FROM Season 4: Julie's Storywalking Powers Explained — Can She Really Change the Past?
FROM Season 4 Julie storywalking is the storyline everyone in the FROMily is obsessing over right now — and for good reason. After years of slowly building toward a supernatural twist, the MGM+ hit series has officially turned Julie Matthews into one of its most powerful and emotionally complex characters. But what exactly are her storywalking abilities, why did her latest attempt fail, and where does her story go from here?
Star Hannah Cheramy sat down with multiple outlets ahead of Episode 4, "Of Myths and Monsters," to give fans a deeper look at Julie's journey. Here's everything you need to know — broken down, explained, and spoiler-warned.
What Is Storywalking in FROM?
If you're new to the concept or need a refresher, storywalking in FROM is a rare supernatural ability that allows a person to travel back in time to specific moments — essentially revisiting events like chapters in a story. Think of it like time-travel with a very specific, and very dangerous, set of rules.
Julie Matthews (Hannah Cheramy) was confirmed as a storywalker in the Season 3 finale, when a future version of Julie appeared and tried to prevent her father Jim's death at the hands of the Man in the Yellow Suit. That moment sent shockwaves through the fandom and cemented Julie as a pivotal figure in unraveling the mystery of the town.
Key facts about storywalking:
- Only Julie can do it — Season 4 confirmed Randall attempted and failed, making Julie's ability uniquely hers
- The storywalk allows her to visit the past, but she cannot change events that have already occurred
- Julie exists in two places at once during a storywalk — her body remains behind, often convulsing, while her consciousness travels
- She can theoretically go anywhere in time, but directing her ability has proven extremely difficult
Season 4 Episode 4: What Happened with the Bookmark Attempt?
In Episode 4, Julie teams up with Randall to dig deeper into her abilities using Ethan's books. They discover that a storywalk doesn't have to be random — in theory, you can set a "bookmark" to travel to a specific point, like targeting a specific chapter of a story rather than falling into one blindly.
Julie, motivated by grief and desperation over her father's murder, attempts to use a bookmark to travel back to the night Jim died. She fails.
Hannah Cheramy described the moment as a psychological gut-punch for Julie:
It kind of rewires her brain and how she thinks about where she's at and what she can do. She was so determined, and then it completely failed her.
The failure isn't just a setback — it's an identity crisis. Up until that point, Julie was running on adrenaline and denial, convinced she could fix everything. Randall then pulls her aside and tells her bluntly that she could die if she keeps pushing. That reality check hits harder than the failed attempt itself.
Julie's Grief: Is She Even Processing Jim's Death?
One of the most compelling aspects of Hannah Cheramy's performance this season is how she portrays grief that isn't really grief at all — at least not yet.
Multiple interviewers asked Cheramy whether Julie has had time to process losing her father. Her answer was consistent: no.
Jim died, and she hit the ground running. She may have had all of 45 minutes to figure her situation out before she was on the move again.
This emotional denial is what drives Julie's obsession with storywalking. She can't sit with the pain, so she redirects it into action. It's a very human response — and it makes her one of the most relatable characters on the show.
Adding to this complexity is what Cheramy described as "double jeopardy." Julie felt like she had just gotten her father back after a long period of emotional distance following the death of her younger brother Thomas. To lose Jim so soon after reconnecting with him felt doubly cruel, and that raw wound is what's pushing Julie to dangerous extremes.
The Randall Dynamic: Trauma Bonding in FROMville
Julie and Randall (A.J. Simmons) might seem like an unlikely pairing, but Season 4 has leaned hard into their bond — and it works.
Both characters share a trauma bond forged in the chambers, one of the most terrifying and psychologically scarring experiences any survivor in the town has endured. Both feel profoundly alone. And that isolation is the glue holding their partnership together.
Cheramy described their dynamic:
I know what your screams sound like, you know what my screams sound like.
That's not friendship. That's something deeper and harder to name — the kind of connection that only forms when two people have suffered together in ways most people can't imagine.
What makes this dynamic work narratively is that Randall genuinely believes in Julie's ability — until Episode 5, when he snaps. That moment of losing his support is what finally forces Julie to question whether she's heading in the right direction or spiraling.
The Hair Clue: A Major Easter Egg Fans Noticed
One of the most talked-about moments in Season 4 so far isn't a supernatural reveal — it's a haircut.
In Episode 4, Julie cuts her hair into a bob. For casual viewers, it's a personal style choice. For fans who remembered the Season 3 finale closely, it was a flashing neon sign.
