Warning: Contains spoilers for Slow Horses Season 4, Episode 1Slow Horses Season 4, episode 1, “Identity Theft,” had viewers wondering what really happened to River Cartwright (Jack Lowden). Although River has been working for the head of Slow House Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) for three seasons, he still isn’t a veteran MI5 operative – not by a long shot. However, one of the US Slow HorsesThe cast of characters is his grandfather, David Cartwright (Jonathan Pryce). David, who has raised and supported him since childhood, is a legendary MI5 agentHaving been a major player in the service. Before long, David even decided to destroy the incriminating “footprint” file, putting MI5’s reputation first.
As evidenced by the final moments of season 3, David and River don’t see eye-to-eye about holding MI5 accountable for his actions. River, who cleverly makes a copy of the “footprint” file, leaks the information to the public, resulting in some major “first desk” shakeups. however, The accountability of MI5 is not the only issue that divides the Cartwright people. In the season 4 opener, River sits down with someone he feels closest to, Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar), and shares that his grandfather’s dementia is worsening. This leads directly to a shocking revelation in Slow Horses Season 4 that has profound implications for the story.
River’s grandfather appears to kill his grandson in Slow Horse Season 4
David Cartwright fatally shot an intruder who was later identified as River Cartwright
When Louisa suggests that River not only care for his grandfather, but put David in a “home,” River balks at the idea – and that’s the last viewers see of the Slow House agent until he’s apparently shot and killed by his grandfather. In fact, David was talking about his grandson, thinking River was a good stranger in Reminder to the viewers. Slow Horses Plant the seed that David Cartwright may not be the most reliable narrator.
When “River” breaks character and calls him “gram,“David protects and kills the impostor.
On his way home, David is paranoid, worrying that whatever unseen person is after him should reveal himself. Once inside, Rivers’ grandfather grabs his shotgun and keeps watch until eventually falling asleep in his armchair. David Cartwright is woken up suddenly when someone – apparently River – bangs on his front door. Viewers never get a clear look at River’s face As he pushes past David to go run a bath upstairs. Sensing something is off, David grabs his MI5-issued panic button and his shotgun. When “River” breaks character and calls him “gram,“David protects and kills the impostor.
Jackson Lamb’s reaction to River’s death explained
Lamb is strangely accepting of River’s apparent death (even by his standards)
Before his release, Slow Horses Season 4 has been called controversial, and Jackson Lamb’s strange reaction to the incredibly dark opener supports that claim. While Lamb is known to be irreverent, flatulent and inappropriate, his non-reaction to River’s apparent murder is disturbing. However, Lamb’s actions are also incredibly telling. Although River’s ID and wallet were found on the body, Emma Fleet (Ruth Bradley), the new head of the Dogs, calls Lamb to David Cartwright’s home to identify the victim.. Understated as excited, Lam realizes he is drunk.
…Lam looks distraught, saying that he doesn’t think the real river is dead.
Once inside, Rivers’ boss carefully goes through the medicine cabinet, looking for something to settle his stomach. Fleet is understandably surprised by Lamb’s lack of reaction to the gruesome scene. Blood smears the walls and the victim is so disfigured by the blast that Lamb even cracks a joke about how the body “Used to have a face.” Something strange passes over Slow House’s face as he crouches closer to the body, but Lamb confirmed to Fleet that the victim Is River Cartwright. Privately, Lamb seems disheveled, suggesting that he doesn’t think the real river is dead.
Slow Horses Season 4, Episode 1’s End Reveals River is alive
River stopped by Standish before he went to France
At the end of Slow Horses Season 4, Episode 1, River is revealed to be alive and well – for the most part. Trusting his gut, Lamb goes to visit the distraught Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves), who left Slough House at the end of season 3. When Lamb turns up, Standish is busy looking over newspaper articles about the car bombing that took place River died in a shopping center the same night. Realizing that Standish is not asking unpleasant questions about the circumstances of Rivers’ death, Lamb calls out his former colleague, theorizing that Standish has seen River Recently.
David Cartwright […] Killed his grandson instantly and then pressed the panic button to alert MI5.
Although Standish initially resists Lamb’s suggestion, the slavish MI5 operator says he saw River’s car parked outside. Standish admits that River did stop by, but that he’s gone now. Meanwhile, Standish had an escape: David Cartwright, who killed his grandson’s look and then pressed the panic button to alert MI5. The first episode ends before Lamb can question David, but it seems like the shopping center incident, which was committed by a man who threatened that his “Brothers“Would come to finish the job, is connected to what happened in the Cartwright home.
What River’s survival means for Slow Horses Season 4’s story
River Cartwright is at the center of the strange conspiracy of Slow Horses Season 4
while river s Slow Horses The story will be completely different from anything that has gone before, it is too early to say how, exactly, the River Cook-like and the car bomb are related. In the closing moments of episode 1, River sits in the back seat of a taxi, riding through the remote French countryside As he looks at a female passport. Before that, the car bomber’s passport was lying around his apartment, as if he wanted it to be found. Although it is not clear who River Cartwright is in the cross-hairs, it is clear that he will have a connection to Slow Horses‘ Last Conspiracy, setting up another twisty story for the series.
New episodes of Slow Horses Season 4 drops on Apple TV+ on Wednesdays through October 9, 2024.
The fact that River is seemingly facing his own death suggests that Slow Horses Season 4 will have even more deception than usual. Standish’s apparent involvement, Lamb’s knowledge of the situation, and his conversation with Louisa all recall earlier moments in the series where being in the know is central to the story. While the explosion is certainly the most action-packed aspect of the story, River’s situation may be the narrative heart of the season.