Ozark season 3, episode 5 recap – what happened in “It Came From Michoacán”?

This recap of Netflix Series Ozark season 3, episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán” contains significant spoilers.

• Read the Season 3 review.
• Read the recap of Episode 6.
• Read the recap of the previous episode (4).
• Access the archive of all the episode recaps.

So Marty has returned and Ozark Season 3, Episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán”, explores what kind of man he is now.

Episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán” opens up with Maya telling her boss that Marty can be an incredible asset and that she’s built a rapport with Marty. It’s evident that this character is the absolute opposite of Agent Petty.

As for Marty, well, Episode 5 opens up with him and Wendy in bed looking at each other peacefully. The next day Marty is making breakfast for everyone — he describes to his kids what happened to him. Everyone is confused at how calm he is, and so is the audience.

And it’s time for an urgent meeting where Ruth storms in and hugs Marty and apologizes. Marty tells an emotional Ruth to open up credit lines in the casino to ensure the smurfs can get some money back so it looks like a legit operation.

Marty seems motivated in Episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán”.

Navarro rings Wendy to check up on her; he tells Wendy to purchase a horse farm — the best one in Kentucky. Wendy asks why he sent Marty back. Navarro says he and Marty are similar so he passed the test; he wants to win, just like him. I was not expecting Navarro to say that and neither was Wendy.

Maya finally sees Marty in the casino office; Marty sticks to the story that he was in Kansas City. Maya says the offer still stands but Marty tells her to never go near his family again before walking out.

Wendy and Marty head to the horse farm; Marty seems to go into straight businessman mode — he looks reinvigorated. He manages to secure investment into the horse farm. Marty tells the owner, Ms. Brennan, that they will stay the night. At night, he persuades Wendy to check the stables in their dressing gowns. Wendy asks Marty if he is really okay — a question I was waiting for as well. Marty says his Mexico experience was the best thing that’s ever happened to him because he has always feared Navarro, and it was not as scary as he thought it would be. Marty tells Wendy he plans to turn FBI agent Maya Milla so she works for him. Wendy is concerned but Marty tells her this is what she wanted.

What’s confusing but entertaining about Wendy and Marty is that they only seem to fear each other when one takes the initiative and stretches the plans.

Darlene and Wendy have their custody case over Zeke in Ozark Season 3, Episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán”. Darlene explains that she is doing everything right and is a good mother. Wendy tells the judge that she has to do what is right, not what is easy. The judge is concerned that Darlene struck Wendy. Wyatt comes in as a prime eyewitness and defends Darlene, calling her a good mother. Afterwards, Marty tells Wendy she has lost and that they have to move on. Wendy is confused by Marty’s casual response as Zeke is with a sociopath.

Episode 5 confirms Marty is on a different path now.

When Darlene and Wyatt return home in “It Came From Michoacán”, Darlene asks Wyatt if he meant what he said, that she’s a good mother — he says yes. They end up kissing and then have sex. Wendy tells a satisfied Wyatt that maternity leave is over and its time to replant the fields. Darlene has her new man.

Wendy has some information from Rettelsford on Maya Milla and tells Helen and Marty; Maya likes to take down people like her father, fraudsters, as her life’s work. Helen believes they cannot turn Maya as she’s a crusader. Marty disagrees, stating he can use this information in their favor.

Marty walks through the casino with Maya and apologizes for being rude the other day. Maya gives him the low down on the role he’d get if he took the deal. Marty said he will consider it.

Marty is clearly teasing her in this scene.

A few scenes later, Marty gives Maya evidence on a money launderer but Maya gets angry, saying Marty needs to “take the deal in order to take the deal” and walks out.

In a shocking end, Helen heads over to the horse farm. Ms. Brennan sees a horse on the floor in one of the stables with its balls cut off and then a gun is pointed in her face. Ms. Brennan is furious and heads outside; Wendy tells her the horse was sick. Ms. Brenna calls Wendy a monster and that no-one will bring their horses here now. Helen says she best not to tell anyone and Ms. Brennan realizes who she has done business with and walks off distraught. Helen tells Wendy that the horse killed was Navarro’s rival and she had no knowledge of this — Wendy is furious and demands that she calls Navarro.

Marty continues manipulating Maya; he heads to her place and offers his thanks; he explains that he knows Maya flagged the Panama account and that it was a risky move but it saved him. Maya asks Marty to admit he was in Mexico. Marty comes clean.

I was not expecting this twist that Maya was the one who froze the account.

Ozark Season 3, Episode 5, “It Came From Michoacán” closes with Wendy ringing Navarro and saying he has undermined the expansion by playing this cruel move and that Ms. Brennan is distraught. Navarro explodes into a rage because Wendy has called him directly, telling her that if he is at war, she is at war; he goes further and says they are not partners and that he owns her.

As they load the horse’s balls into the vehicle, Wendy looks over to Helen as it suddenly dawns on her what she’s got herself in for.

Sherrif’s Diary

• Ben brings Ruth breakfast. Ruth tells him she only kissed him because she thought she was going to die. She says “spare me your f***ing pity”. Ben smiles and tells her to eat her burrito. She smiles back and takes it.
• Marty tells the therapist Sue that she must try harder to get Wendy on his side. He includes bonuses.
• Ruth tells Frank Jr to stop doing the loansharking business as the casino offers credit now.
• Erin invites Tommy and his friends over and Charlotte does not like saying Erin can do better. Tommy and friends looked irked when they hear Erin is Helen Pierce’s daughter. Jonah doesn’t like Tommy using their parent’s bathroom and it gets tense. Charlotte tells Wendy about it.
• Marty gets an arcade machine delivered overnight. The same arcade machine he played as a child.
• Charlotte tells Tommy that he cannot date Erin.
• Wendy tells the therapist Sue that she will give her a supplemental fee to help put Marty on the right track.
• When dropping things off, Ruth is kidnapped by Frank Cosgrave’s men as a prank. Ben picks her up. Ben wants to get revenge for her but she advises against it. Ben puts loads of bird seeds on Frank Jr’s car and grabs Ruth to watch it unfold during lunchtime — their first date.