Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Netflix series Ozark.
Netflix’s Ozark thrust fans into Marty Byrde’s world full of money laundering, violence, and brilliant schemes. Played by Jason Bateman, Marty is responsible for making the Navarro cartel’s dirty money as clean as possible, while also keeping his family safe in the process.
Over the course of the crime-drama series, Marty has proven numerous times that Del spared him for a good reason. He’s an incredibly smart criminal and everyone knows it, and although Wendy sometimes wins their twisted games, there are several memorable moments and quotes that prove Marty is the smartest character in the show. With the recent release of the second part of Ozark‘s final season, it’s the best time to explore Marty’s unforgettable lines that highlight his intelligence.
“Okay. Money Laundering 101.”
In hindsight, it’s clear that Marty played a part in Jonah’s transformation in Ozark, as he actually taught his son how to launder money. In one of the earliest episodes of the show, Marty explains the whole process to the young boy, starting with the now-iconic line, “money laundering 101.”
He explains how it’s necessary to make the money look like it has been used, to “age it up,” “crumple it,” or even “drag it through the dirt” if he has to. It’s all in an effort to evade the watchful eyes of the IRS and is definitely a process that the average person isn’t familiar with.
“Money Is Not Peace Of Mind, Money Is Not Happiness, Money Is, At Its Essence, That Measure Of A Man’s Choices.”
Ozark immediately draws viewers in with Marty’s well-written speech said at the beginning of the very first episode. He seems to have an amazing grasp of how finances work, as he nonchalantly states statistics with lines about how “half of all American adults have more credit card debt than savings” and “only 15% of the population is on track to fund even one year of retirement.”
Viewers soon learn that he is aware of all these for a reason, as it’s necessary for him to be an effective financial advisor. He has likely used those same statistics to convince potential clients to sign on with his company.
“Most People Just Have A Fundamentally Flawed View Of Money.”
In Marty’s opening speech, he starts shifting the focus more onto the nature of his job and how it takes him away from his family, almost as if he’s rationalizing his own choices. He is not one of those clueless people who “have a fundamentally flawed view of money.” He understands that money doesn’t just buy tangible things, but it buys “peace of mind.”
When viewers see the sad reality he has to go home to, later on, it makes sense that he tricks himself into thinking he’s doing the right thing by busying himself at work. It’s a smart way to escape responsibility for his unhappy wife and disconnected children.
“Sometimes People Make Decisions, S**t Happens, And We Gotta Act Accordingly.”
The Byrdes’ story arcs have taken some wild turns, which can all be traced back to Bruce’s mistake of messing with the cartel. A flashback reveals how close Marty and Bruce really were, as Bruce would offer help with “watching the kids” or whatever Marty needed during that tough time in his life.
Their conversation eventually turns into an argument when Marty questions Bruce’s belief in “some preordained chart, floating around up in the ether.” He shows how pragmatic and practical he is about things by saying it’s wiser to “act accordingly” after a bad event.
“You Sentimentalize Property, You Can Kiss Profits Goodbye.”
Unlike Wendy, Marty has an almost disturbing ability to just move on from awful events and leave behind unnecessary things, including the house in Chicago. Wendy has a hard time accepting that they have to sell it to pay off part of their huge debt to the cartel, but Marty knows that it’s wrong to “sentimentalize property.”
At that point, he’s only thinking about what he can do to make a profit as they rebuild their lives in the Ozarks. He’s not hung up on the past, as he’s more focused on finding new ways to survive.
“I Mean, You Can’t Throw A Kid Into A Burning Building, Wendy, And Watch Him Running Back Into Your Arms And Pretend It’s Love.”
Marty can see that Wendy’s relationship with Jonah is quickly deteriorating, and he calls her out on her questionable parenting techniques several times. He’s far from being a perfect father, but he at least recognizes when his son needs space.
This is explored in therapy with Sue, where Marty puts it perfectly when he says Wendy can’t just “throw a kid into a burning building,” referring to how she wants to get Jonah imprisoned to teach him a lesson. It’s no wonder Jonah seems to love Marty more than Wendy, as he brilliantly plays the role of a supportive father.
“A Family Is Like A Small Business.”
It certainly sounds messed up from an outsider’s perspective, but for Marty and Wendy, the only way to survive the pressure from the cartel is to get everyone involved. Marty recognizes the value of running “a family” like “a small business,” which is exactly what it was until Jonah’s frustrating rebellion.
Whether he meant for it to happen or not, Marty deserves credit for how the Byrdes were all involved in his criminal activities at one point. Wendy and Charlotte would take care of PR, Jonah manages security, and Marty launders money.
“You’re Waiting For The World To Change To Fit Your Pristine Belief System, And It’s Just Never Gonna Happen.”
Viewers were likely divided on whether Agent Maya was a good character or not, as, unlike her colleagues and Marty, she refuses to compromise. When Marty offers her crucial information for catching criminals, she refuses, which prompts his line insulting her “pristine belief system.”
Marty doesn’t see the world in black and white. He understands that there are gray areas where individuals like him can thrive, even if it is in questionable ways. In his eyes, he’s not just a criminal like Maya insists, he’s a father trying his best to protect his children by working to escape the cartel.
“The Law Of Large Numbers Tells Me That A Million People Making A Million Bets, That Is Completely Predictable, Completely Ordered.”
Ruth changes after she meets Marty, and whether she admits it or not, she has learned a thing or two from the accountant-turned-criminal. At one point, Marty is hesitant to start laundering money again because of the FBI’s presence, which annoys Ruth.
He immediately persuades her to trust him, as he starts talking about how the “law of large numbers” will eventually help them determine if the agency has planted moles in their operation. His explanation of how he’s sure they’ll find “a pattern as to how the 1.2% are trying to catch” their illegal acts reassures Ruth that he knows what he’s doing.
“This Place Right Here Has More Shoreline Than The Whole Coast Of California.”
Perhaps the moment that highlights Marty’s brilliance the most happens during the nerve-wracking scene from the first episode of the show. Right before Del shoots him, Marty shakily says “more shoreline,” which is enough to get his attention. He saves his own life by convincing Del that the cartel will “need a new hub” and that the Ozarks can provide that.
Marty volunteers to be in charge of this new operation, making up a story about how he gave this information to Bruce just last week after learning about how much cash flows through that location. It’s an entirely fabricated plan that he came up with in those stressful seconds after all his friends had just been killed in front of him, underscoring how intelligent he is despite being under pressure.
