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This starts out much like any other episode, before everything changes forever. (Remember the first time Alias did the whole game-changing reset? This episode is almost like that one, except without the kissing... for now.)
Chuck wants to find his father so badly, he's willing to free Jill. He even makes a deal for her -- a deal he's totally not allowed to make, which is therefore void. Jill takes him to a family function to talk to someone named "Uncle Bernie" (Borat's sidekick), who is Fulcrum and will know where Chuck's dad is. Unfortunately, Bernie wants to kill Chuck, but he ends up dying of a heart attack instead. When Our Gang realizes Chuck's dad is in this Fulcrum high rise (where they recruit people with Army-style videos and testing), they all head there. Jill asks to go along, because she knows the place and can be of help. She and Sarah wait in the van, but when Chuck and Casey are found out, Sarah has to go in, and takes Jill with her as backup. Jill tries to make a break for it, but hears Chuck calling for help, and goes to save him. He cuts her ankle bracelet and frees her, giving her a fake engagement ring from the government to support herself. She asks him to be sure he can trust Sarah and Casey. I'm glad Jill wasn't all bad and was really just in the wrong organization at the wrong time. Or, I guess, anytime.
Anyway, General Redhead is not happy that they not only didn't find Bakula, but they also lost Jill, who knows secrets. Casey jokingly asks permission to drop Chuck into a hole, and General Redhead grants it. She's not joking. She wants this operation shut down, and she wants Chuck to be held underground for his own safety. Sarah protests that he won't go down without a fight, which is why General Redhead sends Sarah to tell him that they intercepted his father in transport, and he's waiting at Castle. When he arrives, Casey will tranq him and the extraction team will take him away. Sarah arrives at the Buy More and tells Chuck what she's supposed to. She smiles, but it's awfully stiff looking. It's great acting, but Chuck doesn't realize she's faking it. Instead, he tells her how he was starting to think he couldn't trust her, but he's so glad he can. She leans in to hug him, and tells him to remove his watch, because it's all a lie, and they have to run. So they do. Chuck tells her she just committed treason and could go to jail. The end.
In totally irrelevant (other than a song it shares with the good stuff) Buy More plot land, Morgan inadvertently helps Buster get promoted to store manager, demoting Big Mike back to "gen pop," as Buster puts it. Someone's been watching too much Oz.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Previously, Jill tried to kill Sarah, so Chuck arrested her. Chuck's dad came back, but then he left again -- because he's Orion and Fulcrum kidnapped him. He's building a new intersect for them. So Chuck wants to get him back.
Sarah brings Chuck some "fro-yo" called Obama Guava. She says she didn't make up the name, yet she did just call it "fro-yo." He would rather not have frozen yogurt until the government finds his dad. Sarah promises they're going to find his father, and he says he trusts her. Though he does hesitate after she asks, so maybe he doesn't totally trust her. Cut to Morgan asking Chuck what's so bad about his life, anyway: His dad's back, he's dating Sarah, and he's best friends with Morgan. He tells Chuck he's "king of the world." Big Mike lines them all up so Buster can make an announcement. Buster tells them a Buy More corporate evaluator will be there to evaluate him. He normally would expect the gang to blow this for him, but he threatens that tech jobs are being shipped to India, so they should get ready to work fast food. Lester says he can't work fast food, because he keeps kosher. Jeff says he's in for the trip to India, because he's always wanted to see Lester in his native environment. Buster asks them to show corporate this is a great Buy More, then he insults Lester, Anna, and Jeff.
Casey grabs Chuck to let him know there's an update from General Redhead, and they leave. The rest of the gang huddles in the screening room. Lester tells Morgan that the two of them are the brains of the operation, so they should come up with something. Morgan says Buster's threat was a ruse to get them to work hard. He asked them to behave because he knew they'd misbehave. So Buster would know that they would know that he would do this, so they need to behave. Jeff's all, "Okay. So we need to behave." Morgan says to pay attention: It's the exact opposite. He goes into a long spiel about how he knows they know he knows they know. It makes no sense, but Lester's all, "Yes! We are geniuses." Someone asks what they're doing again, then, and Morgan says, "Let Rome burn." Unfortunately, Buster caught the whole thing on video. He slurps a faux Jamba and sings the wonders of technology.
