Justified - 4.13 Ghosts Season Finale - Recap/Review

Previously on Justified: Boyd proposed to Ava and they started looking for a house. Ellen May defected, Ava nearly killed her. Boyd understood Ava’s decision not to kill Ellen May. Boyd told off both the elders of Harlan County and the men from Detroit. Raylan has gotten Drew Thompson and the first bit of good will from, not only Art, but the higher up marshals as well.

Art (Nick Searcy) starts this emotional finale in the marshal’s office talking to Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) and seeming pleased about having Drew Thompson and Ellen May sewn up. Raylan has the paperwork on the Thompson case done and Art asks if there’s something else he has to do before he’s suspended. Raylan is well and truly ready for his vacation and is about to go see how many rocking chairs one woman could possibly need. “Consider yourself suspended.” “Much obliged.”

Raylan checks to make sure that Tim (Jacob Pitts) is set after shooting Colton last episode and Rachel (Erica Tazel) gives him the advice of not painting the nursery pink.

Boyd (Walton Goggins), Jimmy (Jesse Luken), and Ava (Joelle Carter) make plans to go to the empty mines shaft in search of Delroy’s body. “I’d put it this way, my daddy’s daddy was the last person on the pay role to walk out of that mine.” Ava asks Boyd is he’s certain that he wants to move the body. He tells her that it’s the sort of thing you do when you have nothing else to do. The henchman gets a name which almost definitely means that Jimmy is the redshirt of this episode. As Carter has already teased, someone dies this episode, and pretty soon too.

A sheriff’s man is down in the mine and he sees a body in advanced decomp. He lists the things he’ll need to get the body out. Pulling up, Ava already knows this is not a good sign. Boyd tells her to stay in the truck as he goes to talk to the person in charge. Acting Sheriff Mooney (William Gregory Lee) tells him that a body has been found and Boyd quips that he picked the wrong day for a picnic. He gets the in the truck and does not answer Ava when she asks what they do. Instead he puts the truck in gear and they leave.

Raylan walks up to Winona’s with a parcel under his arm. He rings the door bell and knocks before entering. He starts to tell her that she left the front door open and sees a man with a gun on the stairs, Dominic (Troy Ruptash) from a few episodes back. It’s not long before one appears behind him as well. “Raylan, let’s talk about how to keep this from being the worst day of your life.”

In the nursery, the men talk about the things Raylan has brought her. Winona (Natalie Zea) is sitting in the rocking chair as three men surround her. Before Raylan arrived, she had told them that if they left before he got there, they just might live to see the end of the day. Dominic is having trouble believing the infamous Raylan Givens only has one gun on him and it’s not in a holster. Raylan tells him that he’s suspended for doing his job. They want him to get Shelby Parlow from the safe house is that they can “do what needs doin’.”

The plan is two of the men are going to go with Raylan while one waits with Winona and maybe kills her. Raylan tells them that if he were the man in charge he’d drop his gun and put his hands on his head. If he were one of the other men, he’d just work on reading the little book that came with the device he brought for Winona. The other guy takes offense and punches Raylan in the stomach. This provides the marshal with the opportunity to grab the man’s gun from his waistband shooting him clean thru and one of the other men in the head. The leader grabs Winona around the middle as she starts screaming after she picks up the gun and puts his to her stomach. He tells Raylan that he is not the man in charge and that he won’t be the only man they have to face. Winona shoots him in the thigh which allows Raylan to finish him off.

Ava doesn’t want to have to start over but is afraid it’s the only thing left to do. Boyd tells her that she’s not going anywhere without him. He kisses her head and says that he doesn’t know anywhere in the world they can go where the authorities couldn’t find them. And then it occurs to him that he has one more card to play.

Art tells Raylan that they have no identification on the men who attacked him. Raylan says that those men are no longer his problem, the man who sent them, Nicky Augustine (Mike O'Malley) is. ADA Vasquez ((Rick Gomez) says that he’s just there to make sure the case against Theo Tonin is still valid. Tonin has flown out of the country and his second in command, Sammy (Max Perlich, you remember him from last season), is not too fond of Nicky Augustine. The problem with that is that Raylan doesn’t think Sammy has the stones to be able to take on a man like Augustine. He kicks Vasquez out of the conversation and Raylan tells Art that he cannot tell him not to work the case. “When Nicky makes good on his threat to kill Winona and the baby, that’s on you.” Art tells Raylan that if he goes after Nicky, he shouldn’t bother coming back to the marshal’s service.

In the ambulance Raylan asks Winona if she’s okay. She physically fine but is worried about being on "the list." Raylan assures her that she’s going to be fine and she says that she doesn’t need him to lie to her. Winona jokes that if she goes into wit sec, she won’t have to change the baby’s name as the baby doesn’t have one yet before quipping maybe one of her protection detail can be her birthing coach.

