Wild Cards season 2 episode 1 recap: Did Zippo’s escape set up a larger conspiracy?

Wild Cards season 2, created by Michael Konyves, is a Canadian police procedural series that continues to serve a thrilling mix of crime-solving and personal drama. With the quick-witted con artist Max Mitchell and disgraced detective Cole Ellis leading the charge, Wild Cards season 2 premiered on February 5, 2025, in the US.

The premiere episode, titled Con in 60 Seconds, channeled the adrenaline of the Fast and Furious franchise, diving into the high-stakes world of illegal street racing, heists, and conspiracies. Starring Vanessa Morgan and Giacomo Gianniotti as Max and Cole respectively, the season opener not only set the tone but also cranked the tension up.

Viewers were left wondering whether mob enforcer Zippo’s dramatic escape hinted at a bigger conspiracy. Zippo’s escape in the Wild Cards season 2 premiere strongly suggests a larger conspiracy at play. His swift getaway, combined with hints of powerful allies or resources backing him, raises questions about a deeper network that Max and Cole would need to uncover as the season unfolds.

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A recap of Wild Cards season 2 premiere

A fragile partnership

Still from the series (Image via YouTube/CBC)

Right from the start, it’s clear that Max and Cole's partnership is on rocky ground. The two are still reeling from the fallout of Daniel’s murder case. When Max presented a mysterious recording of someone confessing to the crime—claiming it was from Albert’s recordings—Cole immediately had some suspicions, as Max had previously insisted that all of Albert’s recordings were destroyed.

This supposed lie nearly pushed Cole to arrest Max on the spot. However, Max managed to strike a deal with him: she’d help him nail Daniel’s killer and return the stolen imperial egg if he agreed to hold off on arresting her. Cole reluctantly went along with it, but his patience is clearly running thin.

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Into the world of street racing

Still from the series (Image via YouTube/CBC)

Next up, the duo plunged headfirst into the underground world of illegal street racing, to infiltrate a gang tied to a dangerous heist and gather intel on Daniel’s murder.

The stakes skyrocketed when the gang’s latest heist was revealed to involve not just stolen cash, but an EMP device and a kidnapped child. Max, proving once again why she’s the ultimate wildcard, showed off her skills as a race car driver, earning the gang’s trust. Meanwhile, Cole stayed focused on piecing together their plan, setting up a daring operation to recover six million dollars and save the child.

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The big escape

Still from the series (Image via YouTube/CBC)

Just when it seemed like Max and Cole were getting the upper hand, the episode delivered its biggest twist: Zippo, a key figure in the gang and the man Ricky Wilson identified as Daniel’s killer. The man made a shocking escape in a stolen prop plane.

While the duo managed to rescue the child and recover the cash, Zippo’s getaway left them with more questions than answers. Was he just a lone wolf, or was there a shadowy network pulling the strings? The ease with which he slipped away hints at some powerful allies backing him—and potentially a conspiracy much larger than anyone imagined.

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Wild Cards season 2: What’s next?

With Zippo on the loose and Max and Cole’s partnership hanging by a thread, the road ahead looks anything but smooth. Will Cole be able to trust Max again, or will her secrets drive an irreparable wedge between them? And how deep does this conspiracy run?

Adding new characters like Ricky Wilson and members of the gang further thickens the plot. The duo will need to tread carefully if they hope to solve Daniel’s murder while surviving the forces working against them.

Between the breakneck street races, tense heist, and shocking twists, Zippo’s escape is just the tip of the iceberg, and it’s evident that there’s much more left to uncover in Wild Cards season 2.

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Wild Cards season 2 is streaming now on The CW and Prime Video.