The final season of Wrong Side of the Tracks brings its fair share of drama, emotion, and conflicts as Tirso and his family learn the value of perseverance in its truest essence. The central plotline revolves around revenge, as Tirso becomes desperate to bring Romero, the dastardly cop who killed his granddaughter Irene in the previous season, to justice—but the narrative is so much more than what this simplistic premise might indicate. Each and every character of the series with whom viewers have connected through the last three seasons gets proper closure at the end of their story arcs, which makes the conclusion to Tirso’s story all the more gratifying in the end.
Spoilers Ahead
Did Tirso Find Peace At The End?
Tirso became a changed man during the time Irene stayed with him at Entrevias and changed once again when she was taken away from him. No, there was no change in his famous short fuse, his arrogance and stubbornness, and age-old pride—he was a man out of time through and through, but his resolve to go on was in pieces. After the incident with Santi, Tirso found a sense of purpose in taking care of his family—after all, it was by helping Irene that Tirso was able to become a better person. But fate had a different plan for him—as he was forced to face his mortality with the news he had a growing brain tumor. This pushed Tirso onto a path of struggle and suffering as, time and time again, this ailing old man was forced to take drastic measures to ensure his loved ones remain safe and his absence never makes them feel alone and desperate. The kind of person Tirso was, he couldn’t have just opened up about his emotional burdens and insecurities to his children or to the person he loves; the therapy he opted for for himself was to dedicate his all to his family—ignoring his own predicament. Eventually, the quest for vengeance by killing Romero, on which Tirso had embarked upon, was surmounted by Tirso’s love for his family. He had a change of heart and agreed to undergo surgery after taking the advice of the people close to him; it was unfortunate that Romero’s interference delayed that from happening at the end. But it can definitely be said that Tirso had grown as a person by the end. Irene wouldn’t have wanted her grandpa to suffer by remaining shackled by his own demons, and Tirso honored her memory by finally allowing his loved ones to have a say in his life. In the end, Romero’s death might not have brought Tirso any sense of peace, as vengeance never does; but knowing that his family has learned to persevere and fight any odds to get by surely brought him peace of mind when he breathed his last. Tirso was a part of Entrevias itself, holding on to the old-school ideals and being a steadfast symbol of resilience. His ideal inspired people around him and helped his children to be self-dependent at the end—what more could he have wished for anyway?
Gladys Finds Balance In Her Life
Gladys was the only person in the series who was able to reach the person Tirso was underneath the tough, hardened exterior of a cold, bitter old man. Her own journey as an outsider who beat all odds to survive was inspiring enough, and needless to say, viewers wanted to know how her story concludes in the final season. Gladys found her past trying to catch up to her as her ex-husband, Nelson’s father, Rene, returned to her life, creating a complex situation with Tirso in the process. Gladys faced a number of tense situations throughout the season, from Nelson’s arrest to the financial struggle and being unable to find a refuge after Alicia decided to sell her apartment. To make matters worse, she found herself cornered as Jimena and Amanda asserted dominance in custody of Nelson, and Tirso, the presence of whom Gladys counted upon the most, was facing his own internal struggle, which pushed her away from him.
Rene’s return helped Gladys to free Nelson, as even though she wasn’t willing to let go of her self-respect and return to the person she separated from, for the sake of their son, Gladys made that choice at the end. Pepe helped Gladys to run the bar by assisting in every way he could, and their mutual cooperation set the best example of the waning community spirit, which neighborhoods like Entrevias represented. Gladys had faith in Tirso even when the world turned against him, and at the end, they reconciled. Jimena learned the error of her ways, and instead of imposing upon the person who was there for her family through thick and thin, she and Amanda decided to rekindle the bond they shared with Gladys and accepted her in their lives as family. Tirso breathed his last knowing Gladys no longer has to take the burden of the world and suffer alone, as she has a family to take care of her. Even though Gladys probably will not accept Rene as her partner in the future after Tirso’s passing, his presence will help her to overcome the hurdles of life.
Will Dulce Leave Her Past Life Behind?
Romero’s attack on Dulce brought back the mortal fear she felt back in her younger years when she was subjected to sexual assault, from which Ezequiel had saved her. She decided to leave her life in Entrevias behind, but not before sharing a sense of mutual respect for Tirso and possible romantic feelings for his son, Santi—who helped her to overcome fear. Despite having no reason to return to Entrevias, Dulce came back to hatch a plan with Tirso to kill Romero. After all is said and done, it remains to be seen whether she ultimately leaves the neighborhood for good or whether family ties with Ezequiel make her stay for a while. Given their opposing temperament, Dulce’s connection with Santi offered quite an amusing relationship prospect, and I would like to assume they end up getting together. Although Dulce has the means to start a life anew with a different identity altogether, her recent experience might cause a change of heart in the near future.
Amanda and Ezequiel Will protect Entrevias
Lastly, with Tirso gone, Ezequiel and Amanda remain the key figures who will try to protect Entrevias in the future. Even though Tirso and Ezequiel had completely different worldviews and senses of morality, deep down both of them had a good heart and wanted to protect the ones they cared for. It is poetic to have Ezequiel be the first one to see Tirso gone, as his comment about Tirso being one of a kind applies so very well to himself as well. Amanda, on the other hand, didn’t have that strong an arc in this season and mostly acted as a mediator of sorts. Her bond with her wife, Jimena, was explored in bits, presenting a struggle between maintaining balance in personal and professional life. By the end, knowing Tirso’s true intentions, Amanda gained a strong sense of respect for him and will follow his ideal in days to come.
