Halfway through season 4,Slow Horseshas finally revealed more about its antagonist, Frank Harkness (Hugo Weaving), as well as his possible connection toSlough House agentRiver Cartwright (Jack Lowden) and former MI5 operative David Cartwright (Jonathan Pryce). InSlow Horsesseason 4, episode 1, two violent events unfold. First, a man using the MI5 alias Robert Winters ignites a car bomb in the WestAcres shopping center. Later that evening,an assassin breaks into David’s home and pretends to be River, prompting the elder Cartwright to shoot and kill his grandson’s look-alike.
By the end of the episode,Slow Horsesreveals what happened to River. Still very much alive, he uses the dead look-alike to his advantage. After disfiguring the would-be assassin with his grandfather’s gun and planting his ID at the scene, River tries to retrace the dead man’s footsteps. While much of the second episode has viewers wonderingwhy, exactly, River goes to France,it becomes clear that the small town of Lavande holds deadly secrets. On the edge of town, River finds an abandoned compound, which has ties to Frank’s dark past and his present conspiracy too.
River Finds Evidence Of Child Soldiers At Frank Harkness’ Les Arbres Compound
Frank’s Sons Are Connected To David Cartwright & The WestAcres Bombing
After faking his death to buy time and evade Diana Taverner’s (Kristin Scott Thomas) suspicions,River heads to Lavande, France, where he discovers a compound known as Les Arbres. InSlow Horsesseason 4, episode 2, Taverner’s cover-up is far from the only thrilling plot development, especially when River’s investigation yields surprising clues. Upon arriving at the compound, River climbs an ivy-covered gate and shatters the glass on a door in order to break in. Although viewers know that Frank Harkness is lurking nearby, Les Arbres seems abandoned from River’s point of view, which encourages him to snoop.
River finds a photograph, which features Frank and several other men — all around River’s age — on a hunting trip.
Inside Les Arbres, the floors and cabinets are littered with everything from children’s prams and toys to bullet casings and books about warfare. It’s an incredibly disturbing mix of objects, but things become clearer when River finds a photograph, which features Frank and several other men — all around River’s age — on a hunting trip. River’s investigation is cut short when Frank emerges from the shadows and tries to strangle the young MI5 operative. Although a third party, who was tailing River, pulls him from the compound,Frank manages to set Les Arbres on fire.
New episodes ofSlow Horsesseason 4 premiere on Wednesdays on Apple TV+ through June 12, 2025.
River assumes that Frank attacked him merely because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Clearly, Frank was keen on destroying any evidence of his former activities in Les Arbres. Still, the fact that River found weapons and children’s belongingsstrongly suggests that Frank was raising child soldiers in the compound.
Bertrand’s Mother Explains Frank’s Plan In Slow Horses Season 4, Episode 3
Frank Impregnated Several Women & Held Their Children At Les Arbres
InSlow Horsesseason 4, episode 3, River learns more about the man, Bertrand, who tried to kill David Cartwright from none other than Bertrand’s mother. It’s revealed that River was pulled from Les Arbres by Victor, the only person who had stood beside Bertrand’s mother. As it turns out, the duo believe River bears a striking resemblance to Bertrand and fear that River is up to no good. The Slough House agent explains thatBertrand broke into his grandfather’s house and intended to kill the older man. As a result, Bertrand was on the receiving end of David’s shotgun.
Frank intended to raise his sons as soldiers in a secluded, patriarchal environment.
Funnily enough, Victor isn’t surprised to hear about Bertrand’s grisly death, chalking it up to the character of the late young man’s father, Frank Harkness.Bertrand’s mother explains that Frank brought several women to Les Arbresin the late ’80s and early ’90s, impregnated them, and raised their sons. Once the boys were old enough, Frank forced their mothers to leave the compound. “That’s how he wanted it,” Bertrand’s mother tells River, looking pained. The admission all but confirms the suspicions raised in episode 2: Frank intended to raise his sons as soldiers in a secluded, patriarchal environment.
Slow Horses Season 5: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Apple TV+’s hit espionage series Slow Horses has already been renewed for a fifth season, and there are a ton of exciting updates.
Although the third episode does reveal Horsesseason 4’s cast of characters, it just scratches the surface of Frank Harkness' devious plans. Clearly, Frank’s schemes were a long time in the making. It appears Bertrand was working for his father when attempting to kill David Cartwright. However,it remains to be seen if Robert Winters,the alias of the WestAcres bomber, was acting out another part of Frank’s planor if he’d gone rogue. In a pre-recorded video, Winters did mention his “brothers,” hinting at the larger conspiracy at play in Lavande’s Les Arbres.
How Is River Cartwright Connected To Frank Harkness In Slow Horses?
David Cartwright’s Bagman Traveled To Lavande In The ’90s
As of the third episode, River Cartwright’s exact connection to Frank Harkness remains unknown. Regardless ofhow accurateSlow Horses' depiction of MI5 is, the spy thriller is full of exciting twists and turns. Surely, there’s more to Frank wanting to kill the Cartwright men than River simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the former head of MI5, David made plenty of enemies. Despite never operating as an agent in France,David did send his bagman (essentially, a staff officer) to Lavande in the ’90s, hinting at a bigger revelation to come inSlow Horses.
Slow Horses
Slow Horses follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents led by the notorious Jackson Lamb. Set against the backdrop of the espionage world, the agents must navigate complex operations and defend England from sinister forces, all while dealing with internal struggles and their abrasive boss.
