Salvatore Conte’s downfall in the third episode of Gomorrah season two is often remembered for the revelation of his relationship with Nina, a transgender singer. But treating the episode as a twist about Conte’s sexuality misses its larger purpose. The story is about the enormous distance between the private man and the public boss, and about the way Ciro Di Marzio turns that distance into a weapon. Conte has returned from exile as a seemingly formidable alternative to the Savastano family.