. Miguel thanks Felipe and hands him the photo, believing Felipe would like to have it to remember Dita. Felipe pulls Miguel in for a lengthy embrace.

Back at the clubhouse, Bishop’s organizing the day’s drug retrieval plans. He wants Coco (Richard Cabral) to hang with Gilly (Vincent Vargas), but Gilly doesn’t want Coco around. EZ offers to take Coco even though, as Gilly correctly points out, Coco is a liability.

When they’re alone, Coco promises EZ he’s straight right now and admits he’s been out of it recently because he doesn’t feel great.

Taza pays a surprise visit to Palo’s sister who’s now a paralegal. It seems Taza and Palo’s sister used to be friends, but their relationship’s fractured and they haven’t seen each other in years. After reminiscing about the past and catching up on family happenings, Taza reveals he’s there to see if she knows Palo’s whereabouts. She explains she hasn’t seen him in years and is justifiably upset Taza’s re-entered her life and is trying to pull her back into Palo’s world.

Angel joins his little bro at the clubhouse, brushing off Nails (Justina Adorno) when she offers him a beer. EZ tells his brother he messed things up with Gaby and Angel suggests he repair the damage. If she’s special, EZ should go for it and confess his feelings.

Over in Mexico, Juan Denver’s listening to his favorite musician when strangers show up uninvited. They ask if it’s Miguel Galindo’s property and Juan, in a roundabout way, admits it is. Juan quickly comes to understand these people aren’t playing games. He also understands he’s just listened to his last John Denver song.

Bishop’s plan is about to go down as kids shoot off fireworks and distract the Border Patrol. Prospect Steve (Momo Rodriguez) is the lookout and informs the group the distraction’s working, which sets Bridge Over the River Kwai in motion. Gilly drives a truck up to the wall on the Mexican side of the border at the pre-determined location. Angel and Bishop are in a truck exactly opposite them on the US side. Ramps are put in place on both sides and it’s immediately apparent they’re a foot too short on the U.S. as well as on the Mexican side.

EZ realizes there’s been an additional foot added to the wall’s height, and Bishop confesses he’s going off dimensions from back when Bush was president.

Steve radios in that the BP are done with the kids and will be at their location in two minutes-ish. Bishop wants to call it off, but EZ has an idea. He takes two spare tires and places them flat next to the Mexican side of the wall.

While this rush of activity is taking place, Coco cuts one of the ropes holding the tarp covering the drugs in place.

Creeper (Joseph Raymond Lucero) drives the truck with the ramp onto the tires and the Mexican side is now tall enough for EZ to drive the truck over.

EZ tells Coco to buckle up as it’s going to be a rough ride once they hit the top. (The truck has to fall a foot before landing on the other ramp.) So much could go wrong – including a tire popping – but fortunately nothing does.

EZ, now with the drugs successfully over the border and on the U.S. side, zooms off to make the delivery. Angel sets the ramp on the U.S. side on fire as the Border Patrol’s sirens draw closer.

Hank (Frankie Loyal) has the honor of delivering this week’s “What the f*ck, Steve?” line but this time it’s followed by praise for the prospect who successfully did his job as lookout.

As EZ’s driving at top speed, Coco acts like he’s just noticed the tarp’s come loose. EZ can’t stop and Coco volunteers to crawl through the back window and fasten it. Out of EZ’s sight, Coco takes one of the bricks and slips it inside his jacket.

EZ meets up with Ibarra and his men (from the Tucson charter) and passes off the drugs.

On the drive home, EZ attempts to have a heart-to-heart with Coco. Coco, uncharacteristically, shuts him up and refuses to engage.

Adelita alters some of Angel’s clothing to make it fit and then gives herself a buzz cut.

Coco quickly exits the truck as soon as they arrive back to the clubhouse, pissed EZ’s the latest in a string of people who’ve asked him if he’s okay. He speeds off without checking in.

EZ reports in with Bishop and Taza and informs them the drop-off went fine. They ask about Coco and EZ dismisses their concerns, saying it’s just the pain from his eye injury that’s got him messed up.

Bishop compliments EZ on overcoming the obstacles and making the plan work. EZ replies, “One king.”

