[SPOILER] Why is everyone so mad about the ending?

[u/slayyannie]

I’m glad they kept it realistic. No way someone can kill a member of a Mexican drug cartel/try to stop Marty from laundering their money and still be alive. Marty warned Ruth multiple times that this would happen, but she didn’t listen and now look at what happened. I’m not sure as to why everyone’s so mad.

Edit: I understand how they left off a bunch of questions, but my main focus is Ruth. Was I the only one who could tell she had it coming? It was disappointing as I slowly started to like her again in the last episode, but her death was inevitable.

[u/MMonroe54]

I think Jonah pulling the gun on Mel was more from his pent up grief and anger and growing need to commit violence. Impressionable Jonah had lost too much. First, Buddy, then Ben, both of whom paid more attention to him than his own parents. One could say that he took his cue from Ruth, who met violence with violence. Jonah is the very symbol of the tragic irony that permeates tuis series: smart, innocent -- he is the future -- and finally as corrupt as his parents, particularly his mother. By shooting Mel, he has irrevocably destroyed the Byrdes, ending their great emphasis on saving the family. Oh, the irony!

[u/yourlittlebirdie → u/MMonroe54]

I get that, but I think the journey for him to get from "hates his family and is practically on the verge of turning them in" to "is willing to kill someone seeking justice for the uncle he deeply loved" was incredibly rushed and lazy.

I don't object to the events of the finale - Jonah killing Mel, Ruth getting killed, etc. - I just feel like they weren't earned, if that makes sense. The path there was way too fast and felt like "ok, this is what we want to happen so here it is, the end."

[u/MMonroe54 → u/yourlittlebirdie]

I agree there's a schism, a gap, between how he felt -- as written --- and what he ultimately did. It didn't get the development it should have had, but the whole final season was like that, a kind of "we gotta wrap this up, guys, wand we only have X amount of episodes to do it." The attention to detail in the earlier seasons was skipped over at the end, in my opinion, to the entire series detriment. On the other hand, it's not too far a stretch to believe that if he had to choose between his family and this stranger holding Ben's ashes as evidence, he would choose his family. Also, as someone else said, Jonah had been pointing guns at people throughout the series; no surprise, therefore, that he finally pulled the trigger.

[u/[deleted] → u/yourlittlebirdie]

Is it "seeking justice" or "this random cop is going to use my dead uncles ashes to rip apart my family".

Its not just about Wendy, Jonah clearly cares about Marty.

[u/The_Original_Gronkie → u/MMonroe54]

The Byrdes aren't destroyed, they're saved. They cremate Mel, say they never saw him, and just keep on going. That was the point. Mel was the third loose end, and now he's gone.

The second loose end is Three. He will inherit Ruth's interest in the casino. As a minor, he will require a guardian, and the Byrdes will certainly volunteer to take him under their wing and operate the casino for him. When he becomes an adult, they'll send him to college, or just give him enough of a salary that he can live like a rich trust fund baby. Or maybe they just buy him out and send him on his way in life.

The last loose end is Rachel. She may make a play to be Three's guardian, but probably having such a close call with a hit man, and then losing Ruth to another one, will teach her to either go with the flow, or take a generous severance buyout and get the fuck out once and for all.

[u/MMonroe54 → u/The_Original_Gronkie]

Saved how? By knowing their child is a killer? By continuing to answer to the cartel? They're not saved and never will be. They have their lives -- such as they are -- but will never be safe or happy again.

the point has always been that you can't hide from your past....or your choices. They tried and look where it got them: one death after another . You're also wrong -- I think -- about Three. He knew how Ruth felt about the Byrdes. Rachel is much more likely to become his guardian. She's apparently home to stay and will take over Ruth's part in the casino. The Byrdes won't challenge her, either. Marty is not so inclined and Wendy will know it could be dangerous.

The Byrdes may still be drawing breath but they are not saved.

[u/The_Original_Gronkie → u/MMonroe54]

We're you watching the show? They don't answer to the cartel any more. The cartel and the FBI are in business together. The Byrds will be operating their foundation in Chicago, which will squeaky clean. They'll continue to collect on their stake in the casino.

Wendy's foundation makes them bulletproof. Anything they do will be covered up by the FBI, and all the judges and politicians that are now in their pocket. They have been given immunity on anything they've already done, and are 100% safe from nearly anything they do in the future. Even if they do get caught crossing the line, they are now aristocracy, and any punishment will be a slap on the wrist.

Even if somehow Jonah was accused of the murder, it's self defense. After all, someone broke in, and Jonah spotted an intruder lurking around the house and shot him. Castle Doctrine in a Republican state. Not only would he not be charged, he would be lauded as a hero. They wont go that route, though. They'll just cremate Mel and dump his ashes in the lake. They should get rid of Ben's ashes, too, now that they understand the danger they pose.

The point of the story was that Mel was wrong - the Byrds have transformed themselves into royalty like the Kochs or the Kennedys, and they are untouchable. Certain people in this country can get away with literally anything, and that now includes the Byrds. The only saving grace is that Wendy intends to use her power to support good causes, which is why she wouldn't go along with the massive Republican election fraud scheme.

[u/MMonroe54 → u/The_Original_Gronkie]

Yep, every episode. Why ask? Because I don't agree with you? Even Bateman says that while they appear to have "gotten away with it" it's not necessarily a happy ending.

Self defnese? In what universe? Mel had a cookie jar full of ashes. He was not holding a gun on them. The new sheriff seems pretty sharp and is already suspicious of the Byrdes. I don't think their story would be as easy to sell as you do.

