When his plea for an expedited return to solitary goes on deaf ears, Miguel takes matters into his own hands. Glynn finds out who raped his daughter. Hill gets sent to the hole. The boxing finals match ends in tragedy. A hack makes an exit...and an impression .....by leaving a holiday gift for an inmate.

Everyone has a different opinion of new inmate Idzik; Alvarez receives shocking news; Redding's attempts at reform continue; Murphy makes a confession to Glynn; Morales'(David Zayas) medical suspicions are confirmed; and Beecher's devotion to Keller leads him into a perilous position.

In the aftermath of the riot that killed six inmates and two officers, Oz is locked down, and Emerald City prisoners are sent either to solitary or "gen pop." A special committee is appointed to investigate the riot and Governor Devlin's handling of it. The committee's leader is law-school Dean Alvah Case, who roams Oz questioning inmates and officers alike. Inside a gen-pop prisoner named James Robson demands that Beecher perform oral sex on him, and gets a painful tip in return. Case determines that the death of inmate Scott Ross during the riot was no accident-but is the truth better left untold?

Ten months after the riot, Em City re-opens. A recovered McManus creates a council of group representatives to keep order, and initiates GED classes to help inmates get high-school equivalency diplomas. Having been told by O'Reily that Adebisi was responsible for his father's death, Peter Schibetta takes over the kitchen by cashing in a favor Glynn owes the family. As Schillinger's parole hearing nears, Beecher taunts his nemesis mercilessly in an attempt to ruin Schillinger's quest for freedom. Glynn's duaghter is raped by a group of Latinos, and the warden takes out his frustations on Alvarez. O'Reily learns he may have breast cancer.

Augustus Hill's court appeal is denied, despite the efforts of Said, who has better luck getting Poet's poems published. Meanwhile, O'Reily survives his lumpectomy, and now focuses his attention on Dr. Nathan. Trying to cut a deal after killing an Aryan inmate, Richie Hanlon is forced instead to admit to a murder he didn't commit. Schibetta offers Alvarez a piece of his drug biz in exchange for killing Adebisi. Beecher is forced to meet with the judge who sentenced him; it appears she has a guilty conscience. Beecher's new roommate, Chris Keller, seems to hate Aryans as much as Beecher but appearances can be misleading.

Schilinger enlists Said to get him out of jail, but Said backs out. McManus decides not to incriminate Wittlesey in Ross's death. A recovered Schibetta edures more pain after being raped by Adebisi. Meanwhile, Alvarez is bumped out of the Latino power seat by Raoul Hernandez, a.k.a. El Cid. New inmate Jiggy Walker claims he was Gov. Devlin's personal crack dealer. The two go head-to-head in the media before Walker is discredited and sent to genpop. Reimondo finds out that Giles murdered the man who killed her husband and Dr. Nathan confronts O'Reily about her husband's death. Schillinger's plan to destroy Beecher approaches fruition when Beecher falls in love with Keller.

Andy Schillinger arrives to Oz and Vern tries to get Warden Glynn to move Andy in with him. McManus is sued for sexual harassment. Sister Pete has questions after a session with Keller. Miguel gets a directive from Hernandez. Said gets old wounds opened when his sister visits. Ryan scores another victory. Officer Hughes makes a "stunning" move on an inmate and Richie Hanlon's death sentence is overturned.

When Cudney threatens to spill the truth about Cyril's "wins", Ryan solicits Kosygin for help. He then schemes to have Kosygin and Stanislofsky eliminated and finally, tips off the hacks to get Hernandez and Ricardo busted. Busmalis gets a welcome visitor. Sister Pete's questions keep rising after sessions with Keller. Nappa continues working on his new project. Beecher asks Said for lessons in the Islamic faith.

