Starz’s Heels spent season two building up the tension heading into a massive showdown between the Duffy Wrestling League (DWL) and Florida Wrestling Dystopia (FWD). The build-up pays off with season two episode eight – the season finale – and the arrival of “Harmageddon,” an epic event pitting the wrestling rivals against each other in the ring. The night was supposed to be a huge win for the FWD; however, it didn’t go as scripted, and the result was season two ending on a huge cliffhanger.
Now the question is, will Starz renew the drama for a third season or leave fans hungering for answers? Season two’s ratings never reached season one levels, making it unlikely the show will return.
”High Flying” Recap
Ace (Alexander Ludwig) attempts to make friends with the senior citizen center resident who tossed excrement in his face as Starz’s Heels season two episode eight kicks off. Jack (Stephen Amell) is having a flashback to his dad warning him he’s not a flyer and to keep his feet on the ground inside the ring. And Staci (Alison Luff) is also engaged in a difficult meeting as “High Flying” begins, seeking legal advice from her friend/lawyer Bonnie.
After getting confirmation that what she’s about to discuss is confidential, Staci opens up about the DWL.
Meanwhile, Continuum’s Brooks Rizzo (Josh Segarra) tries to get out of accompanying Jen Lussier (Emmy Raver-Lampman) to Georgia for Harmageddon, whining about needing to stay around to wrap up escrow on a house. Rizzo seems to get his way and assures Jen that The Condamned and Crystal will be wrestling. Jen’s not going if they’re not there.
Rizzo also reveals he’s learned Gully and Jack legitimately hate each other. He doesn’t think either man will like the idea of blending their promotions or working together on Continuum.
Jack asks about the meeting with Bonnie, and Staci explains that Bonnie believes they should keep what they know to themselves. Staci admits she doesn’t feel good about it but will follow Bonnie’s advice. They also need to hide the banker boxes somewhere and get Willie to come completely clean about the DWL’s dirty laundry.
Speaking of Willie (Mary McCormack), she and Gully (Mike O’Malley) have a private meeting about her future – and Crystal’s. He’ll make a deal that will give Crystal the freedom to guest wrestle at DWL, or whatever Willie believes Crystal should do. He’ll even understand if Willie thinks Crystal should remain at the DWL full-time. However, he’s brought deposits for both Willie and Crystal and wants her answer tonight.
A short while later, Willie takes Staci out into a garden area and explains the property is being taxed at a lower rate because it’s listed as the Spade Family Farm. That’s just one example of how they’re gaming the system to keep the taxes down. Willie continues to fill Staci in on the DWL’s sketchy existence and admits she’s happy to pass all this info off on Staci so she can stop worrying about it alone. It’s now Staci’s job to deal with it.
Gully’s lawyer meets with Gully and Jack to sign the documents confirming the lawsuit will be dropped after Harmageddon takes place. Jack signs and extends his hand, but Gully doesn’t shake it. Instead, he reminds Jack it’s not a done deal until the referee declares FWD the winner.
“Do what you promised or else I’ll bulldoze the DWL,” warns Gully.
Ace was alone and comforting a patient when he passed away, and when he gets home, he describes the experience to his mom. He confesses he couldn’t comfort his dad or call 9-1-1 when he discovered him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Ace calls himself a coward, and his mom reminds him there’s nothing he could have done.
The night of the big Harmageddon showdown arrives, and there’s a massive crowd ready to be entertained. Fans are snapping up merchandise, and the stands are filling as Crystal (Kelli Berglund) hands Bobby the bag with cash that Willie just gave her from Gully. Bobby opens it and is impressed with the amount, and notes that everywhere she goes, people just notice her.
Ace vapes as he and his big bro have a casual chat before everything gets underway. Jack apologizes for The Condamned having to take the fall, but Ace doesn’t mind. Jack knows his brother deserves to win, and Ace points out that just because he’s not going to win the match doesn’t mean he’s a loser.
“It’s just a story. We’ll write a new one tomorrow – a resurrection,” suggests Ace.
Ace turns serious and calls his brother the brains and the inspiration behind the league. The DWL wouldn’t exist without him.
