The following story contains huge, huge, huge spoilers forOzarkSeason 4, Part 1. Unless you've already seen it or don't mind being spoiled, don't read any further. Seriously!
We're at the end of the beginning of the end. That's right-Ozarkthe last season of which was divided into two parts has now completed its first part. And, boy, is there a lot to consider and probably more to be nervous about as we move towards itPart 2 of Season 4. We've long known that the Byrde family was in deep trouble -- a close relationship with the leader of a mass-murdering drug cartel likely has that effect. But Season 4 Part 1 kept the excitement and commitment high for all 7 episodes. A lot of shit happened and now we'll have to wait a bit to see how it all pans out.
The story seemed to be in a pretty logical place to slow down. Though Omar Navarro's deal with the FBI didn't quite go as everyone planned, he did create a way out for Marty and Wendy to finally free their family forever. But then Maya Miller caught Navarro, went rogue and caused the first bump in the road. Still, Marty and Wendy's intrigues have put her back in good favor; The FBI decided to do the same deal with Navarro's nephew and successor Javi. And the Byrdes seemed free again.
But then Javi had to settle an old grudge: he met the newlywedDarlene Snell and Wyatt Langmorehome and murdered them both in cold blood. As Ruth found out... You won't see a series of more intense acting moments than Julia Garner did in the season finale. She has nothing left to lose...Ozarkfas wdon't forget your angry whining for a long, long time: or at least until Season 4 Part 2 comes out.
There is a lot going on. And not to mention a scene that we certainly cannot forget: the one that opens the season. Seemingly set in the future, an unknown amount of time from what we've seen in Season 4 Part 1, when the Byrde family departs with what appears to be trouble behind them when a horrific car accident happens. All bets are open - but we're not there yet.
Just like oursOzarkUpdate before last season, we take a look at how things stand individually, through the lens of each of our key characters.
marty Last
Our protagonist is a unique character in the space of shows likeOzark: He's pretty much stayed where he was when he started the series. Granted, his relationships with many of the show's characters — including Wendy, Charlotte, Jonah, Ruth, Omar, Javi, and Maya — have evolved significantly, but he's still the same guy he was when it all started: a decent guy. He's been involved in some bad things, and while he's always been good at staying afloat and getting out of some chaotic situations, unlike some others in his orbit, his ambition has never been anything other than just finding an easy way out . -Ramp of this life.
The final episode concludes a flashback to the season one opening as Marty once again discusses what certain death would have been, again with a cartel gun pointed at his face - this time at Jim's house.
Marty is aware of how the people around him have changed; Wendy is basically ruthless at this point, while Jonah is something of a financial criminal. (Charlotte, for whatever reason, is basically just a cog in his system.) He's maintained his traditional balancing act, but when Ruth bursts into his house at the end of Season 4 Part 1, all he can do is try to talk . her down. And when Jonah calls Ruth Javi, Marty is left with no choice but to hope he continues to do what he does best: stay alive against the odds.
Wendy Burde
Wendy, on the other hand, is theOzarkCharacter who broke really bad. While Marty's only concern is doing what they have to do and staying afloat (and alive), Wendy's ambition has taken over. She is friends with the dangerous Omar, spiteful towards her husband and son, and always seems to seek more power than is most practical. After a season of negotiating with the Byrdes to help Navarro with his FBI deal (and bringing in his friend Jim as the family's official attorney), Wendy is caught in a web of lies about what is happening to her brother Ben and Helen Pierce is. . She also baited her son Jonah into potentially going to jail for his financial crimes. isn't cool Mel Sattem, the private investigator, is hot on their trail and could find out something sooner or later - if she stays alive long enough.
Also, let's quickly call out the best thing Wendy did in Season 4 Part 1 when she kindly nearly killed Darlene Snell — literally. Wendy thanks Darlene for all of her interference, to the point where it hurts Darlene so much that she has a heart attack and ends up in the hospital.
Jona Burde
Jonah's money laundering as "Mike Fleming" reached new heights; he has his own algorithm (which he claims is better than his father's) and has since made a lot of money. In an act of defiance towards his parents (but especially towards Wendy, whom he hates for killing Ben), he goes to work for Darlene, Ruth and Wyatt laundering money for their heroin operation. All in all, a very lucrative but not entirely secure part-time job for a 14-year-old.
Jonah is never ashamed of betraying his parents; When Ruth broke into the Byrde household after the deaths of Wyatt and Darlene, Jonah was the one who called Ruth the name while her parents were busy making a fool of themselves. Jonah doesn't give a shit at this point - for what could prove to be a dangerous mistake.
Charlotte Burde
Charlotte... there isn't much to doOzarkyet again. She breaks the news to Erin Pierce that her mother is dead due to a cartel problem during the Byrdes' voyage back to Chicago. She doesn't seem interested in going to college anymore, instead being just a cog in the family business is okay. And she's been spotted drinking openly, freely and publicly throughout the season, despite her character only being 18 years old. She briefly meets with Wyatt and brings out Darlene's teasing of Wendy, leading to Darlene's heart attack. So that's cool.
