Ozark (Season 4)

 

 The first half of the final season of  Ozark picks up right where we last saw the Byrdes, still reeling from the execution of Helen. Navarro introduces the Byrdes to his hotheaded nephew, Javi, who has his sights set on succeeding Navarro as leader of the cartel. Navarro warns the Byrdes that if Javi detected any weakness or problem from the Byrdes, he would kill them all. Navarro also explains to the Byrdes why he killed Helen, but kept them alive. Navarro wants the Byrdes to help broker a deal with FBI that would ensure his immunity from any persecution, allowing him to retire with his family in peace. As they return to America, Marty and Wendy realize how impossible it would be for them to negotiate immunity for such an in famous drug kingpin. And unfortunately for the Byrdes, their problems don't end there. Jovi follows them back to the Ozarks to try to run things in his way, insisting that the Byrdes put a definitive end to Darlene's heroin business. That'd be easier said than done, as Jonah has joined Darlene, Wyatt, and Ruth's business to help them launder money. He's rightfully bitter and disillusioned toward his family following their involvement in his uncle Ben's death. And so, there'd be no way for Marty and Wendy to take down Darlene without also taking down their son. Another problem for the Byrdes is private investigator Mat Sattem, who has arrived in the Ozarks to find the missing Helen Pierce. When. Navarro's drugs would   he convinces Sheriff Nix to look into Helen's disappearance, Javi impulsively kills the sheriff to put an abrupt end to investigation. This does nothing but further fuel Mel's investigation. The private investigator sets his sights on the Byrdes and their potential involvement in the disappearances of Helen, Sheriff Nix, and even Ben. To better protect themselves from threats on all sides, Marty and Wendy set their sights on amassing more political power. Wendy brings on Jim Rattelsdorf to be the Byrde's personal lawyer and political strategist. Jim helps Wendy use the Byrde's charity foundation to bribe politicians and rig  elections. In order for this plan to be successful, the charity foundation would need a lot more money. And so, the Byrdes cut a deal  with Clare Show, CEO of pharmaceutical company Shaw Medical, to sell her Navarro's drugs. Navarro's drugs would save Clare hundreds of millions of dollars in the manufacturing of her company's own pharmaceuticals. In exchange for this deal, Clare agrees to donate $150 million to the Byrde's foundation. When Marty overhears that Javi is orchestrating a large sale guns, he convinces Navarro to leak info of the sale to FBI, as it would help prove Navarro's worth and cooperation to the US government. When the guns are seized by the FBI, Javi deduces that there was a snitch in the operation and refuses to make any more sales, including the pivotal heroin sale to Clare Shaw, until he finds the rat. Meanwhile, Ruth is trying her best to run her own heroin business, but it's a difficult task with the loose cannon Darlene as her partner. Ruth buys the Lazy-O motel as a money laundering front and places Sam in charge as manager. But you can't launder money if you're not making money, which is the situation Ruth finds herself in when Frank Cosgrove pulls out of his deal to distribute the heroin. Ruth is then forced into finding a new buyer for their product. Luckily, Marty is now in need of large quantities of heroin to sell to Shaw Medical, so he and Ruth once again partner together to make a deal. But before they can sell the heroin to Clare, Darlene cuts the deal with Frank Jr. to sell the heroin behind his father's back. Ruth manages to convince Frank Jr. to sell back the heroin so that Marty could sell it to Clare, and the two former rivals actually begin to develop a friendship. When Frank Jr. finds out that Darlene had tried to  cut a deal with his son behind his back, he confronts her. This prompts Darlene to shockingly kill Frank Sr. Finally coming to terms with how dangerous it was to be associated with Darlene, Wyatt agrees to ditch her to run away with Ruth. Unfortunately, Darlene convinces Wyatt to stay, guilting him into marrying her in order to help their custody battle for baby Zeke. Navarro tells Javi that he is retiring from the cartel and placing Javi in charge. Following this, Navarro finally goes to America to face the FBI and negotiate his surrender. During a meeting between Navarro, Marty, Wendy, Agent Maya Miller and FBI leadership, the FBI offers Navarro immunity in exchange for remaining as cartel leader for the next five years and serving as an informant. Navarro accepts the offer and leaves for Mexico. Maya, tired of being caught between the Byrdes and the FBI and their varying tolerances for corruption, finally makes a move that she feels is the most morally right. She goes behind the FBI's back and leads local police in arresting Navarro as he tries to depart. Thinking the Byrdes were responsible for his uncle's arrest, Javi confronts Marty and holds him at gunpoint. Wendy manages to make a deal with Navarro, promising to secure his release from prison in exchange for telling Javi that he was working with the FBI. After a call from Navarro with this news, Javi spares Marty's life. Javi cuts a deal with the FBI to serve as head of the cartel for the next 10 years and serve as their informant, potentially putting the uncle and nephew at odds. Jovi's final act of the season is to finally pay a visit to his chief rival in the heroin business, Darlene Snell. Javi executes Darlene and Wyatt before leaving. With their foundation now at full political power, and their deals the FBI settled, the Byrdes are finally ready to put their dangerous criminal lives behind them and move back to Chicago. They hit a tiny bump in the road when Jonah insists on staying in the Ozarks to continue working with Ruth. And speaking of Ruth, she discovers the dead bodies of Darlene and Wyatt and emotionally bursts into the Byrde's home, confronting Marty and Wendy with a shotgun. She declares that she was going to kill Javi for what he had done, but Marty pleads for her not to, as Jovi's death would ruin their deal with the FBI. But Ruth wasn't taking no for an answer. She was going to kill Javi, and the Byrdes would have to kill her if they wanted to stop her. Oh, and in a flashforward to sometime in the future, the Byrde family, including Jonah, are all piled into their minivan, finally leaving the Ozarks and heading back to Chicago. But when a large truck drives toward them in the wrong lane, Marty veers off the road and crashes the car, leaving the fate of the Byrde family unknown.