Episode 4 of Apple TV+'s "Lucky" delves deeper into the intricate web of cons orchestrated by John Armstrong and his associates, particularly Priscilla. The narrative unfolds through a series of flashbacks and present-day confrontations, revealing the stakes involved and the precarious alliances formed.
In a flashback at a diner, Billie Rand, an FBI agent, outlines the dangers of Armstrong's latest scheme to Lucky. Rand possesses enough evidence to incriminate Armstrong but has held back, suggesting a deeper involvement or strategy. The focus shifts to Priscilla, a known figure in the criminal underworld skilled at deflecting blame. Dealing with her, Rand implies, could be Armstrong's downfall.
The scam itself involves purchasing fuel at wholesale prices, bribing state regulators, and reselling the fuel at full price to generate illicit profits. While the specifics of this fuel scheme are set in the past, Armstrong's ten-million-dollar skim from the arrangement remains a central point of contention. At the diner, Lucky agrees to assist Rand in taking down Priscilla, securing promises of no jail time for Armstrong and full immunity for herself and Cary.
The episode then shifts to a tense confrontation between Lucky and Cary at a La Jolla residence. Lucky demands the seed phrase to Cary's digital wallet, which he refuses to provide. She expresses her anger at being made a target and abandoned, highlighting the betrayal of their personal relationship. Lucky articulates her emotional turmoil, caught between hating Cary, grieving his loss, and trying to save him amidst the chaos, all while a gun rests on the table between them.
Another flashback takes the audience to a Malibu ranch shortly after Priscilla's release from prison. Priscilla tasks Cary with finding the money Armstrong skimmed, hinting at a marriage to Lucky that occurred while Priscilla was incarcerated. This idyllic period, where Cary and Lucky believed they were keeping each other out of their criminal backgrounds, is revealed to be over. Priscilla pressures Cary to retrieve the ten million dollars, threatening Lucky if he fails.
Back in La Jolla, Lucky and Cary question the authenticity of their past relationship. Lucky had agreed to help the feds against Priscilla without informing Cary, while Cary agreed to take the skimmed money without telling Lucky. The episode suggests that their upbringing in criminal environments has equipped them with the ability to compartmentalize their illicit activities from their personal lives, even as Priscilla's violent tendencies remain a constant threat.
As Lucky and Cary argue, Rand and her team prepare to raid their location. However, the duo manages to escape just as the FBI tactical team breaches the house. Their escape in a Ford Bronco, pursued by a helicopter and Priscilla's own associates, strains credulity with its almost too-convenient success.
The chase continues, with Lucky and Cary evading multiple pursuers through a dense urban environment. Their escape in a second vehicle, despite the close proximity of law enforcement and criminals, further stretches believability.
In the episode's climax, Lucky drives while Cary fires a weapon from the passenger seat. The police return fire, disabling their vehicle after Cary shoots out their tires. Lucky loses control, and the car crashes, leaving Cary critically wounded. As Rand arrives, Lucky disappears into the surrounding area, leaving Cary to bleed out in the street. Priscilla witnesses the aftermath, and the narration concludes that Armstrong was not the one in over his head, implying Priscilla's ultimate control or malevolence.
Notable details from the episode include Lucky reading David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest" at the diner, the use of The Chromatics' cover of Neil Young's "Into the Black," and the presence of a stuffed animal that disappears with Lucky during their final escape.