“One king,” agrees Bishop.

Report completed, Taza tells EZ to leave and go sit at the kids’ table. EZ laughs and says, “I’ll leave you to your Cialis and Just for Men.”

Angel takes off and Gilly’s disappointed EZ also has to leave. “Fucking Reyes brothers,” says Gilly, throwing up his hands as he’s left to drink alone without his buddies.

Taza asks Bishop about their next move. Once the heroin hits the prisons, the other kings will figure out what went down. Bishop doesn’t care about them or about Alvarez. Bishop’s ready for war if that’s what it comes down to.

Later that night, Alvarez (Emilio Rivera) and Nestor (Gino Vento) check on Juan Denver and discover his dead body, burned to a crisp. Alvarez jokes, “I guess he’d rather be in Colorado.” (Too soon, Alvarez. Too soon.)

They look around and determine those who killed Juan Denver knew where to look on the property. However, rather than stealing the drugs, they burned them. A message scrawled nearby indicates this is just a warning shot by the Lobos Sonora.

Ibarra arrives back at the meeting place only to discover members of the other Arizona charters are already there waiting for him, somehow aware of Santo Padre’s secret plan.

Taza scares Palo’s sister by appearing out of nowhere as she walks to her car at night. Taza explains Palo is ready to hurt people and he needs to find him before he does. He apologizes for involving her and learns she has nothing else to tell him about Palo’s location. Taza assures her he’s there if she or her son (named David after her dead brother) need anything. She admits it was nice to catch up, even though his presence is unwelcome.

EZ heads over to his dad’s shop and Gaby’s still there helping out. He asks if he can give her a ride home but she turns him down. EZ doesn’t give up and asks for a chance to talk. Gaby ultimately gives in and Felipe hands over his truck keys since Gaby’s wearing a dress.

Back at the Galindo estate, Emily and her sister drink wine and discuss life. Erin (Holland Roden) wonders if Emily could ever give up this lifestyle and Emily takes offense when Erin calls her home a cage. Erin continues to pepper her sister with questions and Emily doesn’t know why Erin’s so worried about her. Erin confesses she’s always looked up to her older sister, sure there was nothing she couldn’t accomplish. She thinks Emily disappeared under EZ’s shadow, but Emily reminds her they were just teenagers back then.

Erin thought Emily would be free after EZ went to prison, but instead she disappeared under a “bigger, darker shadow” – meaning Miguel.

And speak of the devil… Miguel joins them outside and apologizes for his actions, calling Emily his love as he gently kisses her.

Alvarez and Nestor arrive back but instead of filling Miguel in on the attack, Alvarez watches Miguel with Emily. He decides the bad news can wait until tomorrow.

Coco shows up at the drug camp and passes the kilo over to Isaac (JR Bourne). Isaac accepts it and tells him he’s home.

Angel returns home expecting to be greeted by Adelita with an answer. Instead, her answer is crystal clear without her needing to be there. She’s gone and the ring is sitting where Angel placed it on the nightstand. Angel reacts by smashing a lamp.

EZ hands Gaby a present as he’s driving. It’s a fork just for her; now his place will have two. He then takes her to get a funnel cake which he knows she loves. He purchases two and is heading back to his dad’s truck when he’s attacked. Gaby screams to warn EZ before his attacker (another Mayan) can pull the trigger. They wrestle and fall to the ground in front of the truck, out of sight. A shot’s heard and EZ scrambles back into the driver’s seat. He screams for Gaby to stay down as he backs away at high speed.

The attacker squeezes off another shot through the front windshield but EZ manages to get away.

He pulls over to check on Gaby and it’s revealed he’s been shot in the side!

• Mayans M.C. Season 2 Finale Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 1 “Pap Struggles with the Death Angel” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 2 “The Orneriness of Kings” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 3 “Overreaching Don’t Pay” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 4 “Our Gang’s Dark Oath” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 6 “You Can’t Pray a Lie” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 7 “What Comes of Handlin’ Snakeskin” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 8 “A Mixed Up and Splendid Rescue” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 9 “The House of Death Floats By” Recap
• Mayans M.C. Season 3 Episode 10 “Chapter The Last” Season Finale Recap