Smoke season 1 finale ending explained: what happened to Dave?

Smoke season 1 ends with a high-stakes finale centered on fire and confrontation. The Apple TV+ miniseries has been building up to its release by asking the question, "What would happen if arson investigator Dave Gudsen turned out to be one of the criminals he was supposed to catch?"

The show stars Taron Egerton as Dave and Jurnee Smollett as Detective Michelle Calderone. By the end, both characters encounter situations that challenge their boundaries. Mirror Mirror, the ninth episode, wraps up the plot with arrests, new information, and a twist that changes how Dave has been seen all season.

Disclaimer: This article includes major spoilers for the show. Read at your own risk.

How does Michelle finally secure the evidence to bring Dave down in the Smoke season 1 finale?

Dave understands that Michelle is getting closer to the truth by the end of the show, but he also knows that she doesn't have enough solid proof to arrest him for the serial arsons.

That changes when Michelle kills her coworker and ex-boyfriend Steven in the second-to-last episode and puts Dave's glove at the scene of the crime to make it look like he did it. The fake proof and Michelle's strong will set the stage for their last fight.

Dave and Michelle look into a fresh fire together when it starts. Things get worse as the fire spreads and becomes a forest fire. Dave drives them directly into the fire, placing Michelle’s life in danger. She lives through the crash he causes, beats him up, and reads him his rights in the rain.

At that time, Michelle still doesn't have enough proof that Dave set fires, but she does have enough to prosecute him with attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and assault. Esposito and Dawn later get a search warrant for Dave's automobile, which has been impounded.

They find the glasses, hat, and jacket he wore during several arsons hidden in a compartment that was destroyed in a crash that happened before. This concrete proof ties him directly to the fires.

Dave won't confess while he's in jail. Michelle shows him passages from his unpublished book containing details only the arsonist could know. Still, he says that other people could have released the information. He still says he didn't do it, but the manufactured evidence, witness statements, and the retrieved disguise are all making it harder for him to run away.

How Michelle covered her tracks after killing Steven

In the last episode of Smoke season 1, Michelle tries to disguise her own role in Steven's death. She deliberately sets fire to his house to eliminate the evidence and places Dave's glove inside to implicate him. The next day, she sees that a neighbor's exterior camera is pointing at the site and could have caught her leaving the house during the fire.

She calls her brother Benji for help because she is frightened. He breaks into the neighbor's house and deletes the footage, but not before copying it to a flash drive. It is never shown directly, but it is hinted that Benji creates a fire in the woods nearby to keep the police busy and the neighbor away while he deletes the tape. This move also helps Michelle indirectly by starting another fire that draws attention away from her.

There is still an open thread because of the pirated footage. If it comes out, it could make Michelle responsible for Steven's death. But in the events of Smoke season 1, Michelle's activities stay buried, so she can go after Dave without anybody suspecting her.

The twist about Dave’s true appearance

The final minutes reveal a major twist about Dave’s true appearance. Dave looks like a fit, charming person throughout the series, at least in the version played by Taron Egerton. But after he was arrested, a montage shows his ex-wife and kid packing up old pictures. One of them depicts what Dave really looks like: balding, heavier, and appearing older than the version shown throughout the season.

This reveal shows Dave’s true appearance, implying that ea rlier depictions reflected his idealized self-image and reframing past scenes around the theme of self-perception versus reality.

This fits with how he acted all season: he was sure of himself, manipulative, and often thought of himself as a hero even if he did bad things. In actuality, the way he presents himself is a mask hiding the truth about his appearance and the criminal acts he committed.

Dave’s downfall

Dave's imprisonment in Smoke season 1 isn't because of one error. It's because he was too sure of himself.

Michelle continued to pursue the investigation despite obstacles, and Steven's death set off a sequence of circumstances that led to his arrest. He thinks he can keep messing with the inquiry at first, but when he decides to drive Michelle into the blaze, things change. It gives them a reason to arrest him right away and puts him in the hands of the people who have been trying to expose him.

His story is about how he lies to himself. The end makes it plain that Dave can't or won't accept who he really is. He still says he's innocent and holds on to the reputation he's established, even when faced with overwhelming proof. The visual unveiling of his real appearance is not just a story twist; it is also a symbolic unmasking that takes away the version of himself he has been showing the world.

Michelle's story in Smoke season 1, on the other hand, reveals a woman who is willing to break or bend the rules to achieve what she thinks is justice. She is able to bring Dave down, but it is not easy because of her own moral compromises, especially her part in Steven's death and the cover-up that followed. The ending makes both characters seem imperfect, with gray areas instead of obvious heroes and villains.

Smoke season 1 is available for online streaming on Apple TV+ and Prime Video.

About the author

With over five years of work experience, Bea Melisse Ibañez is a seasoned writer covering K-pop, K-dramas, and the latest trends in the entertainment industry at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, Bea combines her academic background with her fascination for Hallyu culture, creating insightful and accurate content.

In her career, Bea has had the opportunity to interview prominent figures in the K-pop industry, including groups like TWICE and artists such as GOT7's BamBam, Lee Seung-gi, and Hwang Min-hyun.

As a pop-culture enthusiast, her love for Korean dramas and music began in high school, where she discovered 2nd and 3rd-generation K-pop groups. She also admires actors like Eddie Redmayne, Lee Joon-gi, and Park Eun-bin, and her favorite celebrity is Miley Cyrus.

In her free time, Bea likes to rewatch her favorite shows. If given a chance, she would like to be a part of the dazzling world of Hazbin Hotel.

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Edited by Bea Melisse Ibañez