Erm, is Horace dead? What you need to know after *that* Beauty in Black season 3 ending

*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Beauty in Black season three*

Beauty in Black season three did not hold back, with the ending leaving many characters’ fates left hanging in the balance – including Bellarie patriarch Horace (Ricco Ross).

Tyler Perry’s Netflix series has returned, and it wastes no time in getting back into the chaos. Horace kicks off season three in a pretty powerful position, having teamed up with his new wife Kimmie (Taylor Polidore Williams) and Mallory (Crystle Stewart) to seize control of the Beauty in Black empire.

After turning state’s evidence against the rest of his family, his ex-wife Olivia (Debbi Morgan), sons Roy (Julian Horton) and Charles (Steven G. Norfleet), and brother Norman (Richard Lawson) are left facing the consequences of the Bellaries’ criminal dealings.

As the season progresses, Horace learns from his Italian oncologist that his cancer resulted from deliberate poisoning – and Norman was behind it. 

But after Norman uses his criminal connections to break free from custody, he comes for Mallory first, leading to a brutal showdown. Mallory gets the upper hand and shoots him, believing she’s killed him. 

Season three episode seven sees Horace go to see the evidence, where he pokes at Norman with his cane. “You thought you had me. Now look at you,” he says.

Although he’s still breathing, Horace assumes he’s on the way out and calls for a cleanup. But as he turns his back, Norman musters enough strength to stand up and shoot his brother. 

So, does that mean Horace is dead?

In short, no. Horace isn’t dead by the end of Beauty in Black season three. But as it stands, it’s not looking good for him, and the Netflix series purposely leaves his fate ambiguous. 

After the shootout, Horace’s security team rushes him to hospital, leaving Norman bleeding on the floor. 

Angel (Xavier Smalls) holds the gunshot wound as they race to the medical centre, but even in his state, Horace demands to go to County instead of Stanley given everything that’s happened. 

The last we hear of him is when Angel tells Kimmie and Mallory that Horace is being treated. This soon gets overshadowed when Jules (Charles Malik Whitfield) orchestrates a lethal shooting at the newly rebranded Delinda’s Dolls and Dudes, Make It Rain.

But what about Norman?

Norman’s fate is also left hanging in the balance. He doesn’t have a security team to rush him to hospital like his brother, but Netflix purposely avoids confirming whether he survives by saying he’s “left behind, seemingly dying on Mallory’s floor.”

As for why Mallory shot him, Crystle Stewart told Tudum, “I see it as survival. Though Mallory isn’t someone who looks for violence, she’s not afraid of it.

“Throughout the series, she’s consistently tried to outthink situations rather than overpower them. In that moment, she’s protecting herself. It isn’t about revenge, it’s about making the impossible decision that allows her to live.”

Beauty in Black season 4 has been confirmed

There’s another reason Horace might pull through – in July, Beauty in Black was renewed for a fourth season. 

This came as a surprise given Netflix previously announced season three would be the last. However, given how popular the show is, the streamer reversed the decision. 

Tyler Perry said at the time, “Beauty in Black is back for season 4, and the Bellarie family’s story is far from finished.

“There was so much more I wanted to explore, and I’m grateful I get to keep telling this story. To the audience that has been on this ride with us from day one, thank you for watching and sharing it with the world. More episodes are on the way!”

Obviously, Perry’s comments don’t confirm whether Horace will be among the Bellaries returning for season four, and Netflix has yet to announce which cast members will be back.

But the fact that his fate is deliberately left unresolved rather than killing him outright certainly leaves the door open. Horace remains at the centre of several unfinished storylines, not least his marriage to Kimmie and the question of who will ultimately control the Beauty in Black empire.

Oh, and if you keep seeing TikTok edits of Horace being shot in the head by Charles, consider yourself duped. The shocking moment comes at the end of episode three, when Charles appears to pull the trigger on his father, seemingly killing him instantly.

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♬ Dancing in the Sky – Dani and Lizzy

But episode four immediately reveals the whole thing was a fake-out. Charles never actually shoots Horace – it was all an illusion. Panic over… for now. 

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Featured image credit: Netflix