Atlanta (Season 4), Episode 7 Recap & Ending, Explained: The FX series – Atlanta has consistently tried to find new ways to tell its stories without making the shift in their tonalities seem jarring. So, the latest episode, streaming on Hulu, which shows a tender family drama, doesn’t come as a surprise. In its previous seasons, the writing has dealt with the topic of Earn and Van’s relationship, where they were younger and not as mature as they are now. While they were trying to make a living back then, they have now reached a stage where they are financially comfortable, which allows them an opportunity to contemplate their emotional well-being. This endearing family-centric episode works on the subject of family subtly and gently.
Atlanta (Season 4), Episode 7 Recap
Snipe Hunt
The 7th episode of Atlanta, titled ‘Snipe Hunt,’ is written by Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane and directed by ever-reliable Hiro Murai. Earn (Donald Glover) drives through the wilderness with Van (Zazie Beetz) and their daughter, Lottie (Austin Elle Fisher). They seem awfully calm and relaxed on this trip. They travel through the trees looking for a certain place, while Van believes that they may have missed it on their way. During their chat about it, they finally come across the owner of the place they plan to camp. He (Stephan James) kindly informs them to holler at him if they need something, and the family heads to the spot.
On their way, they joke about this white man being kind to them, that he might kill them when they’re asleep. It may also remind you of the fear expressed in Jordan Peele’s film – Get Out. Earn takes out their tent and starts assembling it. Van feels that they will get chills at night since it is a 12-person tent. Lottie walks around, plays with the water, and marvels at the beautiful nature around her.
Meanwhile, Earn brings up the subject of his move to L. A., and Van suggests discussing it later. When they finally finish building the tent, Lottie immediately walks inside and gets cozy. A lack of tension or stress from their life overlaps their interaction with a comforting sluggishness, despite the underlying thought of pending discussion.
Later, they walk through the woods, having a casual, non-consequential chat. Earn sees a waterbody in between and suggests walking through it to the other side. Van refuses, seeing its gush. The couple sits on the grass while Lottie wanders around. She casually mentions that she does not like her birthday, which is a grownup thing to say to Earn. Since she seems bored, Van tries to excite her by introducing the subject of Snipe Hunt and giving a description that will interest her. Earn asks why she is pranking our daughter since the snipe hunt is a practical joke, where someone is duped into trying to catch a nonexistent animal called a snipe.
Van shares her endearing memories of playing it herself as a girl scout and mentions it being a tradition than a prank. We sense that she wishes her daughter a childhood filled with the same wonderment. Earn mentions how such a hunt sounds more racist than fun, and they laugh at this thought. Meanwhile, Lottie catches a creature and holds it in her hands. Van helps her let it go, teaching her not to interfere with nature. Later, while they hike back, Van witnesses the sweet chemistry between Earn and Lottie unravel through their uninhibited dialogue. She gets happy seeing how unpretentiously he can connect with their young daughter.
Later, when they go fishing on a boat, Lottie wishes that her grandpa and grandma were there. Van and Earn comfort her with their words, but her wish also suggests wanting to be together as a family. At night, during their dinner, Earn brings up the subject of his trip to L. A. yet again. It gets interrupted when Lottie feels like wanting to snipe hunt. Van tells her to do it sometime later, stating it is already too dark. Still, a bit later, she makes this activity more interesting for her by keeping her engaged in it so that she can have a conversation with Earn.
He asks if she wants to move with him to L. A. She feels the purpose he planned this camping trip was to make her agree to it. He mentions it genuinely being to celebrate Lottie’s birthday. We sense a silent tension between them where Earn is dying to share something with her but remains mum about it. She confronts whether he wants them to move because he doesn’t want to be alone. She doesn’t want to be his emotional support anymore.
Meanwhile, Lottie finds a creature and shows it to her parents, proud of her accomplishment. Van realizes that Lottie has taken the hunt too seriously and caught something harmful. She tells her to drop it and run towards her the very next moment. Earn goes there to check what’s inside the cloth and gets terrified seeing a reptile come out of it.
Atlanta (Season 4), Episode 7 Ending, Explained
Does Van agree to move to L. A. with Earn?
Earn, and Van celebrate Lottie’s 6th birthday in peace, the way she wanted, and later go to sleep in their camp. Earn seems chilly to the point he starts grinding his teeth. Van hears that and invites him to sleep with them, considering sleeping closer will bring them more warmth. The conversation then shifts from this literal warmth to the emotional one, where Earn finally opens up about his emotions towards Van. He mentions how much he loves her and that he wants them to be a family. He mentions experiencing it during their Europe, where freewheeling Van’s escapades made him feel bad that he was not as close to her as before.
He notes how happy Lottie is when they are together. She seems unsure why she should uproot her life in a city where they have become comfortable. That brings the topic of Atlanta, where both of them have spent most of their lives. He finds it hard to imagine anything special about it that is holding her back. Since she doesn’t reciprocate his emotions, he gets sentimental and passionate about his feelings. He mentions how while he can find a new partner, he wants to spend his life with her and Lottie and to live as a family. She then agrees to his warm plea and notes how she loves him too.
The following day, they wake up, start brushing and finish their mundane morning chores. When Van is about to start dismantling their tent, it starts raining. Earn tells her to leave it as it is and drive back home. They seem emotionally much closer in the car because of their previous night’s interaction – where he pours his heart out. Seeing her parents together, Lottie also smiles with peace, pleasure, and assurance – sensing she has her family together now.
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ATLANTA (SEASON 4) EPISODE 6 RECAP LINKS: IMDB, ROTTEN TOMATOES
CAST: ZAZIE BEETZ, DONALD GLOVER, AUSTIN ELLE FISHER
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