Billions

Previously on billions...

To our new ag.

Oh. Long may he rule.

Until recently, I had always had a north star.

It's too late.

That's how divorced people talk.

It is.

You really are serious about making a change.

I am committed to this course.

To purge the world of villainy.

And myself of...

I guess villainy, too.

Told ya: Done giving you info.

There will come a time

when you will be forced to line up against axe

for your very survival.

When it does, you will need me.

I'll trade ya a whole pie,

plus solve your rhoades problems,

for an introduction to a certain guy who works for your outfit.

They call me "hard Bob," and you know why?

I have an idea.

'Cause I brook no bullshit.

Last I checked, we still had some sovereignty.

This is where you want to make a stand?

You stole my shaman.

When I compete, hell, I'm there to win.

Game's not over, buddy boy.

But if mase cap is no longer an operation, what do I do here?

That's your answer to the fireside chat:

You want to become a bank.

I want to become a bank.

In order to Rob it?

In order that I don't have to.

How do you know this shit isn't gonna blow up?

'Cause gordie axelrod only blows up shit when he wants to.

Did you just go full third-person?

Yeah, I know. Too much.

I got carried away with the excitement.

Marcus. Good to go.

Yah. Good to go.

Alright. Two. One. Jam it.

Yeah! Let's get rich...

- Yeah. - We're crypto millionaires!

Oh, shit.

Gordie axelrod done fucked up.

Damn.

Those photos the dealer sent don't capture the...

Power?

Yeah, you have to stand in front of a painting.

Feel what it does to you.

I'm sure feeling something.

What is it?

Oh. Guy's wrestling with the big themes.

Sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs?

Close...

This.

This is the one.

Dealer said his last show was a while ago.

Dealer said it was almost a bust...

Guy refused to dance for collectors.

Wags: But it sold through.

- The work... - Yeah, the work.

Good job getting me in here while it's still virgin snow.

Let's grab these up before the show starts.

- What the fuck? - Red dots?

That means sold. That means...

There was a pre-pre-viewing?

Im-fucking-possible. It happened.

We got snaked.

I will find the dealer and ship him back to that armory

broken down like a disassembled m-16 in a fucking crate...

Forget the dealer. We'll get him later.

Right now we go to the source.

You know what this guy looks like?

No. Very low-pro on the web.

Well. We'll spot him...

Look.

And now we have.

Hey, Tanner,

- Bobby axelrod... - How you doing?

Tanner, axe, here, is a major collector.

Great eye for what's next. Worth knowing.

I wish I had something to sell you. But...

Prince. You bought the implosion series.

Oh. I love knowing that you dig 'em, too.

Yeah. I got here early, and they spoke to me.

Damn, man. Not my intention to scoop you.

Hey, if it couldn't be me. Salut.

Just kill me now.

Disturbing work, huh?

It really gets into the weighty questions.

Mm. You know, what caught my eye

is the humility in the face of inevitable decay.

Something you missed, no doubt.

Ahh, well, I'll have plenty of time to find it

when it's hanging in my beach house.

Well, you'll beat me to the punch next time.

How much second-rate dogshit did you have to buy

- to get him in early? - Nah, buying someone off,

- that's your move. - What'd you use, charm?

Charm? Charm's thin.

Shit, you're charming, but you ain't got a painting.

No, I happen to be warm and inviting.

And draw people to me.

In this case, I lucked into catching

a morning set with his dealer in Zuma.

Yesterday. Hardly had to ask.

Serendipity do da.

So. Where do you go from here?

Home. Back to Hudson.

Oh? You done with implosion?

Are you?

I'm, uh, talking with the artist.

'Cause I'd love to buy if you have more.

I-I don't have a fucking clue if I ever will.

I've always been obsessed with what happens to things

when they come to their end.

Yeah. I don't paint for money.

Never have. Or demand.

So I don't know.

Well when you do, think of me.

Okay.

Tanner, it's your moment,

let's go down and let 'em see our paintings.

I failed you, habibi.

I don't feel like bucking you up right now.

- Just do the next thing. - Which is?

"I don't paint for money"

means nobody has paid me enough yet.

So: If you can't buy the art...

Buy the artist.

What happens when you give me a job?

Like Hector elizondo in the flamingo kid:

You cut a joint, it stays.

I have no idea what any of those words mean.

But yes. I get the damn job done.

See, he's a plumber...

And, uh, he works with his hands.

A pipe joint is, um...

Anyway, in this case?

Once the governor took our budget

and those criminal cases away, you said, uh...

Yes. Find me some civil cases.

- With big settlements. - Mm.

Since we get to keep 'em and spend it as we see fit.

Well, I did it.

We'll have about 5 million coming in.

Praise be.

Yep. Just like elizondo in kid.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Oh, that's how it was intended.

If I'd wanted to insult you, I'd have called you big sid.

Good job.

Keep it coming.

What do you think?

Think he'll go for it?

- Wouldn't you? - Yeah.

But I don't see the world the way he does.

It does get good light though...

Mm.

You wanted to talk banks?

- Mm. - Let's talk banks.

Axe... you're not getting a bank.

That is, sadly, the long and short of it.

Which I could've told you in five minutes at your office,

where we were supposed to meet...

Yeah, change of plans.

What is this place? Special project.

Don't worry about it.

So, how'm I getting a bank.

Told you, you won't.

Fdic approval is never happening.

We know it's hard. That's why we have hard Bob here.

To crack it open.

You didn't come to New York City just to give us apologies...

No, I came for the armory show.

And him?

I like art parties.

Which we will be getting back to post-haste...

After I make you understand

why a federal bank will not be in your future.

Hello?

Understood... I'll be there this afternoon.

We need to get on a plane.

Gordie stepped in some shit at school.

- Have a good trip... - Uh uh. Hang tight.

You two are both coming with.

And by the time we land,

I want to know how I am getting a fucking bank.

No fucking way that works.

No fucking way you understand it.

We educate them so they can run the world.

One day.

But we can't let them run the school.

Chancellor Adams: That's our job.

To make the tough decisions

until they're ready to.

Is that hand-holding? Is that condescension?

No. Here at lawrenceburg, we call it guidance.