‘Ozark’ Season 4 Episode 1 Recap: “The Beginning of the End”

Ozark Season 4 Episode 1
Jason Bateman as Martin ‘Marty’ Byrde and Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde in ‘Ozark’ season 4 episode 1 (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2021)

The final season of Netflix’s award-winning original series Ozark starts off with a bang. A literal one. The Byrdes are traveling in their minivan engaging in small talk when a semitruck heads right toward them. In an attempt to try and avoid crashing head on with the semi, Marty (Jason Bateman) swerves. The minivan then flips several times, landing on its side on the side of the road.

The timeline jumps back to where season three left off, with Marty and Wendy (Laura Linney) visiting their boss, head of the Navarro drug cartel Omar Navarro (Felix Solis). The end of season three found Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer), who (CliffsNotes version) was trying to get Marty and Wendy out of the picture, suddenly dead when one of Navarro’s men shot her in the head.

Marty and Wendy are introduced to Omar’s nephew, Javier Elizonndro (Alfonso Herrera). After making small talk, Javi jumps right into the family business and asks about Darlene Snell. “What do you plan to do?” asks Javi, and Marty and Wendy both seem thrown off by the question. Before Helen was murdered she informed Navarro and his nephew of Darlene’s plans to regrow the poppy farm. Javi’s under the mistaken impression Marty has been tasked to make Darlene stop.

Navarro takes Marty and Wendy aside and admits his nephew has been pushing against him. “And if he senses any weakness, well, he’ll try to make a move,” confesses the cartel boss. Wendy asks what kind of move and Omar simply says, “He’ll kill me.”

After that startling revelation, Omar orders Marty to use his influence (meaning Marty’s connection through the FBI) to allow him to walk away. “I will be free to walk away from my business. I will be free of threats of arrest or assassination. And I will be able to move freely to the United States, back and forth, where you have established my children’s business empire.”

Marty and Wendy (more so Wendy) are adamant when they tell Omar that it isn’t possible. Omar refuses to believe that’s so.

Ruth (Julia Garner) jumped ship in season three and has now partnered up with Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery). Ruth learned from the best of the best – Marty – and realizes she needs a business to launder money through. That prompts her to return to her old stomping grounds, The Lazy-O Motel. (You may recall she was fired from the motel for stealing from Wendy and Marty back in season one.)

Initially reluctant, the owner ultimately decides to sell her the Lazy-O.

Ruth heads over to Darlene’s to tell her and Wyatt (Charlie Tahan) about purchasing the motel. Ruth and Wyatt begin to reminisce about the Lazy-O while Darlene listens in, appearing to dislike the close relationship the two cousins share.

Darlene questions why Ruth bought the motel and points out the motel is only in Ruth’s name. Ruth believes since they’re partners now, they should talk about percentages of money. Ruth thinks since it’s Darlene’s farm, it seems only fair Darlene should get 50%. Ruth and Wyatt will split the other half, each getting 25%. Darlene disagrees. Ruth will get 25% while she and Wyatt will split the other 75% evenly between them.

Private investigator Mel Sattem (Adam Rothenberg) shows up at Helen’s house looking for her, claiming he was hired by her soon-to-be ex-husband who needs her to sign their divorce papers. But, obviously, Helen’s nowhere to be found.

Ruth attempts to hack into the program Marty uses for laundering money, but, of course, he changed all the passwords.

Jonah Byrde (Skylar Gaertner) has been on a rampage since Helen told him his own mother had his beloved uncle – her own brother – killed. He shows up at Ruth’s house and gives her Ben’s ashes, believing she should have them. He lets her know that Ben loved her and informs her he doesn’t think she should work for his parents anymore. Ruth lets him know she doesn’t; she quit.

After Jonah tells Ruth his parents are in Mexico, she goes to the casino and tries her luck at hacking Marty’s system there. Charlotte Byrde (Sofia Hublitz) catches her and has her kicked out of the casino.

Marty and Wendy return home from Mexico to find their windows have been broken. Jonah nonchalantly informs them he shot the windows out. When asked why he replies, “I was upset mom killed Ben. Tell me it isn’t true?”

When Wendy tries to tell him it’s not that simple, he offers to give Helen a call since she’s the one who told him what happened. Wendy doesn’t beat around the bush and blurts out that Helen’s dead.

While discussing whether Ben had to die or not, the PI shows up at the Byrdes’ house asking about Helen’s whereabouts. Right before leaving Jonah tells Mel he should talk to Helen’s daughter, Erin, and see what she knows.

