FROM Season 4 Episode 4 Review: ‘Of Myths and Monsters’

(Warning: Major spoilers for FROM Season 4 Episode 4 “Of Myths and Monsters” ahead.)

FROM Season 4 Episode 4 “Of Myths and Monsters” is a thought-provoking sort of hour, filled with personal moments and leaps of faith (or lack thereof) that, mostly, seem to encourage viewers to believe in the power of things like imagination and storytelling. The stories we tell ourselves can protect us, make us feel strong, feel in control. They may also put is in grave danger, but at least if they do, maybe they mean something. But then, there are also reasons to doubt. In fact, it’s the places where the characters with the most belief in their own personal myths refuse to even consider others’ that the series’ particular story simultaneously feels the most and least sound.

On the one hand, it’s aggravating. How can Tabitha, whose childhood dreams about this place turned out to all be the memories of a soul who’s been here many times before, claim to just be indulging Ethan with his quest to find the Lake of Tears? She and Julie, who has her own wildly unbelievable power, both agree the lake is something Ethan made up. Why? How? Whatever you do, don’t think about the hypocrisy of Julie relying on Ethan’s books to teach her how to control her power to walk through stories. And definitely don’t play her own theories, about this “impossible place” seeping out into the real world through tons of other people’s dreams and writings, back to her.

But…that’s human nature. So many true believers treat other faiths with disdain. And, especially in FROMville, there are plenty of reasons to doubt both everything and nothing. The voices in Sara’s head don’t tell her to do some confusing sh** with the water at the diner because there’s some evil infection that’ll work its way into some other innocent soul through the water. That’s her belief, and it’s one that makes a sick sort of sense after everything she’s been through. But, as Sophia (the culprit)—and the editing with Sara sitting in that diner, terrified of what she’s just unleashed—reveals when the “religious” girl tells Mari and Kristi about the binding of Isaac, it’s all just a test of obedience.

So, we’re being pulled in so many directions, told to believe one kind of monster definitely exists, while another myth is just that—a myth—that the only thing viewers can be sure of as we try to piece this mystery together is that we don’t know what we don’t know. And we might not even know what we do know. The same goes for the people stuck in FROMville, just trying to test one insane theory after another as they seek a way out. And the thing is, not everything is real. Plenty of people, both in the real world and in the world of FROM, have been led astray.

So, knowledge comes at a cost. But not all revelations are what they seem. Some may be coping mechanisms after suffering immeasurable grief; others are absolutely not to be ignored. And maybe everything is a valid answer, just not always to the questions we’re asking. Or so the story seems to go.

MORE: Julia Doyle on the character who’s not what she seems.

“I have to see if the trees have moved”

FROM Season 4 Episode 4 sees Victor, once again trying to figure out if the trees have moved. It’s something we’ve seen him do before, but it’s been awhile. And, when his dad comes to find him to talk about what happened with that yellow suit yesterday, he’s beating himself up because it’s been so long since he’s done this one very important thing and he’s missed so much. Everything’s moving too fast. There are too many changes in a place where, as he once told Ethan, the leaves didn’t even change colors before. So, now what? Henry, totally unsure what else to do here, offers to help Victor count steps. After a long, thoughtful pause to consider, Victor agrees. And off they go.

But the counting doesn’t last long. Henry tries, so very carefully to bring up his son’s reaction to that suit. Meanwhile, Victor claims “nothing happened yesterday,” pretends everything’s fine and keeps going about the business of counting—but the haunted expression on his face says otherwise. And, when Victor starts melting down about how “you’ll mess everything up!” if they stop counting in the middle, Henry is just unbearably gentle with him, trying so hard to convince him he can tell him anything. Whatever it is, Henry’s the father, and Victor’s the son; and that means he’s here to care and protect. But that’s…not possible. It’s too late. The worst has already happened.

As Victor stands there, broken because his dad just mentions the Man in Yellow, the way Henry studies him for any tiny change—just like Victor himself does with the trees, actually—is so focused, so tuned in, so caring. And then, there’s what happens when Victor digs up his drawings, the memories that were too terrifying to keep nearby even with all the other horrors he’s experienced in this place. Scott McCord takes on that completely faraway, detached yet haunted, expression and tone—a Victor, shut down as a way to protect himself as he goes—as he explains about the Man in Yellow, coming into town in a car like everyone else, making him his friend…and then eating his mom out by the bottle tree when everyone died.

No wonder Tabitha’s living in denial. She doesn’t want to remember she’s lunch.

Completely the opposite of Victor, Henry’s learning about all of this for the first time in FROM Season 4 Episode 4. His profoundly horrified, visceral, physical reaction to both his son’s childish drawing and the story itself is the result of some brilliant work from Robert Joy. From an overall series standpoint, it also reinforces that Julie can visit other parts of the story—whether her attempt to make a bookmark in this hour fails or not. (Which, as far as we know, it does.) And it has to say something that Victor tells Henry about this after we’ve already witnessed the blood-soaked, sinister Man in Yellow through Julie’s eyes.

If nothing else, it raises just as many questions as it answers. Because Julie’s vision shows the Man in Yellow eating someone on the street—in the middle of town—while Victor’s drawing and memory both point to Miranda meeting her demise at the bottle tree. So, has some future version of Julie actually made a change? Is she walking through another massacre from a different cycle? Maybe it’s much more simple than that, and the Man in Yellow just enjoyed more than one meal.

MORE: Last season, Victor struggled to remember what happened to Christopher.

“They’re kids’ books, Julie”

After valiantly rescuing Ethan’s books from the destroyed house in Episode 3, a still skeptical Randall helps Julie find what she hopes will finally help her control her story walking powers. Through this part of FROM Season 4 Episode 4, more than any other, we get those conflicted messages about the importance of stories and imagination that I discussed at the beginning of this review. When Julie refuses to go to the settlement with her mom and Ethan, what Tabitha says about Ethan seeing Jim out by the camper could just as easily be about Julie taking these repeated trips to the ruins and trying to find meaning in a little kid’s fantasies: “I don’t know. I think he’s grieving. What I do know is that if I try to stop him, then…he’ll sneak out and look for it himself. This way, I can keep him safe.”

In the moment, the look Randall shoots Julie’s way confirms why, although he doesn’t believe in the story walking myth, he’s helping her. Just like Tabitha wants to be there to protect Ethan however she can, Randall’s in this to do whatever’s possible to save Julie from whatever risks she’s willing to take. Then, when Julie passionately defends her theory—that story walking could’ve started here, that “who knows how many other kids, or adults, or f**king children’s book authors have had dreams about this place without knowing it? And what if this author [of Ethan’s Gulagog book] had a dream about someone like me, doing what I can do, woke up, wrote it down, and called it story walking”—he has a very good counterpoint.

Julie sounds increasingly desperate and irrational as she rants about fate, but Randall’s not going to let her be alone. Because, just like Ethan would sneak off if nobody took him to find his Lake of Tears, Julie will absolutely go into those ruins with nobody to pull her out whether Randall’s with her or not. And, somewhere deep down, he may not believe a word coming out of her mouth, but Randall believes enough in Julie and her determination, he’ll follow her. Even if it means having to watch her have another seizure.

Throughout all of this, there are a lot of subtle tells AJ Simmons gives that Randall’s really, truly concerned for Julie’s safety and her state of mind. There’s that glance on the bus as Tabitha talks about Ethan’s grief, and for as much attitude as he shows about the children’s books, the way he relents and just oh, so simply asks what kind of bookmark they need is still loaded with a sort of realization that this is the best of several bad options. And when his jaw tenses on yet another worried look as Julie cuts her hair and talks about the monster that grabbed her by it, it’s like he wishes he could fight. But can’t.

Julie’s symbol doesn’t create a bookmark. Additionally, the trip costs her a lot because the part of the story she visits may be the most horrifying one yet. If nothing else, the splotches of red against that canary yellow suit in an otherwise grayed-out atmosphere create one of the most vivid, memorable images so far this season. But we know Julie can do this, and we know that, eventually, she does make it back to the time of Jim’s death. (But doesn’t change it.) So…the fantasy is real but only to a point, maybe? Is it possible her theory about the author who wrote Ethan’s book is sound, yet she forgot to think about how, sometimes, we misremember, and even forget, parts of our dreams?

Throughout FROM Season 4 Episode 4, Hannah Cheramy brings that same feverish, true believer passion to the table that David Alpay continues to bring whenever Jade sounds more than a little insane, yet turns out to be right. And that fear at the end is brilliant in how it seamlessly devolves into a worse kind of horror—the despair of Julie knowing she did all of this, tried all of this…and failed.

She might have been wrong about controlling her powers, but Julie’s right when she tells her mom she won’t be alone with Randall. And the frantic way he tries to reassure her that she’s safe when he pulls her out, all while she’s terrified and gasping for air, continues to speak of this place trying to make sure these two characters stay connected. Why?

MORE: Last season, we questioned if Julie actually gave Boyd the rope that saved his life or not.

More FROM Season 4 Episode 4 reactions

I felt that “oh, come on” from Jade. Like, what are we doing here? I get Boyd’s whole gig is trying to hold everyone together, but my dude, that suit showing up out of nowhere now—after everything—has meaning! It’s so frustrating, as an audience member who knows why it’s there and who ditched it to come to town, watching people just…try to explain away a bad omen as nothing.
“I—I will talk to my son…alone.” What a moment for Henry.
“For 40 years that boy was nothing but a—a painting in my basement. That suit! This place! All just paintings in the basement, and now…?” Love how he puts his hands up here, as if in surrender.
“I think there was a part of me that was still trying to pretend any of this was normal.” Relatable.
Very much over Tabitha just lying to herself about none of those memories being real.
“If this is about your f**king mushrooms…” One thing Donna is going to do is be over these fools. All those frustrated, little gestures and the way she huffs before she turns to Boyd cracked me up.
“Boyd, are you seriously ok with him taking magic mushrooms that he found he found in a haunted forest?” Points continue to be made.
“We’re losing. Ok? I’m not gonna say that out there. But in here…” The jerky way Harold Perrineau keeps anxiously pointing down on “but in here…”
Poor Jade. He knows this is important, but it’s pretty easy to tell he also knows Donna’s right to warn him he may not come back, too.
“…only good people are tortured by the bad things that they’ve done.” And those are the ones “Sophia” loves to f*** with, huh.
Obligatory, “man, Julia Doyle is fun in this role. Look at her change personalities!” comment.
I know Jim’s body is probably barely cold and all, but this is such a married fight over how to raise the boy. “You should really ask him about that.” And the way Tabitha cuts Jade off, all, “I’m asking you” before he sighs some kind of way? Oh, yeah. Married.
“I’m not exactly the best person to be giving advice about…” Again with David Alpay throwing a BIG SIGH in… “…well anything. Really. But I do know that some kids just feel more comfortable living in their imagination. Right? It’s where they go when the world gets scary. Because sometimes? Believing in impossible things, it…it helps with the, um…it just helps.” Super delivery from Allay, and I just find this entire sentiment so beautiful.
But if this whole series turns out to just be some kid’s fantasy coping mechanism, I’m maybe going to be mad? I’m not sure yet.
The apology. “Don’t be.” Oh, this is soft-soft.
“Everything all right?” “If you can tell me the last time everything was all right, you win a cookie.” LINE OF THE YEAR, THE DECADE, THE LIFETIME.
“You ready for this?” “F**k no.” Mannn, that fear on Alpay and then the giant show he makes of eating those shrooms anyway…
“I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t believe me.” This poor kid.
“He’s the distant cousin of the Grand Gulagog.” Is Julie…a cousin? Of someone???
“I’m not going to be alone. I’ll be with Randall.” And I’ll be out here, screaming.
“No, no. Stop talking. Just listen. I don’t know you, Randall; I don’t know who you are or what you want. Julie trusts you. She feels safe around you, and she needs that right now. So, I need you to look me in the eye and tell me you understand what I will do to you if you ever do anything to break that trust.”
Catalina Sandino Moreno is so good in the scene where Tabitha threatens Randall??? Like, scary, scary protective mom. This should be hard to buy after how many times Tabitha’s just abandoned Julie and Ethan? But…nah. Whew. Scary.
And she leaves us with that warning look after the sweet hug with Julie. I—.
Donna and Kenny sharing those looks when Tabitha and Ethan walk up…
Tag yourself. I’m that “what the F—” from Kenny.
That faraway look of regret when Boyd remembers the gunshot…Perrineau killing it, as always.
“Is Kenny…in this room…right now?” Never change.
