Sumith Prasad
In FX’s crime drama series ‘Snowfall,’ Franklin Saint becomes the kingpin of Los Angeles’ drug scene in the 1980s by selling crack cocaine. He strikes a deal with Theodore “Teddy” McDonald, who sells the former drugs to financially support a war against Communism. As the second-in-command of Franklin’s drug empire, Leon Simmons plays a significant role in the conflicts that arise between Franklin, his competitors, and his enemies. In the third episode of the sixth season, Leon shows up in the City of Angels when a drug war threatens the lives of everyone involved, including Franklin. Does that mean Leon has to worry about his life as well? Let’s find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
What Will Happen to Leon?
In the fifth season, Leon fights against Skully, the leader of the Bloods in Inglewood who turns against Franklin. To teach Skully a lesson, Leon unleashes an attack on him and his men, only to kill his daughter Tianna. The little girl’s death paves the way for more deaths and death threats, leading Leon to run away to Ghana with his girlfriend Wendy. The couple gets married in the African country and they spend their time knowing about the history of the nation, only to realize the gravity of the sufferings Africans endured in the past. The realization makes Leon think that he has enslaved his fellow men by making them addicted to crack cocaine.
In the third episode of the sixth season, Leon returns to Los Angeles to right the wrong he committed. However, nothing is the same when he returns. He sees his best friend Franklin fighting a war against Jerome and Louie, who are nothing short of his family. He meets the newlywed couple expecting a warm welcome, only to hear them say that he isn’t family to them. Leon then seeks an explanation from Franklin, who lets him know that the familial ties will not be enough to make one stop fighting a war against the other. The young kingpin also asks Leon to choose a side because the war is inevitable and he needs clarity concerning his best friend’s allegiances.
Since Leon chooses to return to the streets of Los Angeles when a drug war is progressing, there isn’t any doubt that his life is under threat. But Leon is different from others since he hasn’t returned to become the second-in-command of the empire built by Franklin and acquired by Jerome and Louie. Nor he has any ambitions to be a kingpin on his own. Thus, we may see Leon becoming a mediator or peacekeeper among the ones who fight the war. Rather than choosing a side as Franklin asks him to, Leon may want to resolve the conflicts between Jerome and Louie and their nephew. If that’s the case, Loen may not die immediately.
However, if Leon chooses to be on Franklin’s side, Jerome and Louie may not be kind to him. They decide against killing Franklin only because the latter and Jerome share the same blood. Leon may not receive such consideration from the couple if he chooses to fight against them for Franklin. The couple has made it clear that he is not family anymore and they may consider killing Franklin’s best friend to make him more vulnerable. Leon may specifically turn against Louie for eliminating the bond that existed between her husband and his nephew, which is a significant cause of the war they are fighting. If that’s the case, Louie may not hesitate to pull the trigger on Leon.
As long as Leon doesn’t join Jerome and Louie to turn against Franklin, he most likely will not get killed by his best friend. Since Franklin has killed their close friend Kevin Hamilton for crossing the kingpin, Leon knows that his best friend will not hesitate to kill him if his actions jeopardize the former’s safety and ambitions, which may make him not stand against Franklin. Another significant threat Leon needs to worry about is Skully. Since he is the one who killed the OG drug dealer’s daughter and paved the way for his wife Khadijah’s death, Skully may not show any mercy toward him. Thus, Leon may need to make smart choices, such as staying away from Skully, to stay alive.
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