10 Episodes
Short on time? Here's the essentials:
This season of "Fargo" centers on the Stussy brothers, Emmit and Ray. Emmit, a successful businessman, is entangled with the shadowy V.M. Varga, who is manipulating his finances. Ray, a parole officer desperate for money, attempts to steal a valuable stamp from Emmit, inadvertently leading to the death of their stepfather, Ennis.
The core conflict ignites when Ray's actions draw the attention of Gloria Burgle, a police chief investigating Ennis's murder. Ray and his parolee girlfriend, Nikki, become prime suspects, while Varga's influence grows, leading to the brutal murder of Emmit's lawyer. Ray is eventually killed accidentally during an argument with Emmit, and Varga attempts to frame Nikki.
The season concludes with Nikki dying in a shootout, and Emmit facing an implied demise at the hands of Mr. Wrench, leaving Varga's manipulative reign seemingly unchecked.
Season 3 of Fargo covers episodes 1-10. Here's everything that happened:
Season 3, Episode 1: The Law of Vacant Places - Probation officer Ray Stussy, desperate for money to buy an engagement ring for his parolee girlfriend Nikki, enlists a drug-addicted parolee, Maurice, to steal a valuable stamp from his wealthy brother, Emmit. Maurice, however, mistakenly breaks into the wrong house and kills Gloria Burgle's stepfather, Ennis Stussy. Later, Ray and Nikki kill Maurice by dropping an air conditioner on him after he threatens them. The episode concludes with Emmit meeting a mysterious businessman, V.M. Varga, who reveals Emmit's loan was actually an investment.
Season 3, Episode 2: The Principle of Restricted Choice - Gloria Burgle investigates Maurice's death, discovering her stepfather Ennis was a sci-fi author. Ray attempts to reconcile with Emmit as a diversion for Nikki to steal a valuable stamp, but she leaves a bloody tampon after finding a safety deposit box receipt instead. V.M. Varga's associates brutally murder Emmit's lawyer, Irv Blumkin, after he attempts to investigate Varga online. The episode concludes with Sy destroying Ray's Corvette in retaliation for Nikki's actions.
Season 3, Episode 3: The Law of Non-Contradiction - Gloria travels to Los Angeles to investigate her stepfather Ennis' past as sci-fi writer Thaddeus Mobley. She uncovers a Hollywood con involving producer Howard Zimmerman and actress Vivian Lord, where Thaddeus was swindled out of his money. Thaddeus brutally beats Zimmerman, and later flees, eventually adopting the name Ennis Stussy. Gloria learns that Ennis' death was a case of mistaken identity, with Maurice LeFay being the intended victim.
Season 3, Episode 4: The Narrow Escape Problem - Ray, disguised as his brother Emmit, withdraws $10,000 from Emmit's bank account, retrieving only his deceased dog's ashes. Sy retaliates by exposing Ray's relationship with Nikki to his parole bosses, leading to Ray losing his job. Meanwhile, Gloria teams up with Officer Winnie Lopez, and they discover Ray's connection to Ennis Stussy's murder, placing Ray and Emmit directly in Gloria's investigative path.
Season 3, Episode 5: The House of Special Purpose - Ray and Nikki's blackmail attempt on Emmit backfires when Emmit's wife, Stella, sees the sex tape, leading to their separation. Sy is brutally humiliated by Varga and witnesses Nikki being severely beaten by Varga's enforcers, Yuri and Meemo. Gloria and Winnie continue to investigate, facing obstruction from their new chief. The episode concludes with Nikki alive but injured, and Emmit's marriage in ruins.
Season 3, Episode 6: The Lord of No Mercy - After Nikki is brutally beaten, she and Ray plot revenge. Meanwhile, Varga manipulates Emmit and Sy, spinning tales to justify their company's expansion. Ray returns home to reconcile with Emmit, but their argument over a framed stamp escalates, leading to Ray's accidental death when the glass shatters into his throat. Varga arrives to clean up the scene, planning to frame Nikki for Ray's murder. Gloria, investigating Ennis's death, heads back to Ray's apartment, unaware of the grim discovery awaiting her.
Season 3, Episode 7: The Law of Inevitability - Gloria Burgle faces bureaucratic hurdles trying to investigate Ray Stussy's murder. Nikki Swango survives an assassination attempt in her jail cell, only to be placed on a prison bus. The bus is later ambushed, resulting in a crash and Nikki's uncertain fate. Meanwhile, Emmit Stussy's guilt over Ray's death strains his relationship with Sy Feltz, and V.M. Varga is revealed to be watching Emmit, signifying his inescapable influence.
Season 3, Episode 8: Who Rules the Land of Denial? - Nikki and Mr. Wrench escape a crashed prison bus, pursued by Yuri and his associates. They endure a brutal fight in the snow, resulting in the decapitation of one of their pursuers. Meanwhile, Emmit is tormented by visions of his deceased brother, Ray, leading him to confess to Gloria about his involvement in the crimes. Sy remains in a coma after being poisoned by Varga.
Season 3, Episode 9: Aporia - Emmit confesses to Gloria about manipulating Ray and accidentally killing him, but Varga orchestrates a plan to exonerate Emmit by staging more murders and framing a patsy. Meanwhile, Nikki and Mr. Wrench steal incriminating evidence from Varga, leading to a tense confrontation where Nikki demands $2 million. The episode concludes with Emmit joining Varga, and Gloria feeling defeated as the case is officially closed with the framed killer.
Season 3, Episode 10: Somebody to Love - Gloria Burgle, now a DHS agent, confronts V.M. Varga at an airport, leading to an ambiguous standoff about truth and fate. Meanwhile, Nikki Swango's quest for revenge culminates in a shootout where both she and a state trooper die. Emmit Stussy, having lost his company, is later visited by Mr. Wrench, implying Emmit's ultimate demise.
