Slow Horses season 4 episode 4 ending explained: Does River get caught?

Slow Horses season 4 episode 4 was released on Apple TV+ on September 25, 2024. The latest episode of the series focuses on Frank Harkness and his mission, the return of River to London, a crucial revelation from Sam, among other things.

Titled Returns, the synopsis of episode 4 reads:

“Taverner is desperate to hide dangerous secrets. River seeks answers at his grandfather’s house.”

The latest episode of Slow Horses season 4 sees River return to London after his investigation in France. However, upon arriving, River is caught by Flyte, even though initially the former manages to evade the latter.

Further, the viewers are given a glimpse into Frank Harkness’ past and also the connection between Frank and David Cartwright through Sam. Additionally, things are getting heated between Whelan and Taverner at MI5. In all, the stage is set for two explosive concluding episodes.

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Flyte catches River at the end of Slow Horses season 4 episode 4

In episode 4, River comes back to London after his adventures in France. However, at the station, he sees Flyte in position, awaiting his arrival. As per official records, River is supposed to be dead, having been shot by his grandfather. Therefore, he knows that a lengthy legal procedure is waiting for him.

River manages to evade Flyte’s grasp and goes to the countryside to his grandfather’s house. There, he comes across photographs that resemble the murals on the walls of Les Arbres. This leaves him stunned.

Flyte and company, meanwhile, have tracked River to the house by now. As the episode draws to its end, River is caught by Flyte, despite his struggle to slip out once again. River will now have to explain his actions to a host of influential characters.

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What is Frank up to?

Slow Horses season 4 episode 4 gives Frank Harkness substantial screen time. He enters a lavish hotel to meet his present client, a member of the royal family of some unspecified Middle Eastern country. It turns out the London bombings were ordered by this client.

However, Frank’s men have been unable to accomplish the task. Moreover, the client’s efforts at maintaining secrecy have been compromised by Winters’ act of uploading a video. The client is about to kill Frank but spares him only at the last moment, as the latter promises to fix things by killing the people who could trace the bombings back to the client.

Frank is ordered to get the job done by midnight, and he instructs his French assassin (who was seen attacking Sam in episode 3) to trace and kill David and Sam.

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What did Sam do for David?

Episode 4 of Slow Horses season 4 finally reveals the connection between David and France. When he was the MI5 director, he had ordered Sam to do an illicit job for him. Sam recounts the same to Lamb in the latest episode.

In the 90s, Sam went to Les Arbres with lots of money, ammunition, and passports created by MI5—the cold identities that Giti has been digging up. Sam handed these over to a young Frank, who let one of the women go with Sam in exchange.

Back in London, the woman escaped from Sam’s car. This chain of incidents concerning Frank, the woman, and David seems to suggest that this woman was probably David’s daughter, whom he got back from Frank only after giving him access to resources that could one day jeopardize national security.

In episode 4’s ending, Sam is tracked down by the French assassin working under Frank. He is presumably beaten to death. With him gone, Frank has only David to eliminate. David, however, has been snatched away from MI5’s grasp through Standish's cunning.

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Slow Horses season 4 has only two more episodes remaining, the first of which will be released on Apple TV+ on October 2, 2024.