The future version of Julie who appeared in that finale to try saving Jim? She had shorter hair.
The show is slowly, methodically moving Julie toward that moment. Cheramy acknowledged she knew a wig was coming early in production, but was still surprised by how quickly the writers moved to make it happen.
We're bobbing it now? We're doing it this soon?
This kind of careful visual storytelling is a hallmark of FROM — and it's exactly why the fandom pays such close attention to every detail.
What Can Julie See While Storywalking?
One of the most significant things Julie witnesses during her storywalks this season is the Man in the Yellow Suit eating people — a horrifying discovery that lands at the same time Henry and Victor are digging up pictures of that exact behavior.
Cheramy called this moment a "cluster f--k" for Julie's psyche, and it's easy to understand why. She isn't just reliving the past — she's uncovering dark secrets about the town's history that no one else currently living can access. Her ability could be the key to understanding why the town exists and what the supernatural forces truly want.
The show confirmed in Season 4 that now that viewers know Julie can go anywhere, re-watching earlier scenes becomes a completely different exercise. There are hints hiding in plain sight.
Season 5: When Will Julie Find Her Confidence Again?
FROM was confirmed to be ending with Season 5, and Cheramy revealed she only found out about the show's conclusion around the same time fans did — roughly two weeks before the public announcement.
However, she confirmed that five seasons was always the plan. The creative team behind the show — which includes executive producers Jeff Pinkner and Jack Bender, both veterans of Lost — always intended to conclude the story this way.
As for Julie specifically, Cheramy was direct about when fans can expect her arc to turn a corner:
I think you've got to wait for Season 5 for Julie to get some of that confidence back.
Season 4 appears to be Julie's darkest chapter — a necessary unraveling before she rises into whatever she's truly meant to become.
Why FROM Resonates: The Power of Connection
Cheramy has said in multiple interviews that she sees Julie as the focal point for young viewers — the character through whom the emotional experience of the show is filtered. Julie is constantly reaching out to people, forming bonds, and refusing to stop caring even in a place where caring can get you killed.
That's ultimately what FROM is about underneath all its horror and mystery. Not the town's secrets or the supernatural rules, but what it means to hold onto your humanity when everything around you is designed to destroy it.
FAQ: FROM Season 4 Julie Storywalking
Q: What is storywalking in FROM? Storywalking is a rare ability that lets a person travel back in time to revisit specific moments from the past. Julie Matthews is the only confirmed storywalker in the show — Randall tried and failed.
Q: Can Julie change the past in FROM Season 4? No. As confirmed in Season 4, Julie can visit the past but cannot alter events that have already occurred. Her father Jim's death cannot be undone through storywalking.
Q: Why did Julie's bookmark attempt fail in Episode 4? Julie tried to direct her storywalk to the specific night Jim died using a "bookmark" technique she found in Ethan's books. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the reason hasn't been fully explained yet.
Q: Is FROM Season 5 confirmed? Yes. MGM+ confirmed that FROM will end with Season 5. Hannah Cheramy stated the five-season plan was always the intention, and she is grateful the show gets to tell its complete story.
Q: Who plays Julie in FROM? Julie Matthews is played by Canadian actress Hannah Cheramy, who joined the cast when she was 17 years old.
Q: Is Sophia really the Man in Yellow in FROM Season 4? Yes. The Season 4 premiere revealed that the seemingly innocent Sophia (Julia Doyle) is actually the Man in the Yellow Suit in disguise.
Suggested External Authority Links
- FROM on MGM+ Official Site — for episode guides and streaming info
- Hannah Cheramy on Wikipedia — actress background and career
- IMDb — FROM TV Series — episode ratings and cast details
- Deadline Hollywood — TV News — industry coverage of MGM+ and FROM
- TV Guide — FROM Season 4 Episode List — episode schedule and summaries
Conclusion
FROM Season 4 Julie storywalking has transformed a side character into the show's most fascinating mystery. Hannah Cheramy brings raw emotional authenticity to Julie's grief, denial, and desperate determination to use her impossible power to undo an impossible loss. The failed bookmark attempt, the haircut Easter egg, the Man in Yellow revelation — all of it is building toward something major in the final season.
If you haven't caught up on FROM Season 4 yet, it airs Sundays at 9 PM ET/PT on MGM+. And if you're already deep in the FROMily rabbit hole, keep your eyes open — Julie's storywalks are hiding secrets that go far deeper than anyone has realized yet.