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Netflix’s Ozark, starring Jason Bateman as Marty, is about a financial planner who relocates his family from Chicago to Ozark after a money-laundering scheme gone wrong. To pay off his debt to a Mexican drug lord, the Byrde family is on the move, but instead of breaking apart further because of circumstances, they try to reconnect.
The finale of Ozark had some serious nerve-wracking moments that fans are still trying to decode, especially about what happened with the Byrde family. From the Byrde family getting into a car accident to being an indirect part of a series of killings of important characters, the finale is filled with moments that keep the fans on the edge of their seats.
From a bloody murder to a desperate deal, viewers are served with some closure and a lot of open ends. This article explains the elements of the finale, answering the most frequently asked questions from the fans.
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Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and includes spoilers for season 4 of Ozark
Ozark ending explained: Byrde family's car accident, Ruth's death, and more
1) Byrde family lets Ruth get killed
In the finale, Wendy (Laura Linney) and Marty finally secure funding for Byrde Family Foundation. However, this funding comes with the sacrifice of Ruth and they act unbothered by it.
Ruth (Julia Garner) has been the guide and protector of Byrdes for a long time. Camila puts Ruth on her hitlist, and instead of helping Ruth, the Byrde family lets her die. This shows how Byrdes are selfish and don’t even help the people who help them. Everyone for them is just a pawn to either get rich or get out of trouble.
2) Does Jonah kill Mel?
Jonah (Skyler Gaertner) points his rifle at Mel but the screen blacks out. However, after a few seconds, the viewers get to listen a gunfire sound and also the breaking of a ceramic homeware. Mel was holding Ben’s favourite cookie jar, which was made of ceramic.
Jonah didn’t even hesitate to shoot Mel and acted as if nothing happened. Although this might seem out of character for Jonah, the viewers know this is a result of the dynamic between Ruth and Jonah and how she has made him a protector for the Byrdes. This action by Jonah made it clear that the kids are here to stay with the Byrde family, no matter what the circumstances are.
3) Raining of deaths in the finale
From Omar to Ruth, the viewers see multiple deaths of prime characters in the finale. Wendy, Marty, and Camila set up Omar to appear like he had died on the run while escaping the prison. Ruth is killed by Camila as a sacrifice for Byrdes to reach a place in this money-laundering pyramid where they become untouchable, whereas Mel is killed because she got too close to the actual hidden truth.
The deaths of Omar and Ruth prove that the Byrdes aren’t the protagonists of Ozark, but they are the antagonists. While Mel’s death leaves a trail for detectives to chase the actual truth, the plot is left open-ended.
4) What happens to Byrdes?
The Byrdes have found significant loopholes to let themselves escape from situations. Things can take a turn if the showrunners decide to make a spin-off, but for now, Byrdes have reached a sweet spot.
At the start of the final season of the show, the viewers get to see a glimpse of Byrdes getting into a car accident. In the final episode, the viewers see the accident again, but at the end of it, the Byrdes are unharmed.
5) Car Accident is a symbolic callback to the invincibility of Byrdes
There are plenty of instances where the show has used the attributes of a red herring to keep the audience engaged from the start of the show. Similarly, the showrunners used the car accident as a red herring at the start of the final season so that the viewers kept guessing the actual end of the show till the final episode.
In the last episode, Byrdes remain unimpacted even after a car accident. If viewers look at this from a different lens, they will realise that this sequence signifies how Byrdes operating together are almost invincible from every threat, and that holds true till the last moment of the show.
6) Will there be another season or a spin-off?
Ruth, before falling prey to Camila’s hitlist, shares enough details about Darlene and Wyatt’s deaths with acting Sheriff Ronnie. This could easily lead to Sheriff trailing Byrdes’ secrets and put an end to their money laundering business.
When Jonah and Charlotte find out that Ruth is missing, they would figure out that Marty and Wendy are involved in her disappearance. The Byrdes also have to hide Mel’s body so that the FBI doesn’t chase them, and also tackle the new problems that come with Camila being the drug cartel leader. All these loose ends can make a spin-off show plot for itself.
Fans of the show would love to see another season or a spin-off entirely based on the drug cartel origin story ending with Byrdes being caught. Or even Sheriff following the loose ends dropped by Ruth that lead to the hidden reality of Byrdes and their trade secrets with the cartel. So far, there has been no official announcement about a new season of Ozark or a spin-off series.
As the show comes to an end, the future of the Byrde family looks full of unpredictable trouble coming their way, and many viewers hope to see more episodes of the show. The show knows how to keep the audience hooked with its constant dramatic elements.
What makes Netflix's Ozark special is that it knows how to use the characters and intertwine their arcs in a thrilling way that the audience can never imagine.
