Ozark Season 4 Explains Why Ben Died Off-screen (He's Not Still Alive)
Warning: the following contains SPOILERS for Ozark.
Ozark's Ben Davis (Tom Pelphrey) was introduced in Ozark season 3, and the character's off-screen death has led many to speculate about whether Ben is still alive. Indeed, as the extremely unpredictable but charismatic and lovable brother of Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney), Ben has quickly become one of Ozark's most beloved characters. While Ben no longer appears in Ozark season 4, part 1, the events in the new season offer some insights regarding why the death of such an impactful character wasn't shown onscreen.
Ben's first appearance on the show is in Ozark season 3, episode 2 “Civil Union.” Ben serves as a good uncle to Jonah (Skylar Gaertner), and the two even use the drone gifted to Jonah by Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) to inadvertently gather evidence that ends up bringing down the Lagunas cartel and saving the Byrdes. Ben also becomes the first person on the show to successfully court Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner). When Ben's bipolar medication sabotages Ben's developing romance with Ruth, Ben stops taking them, which begins the character's downward spiral into becoming a liability to the cartel. Unable to process the fact that his family is working for a hyper-violent Mexican narco organization, combined with his choice to seize his medication, Ben confronts Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer) and reveals to her daughter Erin (Madison) that her mother is a drug cartel lawyer. Wendy green-lights Ben's execution, which was completed by Navarro cartel enforcer Nelson (Nelson Bonilla). Even after Ben's death, the character's presence remains strong in the Ozarks.
Related: Ozark Season 4 Cast & Character Guide
Ozark season 4 explores the impact of Ben's death on the lives of the
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