'This City Is Ours' Finale Is High Drama, High Stakes

Don’t expect easy answers from the finale of This City Is Ours. Its U.K. creators have been quite open about both Michael Kavanagh and Jamie Phelan featuring in the second season, though who else survives currently is an open question. It’s a quiet morning in Diana’s bar as she prepares for a gathering of the protagonists. She and Cheryl chat quietly as they pour drinks, and Banksey sits alone with a coffee.

When Michael arrives, Banksey tells him that he’s still in shock from last night’s car explosion. (Thanks, Ricardo.) Bobby arrives and asks about security, although he considers Jamie the only target. Elaine and Rachel follow him; Elaine is surprised to see Cheryl, Davy’s widow and a peripheral member of their community, in attendance.

Michael is the first to speak – he wants out, he can’t do it anymore. Rachel, who’s often expressed the wish for more power, more responsibility, asks him exactly how he’s going to walk away. He explains that the next delivery of 50 kilos will arrive the next day, with payment due immediately to the Amigos. The organization has the funds, no problem. He puts Banksey and Bobby in charge of delivery and distribution; Jamie is skeptical and casually mentions that Michael killed “the old fellow,” meaning his father, Ronnie Phelan, the former patriarch. That’s when Banksey drops the bomb that Ronnie was a police informant.

Elaine stops the accusations flying around the table by insisting that Ronnie deserves respect and that they’re here to sort their business out, much to Jamie’s disappointment. So back to business it is, with Cheryl requesting financial reparations of £100,000 – only about 3% of their profits, she adds. Feeling she has no other option, Elaine proposes a toast to the end of chaos and the beginning of a successful future. Jamie is furious (not that he has a better solution). Even Melissa disagrees with him; she doesn’t want trouble. Jamie hears Diana tell Cheryl that she’ll stop by to pick up her belongings from her house. Elaine warns Michael not to make a fool of her as she exits; Jamie calls Bonehead for “a special task.” Michael heads to Ricardo’s hotel, where he finds the restaurant has an all-day reservation for him, but he’s not yet at his table.

On their way home, Rachel tells Bobby she’s tired of being a bookkeeper. She’s convinced Michael can’t walk away and will return. Back at the Phelans’ house, she tells Jamie the same thing. He wants Rachel to order a £75,000 sample from dealers in Amsterdam, to be followed by a meeting to discuss future ventures. Jamie sees refusing to pay the Amigos as an efficient shortcut to getting rid of Michael. Melissa, chopping vegetables in the kitchen, watches and listens.

Bobby is concerned when Jamie disappears and calls him, pointing out that they need to make plans, but Jamie hangs up. He’s on his way to see the results of Bonehead’s errand – seizing Diana at knifepoint as she arrived at Cheryl’s house. She’s been taken to yet another laundromat. While he’s still driving, Rachel calls to confirm she made the £75,000 transfer to Amsterdam. The Amigos haven’t been paid, and Jamie tells her not to tell anyone, not even Bobby, until after the deadline. Meanwhile, Cheryl has returned home and, alarmed that Diana isn’t there, calls Michael.

When Jamie turns up at the laundromat, Bonehead is busy getting stoned, and Diana tells Jamie that Michael doesn’t like losing. That’s why he killed Ronnie; she saw him do it. Bonehead is confused. Jamie threatens to kill her if she’s lying. Jamie fixates on his father’s death – Diana tells him Michael woke Ronnie to kill him, and his eyes were open when he died. She adds, “You’ve got a baby. You’ve got a lovely fiancée. Don’t ruin it.” Jamie walks out, upset, confused, and out of his depth, dreading a phone call from his mum. (So much for the glamorous high life of a top cocaine dealer.)

Cheryl reminds Michael that she knows what it feels like when the one you love suddenly disappears and suggests Michael call Elaine, an idea he appreciates, especially after Jamie sends a video of Diana. Cheryl tells Michael she’ll do whatever she can to help, but she needs him to do something for her – tell him where Davy is; Michael refuses.

