‘Ozark’ Season 4 Episode 14 Recap: “A Hard Way to Go” Series Finale

By
Alison Helms
-
Ozark Season 4 Episode 14 Finale Recap
Skylar Gaertner as Jonah, Sofia Hublitz as Charlotte, Laura Linney as Wendy, and Jason Bateman as Marty in ‘Ozark season 4 episode 14 (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

We’ve come to the end of Netflix’s Ozark with season four episode 14, “A Hard Way to Go,” an episode that succeeded in splitting the show’s fan base by basically allowing the bad guys – most notably, Wendy Byrde – to win. (Spoilers ahead!) The episode also saw the untimely death of fan-favorite and arguably the series’ best character – Ruth Langmore, played by Julia Garner. Showrunner Chris Mundy said it would have been too much of a fairytale ending to allow the character to survive. Fans beg to differ.

Settle in for the series finale recap…

Season four episode 14 kicks off with Ruth in the hole that was dug for a pool and smoothing over the dirt. It’s safe to say Nelson is buried and will soon disappear beneath the concrete.

Marty (Jason Bateman) arrives as Ruth’s climbing out of the hole and apparently he’s taken a page out of his wife’s book. Marty orders Ruth to help him get his kids back or he’s going to tell Javi’s mom she’s the one who killed her son. Ruth can’t believe he’d really get her killed and Marty claims he’ll have to if she doesn’t help. She asks why her and Marty explains it’s because his kids listen to her, adding that she’s to blame for Jonah moving out.

Ruth has no idea how she’s supposed to get the kids and Marty suggests either kill Nathan or kidnap the kids; he does not care which. As he’s leaving Ruth asks if this is Wendy talking. Marty points at himself.

Camila (Veronica Falcon) joins Marty for a meeting and asks where Wendy is. He lies and says she’s working on her dinner party. (Wendy (Laura Linney) is actually still at the mental health facility.) Camila checks to see if Marty’s kids are out of the house so they can speak freely. They are, and Marty hands her paperwork with account numbers so she can pay anyone she needs to directly from her end. Marty also reveals the FBI has agreed to move Omar but Omar does not know about it yet. He suggests that if something were to happen to Navarro during the transfer and he had to be killed, there isn’t anything anyone can do about it.

Camila isn’t putting anything into motion until she speaks with the FBI and Marty assures her that meeting is set. Camila needs to hear about the day her son, Javi, died but Marty says there isn’t much to tell. They had a meeting with Clare and Javi in the morning that went well. They did some things in Chicago, had dinner with Clare, and then they came home.

Marty wonders if she’s having second thoughts. Camila claims she’s not.

Ruth heads over to see Wendy, certain it was her idea to issue a threat and not Marty’s. She informs Wendy that if she does her part the rest is on her. It’s only when Wendy asks what she’s talking about that Ruth realizes Marty was really the one who came up with the threat. She fills Wendy in on what Marty told her – stop their kids from going to North Carolina or he’ll tell Javi’s mom she killed him.

Ruth explains she’s learned Wendy’s dad is a piece of crap and says she’s sorry about her dad. Wendy lets down her guard for a second and pretends to be a real person. Wendy says she’s sorry about Ruth’s dad as well. Ruth asks how bad is it in this place Wendy’s staying and Wendy confirms it’s bad. Ruth asks if it’s bearable in there and Wendy replies that everything is bearable. Ruth reluctantly admits Wendy was right. If she would have just left Ben in there, he would still be alive. Wendy doesn’t say anything.

Over at the Lazy-O, Jonah (Skylar Gaertner) asks Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) if she’s going to their parents’ gala. She reminds him they’re leaving before it begins. Ruth’s watching as they chat.

Ruth makes up her mind, grabs a gun out of her safe, and then grabs a bottle of alcohol. She pays Nathan (Richard Thomas) an unexpected visit and suggests they should have a drink to Ben before he leaves. As they talk and drink, Nathan continues to insult Ruth but in a cheerful way (as if that makes it okay). She tells him he won; he got the kids. She even goes as far as to say every beating she got as a kid from her dad she deserved. Nathan seems pleased by this.

