'Emperor of Ocean Park' Episode 10 Ending Explained: Talcott's hunt for arrangements ends with revelations and dilemma
Contains spoilers for 'Emperor of Ocean Park'
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Talcott Garland's (Grantham Coleman) quest for the truth about his father and the mysterious arrangements finally comes to an end in Episode 10 of 'Emperor of Ocean Park'. The mystery begins to unravel when Theo visits Talcott in the hospital after he is shot at the graveyard in Episode 9.
Theo reveals that he was the one who planted the pawns of Judge Oliver Garland's (Forest Whitaker) chess box in his classroom and office. Talcott quickly realizes that the numbers on the bottom of the pawns point to the date when Abby was killed. Still uncertain about how arrangements could be related to Abby, Talcott visits Jack Ziegler (Torrey Hanson), who is on his deathbed. From the revelations made by Jack, Talcott is finally able to solve the mystery.
Where does Talcott Garland find the arrangements in 'Emperor of Ocean Park'?
Jack Ziegler tells Talcott that the arrangements are a record of everything he and Oliver did together after Abby's death, including the hit-and-run of Abby's killers. He asserted that Oliver wanted Talcott to find the arrangements and destroy them for the safety of the family.
However, since Jack isn't aware of where Oliver hid them, it is upto Talcott to find them. Jack mentions that the arrangements are connected to Abby which leaves Talcott in utter confusion. Later, while watching an old tape of Abby filmed on the day she was killed, he realizes that the device containing the arrangements could be hidden in Abby's favorite teddy bear, whom she had named John Edwards to tease her father.
He borrows Mariah's (Tiffany Mack) private jet and flies to Martha's Vineyard, their second home where Oliver had preserved Abby's belongings. As expected, Talcott discovers a pen drive hidden inside the teddy bear.
Who tries to kill Talcott Garland in 'Emperor of Ocean Park' Episode 10?
Just as Talcott gets a hold on the arrangements, an old man's entry into the scene shocks Talcott. He is Justice Wallace Wainwright, one of the many people who desperately wanted the arrangements.
At the same time, Mariah discovers that Wallace, he was a judge who frequently served on the bench with Oliver after 2003. Under pressure from Jack Ziegler, they often aligned their votes despite their differing beliefs. The episode reveals that Wallace, much like Oliver, had once hired Jack to fix a problem. In return, he was blackmailed multiple times into ruling in favor of Jack’s associates.
Wallace knew Oliver kept records of everything as leverage against the coercion. Eager to free himself from Jack’s threats, Wallace wanted the same escape for himself and therefore was desperate to find the arrangements.
As Talcott finds the pen drive in the teddy bear, Wallace fires bullets at him. Talcott manages to escape while Abby's room is set on fire. Talcott misleads Wallace by telling that the pen drive is still in the soft toy. Wallace goes in Abby's room, gets caught up in flames and dies. Meanwhile, Talcott escapes the house with the pen drive.
How does 'Emperor of Ocean Park' end for Talcott and Mariah?
Talcott realizes that his father believed he had the courage to make the arrangements public, ensuring that everyone involved would be held accountable for their sins. However, Mariah reminds him that since their father is dead, it is them and their children who'll face public scrutiny and backlash. The scene cuts without revealing what they decided to do with it.
Later, we see Mariah finally resuming her career with the support of her husband, Howard Denton (Bryan Greenberg). She joins as a journalist at a non-profit journalism firm. On her first day at work, we see her putting the pen drive in her table's drawer, suggesting that they haven't destroyed the arrangements and may be planning to leak them soon.
On the other hand, Talcott decides not to continue his marriage with Kimmer. In the final moments, we see him meeting Maxine (Jasmine Batchelor), his latest love interest, with no wedding ring on his finger.
'Emperor of Ocean Park' is now streaming on MGM+