Tamal Kundu
The Fourth and final season of ‘Servant,’ the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series, begins with an episode (titled ‘Pigeon’) that is both busy and restrained with its narrative. Over three months have passed since Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose) fell several floors below after the termite-eaten banister gave away behind her while she was arguing with her husband Sean Turner (Toby Kebbell), brother Julian Pearce (Rupert Grint), and nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free). As Leanne waits at the Turners’ home for Sean and Julian to return with Dorothy, she is attacked by the members of the Church of the Lesser Saints. Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘Servant’ season 4 episode 1. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Servant Season 4 Episode 1 Recap
The episode begins with hints showing that certain things have changed in the lives of the four main characters. ‘Gourmet Gauntlet’ merchandise is littered around the house; a supposedly new episode of the show plays on the TV as Leanne goes about doing her chores before Dorothy’s return. Sean has installed a stair lift in the house, which foreshadows Dorothy’s present health. As Leanne prepares to bake Dorothy’s favorite cake, she speaks to Julian on a video call, and we are informed that Dorothy has been in a treatment facility for the past three months. She survived her fall but suffered a spinal injury. While she needs to use a wheelchair for now, she can regain most of her mobility with the correct exercise and treatment.
Leanne looks out of the window, and the group of homeless people is still there. However, when she leaves the house to pick up the flowers, she notices something is amiss. Once she returns inside with the flower, a man ambushes her. Leanne fends him off before rushing back outside, where more cult members are waiting for her. A vicious struggle ensues between Leanne and the cult members, during which one of the disciples throws oil at Leanne’s eyes, making her temporarily blind. In response, she mercilessly defends herself, stabbing people and breaking their legs. Just as she is about to be captured, a large flock of pigeons descends on the cult members, prompting them to flee.
Servant Season 4 Episode 1 Ending: Why Does the Church Attack Leanne?
In the world of ‘Servant,’ the Church of the Lesser Saints continues to be a mysterious organization, even though the show has officially entered its final season. But over the years, at least parts of its end goal have been revealed. The organization considers itself a force for good, despite its actions implying the contrary. In the past, the series has heavily insinuated that all the cult members are resurrected people like Jericho. Given that Leanne seems to have supernatural powers, she must hold an important position in their hierarchy. When she left the cult and came to live with the Turners, she effectively disrupted that hierarchy, and the cult seems to have been trying to get back to it since then. They briefly succeeded in season 2, but then the Turners abducted Leanne.
The cult believes its members have been given a second chance to help others. According to Leanne’s uncle, George, the Church helps the people they are told to, and Leanne defied the will of God when she brought Jericho back to life. The cult’s mission remains to get Leanne back into its fold, though now it has become a more fragmented organization than it previously was, with the homeless group loyal to Leanne. With Leanne’s powers rapidly growing, the cult will soon no longer be a threat to her, and they want to get her back before that happens.
Why Does Dorothy Refuse to Speak to Leanne?
The last part of the episode is dedicated to Dorothy’s return. Although Leanne tries to welcome her home with a smile on her face and flowers in her hand, she is clearly nervous, as indicated by her shaking leg. However, Dorothy virtually ignores her, demanding to be taken to the room. This is probably the first time the two women are seeing each other since Dorothy’s fall, and she must have a cauldron full of resentment bubbling inside her. While Dorothy was away, life moved forward for the other three occupants of the house. Her husband even has gone back to judge Gourmet Gauntlet, the cooking show he left after Jericho’s death. Dorothy likely feels that Leanne has replaced her in the lives of her husband, son, and brother.
The complex relationship between Dorothy and Leanne embodies the title of the series. Dorothy likes to think that she has control over Leanne but has shown time and again that this is not the case. In the season 3 finale, Dorothy tried to escape with her son but was caught. When Leanne expressed her desire to come with her, Dorothy refused and demanded to be let go. As things stand now, Dorothy has little control over her life, and she blames Leanne for it.
Why Does a Crack appear in the basement and reach the street?
Leanne has always shared a special connection with the house, which seems to be a character in the show itself. The show seems to imply that whenever Leanne is in emotional turmoil, cracks start to appear in the basement of the house. While correlation doesn’t mean causation, repetition does point toward the latter. After being ignored by Dorothy, Leanne’s anger and frustration seem to manifest in a massive crack in the basement of the house that reaches the street. Just as we see another manifestation of Leanne’s powers when the flock of pigeons arrives earlier in the episode and protects her from cult members.
This theory presupposes that what is happening in and around the Turner home is supernatural. But there is always a possibility that we will be provided with a more realistic theory when the series ends. But until that happens, the presumption that these things are supernatural in nature is better than any other answer.