When Elaine calls, Bobby is listening in with Rachel and Melissa, so they all hear Jamie boasting about “making decisions” and “taking control.” When Jamie realizes how angry they all are at him, he ends the call. Elaine calls him back to leave a voicemail message that this morning they had a plan and a clear way forward, which he has now wrecked. Bobby is furious and threatens to kill Jamie himself. When he asks Melissa where Jamie would go to hang out, to feel safe, she says she doesn’t know and leaves the room. Rachel follows her and admits to the Amsterdam deal with Jamie. Melissa is appalled.

Banksey pays a visit to Ricardo in the hotel restaurant, just checking in to make sure that everything is okay. Ricardo tells him that, so far, the funds haven’t arrived, but when he checks his laptop, the money has been deposited. Banksey then asks him about the car bomb of the previous night – what was Ricardo’s intention? Ricardo tells him it was a wake-up call. When Banksy reminds him that his son was also in the car, Ricardo comments, “I keep my own children at home or at school. My work is not for them.” The conversation comes to a halt, they shake hands, and Banksey leaves.

Back at the laundromat, Jamie storms back into the apartment, furious that his mother called. He retaliates by calling Michael, who threatens to set fire to their house and watch as they burn. Jamie’s latest bright idea is that Michael should kill himself, and give Jamie the details of where/when so he can come and watch. Also, all of Jamie’s lads fancy Diana. He insists that the suicide plan happen before midnight, but Michael won’t agree until Diana talks to him. Jamie hands over the phone, and Diana makes Michael promise not to do anything stupid. He assures her he knows what he’s going to do, and she tells him she’s still pregnant. 

Diana asks for some water, and while Bonehead is distracted grabs a knife from the sink. They both shout at her to drop the knife, and Bonehead pulls a gun and fires it, but Diana still has the knife.

Cheryl visits the Phelans’ house to tell them about Michael’s phone call to Jamie. Elaine joins in assuring her they’re working things out, and all will be well. Michael calls Bobby, and Cheryl leaves for the bathroom. Elaine, Rachel, and Bobby listen as Michael tells them Jamie wants him gone, permanently. This morning, he tells them, all he wanted to do was walk away, and they assure him he will be able to do so. Michael needs insurance, though, as Cheryl climbs into his car with a bundle in her arms: “Tell Jamie I have his baby.” Panic ensues. (The baby seems to be quite happy with the outing.)

At the top of a parking garage, Michael calls Jamie, who is panicking. Cheryl asks Michael if he’ll look after the baby, and he promises he will. She leaves Michael looking very comfortable, cuddling a small baby in his arms. Michael sends Jamie a video of himself with the baby, and “a nice long drop to the concrete below.”

Bonehead arrives first with Diana, followed by Jamie. The baby is in the car, asleep – and, as they see, in Elaine’s arms. She’s furious, but not as angry as Melissa. Diana walks over to Michael, who tells Elaine to take the baby to Jamie. Elaine walks over to her son and, gesturing to the child, says, “This is what’s important. Don’t you ever forget it.” Diana urges Michael to get into the car, but he turns as Jamie tries to take control of the situation and calls him an attention whore.

Elaine, with Alfie in her arms, begs Michael to stop – it’s over. Diana tries to push Michael toward their car. But when Michael tells him to look in the mirror and try to find some of his father inside himself, Jamie flips. Diana screams and grabs Michael, shielding him as Jamie aims his gun. Elaine begs him not to fire, and both Michael and Jamie shout at Diana to get out of the way. (Bonehead encourages Jamie to shoot them both.) Jamie fires into the air and threatens to kill Diana with his next shot.

He announces that Michael shot Ronnie, and Elaine watches appalled, the baby still in her arms. Michael admits he did and points out that Ronnie did the same to Davy because he believed it was necessary, just as Michael did when he shot Ronnie. But he was wrong; they both were. Shaken, Jamie finally takes his son in his arms and kisses him. Shorn of the child, Elaine aims her gun at Michael. She doesn’t shoot him, but she clearly no longer will support him; this isn’t over. She walks away to join her son and grandson, while Diana and Michael embrace.

You haven’t forgotten about Ricardo, have you? He leaves his hotel and as he crosses the street, a speeding car knocks him down, reverses, and drives over him to finish the job. Banksey has taken his revenge. He’s smiling. 

All eight episodes of This City Is Ours are available on AMC+. Filming for Season 2 is currently ongoing, with an expected U.K. release in late 2026, followed by an AMC+ release in early 2027.