‘Ozark’ is a show that not only runs on the strength of its narrative but also rests on the shoulders of interesting and often relatable characters. As Season 4 arrives, we already know the focus will continue to be on Marty and Wendy Byrde, who are in the centre of the storm of associations they have made to try and survive the wrath of the Navarro cartel, who Marty’s partner crossed in Season 1. 

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While fans continue wondering whether the Byrdes will make it out in one piece, the relationship between Marty and Wendy, from being a cold couple as a result of Wendy’s marital indiscretion, to being as thick as thieves fighting for survival in the Ozarks, has been a memorable transformation. With Wendy choosing Marty and the business interests over her own brother at the end of Season 3, she’s cemented her position next to her husband. Meanwhile, Jason Bateman’s portrayal as Marty, a man whose goodness is now buried so deep, that it is hardly recognizable, stands out too. Actions have consequences, and the Byrdes might find the proverbial chickens coming home to roost in the new instalment. 

Ruth Langmore 

Julia Garner appears as the firebrand Langmore girl who is tasked with taking care of her criminally inclined family. Ruth has come a long way from forging an association with Marty to becoming a supporting character who’s better loved than the main characters on several occasions. 

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Now, the Byrdes have incurred Ruth’s anger, because Wendy chose to have her brother, who Ruth loved, killed. She will surely use her considerable street smarts and unscrupulousness to make things tough for the Byrdes in the Ozarks. 

Omar Navarro 

Omar is the big boss of the Navarro cartel, and the man who’s finally prominently stepped out of the shadows. Violence comes as easily to him as breathing, and the head is calculating and pragmatic. He broke his 10-year association with the trusted lawyer, Helen, shooting her in the head and choosing to continue his relationship with the Byrdes instead.  

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Omar might need something that only the Byrdes can give, which would put them in even more deeply with the cartel – an unenviable position altogether. 

Mel Sattem 

He is a private investigator who starts sniffing around Helen’s murder. While the Byrdes have had heat on them before, from local law enforcement and the FBI, the private eye might just have the tenaciousness and persistence to make something stick. 

Viewers will surely remember that both Wendy and Marty were witnesses to Helen’s murder on Omar’s compound across the border. 

Javi 

Omar is likely to want out of the cartel, which is why he needs Marty’s financial genius to make a clean getaway. With the top boss gone, Javi could be gunning for the head’s position, which would be a step up from being a lieutenant. However, he’s shown himself to be impulsive, which is always a dangerous trait to have in a business partner, especially since the Byrdes have been trying to be cautious all along. 

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Randall Schafer 

Schafer is a retired senator from Illinois, where the Byrdes were before the shift to Ozarks. The man is as unscrupulous as he’s amoral. Used to getting his own way, Schafer can be bought for the right price. This seems more like a job cut out for Wendy, who loves matching wits with the best. However, with his considerable amassed political connections, Schafer could spell trouble in this season too.