Ep 4. The Bird Has Flown

Boyd's plans have taken off well, but one of his people hasn't. Ellen May, a young girl who had worked in Ava's brothel and had been forced to turn evidence for the FBI, has gone missing. Ava is frantic with worry because Ellen May knows too much. Boyd sends out his henchman, Colt, to find her and bring her back to safety.

In the meantime, Raylan is on the hunt for a thief, Jody, who is stealing from a military base. Jody is smart, savvy, and slippery, making Raylan work to catch him. When Jody sets his sights on a drug dealer protected by the Crowders, Raylan's case overlaps with Boyd's and the real fun begins.

The Bird Has Flown is a thrilling episode of Justified that finds Raylan and Boyd's paths crossing again as they both hunt for the same person. The tension is high as Ellen May's whereabouts remain unknown, and the episode does an excellent job of utilizing the different storylines to build up the tension.

One of the standout performances of this episode comes from Walton Goggins, who plays Boyd. Goggins has a way of making Boyd both charming and terrifying all at once, and he does it without ever feeling like he's hamming it up. In The Bird Has Flown, he's particularly impressive in the scenes where he's trying to keep his temper under control while dealing with the fallout from Ellen May's disappearance.

Meanwhile, Timothy Olyphant's Raylan is as cool as ever. Raylan is always fun to watch when he's on the hunt, and Olyphant does a great job in this episode of portraying Raylan's determination and resourcefulness. Raylan is a great character, and it's episodes like this that demonstrate just how good he is at his job.

One interesting aspect of The Bird Has Flown is the way it uses Ellen May's disappearance to explore the relationship between Boyd and Ava. Boyd has always been protective of Ava, but in this episode, we see just how far he's willing to go to keep her safe. Their scenes together are tense and emotional, and they offer a glimpse into a relationship that has always been complicated.

As with all episodes of Justified, the writing in The Bird Has Flown is excellent. The dialogue is sharp, and the pacing is on point. The episode strikes a good balance between action and character development, never sacrificing one for the other.

Overall, The Bird Has Flown is a fantastic episode of Justified that delivers on all fronts. The performances are fantastic, the writing is tight, and the tension is high. Fans of the show won't be disappointed.