Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 5 Ending Explained: The Fate of River Revealed

Episode 5 of Slow Horses season 4 premiered on Apple TV+ on October 2, 2024. This latest installment builds upon significant revelations introduced throughout the fourth season, advancing the narrative by addressing the repercussions of pivotal events from both the recent and distant past.

Titled Grave Danger, the synopsis for episode 5 states:

“Lamb questions David about France as River comes face to face with the enemy.”

Episode 4 set the groundwork with theories about Frank and River, exploring their connection. The newest episode not only confirms these theories but also illustrates their impact on the current storyline.

Near the conclusion of the episode, River is kidnapped by Patrice on Frank’s orders. Additionally, the episode features David confessing to Lamb that Frank is River’s biological father. The character and plot developments presented in episode 5 hint at a gripping climax for Slow Horses season 4.

Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 5 Ending Explained

In the previous episode, Patrice successfully eliminates Sam. At the end of that episode, River was apprehended by the Dogs, featuring the proficient Emma Flyte. He was arrested and transported in a vehicle, presumably destined for MI5, where he was expected to face interrogation.

However, in episode 5, River’s situation deteriorates. At the start, Frank breaks into the apartment of Molly Doran, the MI5 record keeper, and retrieves credentials allowing him access to MI5’s surveillance system.

With these credentials, Frank tracks Flyte’s vehicle, where River is being held captive. Patrice soon joins him and, following Frank’s directives, sets out to ambush Flyte’s team. Patrice kills two waste disposal workers and takes their van to intercept Flyte’s convoy.

The Dogs mount a defense, but they are steadily losing ground. Flyte is knocked unconscious by Patrice, who then liberates River and places him in the trunk of his vehicle. It remains uncertain where Patrice is heading with him, but it is likely that he is taking River to meet his biological father, Frank.

Frank Continues to Be a Menace

As episode 5 of Slow Horses season 4 unfolds, Frank discloses to Molly that he has been corresponding with her under the alias Mitch Philpott. This alias is someone Molly was familiar with from her past. Consequently, during their online exchange, she inadvertently revealed David’s address to Frank, believing he was Philpott.

After this critical revelation, Frank coerces Molly into revealing the security codes to MI5’s surveillance network. This action exposes the location of Flyte’s convoy, which prompts Frank to instruct Patrice to launch an attack on it. Notably, he spares Molly, leaving her in the apartment with letters directed to significant individuals, one of which is addressed to Whelan.

David Reveals Everything to Lamb About Frank

Since the premiere, Slow Horses season 4 has been gradually unveiling snippets of Frank’s mysterious past without revealing the entire narrative at once. In this latest episode, David pieces the puzzle together.

David confesses how Frank had taken his daughter. Given Frank’s background as an ex-CIA agent with a notorious reputation, David opted to negotiate with him to regain custody of his daughter. Frank manipulated this situation, demanding that David—then the director of MI5—provide multiple covert identities, cash, and weapons in exchange.

Frank aimed to establish his own terrorist organization, subjecting his sons to rigorous training from a young age. He now perceived David as a threat, as only David and Sam knew how to trace the covert identities back to Frank. One of Frank’s sons had revealed one such identity—Robert Winters—following the initial London bombing.

The finale of Slow Horses season 4 is set to premiere on October 9, 2024.

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