The Ending of 'The Hawk' Explained: Did Lonnie Intentionally Miss the Last Shot?

Thoughts on Ronnie Hawkins’ Fatherhood in *hawk*

Either Ronnie “The Hawk” Hawkins has finally figured out how to be a decent father, or we’re just watching history repeat itself. I mean, there’s a lot to unpack here.

**Spoiler alert for the season 1 finale of *hawk* currently streaming on Netflix**

If you’ve made it to episode 10 (“Pickle”) of the new Netflix comedy featuring Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon, you’ve seen that in the climactic moments of Season 1, Ferrell’s character nearly clinched the U.S. Open but ultimately fell short by just one stroke at Pebble Beach. But did Ronnie intentionally miss? That’s the real puzzle here.

Years back, Ronnie had a pretty intense encounter with Golden Fisk (played by Luke Wilson), but this time around, it seems the show hints that he might have thrown the shot to protect his son, Lance (Jimmy Tatro), who he feared was in danger from a gang. That sounds like growth, right? Well, not so fast—his reactions to failures suggest there might still be some issues. It’s complicated, really.

So, where do the actors weigh in on this ambiguity?

“I can’t see it,” Wilson mentioned. “In professional sports, a guy like him, a three-time major champ, wouldn’t just let that go, even for his beloved son. But that’s just how I feel.”

“I think Lance might have had some thoughts swirling in his head, but I don’t believe it was a conscious choice to miss. He was definitely aiming for it,” Tatro added. “Maybe on an emotional level, he missed, but his mind was set on the win.”

Shannon, who frequently partners with Ferrell in various projects, remarked, “When I first read the script, I thought he was genuinely going to let his son come out on top and do the right thing.” It’s interesting how interpretation can vary, right?

Fortune Feimster, who plays Ferrell’s unconventional caddie, noted, “My personality would have jumped to the conclusion that he did it on purpose.”

As for Ferrell, who is both the series co-creator and an executive producer, his view on whether Ronnie made the right call is layered. He expressed that he thinks Ronnie might have indeed tried to make the shot but didn’t quite pull it off. “His parental instincts didn’t quite kick in. But then he felt ashamed and wanted to project that he missed it on purpose to protect his son. There’s a lot going on in his head,” he explained.

Ultimately, Ferrell mentioned he’s open to hearing what viewers think. Did Ronnie finally become the father Lance needed? Perhaps that will influence whether there’s a Season 2.