Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
After Stringer’s death, Avon mourns him but tells Slim Charles the killing was not Marlo’s work. The Major Case Unit sees rumors blaming Marlo and fears the gang war will intensify. Colvin gives McNulty the location of Avon’s safe house; McNulty admits Stringer was the informant, and Daniels secures a warrant. The wiretap then catches Slim’s men preparing to strike Marlo at a rim shop, so police move on Avon’s hideout first and arrest him with most of his crew. Avon insists he will soon be free, but McNulty tells him Stringer gave him up.
News coverage exposes Hamsterdam, and Royce and Burrell negotiate over who will take responsibility. Burrell gets protection for himself by blaming Colvin, then orders the free zones cleared. The police remove the dealers, but an officer finds Johnny dead in a vacant building. Colvin is publicly relieved of duty. After Hamsterdam is demolished, Bubbles and Colvin struggle to decide whether its brief existence actually improved anything. At the council hearing, Carcetti criticizes the city’s neglect and makes his mayoral ambition clear to Gray. Meanwhile, Daniels receives the Western District command, and McNulty chooses to return to the Western after the case ends. Prez doubts his future as a police officer.