'Billions' Season 5: What would happen if Mike 'Wags' Wagner no longer felt the need to be loyal to Bobby Axelrod?
For those who have followed 'Billions' up to the five-and-a-half seasons, they know David Costabile's Mike Wagner or "Wags" is the soul of the complex drama. Wags is everybody's go-to man. Whack somebody by playing dirty? Wags. Sucker-punch someone planning to attack Axe Capital? You can see the man roll up his sleeves. Ensure you need to cause some mayhem or be the solution. There is Wags always there with a grin, some epic pop culture reference to boot and some mercurial wit to dish out.
Most of all, Wags is loyal. Loyalty has to be earned and if there's one thing Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) managed to get right since Season 1, it has to be earning the respect and faith of Wags who repaid it 10 times by being a vital cog in Axe's team. It's also safe to say he's the best part about 'Billions'. Season 5 has seen Wags be there for Axe who when we last saw was in a state of rage and loss after new adversary, Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) takes advantage and sours a deal with Taylor Mason Carbon.
The question now would be what would happen if good ol' Wags were to change loyalties? For some, it's sheer horror, a punch in the guts, a stale piece of sushi, the reason for Princess Elsa's gasp and the absence of a sparkplug in Axe's ride. Pardon the exaggerated theatrics but almost every fan would know what it is if one fine day, Wags would show, flip the bird and walk away. This, of course, might get this writer slammed for writing this monstrosity of a theory but hear us out. In a show like 'Billions' that relies on unpredictability as the X-factor, isn't this a possibility?
It is fair that Wags and Axe go a long way. Their equation probably makes them brothers and the closest they have to each other, but in a series that has seen Axe constantly take blows and each of them as heavy as Clubber Lang's punches, at some point, it does feel like Wags might just be a casualty of Axe's rage. And knowing the ego-filled, pompous, volatile billionaire that he is, whatever he tells Wags might just hurt the man so bad he'll shift bases.
Or better yet, just walk away. Wags has had his own share of trouble with his kids this season and then eventually goes back to being the charismatic playboy that he is. But that is a sentiment Axe could probably pick on and god forbid he does. Cuz, that's not going to go down well. The other reason we can think Wags might bow is if Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) finds something so brutal and malicious against Axe's man Friday that he is forced to make a choice. Odds are Wags would still stick by Axe, but what if...?
Again, please note that this is pure speculation and 'Billions' is certainly capable of pulling off a storyline like this. The question is, will they? 'Billions' Season 5 is available for streaming on the Showtime App.