The Dropout Episode 6 ‘Iron Sister’ Recap and Ending Explained

The Dropout Episode 6 Recap and Ending, Explained

The 6th episode of ‘The Dropout‘ signals the beginnings of Theranos’ demise, as Elizabeth Holmes’ biotech company runs into severe problems. So far, the dangers that Holmes and Sunny Balwani have faced have mostly been external. However, in episode 6, two Theranos employees start asking the correct questions, which leads them to the truth about the company’s deceptive techniques. Meanwhile, a brash reporter learns of Theranos’ misdeeds and conducts his own investigation.

Here’s everything you need to know about Hulu’s ‘The Dropout’ episode 6 if you want to catch up on the episode’s happenings and learn more about how it ends!

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

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The Dropout Episode 6 Recap

Recap of Episode 6 of The Dropout

The sixth episode, titled “Iron Sister,” begins with Elizabeth Holmes filming a commercial for Theranos with famed director Errol Morris. Meanwhile, Richard Fuisz makes contact with John Carreyrou of The Wall Street Journal. Fuisz and Carreyrou discuss Theranos’ public image before notifying the journalist that the entire company is a hoax. Fuisz, on the other hand, has no concrete evidence to back up his assertions.

Mark Roessler, the lab director of Theranos, walks new hire Erika Cheung through the onboarding process. Cheung is forced to sign various non-disclosure agreements by Roessler. Cheung sees Holmes for the first time while discussing her responsibilities with Roessler.

Cheung is later assigned to her lab counter, where she is paired with Tyler Shultz. She does, however, notice the high-pressure climate at Theranos right away.

In other parts of the world, Holmes’ popularity is growing, particularly in Silicon Valley. Phyllis Gardner, Holmes’ former professor, and Fuisz explore how to expose the truth about Holmes and Theranos. Shultz and Cheung become friends while testing blood samples from Walgreens machines. Cheung, on the other hand, quickly notices the inconsistencies in Theranos’ techniques.

Cheung and Shultz are concerned about Theranos’ ability to manipulate and cherry-pick data. The pair also notices that Theranos is testing at Walgreens with a modified Siemens machine. For the time being, they keep their discoveries hidden. Shultz confides in Holmes about the lab misdeeds, believing that she is completely uninformed of what is going on.

Meanwhile, Gardner and Fuisz spoke to Ian Gibbons’ widow, Rochelle Gibbons, about possibly exposing Theranos. Shultz discovers that Holmes is aware of the lab findings disparities at Holmes’ birthday celebration. Shultz and Cheung’s meddling leads to their dismissal from the company.

Shultz and Cheung speak with Shultz’s grandfather, George Shultz, a Theranos board member, about the situation. They do not, however, receive any assistance from him because he is a staunch supporter of Holmes. Carreyrou is still looking for a reliable source to back up his allegations against Theranos and expose the firm.

The Dropout Episode 6 Ending, Explained

Does John Carreyrou Find a Whistleblower in The Dropout Episode 6?

In the episode, Fuisz brings journalist John Carreyrou’s attention to the Theranos hoax. Despite his best efforts, however, Fuisz is unable to obtain sufficient proof against Theranos and Holmes. Carreyrou insists that he can only rely on Gardner and Rochelle as secondary sources, and that he will require the testimony of someone who has worked at Theranos firsthand.

To put it another way, Carreyrou needs a whistleblower to function as a source for his future exposé article in order to establish a strong case against Theranos’ claims. After Roessler unexpectedly decides to speak out against Theranos’ malpractices in the episode’s final seconds, it appears like Fuisz and Carreyrou have finally made a breakthrough.

Throughout the episode, it appears that Roessler is content to retain Theranos’ secrets and execute its dirty work. However, he ultimately decides to raise his voice in protest of Theranos’ potential influence on unwitting patients. As a result, he speaks with Fuisz and tells him the truth regarding the test findings and Siemens equipment usage.

Carreyrou receives the information from Fuisz. Roessler, on the other hand, has demanded anonymity, making it harder for Carreyrou’s editor to approve the exposé.

Nonetheless, Carreyrou is given a light of hope in the last moments of the episode when Shultz and Cheung contact the journalist. It’s clear that no one at Theranos is paying attention to the former employees, but they have valuable information and first-hand experiences to share.

As a result, the tandem is beneficial to Carreyrou’s efforts. The episode finishes with Holmes being featured on the covers of magazines such as Forbes and Fortune, indicating that she is at the height of her fame. However, Carreyrou’s communication with Shultz and Cheung confirms that Holmes and Theranos’ demise is imminent.

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