Hightown season 3 premiered on Starz on January 26, 2024. Created by Rebecca Cutter, the final season continues the story of Jackie Quiñones, a National Marine Fisheries Service Agent struggling with alcohol addiction. The main plot of this season follows the detectives of Cape Cod as they fight criminals and deal with shifting power dynamics.Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for the show. Reader's discretion is advised. The official synopsis of the third season of this crime-drama series, as per Prime Video, reads:"In Hightown season three, Jackie Quiñones must reckon with her loyalties and beliefs to choose the right path in the biggest fight of her life, where the ones closest to her may be the most dangerous."By the end of Hightown season 3, Ray Abruzzo's long-standing rivalry with Frankie Cuevas comes to a close, not with Ray in court seeking a proper justice system, but with a quiet murder in the woods. For context, Frankie is released from prison midseason, but continues to pull levels of influence with direct menace over Ray's family.For Ray, the decision to kill Frankie is driven by revenge and the desire to protect his family. Ray locates Frankie by gathering intel from Osito and then takes him to a remote location in the woods. Ray ambushes Frankie from behind with a gun and shoots him dead. By taking Frankie's life, Ray eliminates a threat and also sets off down a new, morally questionable path that ties the detective to the criminal underworld that he swore to destroy.Does Frankie's death shift the balance of power in Hightown season 3? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn the finale of Hightown season 3, Frankie's murder at the hands of Ray constitutes a dramatic change in the criminal landscape of Cape Cod. Frankie had been the puppeteer from prison for years, pulling strings and maintaining control even when incarcerated. His untimely assassination shatters that legacy in an instant. Yet it does not reestablish order but merely redistributes it.With Frankie out of the way, Osito becomes a co-leader with Charmaine, increasing operations and authority without the same level of oversight or risk. But what's particularly disturbing is how Osito gains control over Ray by giving him the tip that facilitates the killing.Ray is now bound to Osito not by loyalty, but instead by debt. It's an unhealthy power dynamic where the detective turns into a criminal. Frankie's murder may have closed one chapter of the book, but it opens another grimmer power play in which the distinctions between law and order and criminality are more indistinguishable than ever.Read more: Will there be a season 4 of Hightown? Renewal status and moreDoes Jackie break her cycle of addiction in Hightown season 3? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostJackie's addiction shaped much of her journey throughout all three seasons of Hightown, but season 3 concludes with what's certainly her most centered moment yet. Having relapsed midseason, lost her role on the task force, and careened through a torturous investigation into her missing partner, Veronica, Jackie once again sits at rock bottom.But this time, her self-reflection is more nuanced. Her group therapy monologue, in which she admits to her avoidance habits and misplacing blame, marks a turning point not only in her journey to sobriety, but in maturity. The introspective final shot towards the end of Hightown season 3 shows her fishing peacefully with Ed Murphy.This moment hints that she's finally coming to terms with herself, breaking free from the high-energy hero fantasy and embracing her limitations. Yet it's not an easy resolution. Addiction stories aren't black and white, and Jackie's fight has always been in circles.The show portrays a realistic representation of recovery that recognizes both forward momentum and vulnerability. Jackie's journey does not conclude with a confirmed victory, but leaves viewers with an open-ended sense of hope.Also read: Is there a new The Boys season 5 trailer? Viral video debunkedDoes Hightown season 3 conclude with Ray switching sides permanently?Ray Abruzzo starts Hightown season 3 as a relentless narcotics officer. He's always crossing ethical boundaries in his pursuit of justice. But by the end of season 3, those boundaries are fully erased. His covert murder of Frankie, motivated by a desperate need to save Renee and their daughter, is a tipping point.It isn't merely against the law but is more premeditated and personal. When Osito calls and admits he knows what happened, Ray comes to understand he's now indebted to the same world he once sought to destroy. Osito doesn't directly threaten him but rather, makes a matter-of-fact request. He states that Ray now owes him a favor.This quiet, understated scene suggests a future in which Ray might become a mole or tacit collaborator to drug operations, using his badge to protect Osito's empire. Unlike previous seasons, in which Ray's corruption had been impulsive or emotional, this new loyalty seems institutional. The season leaves viewers wondering if the detective can fight his way out of this situation.Hightown season 3 is available to stream on Starz and Netflix.