The episode "Pest Control," Season 1 Episode 4 of The Gardener (2025), opens with detectives Torres and Carrera visiting a university professor who might assist them in understanding the pattern behind the recent missing persons cases linked to the Gardener's activities. The professor provides insights into the psychological profile of the killer, which helps the detectives narrow down their investigation. This marks a significant step forward in the police pursuit of Elmer and his mother China's contract killing operation.

Meanwhile, the relationship between Elmer and his mother China grows increasingly strained. China, who has always controlled Elmer's life and decisions, becomes more distant and cold as Elmer begins to assert his independence, especially regarding his feelings for Violeta. China's envy and possessiveness surface as she realizes Elmer is developing emotions and attachments outside their criminal enterprise, which threatens her control over him.

Elmer, who has been emotionally impaired since a childhood accident, struggles with these new feelings. His growing love for Violeta conflicts with his role as a contract killer, especially since Violeta is the next target assigned to him. Despite his mother's orders, Elmer hesitates to carry out the hit, showing signs of internal conflict and vulnerability.

Violeta's backstory is further explored in this episode through flashbacks. It is revealed that she was accused of murdering her abusive ex-boyfriend, Xoan. Although her best friend provided an alibi, the suspicion and trauma linger, affecting her relationships and trust. Violeta's friends warn her about Elmer, fearing he might be possessive and dangerous like her ex, which causes tension between her and Elmer.

China, feeling threatened by Elmer's attachment to Violeta, decides to take matters into her own hands. She hires a hitman to eliminate Violeta, believing this will sever the bond between mother and son and restore order to their business. However, the assassination attempt fails dramatically. Violeta fights back fiercely and kills the hired assassin in self-defense, demonstrating her resilience and resourcefulness.

After the failed hit, Violeta contacts Elmer for help disposing of the body. Despite the danger, Elmer agrees, driven by his love and conflicted loyalty. This act deepens their connection but also escalates the risk for both of them, as it draws more attention from the police and China.

The episode ends with Elmer confronting China about her attempt to kill Violeta. He demands freedom to live his own life, but China reacts violently, knocking him unconscious and taking him to a hidden operation room. There, she forcibly removes the tumor in Elmer's brain that had been impairing his emotions, effectively erasing the emotional growth he had experienced. This brutal act reverts Elmer to his previous, emotionless state, symbolically and literally ending his chance at a normal life.

The final scenes show China and Elmer remaining in Spain, having abandoned their contract killing business due to increased police pressure. They reinvest their earnings into expanding their gardening business, now staffed with more employees, signaling a shift from their violent past to a more legitimate front, though the emotional cost to Elmer is profound.

At the end of The Gardener Season 1, Episode 4, "Pest Control," Elmer confronts the escalating conflict between his growing emotions for Violeta and his mother La China's ruthless control over their contract killing business. The episode closes with a tense standoff where Elmer must choose between obeying his mother's orders to eliminate Violeta or protecting the woman he has come to love, setting the stage for a deeper personal and moral crisis.

Expanding on the ending scene by scene:

The episode begins with Elmer continuing his work as a gardener and contract killer under his mother La China's strict supervision. His emotional detachment, a result of brain damage from a childhood accident, has been exploited by La China to channel his violent urges into contract killings. However, Elmer's recent feelings for Violeta, his latest target, complicate this dynamic.

As the episode progresses, La China grows increasingly impatient and suspicious of Elmer's hesitation. She pressures him to complete the hit on Violeta, emphasizing the necessity of their business and the danger of emotional distractions. Elmer, meanwhile, struggles internally as his brain chemistry changes, allowing emotions to surface despite the tumor in his brain that impairs him.

In a pivotal scene, Elmer and Violeta share a moment of genuine connection in the garden nursery, where Elmer's usual cold demeanor softens. Violeta reveals some of her own secrets, which have made her a target, deepening Elmer's conflict. This scene highlights the fragile humanity emerging in Elmer and the stakes of his growing attachment.

The climax unfolds when La China confronts Elmer directly, demanding he carry out the killing immediately. Elmer resists, leading to a tense confrontation filled with emotional and psychological pressure. The episode ends with Elmer standing protectively in front of Violeta, signaling his refusal to obey his mother's lethal command.

Regarding the fate of the main characters at this episode's end:

• Elmer is caught in a moral and emotional crisis, torn between his conditioned role as a killer and his newfound capacity for love and empathy.
• La China remains the controlling force, determined to maintain their deadly business and eliminate any threats, including Violeta.
• Violeta survives this episode, her life now directly endangered by the conflict between Elmer and his mother, but she also becomes a symbol of Elmer's potential for change.

This ending sets up the central conflict for the series going forward, emphasizing themes of control, emotional awakening, and the struggle between duty and desire.

Yes, The Gardener Season 1, Episode 4 ("Pest Control") has a post-credits scene. In this scene, Detective Carrera finds a bag full of bones washed up on the beach or floating in the ocean. The bones are implied to be from one of China and Elmer's old victims, revealing that Carrera has uncovered evidence of bodies buried in China's garden. This discovery hints that the dark secrets of China and Elmer's contract killing business are about to be fully exposed, setting up further tension beyond the episode's main events.

In episode 4, 'Pest Control,' Torres and Carrera visit a professor who may be able to help them with their investigation, indicating the professor's involvement is linked to the police inquiry into the murders.

In this episode, the emotional distance between Elmer and his mother China grows, highlighting tensions in their personal and professional relationship within their contract killing operation.

Episode 4 reveals that Violeta was accused of murdering her former boyfriend, but it is shown that she killed him in self-defense against abuse, and her best friend provided an alibi that led to her being considered innocent.

Violeta's friends advise her to leave Elmer because they perceive him as clingy and potentially possessive like her abusive ex, which causes her to reconsider her relationship with Elmer during episode 4.

The flashback to the night Xoan died provides crucial context for the motivations behind the contract killing, showing the emotional impact on Violeta and the origins of the conflict involving Sabela, who hired the Jurados to kill Violeta.

The Gardener, Season 1, Episode 4 "Pest Control" (2025) is rated TV-MA in the United States and 15 or 16+ in several other countries, indicating it is not family friendly for children. The episode contains moderate violence including murder, mild sexual content and nudity (such as women in skimpy clothing and a shower scene showing a naked back), mild profanity, and mild alcohol and drug use (including flashbacks showing alcohol and cocaine use). There are also mild frightening and intense scenes that may be upsetting to sensitive viewers.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive people include:

• Scenes involving murder and moderate violence
• Mild sexual content and nudity, including implied adultery
• Mild profanity and drug/alcohol references
• Some intense or frightening moments, though rated mild overall

Given these elements, the episode is more suitable for mature audiences and not recommended for children or those sensitive to violence and adult themes.