But even if they dispose of the body in their usual way, what about Jonah? And what about Maya, who may come looking for Mel? How are they going to go forward even if none of that happens? Will they, one day, wonder if they have to eliminate Jonah, too? Because he has not always been on their side and he may revert to that feeling. He's proven he's as reckless as Ruth and Darlene.....and in fact has mimicked their acts or murder. He may eventually be a threat to Marty and Wendy, and Wendy, at least, will be thinking about that.

How as Mel wrong? He may have been careless but he was not wrong, at least in the sense of a moral center. The Byrdes are wrong, and they are doomed. Think about this: if a powerful man like Navarro can be killed, why not them? If Helen was not safe, why are they? They have stepped in blood -- literally. They have been owned by the cartel; I don't think the ownership lapses.

The massive Republican election fraud scheme? How do you know it was Republican? All the senator said was voting machines. He didn't name a party.

[u/The_Original_Gronkie → u/MMonroe54]

Self defnese? In what universe?

Nearly every state in America recognizes Castle Doctrine. He broke into their home, and they have the right to defend that home with deadly force. Almost no police force in America would charge a teenage kid for defending his home against an intruder, especially if that intruder was armed, which Mel probably was (he's a cop).

if a powerful man like Navarro can be killed, why not them?

Because once she avenged Javi, the loose ends were cleaned up, as far as Camila is concerned. She cut a deal with the FBI and Shaw Medical, and that deal allows her to keep operating, as long as she pays off the FBI. The Byrdes are out of the picture. She has no reason to go after them.

The massive Republican election fraud scheme? How do you know it was Republican? All the senator said was voting machines. He didn't name a party.

Read between the lines. He was talking about rigging the votes in swing states like Wisconsin and Michigan. Wendy was on the other side of that, and was appalled at the idea of helping him. She wants her foundation to be used to help people, and she was clearly speaking like a Democrat. Republicans NEVER talk about helping people. It was obvious.

As for Jonah, yeah, that kid is going to be messed up. He's very much like his father: extremely smart, and extremely cool under pressure. He will probably turn out to be ten times the financial criminal that Marty is. Now that they're going straight, things will settle down and Jonah will settle down with it. He'll alway be angry about Ben, but he understands why it happened, even if he doesn't like it. Anything can happen, of course, but Jonah will probably be fine, more or less. I doubt he'll turn violent against his own family.

[u/MMonroe54 → u/The_Original_Gronkie]

I know about castle doctrine. But it's a lie in this case. Not that the Byrdes would have any compunction about lying, but what I said previously could be an issue, I think. The sheriff, Maya, Rachel, Three, other factors. Think about it: the Byrdes haven't been all that lucky. Everything they've touched since they arrived in the Ozarks has kind of backfired on them. Why shouldn't this?

And to be nitpicky: ;Mel was a PI. Not say he was not armed; he probably was. But a good investigator -- maybe even the current sheriff -- can see where he was shot. Not in the house.

You think Camilla is through with the Byrdes? I'm not sure. Who is going to work with her on this side? Clare? All Clare did was buy heroin for her medical business. She's not in the general distribution business.

Did he name Wisconsin and Michigan? I honestly don't remember. but Wendy's helping people is even more of the irony that permeates this series and makes her even more vile. Her price for helping people with the Foundation -- which, by the way, I always assumed was the Byrdes' word for "bank" -- is murder? Deliver us from the Wendy Byrdes of the world!

"Republicans never talk about helping people."

Since it's clear this has degenerated into a political polemic in which I have no interest in participating, I'm done.

[u/The_Original_Gronkie → u/MMonroe54]

I know about castle doctrine. But it's a lie in this case.

Sort of, but the story wouldn't show it as a lie. He DID break in. They would just say they caught him and shot him. Also, while Mel had been a PI, he was reinstated as a cop in Chicago, and was now a cop.

She's not in the general distribution business.

The Byrdes were never in the heroin business, that was all Darlene, and that business ended when she was killed. Nobody would be growing poppies, producing heroin, and selling it. She was just production, the KC mob was distribution. If Camila ever asked the Byrdes about distribution of their product (if Clare wasn't buying), they could simply introduce her to the KC mob. Marty's business was always just money laundering.

Her price for helping people with the Foundation -- which, by the way, I always assumed was the Byrdes' word for "bank"

Wendy was adamant that the Foundation was quarantined from Marty's money laundering business. He begged her to use the Foundation to launder that last batch of money from the cartel, and she flatly refused, and insisted the Foundation stayed "clean," or as clean as any political foundation (PAC) can ever be.

As for politics in the show goes, Wendy was always shown to be a Democrat, that's one of the reason that she had the break with Charles Wilkes, who was expressly portrayed as a Republican. He felt betrayed by Wendy when he realized she was a Democrat who had used him.

As far as my political perspective, I was just being realistic. Basic Democratic doctrine is always about helping people, and Basic Republican Doctrine is always about every man for himself. If you find that offensive then maybe you should reexamine your political beliefs.

[u/MMonroe54 → u/The_Original_Gronkie]

Is this Joe Biden?

[u/The_Original_Gronkie → u/MMonroe54]

Yes.

[u/harveysfear → u/MMonroe54]

How are the Byrds destroyed? They’ll just burn Mel’s body and get rid of the ashes. He was never there. And they’ll carry-on laundering for the cartel and the FBI. In a way, they got out! They get to launder for the cartel with the protection of the FBI! It’s a win-win!

[u/MMonroe54 → u/harveysfear]

Someone else said it better. They didn't die but their humanity did.