Summary
Ozark Season 3, Episode 4, “Boss Fight” is a tense, knife-edge chapter as Marty has to prove himself to the boss with his life in real danger.
This recap of Netflix Series Ozark season 3, episode 4, “Boss Fight” contains significant spoilers.
- Read the Season 3 review.
- Read the recap of Episode 5.
- Read the recap of the previous episode (3).
- Access the archive of all the episode recaps.
Well, we’ve seen Marty in a sticky situation before — let’s not forget that he was nearly killed in the first-ever episode, but this time, his chances for survival are even thinner.
Ozark Season 3, Episode 4, “Boss Fight” opens up with Marty blindfolded in a car. News spreads that Marty has been sent to Mexico. Helen tells Wendy that she did not do this, but she was afraid that this was going to happen. Also, Ben is freaking out at how dangerous this all is, especially when Wendy tells him the truth — that’s she’s working for the cartel. Helen’s only words of reassurance are that they wait.
Marty is dragged up some spiral staircases and he meets Navarro face to face. Marty explains how he’s laundering under pressure due to the FBI investigation. Navarro asks Marty what he wants and he cannot answer so he is dragged away and taken into an underground cell.
Charlotte and Jonah return from the lake. Charlotte asks where her father is and Wendy lies. Charlotte and Jonah know that Wendy is lying. The next morning she tells her children that Marty has gone to Mexico to talk to the boss.
Ruth steps up and introduces herself to agent Maya Milla in “Boss Fight” and says she will be covering while Marty is gone. Ruth gathers a group of people together, including Bem, to show certain behaviors in the casino and purposefully have losing patterns. This is to help with the FBI audit.
The next day, Helen tells Wendy that Marty is still alive and that’s all she knows and that the boss says it is business as usual. It is clear that the boss is trying to determine who is redundant.
Marty is once again put in cuffs and Navarro comes down to the cell. He asks Marty if he loves Wendy and trusts her and when Marty says yes to both, Navarro asks why he was spying on her. Marty claims it was because he was trying to protect her. Navarro tells Marty that he fears her because he does not understand her. Marty claims he wants to see his wife and children again and Navarro hits him, calling him a liar before leaving his cell.
Back to Ruth who has provided Maya with last night’s takes and an update on the last hour. Maya is curious about the count so she walks the floor. She speaks to Ben and asks how he has the money to gamble so much. Ben says his sister is rich.
At the halfway point of Ozark Season 3, Episode 4, “Boss Fight” Marty finally breaks and shouts up at Navarro that he fears his wife and he is against the illegitimate casino expansion. Marty loses it further and tells Navarro that he hopes he loses the cartel war and that they chop his head off. Marty shines the light down on him and puts on really loud music on repeat. Marty slowly loses his mind.
Mara Milla asks Wendy if she knows who Jorge Mendoza is as he was in the crowd the night Marty disappeared. Wendy puts on a brave face, claiming Marty is in Kansas City. Maya changes her tone, saying Marty is likely to be in grave danger — “I’m not sure you’ll see your husband ever again,” and that because he has been kidnapped and sent to Mexico from American soil, they can do something about it — Maya gives Wendy her business card before leaving.
And then it gets worse for Wendy as Ruth panics as one of their bank accounts has been frozen — Helen and Wendy do not know how to fix it. Helen makes everyone aware that Navarro will find out in the morning when the banks open.
Ben checks on Ruth and ask if she’s okay due to the stress and danger that surrounds them and has a beer with her. Ruth warns Ben, telling him to get out of town. Ben apologizes for his family putting her in a world of s*** and he’s not going anyway until she’s safe — Ruth kisses him on the lips before walking off.
Marty has a lifeline; he is taken upstairs and Navarro asks where his money is. Marty sees that back at home, they’ve laundered without him. Marty explains that there is a red flag on one of the accounts — he goes through a method of forensic accounting to fix the red flag so the money comes through. Once done, they drag Marty back into his cell. Marty is dismayed by this due to the fact he has proven he is not redundant.
As we approach the end, Wendy is buckling with the emotional stress; she says good night to Charlotte and then looks at Maya Milla’s business card and breaks down into tears. Ben walks in and comforts her as she sobs uncontrollably.
It appears that despite Wendy forming into a new Helen, she still cares about Marty and the family — she fears death.
Marty tells Navarro that he knows what he wants now — Marty wants to launder when it is safe to do so and he will compromise an FBI agent in a matter of months so they are on their side. Strangely, he also asks Navarro to thank him, which does not come.
Ozark Season 3, Episode 4, “Boss Fight” ends with Marty returning home — he walks towards his house dishevelled and exhausted.
This is the first 5-star chapter in the series — compelling, tense and well-written.
But on a serious note, how many lives does this character have?
Sherrif’s Diary
- Flashback of younger Marty singing 99-beers and mother giving him money to go get a snack. He sees someone play an arcade game and plays it himself. He gets passionate about the arcade game but his mother says they don’t have enough money for arcade games.
- Helen asks Wendy if Ruth can be trusted — Wendy says Ruth is devoted to Marty.
- Another flashback shows Marty seeing his father is dead on the hospital bed.
- Helen tells Charlotte that Erin can never know about the cartel and there will be consequences if her daughter finds out.