Ruth wonders if he beat Ben and Nathan says that while Ben embarrassed the family it wasn’t his fault. Ben had a “glitch.” He adds that the other one (Wendy) should have been better but was worse. Ruth cuts to the chase and confronts him, suggesting he doesn’t actually care for or want Jonah and Charlotte. Nathan doesn’t like the way Ruth’s speaking to him and asks her to leave. Ruth agrees to leave but first she wants to know why he went to court for kids he didn’t want. Nathan confesses he did so because Wendy was a slut and an embarrassment.

Ozark Season 4 Episode 14 Finale Recap
Richard Thomas, Skylar Gaertner, Sofia Hublitz, and Julia Garner in ‘Ozark’ season 4 episode 14 (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

Nathan attempts to excuse Ruth with, “Now you have a blessed f**kin day,” and is shocked when she pulls a gun on him. She instructs him to tell Jonah and Charlotte they aren’t going with him. When Nathan says he won’t do it, she shoots the glass next to him. She informs him they’re about to come running in there and when they do, he’s going to tell them everything he just told her. If he doesn’t, she’ll shoot him in his private parts.

Ruth’s plan must have worked because after they both came running in, the next scene is of them visiting Wendy. She looks excited to see them but then quickly disguises her happiness. Jonah speaks first and says, “This is messed up. You know that, right?” Charlotte explains that just because they’re there doesn’t mean they are staying.

It’s unclear what sort of game Wendy’s playing but she finally takes the blame for Ben’s murder. She doesn’t just take the blame for that despicable betrayal; she takes the blame for all of it. Wendy confesses she wanted to prove she was in control and that’s why she had Ben stay. She also admits she’s been trying to control them as well. She suggests they do what they need to do and promises she won’t trap them.

The kids get in the van and Marty asks how it went. They don’t answer. Wendy also gets in the van and tells Marty he didn’t have to threaten Ruth.

And now we finally revisit the opening scene in the first episode of this season. Marty’s driving while the Byrdes discuss moving back to Chicago. The accident featured in the first episode plays out, with a big rig driving in their lane causing the Byrdes’ van to spin off the road and roll over. However, this time we see the aftermath with Marty and the kids crawling out of the overturned vehicle. Wendy’s been knocked unconscious but wakes up as Marty’s pulling her out.

They take a cab back home to find Navarro’s priest waiting there for them. He informs them Navarro wants to see them and he’s agitated because Nelson’s missing. Marty needs to run a quick errand then he’ll be there. The priest tells Wendy he thinks the accident was their last warning. She doesn’t agree and thinks it’s insurance they’ll make it out alive.

Marty’s errand winds up being a visit to Ruth to find out if Nelson’s buried under her pool. Marty, once again taking a page from Wendy’s playbook, blames Ruth for all his problems. Marty reveals Navarro’s going to be out of the picture soon and they all have to meet with the FBI the following day. The FBI wants to launder money through the casino.

Marty and Wendy have one final meeting with Navarro (Felix Solis) and he admits he thinks Camila was behind the attempt on his life. He slides a number to Marty and tells him to call it. It’s a man from Chicago that will “come take care of it.” Navarro also thinks his sister was behind whatever happened to Nelson.

The Byrdes tell Navarro whatever he wants to hear knowing he won’t be alive much longer.

Ruth has a daydream about her dead family members and in it she’s sitting on top of the trailer with her deceased cousin, Wyatt. Three comes up and asks if he can join them.

Rachel (Jordana Spiro) isn’t exactly happy about Ruth going into business with the FBI and attempts to talk Ruth into leaving. Rachel’s still worried about people finding out she killed Nelson and it’s obvious she’s having regrets. Ruth tries to make Rachel feel better by reminding her Nelson was a horrible person who killed people. Ruth reveals she plans to take the fall if anyone finds out.

