season 4 of malevolent is definitely my favourite because it's hilarious to think about all the characters arthur meets. yeah yeah we all joke about season 4 being just all the men obsessing over this british wet cat with a piece of god in his head but let's just think about it:
• butcher: you get a "commission" to kill that one guy, nothing new, typical tuesday same shenanigans yk, but then you actually see that guy, and wtf is wrong with him. yeah he falls in your trap with name+ticket+note, goes to the back of the train and just when you think you got him, he fights you, tricks you. he's strange but he's interesting. you get to new york and by sheer luck get the adress, so YOU GOT HIM. little sad that you didn't get to kill him in the end but you've got loose ends and it's damaging the reputation so ok let's go kill the other guy. but there's just more trouble, what the hell - there's police and somehow they're onto you, HEY. and after all that trouble the said "commision" comes to you, and starts DEGRADING you in front of the whole hospital wing. only for you to get hit with a bedpan. humiliating. moreover, you get released from the police custody not because of larson's lawyers but b ecause the same 80-sopping-wet-british-supposed-to-be-your-victim comes to you and offers the deal to help him deal with the cult. apparently gods are real????? guys i just wanted to kill arthur lester why are we fighting cosmic horrors. and THEN there's THIS GUY, who appears out of nowhere, talks like he knows everything about anything AND THEN YOU STOP HEARING MUSIC. what a bad day for butcher
• marie: she should write a book called "unexpected consequences of renting out the room to british people". you get a call about the ad you posted recently, the guy is suspicious as hell but ok he's here in new york to make amends with his family and family is important (you would know). the same night your possessed sister, who did make trouble but never this severe, escapes. you panic, but said suspicious guy offers his help and you're desperate, so you agree, the priest who had helped before isn't really keen on helping now. so give this "parker" a chance. and he, against all odds, succeeds. you've got your sister back (apparently now she's not possessed), oscar lacks an arm and not really willing to share this story, but "parker" is mixed with all this. what a bizarre man. you're grateful, he's leaving, ig it'd be cool to exchange letters. imagine telling someone how posting an ad for a renting out solved your demon-related issue. insane.
• oscar: oh oscar, there's little to be said about this priest that's hasn't been said before. you're contacted about mr. scratch escaping, then this man shows up, threatening you (???) but when you're finally ready to be confrontational, he's... pleading. willing to help, and oh you're melting. you exchange information and depart after discussing what to research and how to contract one another. you find relevant info but when you call given number 1) uknown man answers and tells you that there's no one with the name parker; 2) said parker answers but then there's absolute chaos, screaming and shooting and wtf. you call for help, get to the hospital and then there's an absolute deranged parker showing up and thanking you for saving a life, he's hugging you. just this morning he acted like he held all the power over you, all-seeing and confident, but now he's worse to wear, beaten up and near-crying and muttering his gratitude to you. enter whole ep35 hospital scene that ends with you hitting a fucking serial killer with a bedpan. the man you saved arranges a little playdate for you and "parker". arthur is obviously strange: he talks to himself, doesn't notice some things that should be easy to notice, falls into sinister ramblings, but after you spilling your guts and him basically saving you from a relapse you see him as your purpose. yeah he lied to you, you're hurt that he didn't trust you it it all doesn't matter - god has put arthur lester in your path so you have to walk it. even if the said arthur lester has to cut your arm off with a rusty axe. and then arthur lester leaves. muttering excuses and apologies. drops you off near the hospital and leaves. did you fail? were you not enough? was it god's decision? god's punishment? what are you going to do now? write a letter. yeah, you should write a letter, surely despite a messy goodbye arthur will read it and understand your perspective. surely.
• noel finley: you leave dreamlands with a promise of this blind man with a familiar voice in his head and your partner's lighter showing up and needing your help. as you wait for two years i assume you form some vague expectation from said man. and then arthur lester shows up in the hospital after you yourself were called there about the butcher. he's standing here, rambling about the butcher, and he's acting str- wait a minute, could it be? care for a light? wow. deranged, beaten up, on a verge of collapsing from panic, but now is not the time to fall on your knees and kissing this man' boots saying "I've been waiting for you for two years, of course i will help you to take down a serial killer, i will help you with anything really". again, enter the whole ward scene when arthur lester unprompted acts as a distraction for dennis "butcher" collins, calls him dog, confesses his own crimes, his murders. when the butcher is dealt with (good work with a bedpan, father), you chat a little and oh. arthur gets it. "you already know about all the horrors beyond human' comprehension." doll, you have no idea. anyway, let's meet up later and have a proper conversation, you use time to find some information on arthur lester and yeah, toss all your expectation on your purpose out of the window. but that doesn't matter - you promised lorick. next day you talk to the guy again, he confesses to being blind and having a voice in his head and it's kinda funny how nervous he is. and then there's john. cool guy, they could be friends, right? fuck me, king in yellow? right after you met your purpose and relived all your past by telling its story to said purpose? no, nope, fuck this, anyway, why's arthur so cagey about john's identity? oh, oh. oh no. okay, anyway, hurts like hell but you get it. kinda unnerving to see how arthur talks to the reason of your nightmares like that, using the nickname "yellow" to literal god. "let down"? what are you, exes? well, it's obvious now that arthur has a lot of history he did not care to share with you. fuck you yellow fuckface. fuck you larson. come on let's take this assholes down. and what a rollercoaster it is. from hanging down the balcony to seeing john manifesting, to getting shot in the neck, to witnessing another god showing up, blowing collins' head up with a snap of fingers, sending larson and king in yellow to dreamlands and then he snaps again and you're gone as well. arthur lester, for fuck's sake, who are you?
i think we all know i rambled enough so i won't bother to describe Daniel's part "son-in-law shows up after several years of no-contact and literal minutes later you get confirmation that supernatural is real, and then you get shot by the guy who hunts arthur down. what a day huh" in details. you get the point, great season.