Boyd is pacing the bar. Isn’t that Johnny’s bar? Either way, the Acting Sheriff Moony and Paxton (Sam Anderson) walk in and Boyd has Jimmy lock the front door. Boyd points out that Paxton provides storage to the coroner’s department. Boyd asks if state police have put a name to the body yet. So far, it’s assumed to be Delroy but they won’t know if it really is or not until tomorrow when the coroner comes in. Boyd says that Paxton has to make the body not be Delroy. The simple answer is to steal the body which he is not willing to do. Boyd tells him he is not asking. If he wants the debt owed Boyd paid in full, he will help find a second body.

Cue to that night when Boyd and Jimmy are digging up a grave. Jimmy isn’t thrilled at the prospect but Boyd’s main concern is that they won’t get done in time. The body wasn’t even buried six feet down. Jimmy’s foot breaks thru the surface of the cardboard box. “Don’t you know what we’re doin’ here is illegal?” Boyd says that they should contemplate the man whose body they are about to take a few moments as he will be more useful in death than he ever was in life but that “We all end up where he is sooner or later.” Yep, everyone on the planet eventually ends up in Harlan. Boyd tells Jimmy to get the plastic wrap from the car and hand him the flashlight.

Back at the bar, Boyd yells for Ava as he takes off his jumpsuit. She asks if the body is in the back of the truck and he tells her to look at the table. Ava is not amused (but I sure was by her reaction). Boyd says that he couldn’t leave the body in the truck and to ignore it until Jimmy gets back with the funeral truck. Paxton is supposed to have left the key. When the medical examiner comes in the next morning, Ellen May’s story is going to fall apart. In the meantime, he could use a little whiskey to get rid of the graveyard taste.

Raylan calls for Boyd from the main part of the bar. He goes out and Raylan asks if Boyd told Augustine where Winona was or if he figured it out on his own. “Ava, why don’t you go behind the bar and pretend like you’re cleaning up.” The two well dressed men banter back and forth before Raylan tells Boyd that he is taking him with him. It’s Boyd’s choice as to whether they go to jail or to Augustine. Raylan says that he should take Ava as well. “That Ellen May dumb as a box of rocks but you get her talking…” Boyd tells Raylan that that is bullshit; Raylan comes into his house and threatens to take his woman away from him, Raylan thinks that’s the best way to get on his good side? Boyd says that he’s going to take Raylan to Nicky but not because he believes the law man has anything on either of them. “Of course not, you’re going to take me because you’re my buddy.” Boyd says good-bye to Ava and Raylan cuts them short after taking a gun from Boyd’s jeans.

Ava flips on the light in the mortuary. Jimmy is having trouble with the body. Ava helps him as Moony asks if either of them have ever seen an autopsy. They wheel Delroy out from the freezer and Ava asks for a body bag. Jimmy notes that the body swap is a pretty good match.

Nicky is talking with one of his other men who does not think it’s smart that he’s taken a meeting with Boyd and Raylan. Nicky cements the idea that he and Sammy do not get along. He tells the man that if he had just killed the marshal at the high school, they wouldn’t be having this conversation now. Nicky tells the other man that he thinks too much,

On the way up, Boyd asks if Raylan has a plan. “Sit across from Nicky and tell him the games the game but you don’t go after a man’s family.” Boyd tells Raylan that whatever Nicky knows about Winona did not come from him before pointing out that Raylan did a similar thing to him by trying to go after the woman he loves. Raylan asks if Boyd really does love Ava before comparing her to the other things Boyd has supposedly loved since we were introduced to him four seasons ago. “You can know a fella your whole life and not really know him. You know what I think Raylan; I think you’re jealous that I’ve got to open a present that will never be under your Christmas tree.” Raylan thinks that Boyd loves anything that lets him believe he isn’t the bad guy. Boyd asks what’s gonna happen when he talks to Nicky and Nicky tells him that he didn’t know Raylan had a family. Boyd asks if Raylan intends to try and repeat what happened with Tommy Bucks down in Miami. But what if he won’t pull? “Well, I guess you’ll just murder him where he sits. You know what I’m wondering, is what do you tell yourself at night when you lay your head down that allows you to wake up in the morning pretending that you’re not the bad guy.”

Ava pulls over at the side of the road to kick Jimmy out of the car. He tries to protest but ultimately gets out of the car.

Boyd asks for his gun back. Raylan says he’s sure that Boyd will be fine without it. Boyd had meant it as backup or so he claims. “Good luck cowboy.” Nicky’s man asks if they ever settled the astronaut debate before checking Raylan for a wire. The man says that it doesn’t pay to be lead dog. Raylan is shown into the back of a limo. He asks where Augustine thinks he was headed. Nicky says that Raylan shouldn’t expect him to disappoint him. Raylan offers Nicky the chance to turn himself in and never visit his family or he won’t leave the limo. Nicky asks over Raylan’s piece and asks if it’s the same one he used to take out his men that morning. “Take one look at you, I know you’re not the kind a guy to just execute me, it’s not who you are. And then you come in here with your bullshit cop threats knowing you can hide behind your badge and all I got is my word. So if I say I’m going to kill your family, I’m gonna kill your family cause these animals out here, they think they can get over on me, they’ll tear me to pieces.” Nicky then tells Raylan that he’s headed to Detroit to kill Sammy before coming back for Raylan’s family. The only chance they have is if Raylan uses his gun right then and there. “Well, now we know each other.” Raylan gets out of the limo. Nicky gets a call and tells the person that on the other side that he’ll take care of something when he gets back.

