‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Season 4 kills [SPOILER] in tear-kerking twist

The Lincoln Lawyer is back, but fans of Netflix‘s hit legal drama — based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling book series — will have a complicated relationship with Season 4.

After that jaw-dropping Season 3 cliffhanger, The Lincoln Lawyer‘s highly-anticipated fourth season finds Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and team working to clear his name. With murder accusations against him the stakes are higher than ever, and the cast is stacked with talented new guest stars. The latest chapter in The Lincoln Lawyer‘s story is incredibly compelling, but Season 4 also features the heartbreaking death of a beloved character — one who’s been on the series since Season 1! So fans and characters will also have to come to terms with a great loss.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 spoilers ahead.

Who dies in The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4? How do they pass? And who’s honored in the Season 4 Episode 6 tribute card? We’ve got answers. Here’s everything to know about The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4’s character death and real-life loss.

Who Dies In The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4?

As Mickey’s fighting for his innocence in The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4, someone incredibly close to him dies unexpectedly. Familiar faces including Maggie (Neve Campbell), Lorna (Becki Newtown), Cisco (Angus Sampson), Izzy (Jazz Raycole), and Hayley (Krista Warner) all return to support Mickey in the fourth season. And though Mickey’s mentor David “Legal” Siegel (Elliott Gould) appears in several Season 4 episodes as well, The Lincoln Lawyer says goodbye to him in a heartbreaking twist.

How The Lincoln Lawyer Wrote Legal Off The Show:

Fans of Michael Connelly’s books or The Lincoln Lawyer‘s first three seasons know that Legal was a crucial fixture in Mickey’s life. As the former partner of Mickey’s late father, the retired criminal defense attorney knew Mickey since he was young. And when Mickey’s dad passed, Legal became a father figure to him. Legal was alone, divorced, and had kids who barely spoke to him, so he truly saw Mickey as a son. He regularly offered words of wisdom, trial advice, support, and inspiration. And the two often met up to talk strategy over delicious food that Legal’s doctor wouldn’t approve of. So how did Legal die?!

In Season 4, Episode 2, Legal showed up to court to support Mickey’s fight for innocence, and in Episode 5 the two had a special dinner date right before his case heated up. Mickey chose to shield Legal from the reality of his situation and didn’t reveal the fact that he could go back to jail. That’s how Legal wound up at Mickey’s office in Episode 6, unaware he wouldn’t be in. When Legal told Lorna he was hoping to get an early lunch at Langer’s with Mickey, she agreed to step in and the two went out for a giant pastrami sandwich with a side of legal advice. After the sweet lunch, Legal took the bus home, but before the episode ended, he was gone. When the judge gave Mickey the choice between the right to a speedy trial or bail, he and Maggie stepped outside the courtroom to deliberate. A teary-eyed Lorna approached and said, “Legal had a heart attack. He was on the bus, and we were talking. I thought everything was fine. He’s gone, Mickey… I talked to his son and they’re gonna try to do the funeral in the next couple of days.”

After hearing the news, Mickey broke down sobbing on Maggie’s shoulder. She encouraged him to take bail so he could attend the funeral, but in a last-minute twist, Mickey decided to remain in jail — partially to keep his right to a speedy trial, but also, in my opinion, because he wasn’t ready to face the reality of a world without Legal.

While Mickey didn’t attend the funeral, The Lincoln Lawyer still gave him and Legal a touching farewell scene in Episode 7. Back in prison, Mickey dreamt that Legal came to visit him and gave one final pep talk. When Mickey asked, “What am I gonna do without you, Legal?” He replied, “Same thing you did with me. Figure it out. There’s an old Chinese proverb. A wise parent gives their children roots and wings. I saw it in a fortune cookie at Yang Chow. We gave you the roots. Your father and me both. Now you gotta spread your wings, kid. Don’t worry so much. I’m right here. Always.” BRB, sobbing! In the finale, Mickey also references Legal’s wisdom at a pivotal moment in his trial, showing his legacy will live on.

Why Did The Lincoln Lawyer Kill Legal? Why Did Elliot Gould Leave The Lincoln Lawyer?

Since The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 just came out and the storyline was kept under wraps, the creator and stars have yet to speak on Legal’s death and whether it was a purely creative decision. But health and diet concerns were established in Season 1, the Season 2 finale saw Legal getting tests to “make sure the old ticker still has enough juice,” and Season 3 saw him in the hospital for a heart disorder. So the show did give signs.

Gould and Legal brought warmth, heart, humor, and wisdom to the series and will be greatly missed. Legal played a formative role in Mickey’s life, was calm, comforting, and whip-smart. So it’ll be interesting to see how Mickey moves — both personally and professionally — without Legal in Season 5. Before we say goodbye, lets honor Legal with some of his iconic quotes:

• “If you’ve got the facts, pound the facts. If you’ve got the law, pound the law. And if you don’t have either one, pound the table.”
• “If you want to represent outlaws sometimes you’ve got to be one, too.”
• “There’s no more noble a cause on this planet than to stand for the wrongly accused.”
• “I’d bet on you every time, kid. Just take care of my guy in the ring.”

Who Is Ken Kern On The Lincoln Lawyer? Season 4, Episode 6 Tribute Card, Explained

While The Lincoln Lawyer lost a crucial character on-screen, the team also suffered a real-life loss as well. After sharing news of Legal’s death, The Lincoln Lawyer ended Season 4, Episode 6 with a tribute card that read, “In Memory of Ken Kern.” While details about Kern’s passing are unknown, a rep did confirm that Kern was an accountant on the series. And the choice to honor Kern and his contributions at the end of such an affecting, show-altering episode was an especially powerful choice.

Stay tuned for more Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 coverage from Decider.