The Ewings rally back with some scheming of their own. John Ross marries Pamela, who had managed to become a partner in Barnes Global and gain a third of its shares. Emma finds the evidence of Harris' drug dealing with a Mexican drug cartel that leads to his arrest. After Christopher learns that his mother is dead, he gains her 1/3 ownership of Barnes Global, effectively making Cliff a minority owner in his own company. Cliff is falsely convicted of J.R.'s murder. John Ross and Christopher then learn from a letter that J.R. was dying from terminal cancer, and J.R. orchestrated his own murder to put an end to the Barnes-Ewing feud for good. Bum reveals that he killed J.R. by his request, stating that J.R.'s last act was out of love for his family. John Ross shakes Bum's hand, letting him know he understands. The season ends with John Ross celebrating his 50% ownership of Southfork, as well as continuing his affair with Emma despite his new marriage to Pamela.