Raylan goes to talk to Sammy. Sammy feels terrible about that but wants to know what Nicky said. Nicky’s men are more than willing to flip on him. Sammy asks if Raylan won’t feel the obligation as a lawman to intervene. “I’m suspended.”

As Raylan walks away, Nicky’s former second-in-command takes a machine gun to the limo.

Boyd walks back into the bar calling after Ava. Jimmy is dusting off the table from all the dirt and Boyd asks where Ava is. Jimmy tells Boyd that she wouldn’t let him go. Boyd immediately leaves the room and Jimmy chases after him trying to tell his boss that it wasn’t his fault.

Ava is having trouble getting the body under the fence all by herself. A car pulls up and Moony gets out. She asks for his help. He asks what she’s got. His deputy pulls out his gun same as him. Moony tells her to put her hands behind her head. He handcuffs her and she notes it wasn’t her they were after but Boyd.

Moony unzips the body bag and Paxton confirms that that was the body stolen from his funeral home. Boyd pulls up. He passes Ava in the back of the cop car. Moony says he’s sorry that Boyd wasn’t there a few hours ago and Boyd decks him holding nothing back. He continues to beat him until two deputies pull him off of Moony not exactly being nice about it. Moony tries to arrest Boyd but Paxton tells them to let “this piece of white trash shit go.” Boyd looks up to see Cassie standing by her truck looking pissed. She gets in and drives off. Boyd goes to the back of the sheriff’s car and tells Ava that he intends to have her out of jail within 24 hours. Ava says that they both know it isn’t going to happen. Boyd kisses Ava thru the window of the car as one of the deputy’s drives Ava away.

Raylan checks to make sure that Winona has everything she needs before sending her to her mother’s. Winona says that at least nobody dies and they share a kiss.

Boyd sits at the bar while Jimmy cleans the tables. Wynn Duffy comes in and asks over Boys. Jimmy gets him a glass as he joins “the master of the house.” Wynn asks if he’s heard the news about little Sammy and Nicky. Boyd offers his congratulations and asks why he came down to his bar. Wynn says that they’re survivors before giving Boyd his heroin distribution in Harlan. He tells Boyd to nod if he’s interested and the heart broken Boyd does. Wynn finished his drink and leaves.

Boyd breaks into the house he has planned to buy for Ava and deactivates the alarm before staring into the big backyard.

Raylan’s spackling up the whole in Arlo’s wall, a nice metaphor for the conclusion of quite a few long running arcs, when his phone rings. Art asks if he’s heard the news about Sammy Tonin. Raylan asks about Nicky Augustine as he steps out onto the porch and settles into the lawn chair in now, his, front yard. Raylan sets the phone down as he looks at Arlo’s grave. An eerie version of ‘You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive’ plays over the last few seconds as season four came to a close.

Next Season: All we know at this point is that there will be a next season. But for right now, that’s all I need knowing that my favorite show on television will be back for another round.

Liked:
♥ I loved that Winona finally got some of her badass back this episode. A lot of times she's reduced to being just a whiny counterpoint but tonight's episode ♥ showed the audience part of why Raylan would have fallen in love with her in the first place; her strength.
♥ I liked that they tied up Cassie's storyline this season or at least gave her a good reason to still be in the plot if she does come back.
♥ I adored how funny the episode was at times before shifting back to total seriousness.
♥ As much as I felt for Boyd in the final moments, I think Ava going to prison will provide some interesting character development as well as more opportunities for the talented Walton Goggins to show off. Additionally, Ava going to prison shows that their semi-dumb moves this season do have consequences; there were so many times that either of them could have derailed this course but because they were acting from a place that seemed to imply that they were invincible, neither saw the writing on the wall.

Disliked:
≠ This week’s episode seemed fairly slow but ultimately had more than a couple good pay offs. Graham Yost mentioned that they did this on purpose but it just didn't feel like a season ender to me; maybe more of a middle.
After building up the other marshals, especially Rachel and Tim, I would have liked to see a little more of them.

Lessons to be learned:
Never ever tell someone where you plan on dumping the body especially if you screwed them over earlier in the season.
Never ever mess with a pregnant woman's baby.
Just because you don't like a method of corrosion used on you doesn't mean you won't use it later to your gain.

Well, those are some of my thoughts, what did you all think? Was it everything you were expecting and more?