With a new day breaking, Officer Howell makes a gruesome discovery. Dr. Nathan takes action against medical official Garvey. Ricardo and Hughes have a brief confrontation that results in a reprimand. Said's attorney brings good news and a special delivery. Richie Hanlon explains to Shirley Bellinger why he's on death row. New prisoner Stanislofsky joins the fold. Each group in Oz prepares their boxer for upcoming matches. Hill returns from testifying against Coyle, and the jury's still out as to whether or not that was the smartest move. Said solicits assistance from Nappa, Schillinger and Guerra. Nappa turns over control to Pancamo after discovering he has a debilitating illness.

The hack ain't comin' back, and everyone's trying to figure out who did the deed; especially Schillinger and Said. McManus hires a new officer Sean Murphy who's also a friend of Tim's. Despite Glynn's reservations, an inmate boxing program is is created and inmates get psyched for the competition. While closely shaving Hill, Coyle gives the gruesome details of his crime, which include the death of an infant and the discovery of indisputable evidence to his claim. Disgusted, Hill decides Coyle should pay and gives the info to Warden Glynn. Adebisi gets approved to work in the AIDS ward. While Howell and Wittelsey converse about McManus, he appears with bad news for Wittelsey. Meanwhile, Schillinger's son Andy has been arrested and is due to arrive to Oz any day. Keller, stir-crazy from being in protective custody, goes back to Em City with painful results. Alvarez begins deteriorating now that his medication has been eliminated.

Cyril O'Reily, Ryan's brother comes to Oz and is immediately violated by Schillinger. Ryan tries to get him away from OZ, but Cyril instead lands in the hole. El Cid tells Alvarez the only way he can "stay in the game" is to "pluck out" the eyes of a prison guard, Rivera. Bellinger and Adebisi exchanging love letters without meeting. Nappa, the new Wiseguys leader, wants Adebisi to be punished for raping his godson Peter Schibetta. Robert Sippel, a Catholic priest who spent ten years in OZ for molesting a 14-year-old boy is released and but Poet returns.

After getting pummeled by Khan in a boxing match, Kenny discovers his wife's infidelity and arranges a contract. Miguel prepares to meet his victim face to face. McManus' lawsuit starts taking it's toll as he wrestles with settling or going to court. New inmate Kosygin is mysterious at best and Stanislofsky keeps a safe distance. Busmalis gets a surprise in the mail. Hughes presses Glynn for more information about past deeds. Beecher and Andrew form an alliance that angers Schillinger and Poet and Junior get a hot reception.

The unexpected arrival of Mayor Wilson Loewen at Oz spurs an ironic turn involving Schillinger and Beecher. Meanwhile, Dr. Nathan discovers why solitary inmates are getting sick; a new business plan within Oz inspires Redding; Schibetta looks to puts a curse on the O'Reily family; and some Death Row prisoners get a bang out of a magazine photo shoot.

Oz is in upheaval following the return of Martin Querns. Meanwhile, Howell and Robson each receive troubling news, Mukada answers an unsolved mystery, and the O'Reilys struggle to make amends. Finally, the prison production of 'Macbeth' ends with a staggering final act.

Alvarez knows who raped Glynn's daughter, but refuses to tell the warden. Wangler is making progress at school, but his cellmate, Adebisi, isn't a fan of higher education. When Augustus Hill's judge is convicted of accepting bribes, Said takes up Hill's case to get him a second trial. Diagnosed with cancer, O'Reily goes to a hospital to get a prison-paid lumpectomy, which is cheaper than a mastectomy. The Aryans are losing credibility in Oz, so Schillinger arranges to have a tough named Vogel killed with Beecher being the next on the hit list. Finally, the prison is filled with excitement as a woman, Shirley Bellinger, arrives on death row to be executed.

Sister Pete's anger is roused and forces her to confession. Wangler and Adebisi register a complaint to the Warden. Yet another inmate meets with demise. Bellinger enlists McManus' help. Glynn and Hughes have an important conversation. Adebisi begins sowing seeds of discontent and a fight erupts in the gym resulting in a lockdown.

