Yeah... of the three cores only one malfunctioned. This was with a predicted 50% chance of complete mission failure!
The cores have 9 engines each, and land using 3 of them. The center core came down with only one engine firing, and splashed in at 300 mph close to the drone ship.
This is why they use unmanned drone ships for the landings. Would have been really tragic if there had been crew on the ship.
With odds like that they usually use concrete or something dull as ballast for the launch. Elon wanted to do something "different and whimsical".
So there is a Tesla, with a dummy in a space suit in the drivers seat, with a model Tesla and driver glued to the dash, headed out into the Solar system.
David Bowie playing soundlessly on the stereo, "Don't Panic" displayed on the dash screen, "Made on Earth by Humans" printed on a circuit board, and a lot more little jokes and homage to science fiction greats.