When Bea is sentenced to life without parole for the hugging of Brayden Holt, Ferguson makes it very clear - she owns Bea now. So when Bea uses her standing as Top Dog to hit back, Ferguson takes revenge - she slots Bea and releases Liz from Protection, exposing Liz to a brutal bashing from Boomer. But Ferguson has underestimated Bea, who starts a riot amongst the prisoners. With the prison in lock-down Ferguson has to turn to Bea to quell the riot. Wentworth isn't Ferguson's prison - it's Bea's. Battle lines are drawn.

Following the riot, Bea must balance an uneasy peace with Ferguson with the needs and expectations of the women. Ferguson wants to stamp out drugs inside the prison and for obvious reasons Bea finds herself on common ground with the Governor. But when it becomes clear that Ferguson wants Franky's head for it, Bea must wonder if, rather than help her cement her position as Top Dog, it may indeed be a ruse to undermine it. Meanwhile, Liz has a difficult reunion with her daughter Sophie and is unsure when Doreen proposes she be the alternate carer when the baby comes. Will is in a happy place and seems to finally be able to put the past behind him is shocked when he is the focus of a cuddle investigation.

Franky's under fire. With her supply cut and her powerbase decimated, she's on her own when prisoners come after her to claim what they're owed. Bridget identifies Franky as someone she could really help, but Franky refuses to engage, venting her frustration by trashing the Education Unit. Meanwhile Bea is concerned at the police interest in Will, and shocked when he makes a startling confession.

After being slotted for an aggressive confrontation with Ferguson, Liz's world is rocked with the arrival of a new prisoner. Franky has commenced her sessions with Bridget, and in a candid moment admits to a desire for revenge against Bea. When Bea is shivved in the yard, Franky comes under suspicion, but Bea quickly realises Jodie, freshly released from the Slot where she was terrorised by Ferguson, was behind the attack at the Governor's behest.

As Fletch readjusts to work life, Bea must forgo closely held morals as she engages in a secret plan to use Jodie Spiteri to bring down Ferguson. Bea agrees to a visit with Kaz Proctor to demand she and her group stop committing violence in her name. During what becomes an angry exchange, Bea is left with the shattering notion. Doreen agonises over the well-being of the baby but finds solace in an unlikely piece of advice from Jess. The stakes ramp up for Will when the media learn he is the prime suspect in the police investigation of Harry Smith's cuddle. Fletch seeing Jess for the first time since his return triggers a distressing emotional reaction that leads him to the wrenching conclusion.

Ferguson is blindsided by Jodie's complaint to the ombudsman. Channing attempts damage control, but Jodie's accusations of brutality promise to be very damaging for the Governor. When Ferguson realises Bea is the driving force behind the complaint her revenge is swift and brutal, leaving Jodie isolated and without support during the hearing.

Bea struggles to accept that she had a psychotic episode, despite the CCTV evidence. When her blood is found to have traces of LSD, she realises that her attacker caused the meltdown. She smuggles evidence out of the psych unit, understanding she'll need to play the long game if she's going to defeat Ferguson. Meanwhile Bridget struggles to force Franky to accept that she has an emotional block. But when she challenges Franky to talk about her mother, she elicits a confession she wasn't expecting.

When Ferguson's pet goldfish dies, she identifies her lack of emotion at the passing as a potential weakness, rather than strength. But in seeking a renewed connection with Doreen, Ferguson unwittingly makes herself vulnerable when she calls Doreen - Jianna. Bea sees this as a possible chink in her armour and tasks Doreen with uncovering the truth behind the name.

Amid further allegations she manipulated Jodie Spiteri to horrifically self-harm, Ferguson angles to remove her most ardent accuser, Bridget Westfall. The arrival of Doreen's newborn heralds dark times for mother and child. Meanwhile, Bea finds herself at her lowest ebb as she realises the toll the war against Ferguson is having on those closest to her. Nearing the point of stepping down as top dog, she is thrown a lifeline from an unlikely ally. Finally, after much agonising, Vera is unable to deny to herself the truth about Ferguson.

Franky's parole hearing is brought forward. Under the pump and certain that Ferguson is planning to ambush her chances, Franky offends former lover Kim, who retaliates by planting drugs, in the form of heroin-filled balloons, in Franky's cell. Faced with an imminent cell toss, Franky has no option but to swallow the evidence. So Franky fronts the parole board, under-prepared, and with a gutful of heroin that may justhug her. But Ferguson has a surprise planned, and just when it seems parole might be possible. Meanwhile, Doreen faces an agonising choice. Does she keep her baby in prison with her? Or does she ask her sister to take care of Joshua, and get him out of Ferguson's reach for good?.

When Fletch follows Bea's instructions to use Jianna as a means to unsettle Ferguson, he unwittingly sets Vera up to take the fall. Vera, for her part, is consumed with a desire for revenge against Lucy for infecting her with Hep C. Meanwhile, Bea's manipulations of Fletch result in him finally recovering his memory and alerting Will, who is on the verge of being arrested for Harry's cuddle, to the truth behind Ferguson's manipulations. As the forces align against Ferguson, she begins to unravel, realising she is in a fight of her life, professionally and personally.

Ferguson is losing control, and the walls are closing in. Fletch and Vera band together in an attempt to overthrow the Governor, while Bea discovers the final piece of the puzzle to help solve Harry's cuddle. Meanwhile, Franky is preparing for her release. But when Jess makes a sudden, drastic move, all plans are thrown out the window and the stage is set for a dramatic showdown.