S4E4 — "Of Myths and Monsters"

Air date: May 10, 2026 · Director: Alexandra La Roche · Writer: John Griffin & Kristen Layden

Synopsis

Jade Herrera and Henry Kavanaugh report to Boyd Stevens that they have discovered the Man in Yellow's clothes in the forest — physical evidence that the entity who killed Jim is not merely a vision but a presence with material ties to the town. Henry decides to ask Victor Kavanaugh what he knows about the Man in Yellow, hoping his son's childhood memories can fill in the entity's history.

Meanwhile, Kenny Liu finds Fatima Hassan in her room shaping a large amount of dirt. She explains to him and Boyd that she is creating a golem to protect herself from Smiley, to whom she feels a strange connection — a consequence of having given birth to the creature. The explanation unsettles both men, as Fatima's bond with the reborn creature grows more intimate and stranger.

Julie Matthews, continuing her study of the storywalking books Ethan left behind, discovers a theory: marking a place would allow her to revisit that moment. She tests it by traveling back to when Victor was a child, and sees the Man in Yellow there — proof that the entity has been in the town for decades. When the Man in Yellow is about to attack her, Randall Kirkland pulls her back to the present, and the two realize the marking theory did not work as intended, leaving Julie's control over her ability uncertain.

Later, Victor tells Henry that the Man in Yellow arrived like everyone else and lived among the residents; only after they died did he begin devouring them — including Miranda. The revelation recontextualizes the entity as a resident-turned-predator rather than an outsider. Sophia, meanwhile, tests Sara Myers by giving her a task through the voices — the same voices that once drove Sara to kill — and Sara eventually obeys, showing that the entity's influence over her remains active. The episode ends with a foraging party — including Tabitha, Ethan, Donna, Ellis, and others — reaching the settlement to gather food, where they notice something floating in the lake.

Key Events

Jade and Henry tell Boyd about the discovery of the Man in Yellow's clothes; Henry decides to question Victor about the entity.
Kenny finds Fatima building a golem of dirt; she says it will protect her from Smiley, to whom she feels a strange connection.
Julie tests a theory from Ethan's books that marking a place allows revisiting it; she travels to Victor's childhood and sees the Man in Yellow.
The Man in Yellow nearly attacks Julie; Randall pulls her back, and the pair realize the theory did not work as intended.
Victor tells Henry that the Man in Yellow arrived like everyone else, lived among the residents, and began devouring them after they died — including Miranda.
Sophia tests Sara through the voices, giving her a task she eventually obeys.
A foraging party reaches the settlement and notices something floating in the lake.

Characters

New Information / Reveals

The Man in Yellow was once a resident like everyone else; he lived among the townspeople and only began devouring them after they died — Miranda among them. He is thus tied to the town's history rather than an external invader.
Fatima's connection to Smiley is confirmed and deepening; she feels compelled to protect herself with a golem, suggesting she senses the creature's presence.
Julie's storywalking theory about marking places proves unreliable — she can reach the past but not control the mechanics safely.
Sophia is confirmed to be working through Sara's voices, testing her obedience — a direct manipulation of the connection Sara has had since season one.
Something is floating in the lake near the settlement, setting up the straw doll discovery of S4E5.

Locations

The forest — where the Man in Yellow's clothes are found
Fatima's room at Colony House — the golem's creation site
The ruins — Julie's storywalking to Victor's childhood
The settlement by the lake
Colony House

Deaths

None.