Warning! Spoilers for Ozark season 4 part 1.
Jonah Byrde's rebellion in Ozark season 4 part is more annoying than anything, dampening what is otherwise a stellar run of episodes. The youngest Byrde child begins the season in a state of defiance after discovering that his mother Wendy was involved in his uncle Ben's death. His grievances go from run-of-the-mill defiance, like delivering Ben's ashes to the Byrde's newfound enemy to Ruth (Ben's ex-love and the Byrde's former partner) to blatantly putting his family in danger. Once the season kicks into gear, Jonah begins working for the opposition, joining Darlene Snell's heroin operation to launder money.
Unbeknownst to Jonah, this puts him directly in the line of danger. The Navarro Cartel is adamant that Darlene cease her operation, but Jonah persists, feeding the Byrde's enemy since season 1 information that could put his family directly in harm's way unnecessarily. This includes telling Darlene that Wendy and Marty helped dispose of Sheriff Nix's body and asking FBI agent Maya Miller questions about laundering money. While this fixes Ozark's earlier problem of sidelining the Byrde children, Jonah's betrayal ultimately feels like something a petulant teenager would do rather than a genuine effort to set out on his own and build a life.
Jonah's rebellion calls back to some truly unbearable teenage television rebellions, including characters like Kim Bauer in 24, Dana Brody in Homeland, and Carl in The Walking Dead. Like these characters, Jonah relishes the ability to undermine his parents' authority whenever he gets the opportunity. This includes doling out information to people questioning the Byrde's illicit activities, like private investigator Mel Sattem. When Sattem arrives at the Byrde home questioning Helen Pierce's disappearance, Jonah willingly gives out information, stopping just shy of revealing that Helen is dead. Jonah's most egregious offense comes at the end of Ozark season 4 part 1, though.
When Ruth discovers the bodies of Darlene and Wyatt, the latter of whom is Ruth's cousin and closest living family member, she storms over to the Byrde home hoping to find out who killed them. Wendy and Marty know that it was Javi Elizonndro - nephew of Omar Navarro and the new leader of the Navarro Cartel - who pulled the trigger, and they try to hide this information, knowing that if Ruth were to go after him, it would almost certainly lead to her death. Still in rebellion mode, Jonah willingly offers up the information that it was Javi who killed Wyatt and Darlene, sending Ruth on a warpath of vengeance.
Jonah may have unwittingly sent Ruth to her death in Ozark season 4 part 2 simply because he wanted to continue defying his parents. This moment more than any other this season shows just how in over his head Jonah is. The youngest Byrde clearly does not think through these life-or-death situations - his primary goal is to buck his parents' authority, and that could come at the cost of Ruth's life. Whether Jonah ceases his rebellion in the remaining seven episodes remains to be seen, but it is hinted that he eventually falls in line in the opening scene of Ozark season 4 that shows Jonah in the car with his family prior to their move back to Chicago (and seconds before they get in a gnarly car accident that leaves their fates up in the air). Unfortunately for Jonah, his rebellion will be added to the long list of insufferable television teenagers who just needed to prove something to their parents, to the extent they were willing to risk the fates of those around them.