After mutual “go f*ck yourselves,” they hug and get ready for the evening’s entertainment.
Crystal finds Willie, gives her a hug, and thanks her for looking out for her. She hands back the bag of cash and confirms she doesn’t want to leave the DWL.
Staci guides Jen through the crowd, and they meet up with Gully and his group. Handshakes and smiles all around as they make-nice in front of Jen.
Wild Bill (Chris Bauer) gives Jack a pep talk and reminds him to leave all the backstage shenanigans backstage and concentrate on what’s happening in the ring. Wild Bill does a complete rundown of the events of the season that led up to this incredible showdown and tells Jack to play things beat-by-beat – just as he has so carefully planned out.
“Just…go wrestle,” says Bill.
Jack thanks him for being a real friend, and Bill thanks Jack for giving him a family.
Eddie Earl (Joel Murray) and Bobby take their seats at the announcer’s table as Harmageddon’s about to begin. Crystal’s going on first, and it’s the first time the crowd’s seen her since she acted like she switched to the FWL. Bill warns her the crowd’s hate is going to wash over her like a wave, and Crystal psyches herself up as her music plays.
Bill was right and a chorus of boos greet Crystal’s entrance. Crystal just smiles and waves at the crowd, accepting their hatred as if it doesn’t bother her. Elle Dorado (A.J. Mendez) joins her in the ring and the match begins. Jen watches from her front-row seat, all smiles as the crowd gets into the match.
Crystal seems to be easily winning the match, barely breaking a sweat. She taunts the crowd and tells them the DWL has nothing – that’s why she left for the FWD. Elle Dorado gets her second wind, spurred on by Crystal’s taunts. However, the script had Crystal winning so that’s what happens.
After the match, she grabs the mic and says she’s sorry Duffy didn’t recognize her greatness. “I am the best thing to ever come out of this town,” says Crystal, calling herself a goddess while the crowd boos.
The night continues and the tag team of Diego Cottonmouth (Robby Ramos) and Wild Bill pull off a win.
It’s now down to the main event, and Gully accompanies Rooster (Allen Maldonado) as he struts toward the ring. Gully gets the crowd worked up for the showdown between Rooster and The Condamned. The crowd chants Condamned, but he doesn’t show up and Rooster orders the crowd to shut up. Rooster doesn’t want to spend another minute in Duffy and says he’s going to take his title and go home since The Condamned is too scared to appear.
The lights flicker, the crowd picks up their chant again, and suddenly The Condamned is seated on the ropes just a foot behind Gully. The match begins as Staci explains to Jen how a last-man-standing match works.
From the sidelines, Gully takes a bat to The Condamned’s leg when his back is turned. Gully then signals for his wrestlers to join Rooster in the ring. They kick and hit The Condamned while he’s down, but Condamned manages to struggle to his feet against overwhelming odds.
He’s knocked back down as soon as he stands up, and Gully tells his men to string up The Condamned. His arms are held tight by the ropes as Gully punches him in the face. Gully turns to Rooster and hands him his baseball bat, telling him to finish The Condamned off. Rooster’s about to knock out The Condamned when Crystal jumps in the ring and tells him not to do it. This isn’t what they signed up for.
The crowd agrees with Crystal, but Gully grabs the mic and tells Rooster not to listen to her. Rooster takes the mic and says he’s not winning this way. He leaves the ring, telling Gully he’s done taking his blood money.
Crystal launches herself at Gully, telling him it’s over. She and Rooster then run off, while Eddie Earl says the two traitors have returned home and saved their family.
Meanwhile, The Condamned is still tied up on the ropes as Gully and Dystopian wrestlers take on Jack who’s come to rescue his brother. Jack chases them all off, except for Gully, and grabs the mic.
“Hey Duffy, sometimes being in business, when you want to get things done, you got to do them yourself,” says Jack. He extends his hand and helps up Gully, and then adds, “Isn’t that right…partner?”
They both smile and shake in the middle of the ring while the crowd doesn’t know how to respond.
Jack rips off his jacket to reveal an FWD t-shirt while Eddie Earl and Bobby call Jack a Benedict Arnold.
“It’s times like this that I wish this was all fake!” yells Eddie.