Ozark Season 4 Episode 14 Finale Recap
Jordana Spiro as Rachel Garrison and Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore in ‘Ozark’ season 4 episode 14 (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

The meeting with the FBI takes place at the funeral home. They go over the plans to have Navarro transferred with Camila. Ruth and Rachel show up a little late, and Ruth demands the FBI apologize to Rachel for allowing the last FBI agent to get her hooked on drugs. Agent Clay does so and then Ruth and Rachel are handed a contract stating that if they agree to launder money through the casino, they will never be prosecuted.

Later, Sam Dermody announces he’s joined Nathan’s church and will be moving to North Carolina with the group. Wendy says goodbye to him before speaking with her dad. She wants him to know her foundation made a sizable donation to the website he set up to find Ben. When her dad says he supposes she is proud of herself, Wendy replies, “Not at all,” and then walks away.

It seems all of Wendy’s schemes have worked. Both of her children are dressed and ready to go to the foundation gala.

After talking to Jim (Damian Young) about how well the gala is going, Wendy finds Schafer (Bruce Davison) and informs him he’s not only off the board, but they have instructed people in Wisconsin and Michigan to pull his voting machines. He’s still under the mistaken impression she needs someone off the FDN list. She doesn’t.

Navarro is in the process of being transferred and when he repeatedly asks where he’s going, he never gets a response.

Charlotte’s underage drinking at the casino bar (like she’s been doing for the past couple of seasons) when she and Jonah launch into a discussion about their time in the Ozarks. Ruth joins them and compliments Jonah, letting him know there’s always a job for him there if he wants it. Jonah claims he’s going legit…at least until after he finishes high school.

Wendy and Marty are in the midst of a conversation with Clare Shaw (Katrina Lenk) when Camila interrupts. She questions Clare about the day Javi died. The questioning doesn’t lead to any real answers so Camila turns to threatening to kill Clare. Clare breaks and reveals Ruth Langmore killed her son. Clare explains Javi killed Ruth’s cousin so Ruth killed him. Camila warns the Byrdes that if they even look at Ruth or try to warn her in any way, she’ll have their children killed.

Marty and Wendy try to discuss options of what to do. Wendy thinks they can fix this but nothing they come up with will work. Charlotte interrupts to tell her parents that people are asking for them.

Ruth has had enough partying for the night and tells Rachel she’s leaving. One of Camila’s men is keeping an eye on her movements and calls Camila.

Meanwhile, Wendy and Marty are only concerned about losing each other and their children.

The van transporting Navarro pulls over and one of the guards says he needs to use the bathroom. The guard gets out and then shoots the other guard. He lets Navarro out and hands him a gun, claiming there’s a car waiting for him and to go. When Navarro turns his back on the guard he hears the cocking of the guard’s gun. Navarro turns around, points the gun at the guard, and tries to shoot. Unfortunately for Omar, the gun’s not loaded. Navarro is shot dead.

Ruth pulls up at her home and spots an empty SUV. As Ruth’s checking it out Camila comes out of the woods pointing a gun in her direction. Ruth asks how Camila found out (already aware of why she’s there) and Camila admits Clare told her. Ruth says, “I’m not sorry. Your son was a murdering b**ch and now I know where he got it from.” The Ozark writers decided one of the most beloved characters on the show must die. Camila shoots Ruth.

The Byrdes return home after their gala and Wendy and Marty confess their love for each other before going inside the house. Once inside they discover their sliding glass door is broken. They see PI Mel (Adam Rottenberg) sitting outside with the goat cookie jar full of Ben’s ashes. Mel confesses he couldn’t do his job because all he could think about was them. He’s figured out what’s inside Ruth’s goat cookie jar.

The series ends on a horrible note. Martin and Wendy offer Mel anything he wants but he turns down their money. The jar contains evidence that Ben’s dead and Mel says, “You don’t get it, do you? You don’t get to win. You don’t get to be the Kochs or the Kennedys or whatever f**king royalty you people think you are. World doesn’t work like that.”

Wendy replies, “Since when?”

Jonah is shown pointing a shotgun at Mel and then the screen goes black and the audience hears a gunshot. It appears the Byrdes got everything they wanted in the end, even with so many people left dead in their wake.




RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR