For a moment, it looked like Litchfield's celebrity inmate would be a new villain, but she was a refreshing addition to the series. I hope she sticks around, even if it means more time in the clink. Will Judy King be in Orange is the New Black Season 5? Don't read on if you haven't finished the new episodes — there are major spoilers for OITNB Season 4 coming up.
Unless Season 5 starts with a major time jump, I think it's pretty much guaranteed that we'll see Judy King again. She was trapped in a major way. At the end of the latest finale, Judy got caught in the middle of the (potentially literal) crossfire. As she was being rushed out of Litchfield to avoid having to comment on Poussey Washington's horrific death, the rest of the prisoners caught up with her as they were storming towards Caputo's office. The season ended in a cliffhanger, with Daya pointing Humphrey's gun at the guards who were escorting Judy to the exit.
I think it's fair to say that she's probably going to at least be in the Season 5 premiere. The MCC tried, but she won't be able to leave Litchfield with made-up plausible deniability now. Unless, Bennett forgive me, she's the one that gets shot.
So, this could go down a couple of ways. Orange is the New Black could pick up right where the cliff-hanger left off. It could flash forward and Judy King is dead, back in her sell, speaking out against Litchfield, or out of prison and keeping silent. After having an easy go of it for most of the season, her first taste of prison injustice spooked her. I wouldn't be surprised if that instinct was only strengthened by the riot and the gun.
Honestly, I hope that she doesn't die and I hope that, somehow, she sticks around for another season. I loved Judy King's relationship with Yoga Jones and Luschek and I think that her klout as a television personality is too interesting to explore in the aftermath of what happened to Poussey for her to be gone so soon. She could be a major champion or, like Caputo, another major disappointment. The system gets to everybody eventually, and for that reason I am keeping my fingers crossed that Orange is the New Black isn't done with Judy King.
Images: JoJo Whilden/Netflix