At Castle, General Redhead says they still haven't found Chuck's dad. Chuck says that's not an update, and is not good enough. Casey warns Chuck to watch how he's talking to a U.S. general. Chuck says he's spent a year being tortured, dangled off skyscrapers, and everything they've asked him to do and now that his dad's kidnapped all they can say is "Sorry." General Redhead says she can understand Chuck's disappointment, but he thinks she doesn't or they would have found his dad by now. He says they could talk to captured Fulcrum agents, but Casey says Fulcrum agents don't talk ever since the new administration discontinued waterboarding. Sarah says they wouldn't be able to trust the agents anyway. Chuck says he's willing to do anything, by any means necessary, and asks what if he could get a Fulcrum agent to talk. Chuck enters a prison as we hear a voiceover of Sarah asking if he's 100 percent sure he wants to go through with this. He says more like 35 or 40 percent, actually, but there's no other choice. He's led to a cell, and it's opened to reveal Jill. They say "hello," but it's not exactly warm.
Chuck makes small talk with Jill in the visitor's room about prison food. She asks what he's doing here, so he fills her in on his dad being captured to rebuild the Intersect. He doesn't explain his dad's Orion, though, so apparently Jill already knew that? She guesses he wants her help and tells him to forget it. Chuck tells her it's not his fault she's in prison; she betrayed her country and Chuck, and now all he's asking for is help getting his father back. Jill says she might be able to help, but she needs a deal. Casey, who's watching, says, "Do not make a deal!" It's unclear if Chuck has an earpiece, but he tells Jill he's not authorized to make any kind of deal ... though in this case he could make an exception. That makes me think he must have Casey in his ear. He loves to antagonize the beast. Who growls.
Back at the Buy More, it's mayhem, as Twisted Sister sings "We're Not Gonna Take It." People are running wild like a day care full of kids hopped up on sugar. They're ignoring the long lines and the people asking for help. And some of them (Lester included) aren't wearing all of their clothes. Anna delivers a note to Morgan from Buster. Morgan heads to the back room, apparently following the note's instructions. He goes into the cage, and Buster appears behind him, shining a flashlight on his face. Buster tells Morgan he hates him but since everyone else listens to him, he needs his help getting everyone to behave. He says that if corporate is happy with his performance, they'll have no choice but to promote him out of here. Morgan asks how he knows he can trust Buster, who says he doesn't, but they both want Buster out. Buster spits on his hand and holds it out, and Morgan actually shakes it without even flinching. Gross.
Casey puts an ankle bracelet on Jill as he mutters that he can't believe they made this deal. He adds that if she doesn't follow through, it's off, and if she tries anything shady, there's the added bonus that Sarah will shoot her. Jill doesn't know where Chuck's dad is, but she says her "Uncle Bernie" might know where they're holding him. She explains he's not a real uncle, but a friend of the family, who recruited her into Fulcrum. She says she can trust him, because he's her dad's best friend. But he's guarded 24 hours a day except for at family functions. Chuck wonders if there are any coming up, but there aren't. So Chuck says they'll have to create one...
...And then we see a ring as Jill announces to a houseful of people, "I'm engaged!" They all love her ring. Chuck makes cute about Jill getting five C's with her ring: cut, clarity, color, carat, and Chuck. Sarah and Casey are in the van, and Casey tells Chuck the ring cost the taxpayers a fortune, so not to lose it. Jill's parents think this is such a wonderful surprise, especially since they thought Jill was living in Helsinki. Her dad toasts to how wonderful Jill and Chuck are, and he how he remembers how they used to look at each other when they first met at Stanford. He says that deep down, they knew they were right for each other. Sarah is deadly serious, but Casey scoffs, then tells Chuck he now qualifies for conjugal visits.
Sarah and Casey say that Bernie's approaching, and they warn Chuck this guy's code name is the carnivore. When he arrives at the door, we see that it's Borat's naked-wrestling opponent. Fortunately, though, he's fully clothed this time. He asks what the big surprise is, and Jill's dad tells him Jill's engaged. Bernie's like, "Jill's here?! Where?" Chuck flashes on Bernie as Jill's mom's babbling to him about kids. His flash includes Bernie shooting someone, other ominous Fulcrum stuff, and a newspaper article that says "Out of Towner downs 96 ouncer" with a picture of Bernie in front of a plate of food with a photo caption that says, "Bernie Ominsky wins a free meal and a set of steak knives for eating the Ol' 96er." That is one complete Intersect in Chuck's brain.
