Smoke season 1 episode 6 ending explained: What does “Stipachio” reveal about Dave?

Smoke season 1 episode 6, Manhood, aired on July 25, 2025, on Apple TV+. The episode goes deep into Dave's troubled mind by showing how he keeps falling into chaos while dealing with the results of his actions. The episode takes a dramatic turn when Dave's relationship with his wife, Ashley, gets worse, and his search for Freddy, the Milk Jug arsonist, becomes even more obsessed.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Smoke Season 1 Episode 6. Reader’s discretion is required.

The most shocking part, though, is when we find out that Dave was involved in Sully's fire, which is hinted at by an important detail from his book. Finding out that the word "stipachio" is a misspronunciation of "pistachio" helps to reveal Dave's hidden link to a fire he wasn't supposed to possess.

This small, seemingly harmless detail is the key clue that shows Dave's involvement in the deadly fire.

Smoke season 1 episode 6 looks at how the show's main character, Dave, is losing his mind. As he deals with his divorce and becomes more obsessed with his idea of heroism, his destructive tendencies become more obvious. At the same time, he keeps looking into Freddy, the Milk Jug arsonist.

Michelle and Harvey, who are becoming more and more suspicious of Dave, learn shocking things about his past and the fire that destroyed the town.

Harvey finally ties together Dave's book and his role in Sully's fire at the end of the episode, which sends shockwaves through the investigation. The seemingly harmless word "stipachio," which only Harvey and the victims knew, accidentally shows that Dave was the one who set the fire, which is a major turning point in the story.

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The shocking revelation in Smoke season 1 episode 6: How did Harvey discover Dave’s dark secret?

A still from Smoke season 1 episode 6 (Image via Apple TV+)

Harvey finds out the truth about his longtime friend Dave's role in the deadly Sully's fire. This is the most important turning point in Smoke season 1 episode 6. Harvey comes to an undeniable conclusion after a series of investigations and confrontations when he listens to Dave reading from his book.

The word "stipachio" is used by Dave in his book to describe a child mispronouncing "pistachio" ice cream. Harvey was the only one who knew about this detail because his grandfather told him about it after the fire. Dave knew this word, which was never in any official reports. This proves that Dave had something to do with the fire, which Harvey had kept secret for years.

Harvey has to rethink everything he thought he knew about his best friend Dave after this shocking discovery. It also opens the door for more research into Dave's dark secrets.

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What does “Stipachio” mean for Dave’s fate?

A still from Smoke season 1 episode 6 (Image via Apple TV+)

The word "stipachio" is the most important piece of evidence that shows Dave is the person they've been looking for, who set the fires. This word is linked to a memory that only Harvey knew about, and Dave uses it in his book.

No one had reported that detail, and Harvey was able to connect the dots because Dave had included it in his made-up story about Sully's fire.

Harvey knows that his best friend Dave must have been at the fire, even though there isn't any direct proof that he did it. Harvey has to face the painful truth that the person he has trusted for so long is the arsonist they have been looking for. Harvey takes action after finding the "stipachio" clue, even though there isn't a lot of solid evidence at this point.

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Why does Freddy let Lee go?

A still from Smoke season 1 episode 6 (Image via Apple TV+)

Freddy's character goes through a pathetic change in this episode, as his inner demons finally break him. Freddy talks about the happiest day of his life, which was a day he spent at the park as a child, when he was alone and thinking.

However, Freddy is filled with pain and regret, even though he had a brief moment of happiness. He thinks that his whole life has been one of constant rejection and suffering. These things make him decide to end his own life.

As part of this choice, Freddy lets his friend Lee go without hurting her, which shows that he wants to end things on his terms. Freddy doesn't want Lee to see him die, so he asks him to leave. He doesn't mean to be mean, but he feels hopeless.

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How does Dave catch Freddy?

A still from Smoke season 1 episode 6 (Image via Apple TV+)

In episode 6, Dave's desire to find the person who set the Milk Jug on fire gets stronger, which leads him to find important clues about Freddy's identity and past. His careful research and his look into the milk jugs found at different arson scenes led him to Freddy's workplace.

As Dave digs into Freddy's past, he starts to see similarities between their lives, which makes him even more obsessed. For Dave, wanting to prove himself as the hero in this case is what drives him to follow leads that bring him closer to Freddy, even though his motivation is less professional and more personal.

His investigation not only brings him closer to Freddy, but it also makes him face his own unresolved feelings and urges to hurt himself.

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What happens when Dave finally confronts Freddy?

A still from Smoke season 1 episode 6 (Image via Apple TV+)

The last few seconds of the episode show Dave and Freddy having a tense and emotional argument. After putting together all the clues that point to Freddy, Dave breaks into his house and finds the milk jugs neatly put away. This is more proof that Freddy is the arsonist they've been looking for. But things go wrong when Freddy tells everyone about his plan to kill himself.

Freddy talks about the hurt he felt in the past in a very open way. He says that his life has never moved past the point where he was rejected as a child. He tells her that he thinks he will never be at peace or happy again, which makes her decide to end everything.

Freddy’s conversation with Dave is a mixture of confession and farewell, as he asks Dave to burn him while he sleeps, further emphasizing his desire to escape the torment of his life.

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Smoke season 1 episode 6 is available to stream on Apple TV+.

Edited by Bharath S