ozark
A hard road to walk
Season 4 Episode 14
Editor’s Rating 4 Stars ****
Photo: COURTESY OF NETFLIX
So what has Ozark been about all this time? Now that it’s over, we can look back at the story of a family who were willing to do anything to survive and literally got away with murder. When Marty and Wendy decided to uproot their family and launder money for a Mexican drug cartel, they knew in their hearts there would be a cost. But it turned out that the costs were largely borne by others. Just think how few humans survived the orbit of the Byrdes. Go back the seasons and the body count gets remarkable: Mason Young, Russ Langmore, Darlene Snell, Javi Elizondro. It was a show about a privileged family who always get out of a car accident unscathed while the other driver isn’t so lucky. And the series ends with at least two other notable deaths: Omar Navarro and Ruth Langmore (and possibly Mel Sattem). A show that has always been deeply cynical ends in many ways on one of its darkest chapters, suggesting that people like the Byrdes are untouchable. God help anyone who stands in their way.
The episode begins with a shovel hitting the muddy ground. Ruth buried Nelson and she has a vision with Wyatt watching. It’s the foundation of the pool he’s always wanted. And it kind of makes sense that it would have a body underneath. Marty is looking for Ruth with a threat: he will tell Camila that Ruth killed her if Ruth doesn’t help Marty get his children back. It’s a desperate last request, because Marty knows Jonah is still listening to Ruth. Convince him or Marty will give Ruth’s secrets away.
After Marty and Camila discuss the plan to transfer power to her and have Omar killed during a transmission, there is a scene between Ruth and Wendy at the hospital. Ruth agrees to get the kids to see Ruth, but she needs reassurance from Wendy that Wendy won’t retaliate if Ruth does her part, even if Jonah decides to go with Nathan. It can’t be her fault if Jonah still insists on leaving. Wendy accepts, and they share a moment talking about their shitty dads and past mistakes. Ruth admits that she wishes she had left Ben at the facility that now houses Wendy because he was still alive. That’s the difference between Ruth and Wendy: Ruth takes responsibility when she shouldn’t, while Wendy always passes the buck.
Ruth confronts Nathan with a toast “to Ben” while pushing his buttons. “Every time I got spanked by my father, I knew it was my fault.” Won’t Nathan just hit Jonah and Charlotte? What if Jonah is a Mini Marty and Charlotte is a Wendy? Nathan Davis is a piece of human garbage using his grandkids as weapons, and Ruth can’t let that happen. He even admits he’s doing it to get back at Wendy. Ruth has had enough, so she pulls out a gun, fires a warning shot, and gets Nathan to confess his ulterior motives to Charlotte and Jonah.
After a tender scene in the hospital between Wendy, Charlotte and Jonah (beautifully played by Linney), in which Wendy admits her role in Ben’s death, the series finally moves to the fourth season prologue. Do you remember the scene that opened the season thirteen episodes ago? The Byrdes drive while Sam Cooke plays on the radio. They joke, smile, and discuss moving after an upcoming FBI meeting. And then a truck pulls into their lane and hits them almost directly. Marty dodges and the van rolls over several times. Marty gets out first, pulling Jonah and then Charlotte behind him. Wendy? She doesn’t respond at first, but it turns out she’s fine too. They hug. It’s a sudden danger show – everything seems fine, and then a truck is in your lane. But it’s also a show about the Byrdes’ ability to weather any storm. You are not to be killed. Even if it means everyone around them has to die.
They get home unharmed and learn that Nelson is missing. Father Benitez suggests the accident could be a final warning; Wendy sees in it the certainty that they will get out alive. You can survive anything. She will prove right.
Marty has Ruth confirm that Nelson is under her new pool. He offers her a deal to escape, a new identity, a chance to leave town and start clean. Or she can wait until Navarro is out of power. Bring her into the operation with the FBI to get the Belle involved. Later, Ruth has a vision of the Langmore men having a good day singing the amazing John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery.” Wyatt is on the roof talking about the lakeside pool he’s always wanted. Three appearances. It’s a beautiful scene and nice to see Ruth smiling.
Despite Rachel’s guilty fear, they go to the funeral home to meet with the FBI and Camila. First, Ruth demands an apology from the FBI for what Petty did to Rachel, what she gets, and then the deals are done. Ruth and the Belle will remain part of the operation that Camila will lead. It looks like everything is working.
