Ep 13. Final Grades

In the final episode of The Wire's fourth season, entitled "Final Grades," the series comes to a head as all of the major storylines and themes reach their climaxes.

The episode is broken up into a series of interconnected storylines that have been building throughout the season. First, we have the story of the four young boys - Duquan "Dukie" Weems, Randy Wagstaff, Namond Brice, and Michael Lee - who we've been following since the beginning of the season. As their lives continue to spiral out of control, we see them all reach critical points where they must make important decisions about their futures.

Meanwhile, the political storyline involving Mayor Tommy Carcetti and his ambitious career aspirations also comes to a head. His relationship with Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell becomes increasingly strained as the city's crime rate continues to rise, and he must make some difficult choices in order to keep his political reputation intact.

In addition to these plotlines, we also see the return of some familiar faces from past seasons. The troubled and controversial detective Jimmy McNulty makes a cameo appearance in this episode, as does former drug kingpin Stringer Bell (in a flashback scene).

All of these threads converge in the final scenes of the episode, which offer both closure and a haunting sense of continued struggle. Without giving too much away, it's safe to say that "Final Grades" delivers a powerful ending to one of the most gripping seasons of television ever produced.

Overall, this episode is a masterful example of The Wire's intricate storytelling and sharp social commentary. With its focus on the lives of young people caught up in Baltimore's criminal underworld, it offers a poignant commentary on the cycle of poverty and violence that has plagued urban America for generations. At the same time, it doesn't shy away from the political and institutional factors that perpetuate these issues, making for a deeper and more nuanced portrayal of urban life than we often see on television. For fans of the series, "Final Grades" is a must-see episode that brings everything full circle in a deeply satisfying and emotionally resonant way.