Jack claims he was with Charlie Gully this whole time while Ace struggles against the ropes. Jack gets personal and, just inches from Ace’s face, says he hopes the DWL dies just like their coward father did.
Jack calls the crowd idiots and then claims he sold the DWL to Charlie Gully. It was only his baby brother riding back into town that kept Jack from turning things over to Gully earlier. The crowd quiets as Jack says it’s time to put Ace down and end the Spade legacy.
Jack announces the last man standing match is now him versus his brother with the DWL on the line. If Jack wins, then he and Gully will burn the Dome down.
The bell rings, signaling the match is on and all hell breaks loose as DWL and FWD wrestlers emerge from the tunnel and begin fighting. Ace works himself free and Gully hands Jack a chair. Jack whispers to his brother, making sure he’s ready to go. Ace confirms he’s ready.
Jack hits him a couple of times with the chair and then tosses him into a corner. He slams Ace a few more times and then throws the chair out of the ring, declaring, “I’m burning this Dome down. I’m Jack Spade and this is my town!”
Backstage, it appears Wild Bill is having a heart attack, but no one notices as the wrestlers are all cheering on the Spades.
The last man standing match continues, and Ace knocks Jack out of the ring. Ace momentarily gets the upper hand and while Jack’s stunned, Ace tosses the bell into the ring and slams Jack onto the announcer’s table.
Ace grabs the bell and is about to clobber Jack with it when Gully yells, “Ace, don’t do it! That’s your brother!”
Ace puts the bell down and goes after Gully instead. While Ace is preoccupied, Jack hits him from behind. Eddie Earl wonders what Jack’s going to do with the announcer’s table, and Jack slams his brother onto it, following with some punches.
Jack then climbs the stairs and stands above the tunnel while Ace is laid out on the table, gasping for breath. Jack spreads his arms, rips off his shirt, and launches himself onto Ace, breaking the table in two. They’re both unable to get up until the count reaches six, and both make it to their feet.
They have another whispered exchange, and Ace confirms he’s following Jack’s lead. Jack says they’re going to blow the roof off this joint as they make it back into the ring.
Ace knocks Jack down and then pummels him but is “injured” in the process. Jack struggles over to the ropes and can hardly stand up, as backstage everyone realizes Jack is no longer sticking to the script. Rooster knew Jack would do this, and now even Gully seems concerned about Jack’s improv.
Jack delivers a punishing Shooting Star Press – one of the most difficult and dangerous moves in all of wrestling – to take out Ace. Ace smiles, and neither brother stands up as they lay sprawled out in the ring.
Jack urges Ace to get up and take the win, but Ace refuses and says it doesn’t matter. He’s all smiles as Jack continues to tell him to get up – people pay to see The Condamned, not Jack Spade.
The crowd helps the ref count, and Ace reminds Jack that Gully will put them out of business if the DWL wins. The wrestlers backstage are all incredibly tense as they know Jack’s got to get up or Gully gets the DWL.
Jack finally confesses to his brother he can’t get up. He’s critically injured and Ace will need to get up at the count of nine and sell this. Ace does as his brother asks, even though Gully’s screaming at Jack to get up.
No one knows Jack is hurt as Ace is declared the winner. The crowd goes wild, and Gully tells Jack he’s going to kill him.
The wrestlers backstage are stunned into silence as all Jack can do is just lie there in pain. Staci finally realizes that there’s something wrong and rushes to Jack’s side. She asks why he didn’t get up, and he admits he can’t feel his legs.
The episode – and the season (and possibly the series) – ends with Jack still flat in the ring as the crowd applauds, unaware he’s seriously injured.
- Heels Season 2 Episode 2 “The Journey is the Obstacle” Recap
- Heels Season 2 Episode 3 “Discord” Recap
- Heels Season 2 Episode 4 “Heavy Heads” Recap
- Heels Season 2 Episode 5 “Who the Hell is The Condamned?” Recap
- Heels Season 2 Episode 6 “Appearances” Recap
- Heels Season 2 Episode 7 “The Things That Matter” Recap
 which finds Duffy taking on Dystopia in the epic Harmageddon grudge match.){kind=link}