Bernie approaches and tells Jill he thought she was in Helsinki. Chuck says she just works so much that she might as well be in prison. Which isn't even funny, and could help rile Bernie up. Instead Bernie hugs Chuck, and tells him to call him "Uncle Bernie," since they're family now. Jill's dad tells Bernie that he was just telling Chuck and Jill that the key to a good marriage is trust, and that your spouse must be the only person who will never betray you. Well, it might be nice if you have other people in your life who will also not betray you, but okay, anvil of foreshadowing, we see your point. Bernie asks to borrow Chuck and Jill for some alone time. He has some words of wisdom to share. As they leave, Jill's dad tells Chuck good luck and that Bernie didn't like Jill's last boyfriend, which was the last they ever saw of him. Chuck is totally freaked.
Bernie takes Jill and Chuck into a bedroom upstairs. Bernie asks how Jill is there, and she says she made a deal with the CIA. Chuck says all he has to do is help them, and he can have witness protection too. He pulls a gun and asks if they're wired. Chuck says no, but when Bernie asks again, Chuck admits it and gives him the wiretap in his ear. Casey wants to go in, but Sarah doesn't want to blow Chuck's cover. Um, why not?! What good is the cover doing him now? Jill's mom interrupts to tell them dinner's almost ready, then leaves, asking Bernie not to torture them too much. Chuck and Jill run off, and Bernie chases them through the house. Sarah and Casey ring the doorbell, and introduce themselves as Chuck's cousin, Sarah, and her boyfriend, John. Jill says Casey must be loaded, since they're "beauty and the beast." Chuck hollers through his watch that Bernie wants to kill him. Casey and Sarah pretend they have to use the bathroom and head upstairs. Jill and Chuck are in the attic, headed toward the window, when Bernie arrives and points the gun. Jill pleads with him. Chuck says he can't shoot them because the whole family will hear. Bernie says that's true, but he picks up a bat and says he can beat them to death. Chuck prepares for impact by covering his face with one hand, and his crotch with the other. Bernie raises the bat and then falls over.
Sarah and Casey arrive in the attic and ask if Chuck's okay. He says he is. Casey feels Bernie and says it's Chuck's first kill, but Chuck says he didn't kill anyone. Sarah says Bernie might have had a heart attack, but Casey would like to know the name of the girlie move Chuck was doing when they were headed up the stairs. Chuck's all, "The Morgan." Sarah's incredulous, so Chuck explains Morgan invented it in high school when girls were beating him up; he'd hide his face and his crotch and duck a little bit. He asks what they're going to do. thing we see is Chuck, Casey, and Sarah carrying Bernie out of the house, pretending he's drunk instead of dead, a la Weekend at Bernie's. Chuck looks back to see Jill hugging her parents warmly, as they tell her how much they love her. It's touching, because you know she and Chuck both know it might be the last time she sees them. Casey tells Chuck good job at offing the only person who knows where his dad is.
Anna walks in to the Buy More in a sort-of dressy outfit. It's dressy for her, at least. But still a short, short skirt, with attitude. She tells Morgan that everyone looks great. Lester says he might look good, but he feels like an idiot. Jeff says that if anyone hears about this, his rep is ruined. Morgan assures them this is what they need to do to get rid of Buster. They're both in dress coats with combed hair. And Jeff's wearing glasses on one of those cords you use to wear glasses around your neck. Buster and the corporate guy come by, and they all sing his praises. Lester does it with a British accent, and Jeff does it -- as he does everything -- totally inappropriately. He says he can't tell the guy how many times he defiled himself at work before Buster came along and cured him of it. Now he only defiles himself at home or in the car, but never the Nerd Herder. Lester even gives Buster a "Captain, my captain." Buster leaves and Lester tells Morgan he better be right about this.
