“Becoming” is episode four of season one of The 4400.
A sheriff is reading a letter from someone that appears to be a killer who has been away for some time. The author is telling him he’s back as a courtesy, as they’ve known each other a long time. He’s now in full command of his talent and he hopes the world is ready. There’s a photo of a girl with her eyes x’d out. There are other clips of members of the 4400 and a news story about protests.
Diana is watching the television; a man, Jordan Collier, is on the Barbara Yates Show. He recently announced he’s a member of the 4400 and tells Yates he wants to put a human face on the 4400. To stop people like her burning them at the stake. Maia, who moved in with Diana in the previous episode, “The New and Improved Carl Morrissey”, calls; breakfast is ready. Diana promises she will get better at being the grown up in this relationship. Maia likes being the grown up. Diana gets the paper; Maia tells her she won’t like what’s in there. There’s a headline about the Friday Harbor Killer being back.
Tom tells Ryland that Oliver Knox, one of the 4400, disappeared just after the last murder and moved back to Friday Harbor days before the latest body. Diana suggests it might be a coincidence; Ryland doubts that. One of the 4400 being a serial killer isn’t the worst-case scenario, but it’s good enough. And the sort of thing Barbara Yates lives for.
Tom and Diana head there and meet the sheriff, Conrad. Knox has an airtight alibi. Conrad recounts an incident when Knox was 15; he was bowhunting with his cousin, there was an accident and he got an arrow to the chest. The cousin panicked and ran; Knox woke up with an arrow in his chest and walked several miles to the ER. Knox described the experience as invigorating.
Knox, when they meet him, asks if they’ve jumped to the same conclusion as the sheriff. Not a big jump; Knox was on the police radar in 1983. Knox knows how tempting the maths is, but it’s not him. He’s sorry he can’t oblige them.
Nikki finds Shawn in the hospital; there’s some awkwardness thanks to the kiss. Danny arrives; Kyle is in intensive care but stable. Danny puts his arm around Nikki and asks Shawn if he wants to come to the cafeteria.
Later, Danny heads to see Tom at work. He wants to talk about Shawn. Danny says there was a fight and it was as if Shawn drained the life out of the other. He thought Tom should now.
Shawn has headed to where the 4400 were all brought back. He’s not the only one to have done so and this is apparently common. Then Jordan Collier arrives; he suggests they continue these meetings, but he’s got a place indoors nearby and invites them all there next Thursday afternoon. When it feels like the entire world is turning against them, they can give up, run and hide or maybe build a world of their own.
Conrad shows Diana and Tom where the latest body was found. They manage to find a print which leads to someone recently released after a spell in prison for aggravated rape. Only when they arrive at his place, he’s hung himself. There’s a suicide note that says he killed all nine and only his time away kept him from killing more. The dates make sense and Conrad says that perhaps he owes Knox an apology. Knox is currently photographing a girl in a video store, so perhaps not. Then Knox heads to get a drink and buys one for another man. He tells the other they don’t know each other, but he has something to show him. The girl in the photo. He doesn’t know her name but he can tell the man something about her. Later, the man follows the woman, whistling like Knox did. Knox, it seems, has got the power to get people to do his killing for hi.
Shawn looks to be trying to decide what to do, and when he visits the site of his abduction, regains some memories of it. Diana and Tom are trying to work out just what the intent of the abductors was. So far, it looks like there may be some sort of ripple effect.