Dhruv Trivedi
‘Ozark’ season 4 part 2 brings Netflix’s dark and brooding crime drama to a close with some fitting conundrums. The Byrde family gets what they want, but the price they must pay gives the whole saga a fitting conclusion. As far as endings go, ‘Ozark’ leaves things quite open-ended, giving us a glimpse of what might be in store for the central family.
And since the show centers on family, it gives us a tantalizing albeit dark look at what the next generation of the Byrde family is capable of. Season 4 part 2 ends with Jonah pointing a gun at Mel Sattem, a private investigator. Does Jonah actually commit the murder and go down a path he can’t turn back from? Let’s find out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Does Jonah Kill Mel Sattem?
The final episode closes with Jonah pointing a gun at Mel Sattem right after the latter has threatened to reveal a dark family secret. Sattem has been investigating the Byrdes for a while and, after initially being hired by Helen Pierce’s husband, is now brought on by Wendy’s father, Nathan. He once again finds himself delving into the murky criminal underbelly of the Ozarks as he tries to trace the whereabouts of Wendy’s brother, Ben.
Of course, Ben’s tracks abruptly end, but Sattem does uncover a significant amount of information about the Navarro cartel’s activity. Even when Wendy and Marty get him his old job in the Chicago police department back, he can’t let go of the mystery of Ben’s disappearance. Finally, he finds Ben’s ashes in the goat-shaped cookie jar and realizes that the Byrdes are responsible for his death. At the end of the season finale, he confronts Marty with his discovery, essentially opening up a whole new can of worms for the family.
At this point, Jonah approaches with the gun, and though we don’t see it, a gunshot is heard as the season finale fades to black. This makes it quite clear that Jonah does, in fact, fire. Additionally, Jonah is a good shot and is very unlikely to miss. Thus, for all intents and purposes, Jonah does shoot and kill Mel Sattem.
Apart from the obvious disturbing aspects of a 15-year-old killing someone, the act of Jonah killing Mel Sattem gives us some deep insights into the Byrde family. For one, the finale tells us that the family’s moral fiber has all but disintegrated. Jonah commits the murder in front of his parents, who don’t seem horrified by the act.
Additionally, it also shows Jonah officially entering a life of crime at a tender age. The youngest Byrde has been honing his money laundering skills for a while, and, with the end of season 4 part 2, it looks like he is ready to go to the next level. The fact that he kills to hide a murder orchestrated by Wendy and Marty also signifies that Jonah’s loyalties have finally returned to the family. As much as he hates the fact that his uncle Ben is dead and that his mother is involved in the murder, Jonah shows that he places the family’s success higher.
Thus, Jonah does kill Mel Sattem, effectively ending the investigation into Ben’s death and removing any chance that its perpetrators will be discovered. The young Byrde has shown signs of prolific criminal skill and instinct, to say nothing of his expert gun skills. In the past, he has even surpassed some of Marty’s technical wizardry. Now, by swiftly killing a witness who threatens the family, Jonah also proves himself to be, perhaps, the most ruthlessly criminal-minded of the family.
Read More: Is Omar Navarro Dead or Alive at the End of Ozark Season 4 Part 2?