At the bi-annual review of solitary prisoners, the board decides to release Alvarez and Schillinger back into gen pop. Rebadow, still mourning the loss of his grandson, gets transferred to work in the library, where he is thrilled to meet the new librarian, Stella Coffo. Meanwhile, Timmy Kirk, now sentenced to Death Row, pleads to Father Mukada to help exorcize him; Ryan O'Reily seeks to prove his brother Cyril had no premeditated plans of murder; and Winthrop makes Schillinger an offer he can't refuse.

Wittlesey is transferred to Gen Pop and replaced by Karl Metzger, a Nazi. Mack and another Aryan try to escape through Busmalis and Rebadow's tunnel but the tunnel collapses and kills the two Aryans. Hill gets the idea of escaping Oz by hiding in a coffin. Sippel re-enters Oz because he can't deal with life on the outside, but Schillinger crucifies him -- literally. Alvarez gouges out Rivera's eyes and is put in solitary for life. Needing a blood transfusion for Rivera, Dr. Nathan finds that only O'Reily has the same blood type; he agrees to donate in exchange for getting his brother Cyril near him. Keller and Schillinger reveal their sordid plan of deceit to Beecher while breakingv both his arms and legs. Fortune teller Kipkemei Jara gives Adebisi hope of a new life; but he is murdered by Wangler on orders from Antonio Nappa. The grief this causes Adebisi lands him in the psych ward. Said is pardoned by Governor Devlin, but refuses choosing to return to Em City instead.

In addition to the name change to "Oswald State Correctional Facility," more changes abound. Newbies Coyle, Kahn, and Ricardo arrive and partner up with Wangler, Said, and Hernandez respectively. Adebisi's "recovery" prompts a return. Clayton Hughes, son of a past Oz guard who came through the ranks with Glynn, asks Glynn to hire him. Meanwhile new Officer Howell, gets friendly with McManus. A managed health care company takes over Oz's infirmary, to Dr. Nathan's disgust and Alvarez's detriment. Cyril O'Reily still has nightmares about being raped by Schillinger and Ryan schemes on revenge. Said develops an unlikely alliance as he starts a hunger fast in response to McManus rejecting his request for food in his cell during his holy season. Keller confesses his part in setting up Beecher and is immediately taken into protective custody. Beecher gets some oh-so-sweet revenge.

Idzik faces his enemies; the intrigues behind the Loewen case get more complicated; changes are made in the hospital; the Muslims run into business trouble; Rebadow and Stella get closer; and the inmates rally to support the O'Reilys.

As friction grows in the wake of increasing deaths, Schibetta, Saïd, and Keane are brought together by Glynn, who tells them to keep their respective groups quiet or else he'll lock the prison down. The tension increases following a visit from Governor Devlin, who was responsible for the ban on smoking and conjugal visits.

Governor Devlin has reinstated capital punishment in the state, and the first Oz prisoner scheduled to die is Keane.

With their enmity at a boiling point, Adebisi poisons Schibetta -- but not fatally. Now that his brother has turned himself in for murder, Glynn no longer owes Schibetta any favors. Sister Peter Marie figures out that Giles witnessed who killed her husband. Poet, now a published author, gets his parole, but Governor Devlin still takes away funds from McManus's high-school equivalency program. When Beecher learns his wife committed suicide, Keller offers comfort, but his advances are rebuked. Meanwhile O'Reily is in love with Dr. Nathan, and gets his brother Cyril to have her husband killed.

Glynn receives some good and bad news on the toxic-poisoning case. Meanwhile, Rebadow's relationship with Stella hits a snag; Keller and Beecher work out a mutually beneficial arrangement; Poet and Redding nearly come to blows; Hoyt is transferred from Death Row; and Robson finally gets some redemption.

With Schibetta and the prison brass in a race to uncover Ortolani's killer (for very different reasons), we see how inmates react to visits from both their wives and, in one case, family members who are also in prison.