From Season 4: Episode 4: We finally learn more about the Man in Yellow (recap and review)
- Brian Fanelli
- May 12
- 4 min read
Warning: this article contains major spoilers for the fourth episode of From's fourth season.
Last week's episode of From didn't provide that many answers and largely served as a set-up for the rest of the season. Season 4's fourth episode, titled "Of Myths and Monsters," at least gave us a little more information about the diabolical Man in Yellow, including his connection to Victor (Scott McCord) and why Victor was so terrified when he discovered the Man in Yellow's coat in the woods. Yet, the new episode's conclusion only raised more questions, specifically regarding the Lake of Tears and what's in it.
Let's unpack the episode.
What we learned about the Man in Yellow, his connection to other characters, and his plans for Sara
The Man in Yellow (Douglas E. Hughes) is by far the series' most terrifying monster. When Victor's father, Henry (Robert Joy), approaches his shaken son about what disturbed him so much about the raincoat he found, Victor eventually agrees to show his father. After a bit of walking, Victor unearths a series of drawings and colorings that he did as a kid. They show the Man in Yellow eating his mom. It was evident in prior episodes that Victor had some encounter with the Man in Yellow that made him terrified, but now we know the full extent of it. This also leaves Henry rattled.
Meanwhile, after retrieving her father's books in the previous episode, Julie (Hannah Cheramy) raises new theories about story walking, and with the help of Randall (A.J. Simmons), she thinks she can make a bookmark, which will allow her to walk through time and maybe save her father, Jim (Eion Bailey), before he was murdered by the Man in Yellow. She does walk through time again and encounters the villain eating a dead body, but her bookmark idea fails.
Additionally, we also learn that the Man in Yellow, in the form of Sophia (Julia Doyle), has major plans for Sara (Avery Konrad). In the last episode, Sophia asked if she could live with Sara, and Sara agrees. At the beginning of the episode, after Sara checks in on her, Sophia mutters something under her breath, causing Sara to hear the voices that caused her to kill in the first place. So fearful of the voices, she obeys a plan to take a sip of water from the diner and dump the rest of the water back into a pitcher, potentially infecting everyone who drinks from it with evil. However, Sophia gives a speech about the biblical character Abraham to prove a point about loyalty. It's evident Sara will obey the voices and the Man in Yellow's horrible plans because she fears that if she doesn't, others will get hurt or die. This will likely have major consequences in future episodes. Unbeknownst to her, Sara is becoming the Man in Yellow's pawn and tool.
Fatima builds a monster as a protector
We finally learn why Fatima (Pegah Ghafoori) has spent the last few episodes piling dirt in her room at the colony house. It turns out that she's making a monster, specifically a golem. According to Jewish folklore, a golem is created out of clay and mud and serves as protector. Maybe, just maybe, this will give the townspeople a champion finally fighting in their corner. Let's hope Fatima's plan doesn't go horribly wrong.
Further, Fatima confesses to Boyd (Harold Perrineau) and Kenny (Ricky He) that after she birthed a monster at the end of last season, she can still feel it. Not only that, but it senses when she's getting weaker and more fearful. The golem, she hopes, will give her strength. We'll see how this plays out and if she can actually birth a protector. Let's hope so!
What's in the Lake of Tears?
"Of Myths and Monsters" concludes on a cliffhanger. Earlier in the episode, Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno) agrees to assist her son Ethan (Simon Webster) in finding the Lake of Tears. She does so because she realizes that if she doesn't help, he'll run off on his own again. Tabitha, Ethan, and a small group from the colony house venture into the woods to find food. Along the way, Ethan discovers an injured bird. He's convinced it's a sign and will determine whether or not the Lake of Tears has healing powers.
Well, at the end of the episode, one of the townspeople finds a rope under the dirt, near the crops. He and others pull and pull on it, unburying something in the water. Cue the end credits. This only raises more questions and theories. Is it a body? Is it a monster? We'll have to wait until next week to find out.
Final review and verdict
Overall, "Of Myths and Monsters" is a stronger episode than the previous one, but it also continues raising more frustrating questions, especially regarding what's in The Lake of Tears. Other than the Man in Yellow, the episode also lacked any monsters or serious threats. Let's hope that the fifth episode will ramp up the scares.
That said, at least we finally know a little more about the Man in Yellow and how he, in the form of Sophia, plans to use Sara to potentially unleash further hell and heartache upon the survivors.
From is streaming on MGM+.
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