Season 4 of Ozark seemed like it was setting us up for some major conflict between Ruth and Wendy. We didn’t get that ultimate showdown. We may not have gotten that ultimate conflict in Part 1, but we’re still hopeful that Part 2 will give us the scenes we want to see.
Since the beginning of the show, we’ve seen Wendy (played by Laura Linney) slowly transform into a dark, powerful character. Her development since the start has been impressive and enthralling. In Season 4 of Ozark, we follow along as Wendy attempts to gain political power in the Midwest. Clearly, she has no issues with doing whatever it takes to get her to where she wants to be.
Of course, her mindset and actions can easily cause conflict with others. Already, we know that Ruth is the complete opposite of Wendy. Some of Ozark‘s leading ladies are out for the same things, but are fueled by entirely different motives. Whereas Wendy goes about her business in a more detached way, Ruth is full of emotion, and her actions show that. Ruth is more than upset when she realizes that Wendy had a part to play in the murder of Ben. Ultimately, she ends up quitting her job with Wendy. There, we see a little bit of conflict, but we still feel like we’re being set up for more.
‘Ozark’ Quickly Glosses Over Wendy and Ruth’s Problems
Unfortunately, nothing really happens between the two Ozark characters as Season 4 goes on. The most that we see is a huge fight between Wendy and Ruth over who gets to keep Ben’s ashes. That’s the whole reason they became enemies in the first place – Ben’s murder. There’s a lot that could be added to the storyline in that way. Unfortunately, Wendy and Ruth’s tension around Ben’s murder is left in the dust.
We also see a little bit of conflict – and a potential revenge scheme – when Wendy realizes that Ruth has started working with her enemy, Darlene Snell. Linney’s character is excited at the prospect of being able to take down two of her biggest opponents at the same time.
Wendy and Ruth are two of the strongest characters on Ozark, and the prospect of a blowout between the two is exciting. However, there are only 14 episodes in the fourth season. Due to that, some things just have to be condensed. Their conflict was pushed to the side for bigger storylines that added more to the overall show. Plus, Ruth has other deaths on her plate now – she wants to get revenge for the murders of Darlene and Wyatt. They were some of the people closest to her, so it’s easy to see how her conflict with Wendy could fall to the side. This need for revenge might also change the dynamic of their relationship. Fans are wondering if Wendy will throw Ruth to the wolves, or if she will help protect her enemy.
