What happens to Conrad at the end of A Man in Full? Fate of the character, explored

Netflix's corporate drama A Man in Full was released on May 2, 2024.

Based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe, the story follows a business tycoon who will go to any length to protect his empire after he is faced by a sudden bankruptcy.

As per Netflix, the synopsis for the limited series reads:

"When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as he defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace."

One of the characters in the series is Conrad Hensley, an employee of Crocker Industries who finds himself in an unfortunate situation. Played by Jon Michael Hill, Conrad is arrested for assaulting a police officer. However, at the end of the show, he does not face any punishment and is let go as a free man.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Netflix show and its novel, A Man in Full.

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Conrad's story in A Man in Full, explored

Jon Michael Hill and Chanté Adams as Conrad and Jill Hensley (Image via Netflix)

While Conrad's role in the show has been trimmed down as compared to the novel, he is still an important figure in A Man in Full and serves as a commentary on racial identity and politics.

In the miniseries, Conrad is the husband of Jill Hensley, Charlie Crocker's secretary. As a happily married man, he is excited to become a father and works 9-to-5 on the factory floor of Crocker Industries. This greatly differs from the book where Conrad is already a father to two young children and in a discontent marriage.

While exiting a grocery store, Conrad witnesses his car getting towed and tries to appeal the action. The parking enforcement officer, on seeing a Black guy running, immediately calls for backup and violently attacks Conrad in a racially-motivated scene.

Jeff Daniels as Charlie Crocker (Image via Netflix)

As Conrad fights back, he is subsequently charged with assaulting a police officer and is arrested. In order to help his secretary, Charlie appoints his lawyer Roger White to handle Conrad's case.

During his trial, he is faced with a conservative Judge Taylor, who shows no sympathy towards Conrad and sentences him to 60 days in prison. However, Roger manages to change Judge Taylor's mind after having the police officer take the stand as a witness. After establishing that Conrad's act was a matter of self-defense, Roger convinces the judge to drop the charges and Conrad is freed.

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What happens to Conrad in A Man in Full book?

A still from 'A Man in Full' (Image via Netflix)

Conrad Hensley's original story greatly differs from Tom Wolfe's 1998 novel. Due to Charlie's financial issues, he is compelled to order a round of layoffs at one of his subsidiaries, Croker Foods.

As one of the employees in the factory, Conrad loses his job and experiences a chain of unfortunate events. After his car is owned for being parked illegally, he goes to the impound to retrieve it but gets into a fight with the attendants. This results in him being arrested and put in jail.

A still from 'A Man in Full' (Image via Netflix)

After his wife sends him the wrong book to read in prison, Conrad starts studying Stoic philosophy which transforms his outlook on life and provides him with strength to survive his ordeal. After an earthquake, he manages to escape from the prison and starts living a new life under a different identity.

Eventually, while working as a home healthcare worker, he crosses paths with Charlie Crocker who is bedridden due to a knee injury. They become friends and Charie is influenced by Conrad to convert into a Stoic like him. Ultimately, Charlie abandons his financial empire and flees to Florida to become a TV evangelist.

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All six episodes of A Man in Full are currently available to stream on Netflix.