Wendy says goodbye to Sam moving to North Carolina – a fun ending for a fun character. “Thanks for always having my back,” he says, and it makes sense that Sam is basically the only local to get out alive. Wendy is basically telling Nathan that she will pay him to stay away. “Research money” for Ben to use for whatever he wants, but he must not hurt Wendy.
The Byrdes smile here more than any season combined and prepare for the fundraiser. Everything comes on Byrdes! But why does it feel like a truck is coming around the corner? Wendy is so confident that she pulls the rug out from under Schafer’s feet. “You’re going to want to take it easy,” she says. They pull the voting machines in Michigan and Wisconsin. You don’t need him anymore to take Omar off the SDN list because Omar won’t survive the night. At least voter fraud will be off the Byrde Sins laundry list.
As Omar gets transferred and the Byrdes kids debate their future, the pivotal scene unfolds between Marty, Wendy, Camila and Clare Shaw, the one variable Marty never really considered enough. Mr. Risk Management did not consider Clare’s vulnerability. Camila begins to ask difficult questions, and Clare’s story changes a few too many times. Camila says she will forgive Clare if she tells the truth now, but not if she finds out later. Clare breaks down, “It was Ruth Langmore.” And everyone’s stomachs collapse. Oh no. You can’t warn Ruth or everyone will die. The Byrdes have to watch out for this truck coming and not dodge it. You don’t have to make any moves. Marty puts it simply, “Anything we try, Wendy, will be suicide.” Wendy is afraid that this will be too much, but Marty assures her it won’t be.
Omar is killed during the transfer when Ruth comes home to find that someone has hit her there. She knows her way around and slowly approaches the car. Camila emerges from the woods with a gun. “Clare Shaw told me.” Ruth doesn’t apologize. She doesn’t turn away. She’s not walking. She doesn’t beg. “Your son was a murderous bitch,” she growls. And then she screams, “Well, are you going to do this shit or what?” And those are her last words. The Byrde legacy of death eventually brings Ruth down. You will escape. They will be moving to the northern suburbs of Chicago. No one will know the full extent of their body count in the Ozarks. No one will know how many people had to die in order to live, including almost everyone who shares the Langmore name.
A sad Wendy and Marty go home for one of the last times. They exchange the rare “I love you.” The camera pans through broken glass in a doorway to reveal a figure outside. It’s Mel with Ben’s ashes. He broke in to get her. He seems drunk. “I couldn’t do my job,” he says. He couldn’t “push all the blame away.” The Byrdes are so good at putting guilt aside. And so he came to find the evidence in Ben’s ashes. Marty offers payment, but Mel says, “You can’t win. The world doesn’t work that way.” Wendy’s response: “Since when?” And Jonah points a gun at Mel. Cut on black. shot fired.
The last loose end is closed on Ozark. The Byrdes can finally go home and leave it all behind. And it really seems like they do. They’ve told themselves over and over again that nothing is too expensive when it comes to protecting their family. That was the theme of the show – how far these people were willing to go to stay together. All the way to the Ozarks and back. With so many lives shattered along the way.
• Are all loose ends tied up? let’s think about it With Ruth gone, the FBI may have some questions. The guess might be that Rachel will take over as Belle and run this operation, but she has a deep sense of guilt about Nelson and will know what happened to Ruth. It feels like all of this could collapse and pull the Byrdes back in.
• Does anyone else think the last scene is a bit much? The thematic thrust that the Byrdes can do anything is true, but Jonah kills a man just trying to find justice for his uncle? Does that strike you as a character? Not really. Yes, they’ve played Chekhov’s gun with Jonah and a gun since season one, but he’s probably the least likely of a cold-blooded killer in the Byrde clan. Felt a bit like a cheap joke to end the series.
• So who is your season and series MVP? For the series, it probably has to be Julia Garner, likely heading for a well-deserved third Emmy for that starring role. For the season, I think it’s time to give Laura Linney and Jason Bateman some more love. They’ve both been outstanding this year and arguably did the best job of their careers.
• Thank you for reading for all four seasons! It was my pleasure and pleasure to dive into this show with you.
VULTURE NEWSLETTER
Keep up with all the drama from your favorite shows!
Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice