S4E10 — "If a Tree Falls in the Forest..."

Air date: June 28, 2026 · Director: Jack Bender · Writer: John Griffin (story by Griffin & Jeff Pinkner)

Synopsis

The season finale begins in the burial chamber, where Jade Herrera tells Tabitha Matthews to escape with the children's bones while he stays behind to buy her time. As the creatures enter the chamber, Boyd's group uproots the bottle tree above, letting a ladder down into the cave. Tabitha climbs, but the ladder breaks before she reaches the top, stranding her below. The uprooting of the tree plunges the town into darkness and triggers an earthquake. Jade and Tabitha flee through the caves but become trapped, the way out sealed.

In town, disaster strikes the clinic: Smiley enters thanks to a fallen talisman and fatally wounds Marielle Sinclair, who dies shortly after in Kristi Miller's arms — the first creature death inside a supposedly protected space since the talismans were hung. Sophia tells Elgin Williams that their cycle is ending and, when he refuses to make a deal with her, she kills him. She and Clara then collect the town's talismans, stripping every safe space of its protection.

Henry Kavanaugh, following his vision, prepares to kill Victor Kavanaugh, but Victor subdues him when Ethan Matthews appears — the boy Victor feared would be left alone instead helps save him. Boyd returns to the tunnels with Fatima Hassan, who can sense the creatures, and Ellis Stevens. They rescue Jade and Tabitha, and Fatima — completing her transformation — becomes a creature to allow the group to escape the tunnels. The Boy in White tells Sophia she will finally lose, before she throws the talismans into a farway tree, scattering the town's only protection into the unknown.

Key Events

Jade tells Tabitha to escape with the bones while he stays behind to buy time as the creatures enter the chamber.
Boyd's group uproots the bottle tree and lowers a ladder into the cave; the ladder breaks before Tabitha can climb out.
Darkness falls and an earthquake strikes after the tree is uprooted.
Jade and Tabitha flee through the caves but become trapped.
Smiley enters the clinic through a fallen talisman and fatally wounds Marielle, who dies in Kristi's arms.
Sophia tells Elgin their cycle is ending; when he refuses to make a deal, she kills him.
Sophia and Clara collect the town's talismans.
Henry prepares to kill Victor per his vision, but Victor subdues him when Ethan appears.
Boyd, Fatima, and Ellis return to the tunnels and rescue Jade and Tabitha; Fatima transforms into a creature to let the group escape.
The Boy in White tells Sophia she will finally lose; she throws the talismans into a farway tree.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

Fatima's transformation completes: she becomes a creature and uses her new nature to protect the group, confirming her change is permanent.
The talismans can fail — Smiley enters the clinic through a fallen talisman, and Sophia's collection of every talisman leaves the town entirely unprotected.
Sophia's theft of the talismans and her line about the cycle ending suggest the Man in Yellow is deliberately dismantling the town's defenses for a final confrontation.
The Boy in White directly declares Sophia will lose, framing the finale as a war between the entity and the town's protectors.
Henry's vision-driven attack on Victor is broken by Ethan's arrival, inverting Victor's fear that Ethan would be left alone.

Locations

The burial chamber beneath the bottle tree
The tunnels and caves
The clinic — site of Marielle's death
The diner — where Elgin is killed
The town at large — where the talismans are collected
The farway tree — where Sophia discards the talismans

Deaths

Marielle Sinclair — fatally wounded by Smiley in the clinic after a talisman fell; dies in Kristi's arms.
Elgin Williams — killed by Sophia in the diner when he refuses to make a deal.