Marty and Wendy discuss Jonah and Marty suggests she ease up on him. They realize they just need to get Jonah to see there will be another side of this and they will get free of the cartel. How they’ll actually do that is apparently a complicated process that’s not yet in place. They’ll need large amounts of money and the ability to buy all the right people. They sarcastically go over their checklist…somehow turn Omar Navarro into a model citizen and convince Darlene Snell to shut down her heroin operation. Simple right?

Agent Maya Miller (Jessica Frances Dukes) attends a meeting at the bureau to go over the takedown of the Lagunas cartel (Navarro’s biggest rival). Miller receives a pat on the back since she was instrumental in obtaining the information (thanks to Marty) that led to the takedown. Miller’s boss informs her she’ll be staying near the Ozarks because she’ll be needed back in the field after returning from maternity leave.

Ozark Season 4 Episode 1
Charlie Tahan as Wyatt Langmore, Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore, and Lisa Emery as Darlene Snell in ‘Ozark’ season four episode 1 (Photo Credit: Steve Dietl / Netflix © 2021)

Marty and Wendy set up a meeting at the casino with Darlene and Wyatt tags along. Before starting the meeting Darlene explains they can’t start until their other partner arrives. Marty and Wendy are shocked to see Ruth walk in, surprised she’s flipped over to Darlene’s side. After Wendy takes a few digs at Ruth, they get to the point. Marty informs Darlene of Navarro’s warning not to start selling heroin again. Darlene gets a good chuckle out of that and it’s evident she isn’t worried.

Marty tries to get Ruth to listen to reason.

Ruth has a brief meltdown in the parking lot, upset her plans aren’t coming to fruition. Wyatt gives her the little pep talk she needs, assuring her she can do anything because she’s Ruth f**kin Langmore. Apparently, that’s all she needed to hear. That, plus help from a certain member of the Byrde family, springs her from her bad mood.

Mel pays a visit to Sheriff Nix (Robert C. Treveiler) to discuss Helen being missing. Mel hopes the sheriff can run by her place and see if there’s been any foul play.

Unsatisfied with Helen’s continued disappearance, Mel returns to Helen’s place and this time he decides to let himself in. He finds something interesting…the house has a security system and he’s able to watch footage of the last day Helen was seen alive.

As the Byrdes sit down for dinner, Marty thanks Charlotte for taking care of the Ruth situation at the casino. Jonah’s ears perk up at that and he asks what Ruth did. Marty, cluelessly, tells Jonah about Ruth trying to steal his software for the shell company. Before Jonah can get any more information, Wendy immediately cuts off the discussion and warns them to stay away from Ruth.

They change the subject and Wendy asks Marty if he’s spoken with Agent Miller yet. Marty admits that Agent Miller won’t return his phone calls. While Wendy and Marty are trying to be optimistic about getting out from under Omar Navarro, Jonah does his best to rain on their parade and informs them it’s not possible.

PI Mel shows up and interrupts their dinner. As Marty tries to get rid of him, Mel shows them a photo of none other than Jonah with a shotgun aimed at Helen. Jonah explains he was angry with Helen because she had his uncle committed. Jonah says if Mel looks at the rest of the footage, he’ll see Helen was alive when he left.

Mel leaves and so does Jonah, even though Wendy keeps telling him he’s not allowed to go out.

Jonah’s waiting at Ruth’s house when she shows up and he confesses he has his own software for shell companies and accounts that have been up and running for a while now. He offers Ruth the use of his program and accounts if she wants. Ruth in turn offers him a job of doing the laundering for her. Jonah is hesitant to take that big a leap.

Marty’s trying to call Maya, again, when to his shock he spots Javi in the casino. Javi’s like a dog with a bone and asks Marty what he’s doing about the Darlene situation. Marty tells Javi it’s not a good spot to talk, so Javi suggests Marty take him back to their house.

Charlotte has a chat with Jonah, admitting she’s worried about her little brother. He lies about where he was the night before and points out their mother killing Ben is the same as if Charlotte killed him. He wonders if she can imagine killing him and her only response is, “Mom’s right – you do need to grow up.”

Wendy lets Javi know they must tread carefully with Darlene because she controls the local sheriff; that tidbit turns out to be information she should have kept to herself.

Jonah finds Ruth, Wyatt, and Three (Carson Holmes) at the Lazy-O Motel’s swimming pool and confirms he’s decided he wants to launder money for her.

Season four episode one ends with Sheriff Nix swinging by Helen’s house to check things out. Javi greets him and then, shockingly, shoots the sheriff dead.

Javi returns to the Byrde residence in the sheriff’s car with the dead sheriff in the trunk. He asks them to take care of the dead body by using their crematorium.

Jonah comes riding up on his bike just as his dad and mom are helping Javi move the body to their minivan.