At Castle, Sarah's getting off the phone with General Redhead, who's apparently ordered Jill back to prison, because the Bernie thing didn't work out. Chuck thinks that's not fair, since it wasn't Jill's fault that Bernie betrayed her. Sarah reminds Chuck that Jill's a Fulcrum agent. He says that's why they need her: She knows Fulcrum. He tells Sarah he's sorry Jill tried to kill her, but she's their best chance to find his father. Sarah tells Chuck there are some people you just can't trust. He says he already knows that, and doesn't trust anyone except for Sarah. Right now he needs Sarah to trust him, because Jill's the only way he can get his dad back. She says the answer is no.
Chuck's phone vibrates. It's Morgan, who wonders where Chuck is. He could use Chuck's help for a situation at the Buy More. Chuck says he's on an install, so Morgan just asks him what to do when the person you think you can trust the least is the person who can help you the most. Chuck looks at Jill on a security camera, in her Castle holding cell, and tells Morgan that sometimes you just need to trust someone and do whatever it takes. Morgan says that's what he thought and thanks Chuck.
Chuck goes to Jill's cell and apologizes to her through the glass, saying they're sending her back to prison. She says it's not his fault, and that at least she got to see her family one last time. She apologizes for not being able to help him. He says that's okay, and he's sorry about her Uncle Bernie; he had no idea the Morgan was so lethal. She laughs and asks Chuck to promise her that she won't let them change him like they changed her (though the "theys" here are two very different things, let's hope). She tells him she liked wearing the ring, as she pulls it off and hands it to him through the hole in her cell glass. He touches the glass and walks off. She says they were never going to let her go, even if they found his dad. She tells him that NSA, Fulcrum, and the CIA are all the same, and they won't let him go either. She tells him to watch his back. He just nods, but you can tell that's all sinking in.
At the Buy More, Morgan asks Buster when he's out of here. Buster says he only needs one more thing: for Big Mike to say something nice about him. He says that Big Mike won't ever say anything nice about him, because he needs Buster in order to avoid doing any work himself. He closes by telling Morgan that if Buster left, Big Mike would have to expend all his energy on the store, instead of on Morgan's mother. That seemed to get Morgan's attention. Buster gives Morgan a recorder on which to tape Big Mike saying nice things about Buster, which will release him from "Satan's pit." Morgan says Big Mike won't talk to Morgan about another employee, so Buster tells him to find Big Mike's weakness (Buster says his own is Renaissance faires) and exploit it.
That leads to our big old product placement, as Morgan walks into Big Mike's office with a Subway sandwich and soda for Big Mike. Big Mike opens the sandwich and is totally Joey, all, "I'm listening." Morgan asks Big Mike what he thinks of Buster, and when Big Mike says he shouldn't talk about employees in front of him, Morgan tells him not to think of him as an employee. He calls him "Dad" for good measure, which wins Big Mike over. He says if you can't trust family, who can you trust?
Jill's out of her cell, all handcuffed. She and Chuck are saying goodbye, and he thanks her for trying, when a phone rings. It's in Bernie's body bag, which Chuck unzips and digs into to find it. He sees it's an "Unknown Caller" and says if it's Fulcrum, it could be his last chance to find his dad. So he answers, pretending to be Bernie. They say they're moving Orion and want all agents back at base. Sarah tells Chuck to keep them on the line, so they can trace the call. Chuck's all, "Yeah, I'll be back at base, pronto, but he'd like to discuss a couple things first." He rambles about his salary, since he's been working the midnight oil, and his work speaks for itself. Casey beckons for Chuck to keep going, so Chuck says there are other things they could talk about, which include but are not limited to the dental plan and he could also use a gym membership (he says, "I mean, have you looked at me?"). Casey and Sarah get the trace, so Chuck's all, "We'll talk at the base. Bye." Casey mocks him for using "dental plan." Sarah says the building is an office building off Mulholland, which Jill knows. It's headquarters for Strength Leadership Corporation, which runs training seminars, but it's really a Fulcrum recruiting front. And they'd take Orion there because they have holding facilities on the eighth floor. Jill asks to go with them, since she knows her way around. Jill says they need her.
