S2E5 · Undertow

"They used to make steel there, no?" – Spiros Vondas Ziggy's inability to move a package of drugs costs him his Camaro and nearly his life as he falls foul of East side dealers. Seeing his cousin in danger, Nick attempts to parley with one of the dealers but discovers that they have torched Ziggy's car. Daniels sends his detail out for some hand-to-hands as they half-heartedly step up their investigation of the docks. Officer Russell gets information from an old boyfriend who indicates that the union computer may be useful in tracking containers. Sobotka's frustration with the Greeks begins to grow as he is once again denied a meeting with their boss, remaining defiant even when his payment for smuggling each container is tripled. Donette visits D'Angelo and tells him that he is being supported; D'Angelo remains cynical. The Barksdale family's drug trade continues to falter because of supply problems.

Plot summary and ending

Spoilers ahead. Coverage follows the scope labeled below.

Complete story — includes the ending

Epigraph: "They used to make steel there, no?" - Spiros Vondas Joe Stewart's nephew, Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff, destroys Ziggy's car over unpaid drug debt. Nick learns that the chemicals are used to make cocaine. Russell presses her old boyfriend Maui for information, who notes that the port's computer system could help her track containers. Freamon is added to the detail and recognizes Sobotka as connected to the dead women. Daniels adds Carver, believing he will not betray him again after being caught the first time, and orders the detail to look into Sobotka's finances and the port drug trade. McNulty tracks trafficked women to New Jersey, but they refuse to talk about the dead woman for fear of deportation. Omar agrees to testify. Stringer's diluted drugs cause problems with sales, and his economics professor advises him to rebrand when he presents his situation as a hypothetical. Stringer, having an affair with Donette, believes D'Angelo is planning to snitch. Sobotka refuses to keep smuggling unless he meets with the Greek, who refuses his demands to quit and offers to triple his payment.

Sources and content license

Source and revision history · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The Wire season 2. HTML formatting and reference markers removed. · Content license