‘Ozark’ Bids Fans a Violent Goodbye With Season 4 Finale ‘A Hard Way to Go’
Ozark Season 4 Part 2 concludes with the finale episode “A Hard Way to Go.” The final chapter explores the car accident fans have wondered about since the season 4 teaser trailer dropped. Plus, the fates of the remaining Ozark characters come to light in the finale of the Netflix series.
[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead for the Ozark Season 4 Part 2 finale “A Hard Way to Go.”]
‘Ozark’ Season 4 car accident finally explained
The Byrde’s van gets run off the road by a tractor-trailer in the series finale. In one of the tensest moments of the series, it seems like Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) may not survive — but all four Byrdes make it out of the crash alive. They arrive home to find the Navarro’s priest (Bruno Bichir) at their house demanding another visit on behalf of Omar Navarro (Felix Solis).
“It’s not healthy to be around so much death,” the priest tells Wendy. “How many times does God have to point at you before you take notice? I believe that accident was your last warning.” On the contrary, Wendy sees it as an “assurance” of the Byrdes’ fate.
Bowties and ballgowns at the Byrde Family Foundation gala
After taking full responsibility for Ben’s (Tom Pelphrey) death and her desire to control Charlotte and Jonah (Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner), Wendy gives them what they’ve been craving from the beginning of Ozark — choice. They never had any say in moving to the Ozarks to launder money for the cartel, but in the series finale, Wendy gives Charlotte and Jonah the choice to stay or leave. Ironically, that’s all they need to stick around.
Later, the Byrdes get dressed up to attend the foundation gala at the Missouri Belle as a family. There, Wendy learns of even more important investors willing to make their foundation “bulletproof.”
While all signs point to the Byrdes making it out of this situation alive, Camila Elizonndro’s (Veronica Falcón) desire to know who killed her son looms. She toasts the Byrdes, but presses Clare Shaw (Katrina Lenk) for information. Knowing Camila is taking over for Omar, Clare gives Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) up as Javi Elizonndro’s (Alfonso Herrera Rodríguez) killer.
Suddenly, there’s a shift. Wendy, who wanted Ruth out of the picture from the beginning, panics and tries to come up with a solution to keep her alive. The ever-logical Marty (Jason Bateman) knows any of the choices Wendy presents “would be suicide.” In the end, Marty must talk Wendy into letting Ruth go forever.
Ruth Langmore bravely faces death in the ‘Ozark’ series finale
The barbecue grill in the title card “O” alludes to Ruth’s vision of her family alive and well on the Langmore compound. As her Uncle Russ (Marc Menchaca) sings John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery,” she sees her dad (Trevor Long) cooking at the grill. Boyd (Christopher James Baker) and Wyatt (Charles Tahan) are there, too.
As Ruth casually talks to Wyatt, Three (Carson Holmes) finds her reminiscing and asks to join. They have the same conversation about “being rich” she and Wyatt had in “The Cousin of Death,” a full-circle moment alluding to Ruth getting to be with her family once again.
After pressuring the easily manipulated Clare Shaw at the casino, Camila goes after Ruth. “I’m not sorry,” Ruth says with Camila’s gun pointed at her. “Your son was a murdering b****. Now I know where he got it from.” Despite Ruth’s work to set herself straight, her desire for vengeance is what gets her killed in the end.
‘Ozark’ finale deaths include two other major characters
Ruth is undoubtedly one of the most shocking deaths in the Ozark finale, but she’s not the only significant character to meet their end. The second attempt on Navarro’s life is a success. Believing he’s being set free, Omar is released from his handcuffs and given a gun. However, his gun is unloaded, and he’s shot dead by the corrections officer Camila paid off. Now, she’s free to run the cartel and be a partner of the F.B.I.
Private investigator Mel Sattem (Adam Rothenberg) also resurfaces in the final moments of Ozark. He couldn’t shake the goat cookie jar, which was always devoid of cookies. So, he returned to break into the Byrde’s home and look inside. Finding Ben’s ashes entices Sattem to stick around until the Byrdes return home from the gala so he can threaten them with legalities.
In the final moments of the series, Jonah points his shotgun at Sattem. Wendy’s allowance of choice seems to have spoken to the youngest Byrde, who shows up for his family in the end. The screen cuts to black and we hear a gunshot — one that presumably takes Sattem’s life.
Watch every episode of Ozark on Netflix.