At the building, Jill and Sarah sit in the van while Casey and Chuck go in, all suited up. Jill tells Chuck not to trust anyone, because even though it looks like a boring office building, everyone is Fulcrum. Which he knows as soon as they walk in, because he starts flashing on everyone. He tells Casey these are all assassins, and Casey tells him to relax; if the going gets tough, he could always deploy the Morgan. Sarah tells him she's watching his every move, so he'll be safe. Jill tells them to say they're there for auditing, which is testing. They sign in and are sent to the second floor. Jill directs them past the testing center, though, to the elevator. She says the holding cells are on the eighth floor. When they get there, someone asks them what they're doing there. They say they're there for auditing, so the guy asks who set the meeting. Jill tells them to say Mr. Doernhoffer. So they do, and he directs them to the correct room for testing. Jill tells them to do what he says; she'll find another way to get to Chuck's dad.
The test proctor scolds Chuck and Casey for being late. She shows a brief video before the test. It actually says, "Welcome to Fulcrum," and then continues that it's solving tomorrow's problems today. It's very patriotically propaganda-filled, so it's surprising Casey isn't a little bit won over. They're supposed to begin the test, so Chuck asks what to do now. Jill tells them they have to take the test, since they don't want to raise suspicions. Casey mutters that he hates tests and then tries to look at Chuck's answers. Chuck leans forward to hide his test screen, and Casey's all, "You're joking, right?" The guy who found Chuck and Casey on the eighth floor is explaining to another guy that he found them there as they're looking at them take the tests through cameras that are apparently inside their test screens. They look up their faces in whatever database they have that's apparently not the Intersect, and quickly get identities for both of them. They wonder if Chuck's there to rescue his father.
At the Buy More once again, the corporate guy tells Buster how impressed he is that the store's running smoothly and that the employees, "for some strange reason," respect Buster. I love that he added the "for some strange reason," because it's awesome that even the corporate guy hates Buster. He would just like to find Big Mike. Buster says he took the day off, and plays Morgan's recording of Big Mike saying Buster's a good worker, which allows him to fish three times a week without the store ever missing a beat. The corporate guy says he came down here to evaluate Big Mike, and now he's off fishing? Morgan's listening as the corporate guy continues that Buster's been gunning for Big Mike's job all year, so now it's his. He wishes the new store manager good luck as Morgan looks pissed.
The test proctor congratulates Chuck on his impressive test score, saying Bill Bergey would like to meet him. Jill explains that's head of recruiting, who will know where Chuck's dad is. Casey asks how he did, and the proctor says he failed -- and, in fact, had one of the lowest scores they've ever had. Chuck laughs, but says that Casey makes up in brawn what he lacks in intellect and that they certainly have a job moving boxes or heavy equipment. The proctor still just wants Chuck. Sarah tells Casey to stand down and let him go, since they can track him with his watch. Chuck's led one way, while Casey's led out of the room. Someone approaches Casey with a gun and calls him "Agent Casey." Uh-oh. Casey looks shocked for a second, but then grabs the gun and knocks two guys out. He steals a badge and asks Sarah to talk to him. She tells him Chuck's on the 15th floor in a secured area, so he'll need a way in.
Bill Bergey greets Chuck, and introduces himself. He asks him to sit down and then quickly tells Chuck he knows who he is, and that his father is Orion. Chuck says he's not tracking this, since he's just there for the seminar. Bergey says Chuck's out of luck, since the seminar is full. He asks if Chuck's wearing a wire, and Chuck says no. They put a gun to his head and ask again. He says he is and gives it to them. Sarah tells Casey they've got Chuck, so she's going in. Jill tells Sarah to take her with her. She asks how she knows she can trust her, and Jill says she can't, but they're the only chance Chuck's got. Moments later, we see them through a security camera entering the building. Someone sees it and notifies the guys with Chuck that there are intruders on the 15th floor. Alarms start blaring and Twisted Sister starts singing "We're Not Gonna Take It" once again, as Sarah and Jill start fighting everyone they see. A couple guys leave the room Chuck's in and tell the guys they're leaving behind that if he tries to escape, "shoot him." Chuck says, "Guys, honestly, I'm not gonna try and escape. Scout's honor." Hee.