Elgin continues to be the most forgiving person on this series.
“I don’t want anyone to live like this.”
No, but seriously. McCord is just…I can’t get over how good he is in this role.
“…Victor, please. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”
“…that’s a lot of dirt.” 10/10 observational skills there, Boyd.
“I’m making a monster.” And Boyd’s like “???”
“Everything here is impossible, ok? But it’s also real! We’re here, right now, in this impossible place. What if all of the crazy sh** that happens here…has been, like, seeping…out into…” I mean, truth is stranger than fiction…
“There’s literally thousands of books that have stories and rules about traveling through time…” Currently hoping there’s a town out there where people can get trapped and find the Doctor.
I absolutely adore the scene where Fatima tells Boyd she’s building a golem and why. Perrineau plays Boyd so, so, so careful about asking Fatima questions, but when she finally opens up, he’s like…he’s still totally confused by it all? But he sort of…he accepts it, in a way. Also, the way Perrineau uses movement here makes it all work so much better. The sort of helpless gesture to the room when Boyd tells her it says “something else,” the hands to his chest and abdomen when he asks Fatima “explain it to me?” So good.
“Where I grew up, beliefs were very rigid. They defined you. But my dad told stories of all the different faiths. He used to drive my mother crazy because she understood how dangerous it was. But…he would just smile. He would say, ‘Fatima, they have it wrong. They all think their road is the only way. Don’t they understand that all roads lead to the divine? We simply take different paths to get there.’” The way Pegah Ghafoori plays this, with that fond smile of Fatima as she imitates her dad and the peace of it all, is just utterly lovely.
I also find the sentiment behind those words just…beautiful and meaningful in their own right.
The question becomes, is this FROM Season 4 Episode 4 trying to tell us which myths to dive into for answers? Or is it…is it that all of the theories, mixed together, is what will get the people home? Just a nice statement on religion and beliefs in the middle of the mess????
“Do you know what a golem is, Boyd?” I screamed. As a Jew, both a golem mention and the binding of Isaac coming up in the same episode has me considering making my own Jade conspiracy board/timeline. Like, it has to mean something! Especially when the whole story of the children is that…the parents sacrificed them???
Perrineau and Ricky He with the wordless little acknowledgements so Kenny doesn’t have to say Abby…but we know. They know, and they know they both know.
“I just keep…walking around with this gnawing terror inside me that feels like it’s going to explode. And the whole time, there’s this question that keeps ringing in my mind: What am I supposed to do now?” Another series of lines that’s just…yeah. Relatable.
“You and those kids are as much my family as any family I have ever had. So, from now on, if anybody is going to risk their lives to do something stupid, that person is going to be me. And not you.” Absolutely broke me.
“If there were ever proof that no one’s looking out for us, it’s here.” Again…Relatable.
“Look, I wasn’t here when you…did what you did. But who you’ve become while I’ve known you? That girl deserves a place.” MY HEART.
“My point is something changed. Made me realize that I had to do something drastic before it was too late. Even if everyone around me thought I was insane…so maybe the question you need to ask Fatima isn’t why she’s making that thing. Maybe the question you need to ask is why she’s making it now.” What a lovely moment for Jade and Boyd. Super, quiet work from both Perrineau and Alpay and just…two guys with the weight of the world on their shoulders, struggling through it together.
…and Jade’s oddly helpful for someone who’s trying to trip his way to ancient memories.
“You’ve been waiting to do that since you left town, haven’t you?” “Yeah.” Her little grin. Shut up!
“You’re asking me to watch you have another seizure.”
Is that…a Chi?
No, but seriously. The visuals in that story walk are stunning. STUNNING (all caps!), even.
“…he was eating her.”
“It goes both ways…he feels what I’m feeling, too. He feels how afraid I am. He likes it. But making this? Makes me feel strong. It makes me feel less afraid. It’s the only way I know to fight back.” Just…so utterly impressive from Ghafoori. Truly.
Again with Perrineau’s physical performance as Boyd rushes, only to just…freeze and blink when the ring that manifested itself at Colony House disappears…
…the ring is there. WTF.
Great Saturday morning cartoons!
…now, what in the everloving F—…
That can not be what Ghost!Jim told Ethan to go find…can it?