The Ending of Ozark's Series Finale Explained

After four intense seasons, “Ozark” has finally come to its explosive conclusion. The Byrde family has been through so much in the years since everything fell apart for them, and the creators don’t fail to deliver on all of the chaos that their lives existed in for the entire run of the series.

But as the screen fades to black one last time at the close of the final episode, fans might wonder about the subtle details that wrapped up the storylines of each of the major players in the show. If you were curious about loose ends or the fate of different characters, stay tuned, because this is the ending of “Ozark’s” series finale explained.

#Ozark #SeriesFinale #TV

Sam finds a purpose | 0:00
Keeping the kids | 0:54
A new cartel boss | 1:56
The crash | 2:38
A gutting choice | 3:47
Ruth's legacy | 4:28
Jonah to the rescue | 5:07
Free Byrdes | 5:45

[halgal]

I think Ruth’s death also represents the epitome of the ‘Langmore Curse’. Right when Ruth is finally working towards a new and better life…it’s taken away.

[maceface]

I was really hoping Ruth would make it in the end. I feel really bad for Three. He literally lost his entire family and doesn't even know why

[TheMagicPaintingSpider]

The car crash has meaning. In the first car crash Wendy had a miscarriage and drove her and Marty apart but the second brings them all together. It also shows how they have become nearly invulnerable to anything.

[Tonyous]

I could imagine Wendy being proud of Jonah going all Darlene Snell on Mel, but I couldn't accept Marty smirking and acting so encouraging as his son so brutally kills the only honest man on the show. And Mel is smart enough to figure out that Wendy killed her own brother but is dumb enough to confront them alone at night after breaking into their home without telling anyone what he knows? Come on!!

[marcomola]

I would've like that Camila asks Ruth if the Byrdes knew about Javi's death, and Ruth saying "no". Then Camila kills her. Like even knowing she was gonna die, Ruth would still save Marty.

[weneedath]

Just finished the show. Ruth’s death hit different than any other characters. Love the 90’s hip hop inserted in her scenes. Really good show.

[gthotshot]

Ruth could have died maybe 100 times this series; the ending officially turned the Byrdes into the “bad guys”

[mikebowers]

Wendy did not deserve a happy ending ...but Ozark will go down as one of the greatest series of all time ! The acting was impeccable from an absolutely amazing cast.

[davidbarr]

I hated that Ruth died, but the way she was killed off was true to her character. Her line "Are we gonna do this or what?" Clearly communicated that not only was she not scared of Camilla but she was in fact annoyed by her rambling monologue and would rather die than to have to listen to another word. That's why her character was awesome.

[BoogeymanDracula]

Thought for sure Three would be the hero shooting Camila from the woods

[ricbon]

You guys can’t handle tragedies and it shows. You should’ve known Ruth was going to get killed when she got a visit from all her family members.

[TN]

Jonah has been threatening strangers with a gun since buddy was alive. He finally used what he practiced all those years. It is a completion of his transformation into basically what his parents are and it goes full circle. I can’t believe Loopers didn’t mention this.

[Boozer]

The car accident is incredibly symbolic. They think they are “untouchable” at the end, when in reality their car accident is proof that they can lose everything in an instance.

[weirdflex]

Even though they told her not to kill Javi, in the end Ruth at least knew Marty and Wendy still didn’t give her up to Camilla.

[Acta_Non_Verba]

The fact Marty offered Ruth a new life and new name/start and she denied it, is so sad.

[jlmcgruder]

I was so hoping Ruth would be a lone survivor and there would be a spin off with her...

[FrioGamingOverwatch]

The last episode embodied everything that has been going down. In Breaking Bad it was the descent of Walter into a criminal Kingpin, in Ozarks...it was the descent of family as a whole who have justified each and every one of their actions with the thought that it was "necessary" because it was all for "survival'. Wendy was the first to descend into the darkness (and consequently lose her humanity) with the hit on Ben.

Marty, Jonah and Charlotte thus far, had all done things that compromised their morality but not their humanity. The descent for Marty was to give up Ruth in the final episode in DIRECT exchange for his family's well-being and guaranteed safety. In all this time, all these decisions.... we went along with them as the viewer and at times agreeing with these dark decisions with Marty and Co. The show up to that point had also forced the viewer to put themselves in their shoes and ask "would you have done the same?" and to some if not maybe all the answer would be a resounding "Yes" because it is afterall...to save your family.


In the climax of the end, Ruth is killed but we knew that Ruth CHOSE that destiny by not listening to Marty. So the death can, again, be justified by thinking "She brought that on to herself". She made the ultimate plunge into the abyss by taking the life of Javi because she had lost the only thing that kept her grounded on this Earth and that was Wyatt (who had always been her emotional support/Moral compass). Jonah and Charlotte, who seemingly wanted to leave Marty and Wendy ended up reconciling with Wendy with her explanation behind the decision to sacrifice Ben, and it was for them, for the family and in her saying that "You can go if you choose to" ultimately led them to finally see that Wendy (by not forcing them to stay with her) really did love them if she was willing to let them go and make that choice...and yet they CHOSE to stay.

At this point, the entire family were finally on the same page. ALL the choices was for the love of the family and they understood that in the end, which brings me to the final scene....


Mel just could not leave things alone man.

And ended up grabbing the urn with Ben's ashes and show up after EVERYTHING....EVERYONE that was sacrificed to finally achieve their freedom and he was the only element threatening that. Seeing Jonah pickup the shotgun and shoot, while Marty smirked in pride and nodded in approval gave me no doubt that it was Mel who he shot at. Jonah made the final descent along with Charlotte as she watched in compliance as he put the final signature to the contract of their "freedom" with the blood of Mel but the kicker is this.... WE also... made a choice in our heads about this...some of us may have wanted Marty and fam achieve what they have fought SO HARD AND SO LONG to achieve and so we chose to believe he shot Mel. Some of us may have chosen differently, and chose to want to have Jonah shoot Wendy or Marty but that wouldn't make sense either because at any point in the series Jonah could have sabotaged the family plans and there was no time more apropos to do just that than in the Ben arc. So to me it makes perfect sense that he loses his humanity to protect has family, the same way Marty and Wendy have done all series long by shooting Mel.


Camila Navarro had pointed out that Marty and Wendy were just like her....loyal to the family and willing to do everything and anything for them. After the Gala, The Byrdes were the new Navarro Cartel of The Ozark's and they have ascended to be the new Kingpins, fully endorsed by FBI and being "bulletproof" as Wendy stated with their newfound political power. I thought it would end in all their deaths but no...in exchange for their souls to the Devil they gained power only a select few achieve but...all this... at what cost?

[kylebanks]

Ruth’s death was inevitable, but I wish it was done better on-screen than her just walking up to a suspicious SUV parked on her property, Camilla walking from behind the trees and eventually shooting her. I wish it would’ve been written to where Ruth has the gun in the glovebox still, takes it out when she sees the SUV. Her and Camilla both shoot at each other, Ruth gets shot in the stomach while she shoots at Camilla, maybe clipping her with a bullet; Ruth stumbles all the way to her couch that was there the entire series, sits down and then dies. It would’ve been a better ending for Ruth than what was shown in the series finale.

[hehussle]

Just like we saw Wyatt digging a grave before he died, we see Ruth digging a grave for Nelson before she is killed

[lionessm]

I think Ruth dying is so upsetting because we’ve all known people who we felt had so much potential. It’s like they can’t get free from their past or the messaging they got from their family of origin. It’s really hard to watch someone drown in a tide pool of generational screw ups. 😞