Ruth Langmore
The best. Character. Around. The show. And of course theOzarkThe team led by showrunner Chris Mundy knows this. Ruth has the smashing moment of Season 4 Part 1 when she screams her eyes out at the end of Episode 7 after learning that Darlene and Wyatt have been murdered. Ruth doesn't care - and probably even a little relief - that Darlene is gone, but she's 100% devastated by Wyatt; He was always the "smart one" and the one she identified with the most.
After starting the season feuding with Marty and Wendy, it's clear she's on good terms again; seems like she and Marty are the connectionOzarkit's built around more. And while it's not always love, they respect each other deeply. And it's an interesting relationship to portray on TV.
Ruth has now lost her father, uncle, favorite cousin and boyfriend - and appears to be at war in the future. Ruth and Javi are gonna have a showdown and I'm not betting against that fucking ass.
Omar Navarro
Omar's story seems pretty much over. He wanted to get out of the drug trade and move freely between America and Mexico; Marty and Wendy almost worked that out for him (with Maya's help), but not quite in the way he'd hoped. But then it all exploded when Maya rebelled and locked him in the street; this made national headlines and it was nothing that could be undone.
After the FBI made a deal with Javi, Omar was supposed to be extradited back to Mexico, but we'll see what happens. It's worth noting that he wanted so badly out of the drug business that he was willing to sacrifice his entire operation and dangerous nephew Javi for it.
Javi Elizondro
Javi joins the show in Season 4 Part 1 and is clearly someone to watch out for from the start. Omar says he is ambitious and talks to the Byrdes about meeting them in or near Chicago, where he received a proper business education from Loyola. Javi is very, very ambitious and Marty is always trying to get him out of the picture - and sometimes Omar is on board. But it doesn't work out and Javi becomes in charge of the cartel and has a deal with the FBI. He's very, very dangerous and also very, very protected. It definitely smells like itOzarklast big bad villain.
And that's a lot of protection for him to do some particularly violent and aggressive things. He announces his presence in the series by killing old people.Ozarkcharacter Sheriff Nix and tops it all off by killing Darlene and Wyatt in the final episode, much to Ruth's anger. We don't know what will happen, but when there will certainly be fireworksOzarkReturns.
Darlene Snell
After a season of even more threats, drama, a heart attack (caused by Wendy's passive-aggressive kindness), and of course, another impulsive murder (RIP Frank Cosgrove Sr., you had no idea what you were doing),Ozarkfinally closed the book about the madwoman named Darlene Snell. How many people did she needlessly kill over the course of the show? I won't start counting, but it's just thatThenmany. So it's only fitting that she dies a rather disappointing and undignified death: shot in the stomach by Javi, who warned her to stop growing heroin. It's Wyatt's fate as a result of Darlene's actions that upsets us all the more.
Wyatt Langmore
Poor sweet Wyatt. In a way, his story is the ultimate tragedy (so far, at least) ofOzark;He was smarter than the world he had to settle in, but not smart enough to take advantage of it like his cousin Ruth was.
In the end, Wyatt was too naive; He could have escaped Darlene so many times and finally saved his ass, but he just wanted to do what he felt was the right thing to do. Ultimately, the thought of losing baby Zeke weighed heavily on him and he agreed to marry Darlene; This guilt eventually cost him his life. And it was brutal too: Paralyzed with fear, Javi shot her in the head seconds after he shot Darlene in the stomach.
Hopefully Ruth can really avenge him in season 4 part 2.
Jim Rattelsdorf
Jim is something of a legend. He works very closely with Wendy, who of course is a sociopath, so that's not entirely cool. But he does his job really well - and it's fun to watch. We're hoping he makes it to the end, but now that he's officially the Byrdes' attorney, that doesn't seem particularly likely.
Maya Mueller
Maya has played on both sides of the FBI, the Byrdes, and the cartel for some time. And while she was working on something that initially seemed to work for all parties (just after giving birth), something ended up irking her, and she brought in a team to arrest Navarro - and blasted everything that had happened before. Was this your own wish?do the right thing?Was it a way to get even with her superiors at the FBI for speaking so condescendingly to her when it was essential to noting the progress they had made with Navarro? However, Maya's "live or not" decision doesn't bode well for her future.
Mel Sattem
We don't get to see much of Mel in Season 4 Part 1, and I'm sure her role will continue as we move on. Basically, we're shown a glimpse into his past - he's a very talented detective and investigator who got kicked out of the police force when his drug problem (we see him using it in the evidence room) was exposed. Now he's a dedicated private investigator who just wants to find out what happened to Helen Pearce. And he's all over the map this season! We'll see what he can piece together as we move on. But...he's another one you can probably guess that despite all he might achieve, he probably won't survive.Ozarkin one piece.
Frank Cosgrove jr.
After much shenanigans in Season 3 (both getting thrown off a boat and Ruth being brutally attacked), Frank Jr. became a harmless nice guy in Season 4 and a true ally of Ruth. takes a walk in a walker after Darlene Snell "ripped his tail off" (we're reminded of that multiple times throughout the season), but he seems to have gotten a better guy throughout the experience (I haven't!).
His father was brutally and impulsively murdered by that insane Darlene, so Frank is probably in charge of the KC mob now. Assuming we haven't seen the last of him - he could help Ruth get revenge on Javi.
Eva Roman
Evan is the culture editor for Men's Health and has subscriptions to The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches a lot of TV and mostly listens to music.