Someone announces that they have a CIA intrusion, so need to evacuate. They start to do that, but Sarah and Jill are still fighting the bad guys. A window washer lowers himself into view outside the room Chuck's in, and it's Casey, with a huge gun. Chuck sees him and ducks as Casey shoots through the window. He gets inside and says, "I passed that test." I love that he's still worried about not doing well on the test, which might have been a lie for all we know, since they had fingered Chuck. Casey says Sarah came inside to rescue Chuck and got pinned down by some Fulcrum agents. Chuck wants to go get his dad, but Casey wants him to look it up on the computer. Jill sneaks away from Sarah, which Sarah reveals to Casey. Jill overhears Bill Bergey telling someone to move Orion to Black Rock ["Oooh... Lost crossover? -- Angel], and that they'll talk again there.
Bergey heads back to the office Chuck's in, where Chuck's still on the computer. Bergey tells him to step away from the computer, but Chuck says he just wants his father back. Bergey says the good news is that Chuck's dad is too valuable for them to kill, but the bad news is that Chuck's not as he pulls a gun on Chuck and tells him to step away from the computer. Chuck stands up and does the Morgan, right as Bergey walks toward him. Bergey slips on some ice and trips over Chuck, in full the Morgan pose. He falls out the open window Casey shot his way into, and is barely hanging on the window-washing platform. Chuck's all, "What is it with that move?" Chuck leans out across the platform to help Bergey, and yells for help. Jill hears him and seems to be considering going in to help. It's Chuck Versus Jill's Freedom (should have been the title, perhaps?). Chuck is holding onto Bergey, when he asks him to please tell him where his father is. Bergey says, "Or what? You'll drop me?" Chuck: "No. I'd never drop you. That's a horrible thing to do to somebody." Bergey: "Really?" Chuck: "Yeah, it's a fifteen-story fall. It's a horrible way to die." Jill comes in and grabs Chuck's legs as Bergey starts to slip. His sleeve rips off and he falls, but Jill's got Chuck, who crawls inside, thanks her, and says they have to get to his dad now. She says he's on the eighth floor, so "Let's go."
More "We're Not Gonna Take It," as Sarah continues to kick ass against all of Fulcrum. The proctor lady's about to shoot Sarah from far away, when Casey shoots her instead. He says, "That's for flunking me." Poor Casey. He gets to Sarah, and says, "Miss me?" She says immensely, and tells him Jill's gone. Chuck and Jill are getting into the elevator, when she tells him how killer the Morgan move is now that he has two kills in two days. Casey kills another Fulcrum agent. Chuck and Jill arrive in his dad's cell, which has computers in it, but is otherwise empty. Chuck says they're too late, and asks if he's ever going to find him. Jill tells him she overheard that they're moving him to a place she's never heard of -- a place called Black Rock. Chuck flashes on the location, which he tells Jill is a code name for "Protocol 7," a secret Fulcrum base in Barstow. Jill asks how he knows that, but he tells her she doesn't want to know.
Sarah asks Chuck if he can hear her, and he says he's on the eighth floor, but they've already evacuated his dad. She tells him to hold tight; they're on their way. Chuck pulls out a Swiss Army knife and cuts off Jill's ankle bracelet. She looks shocked and asks what he's doing. He tells her there was no deal; that he lied to her at the time because he was willing to do whatever it takes to find his father. But not anymore. He says she held up her side of the bargain, and now he's going to hold up his. He told her he wouldn't let them change him, and he won't. She thanks him, sort of teary, and starts to leave. He stops her and says she'll be all alone with no money, so he gives her the ring, which is worth a lot. He says Casey's going to kill him, but he puts it in her hand. He tells her he always dreamt of giving her a ring, but not like this. She asks Chuck if he's sure he can trust them. He tells her to go. Awww. I'm glad we got a better ending for Jill, if that really is the end for Jill.
Buy More: Buster gives Big Mike a green shirt and welcomes him back to "gen pop," wishing him good luck. Big Mike looks sad and walks over to Morgan. He kisses him on the lips and says, "I know it was you, Morgan. You broke my heart. You broke my heart." Thank you, Godfather II, for that very awkward moment. Perfect delivery from Big Mike on that line, though it was more than a little odd. I think homages should work without being an homage, and that one really wouldn't. Big Mike would never kiss Morgan if they hadn't been going for Godfather there. But Morgan looks sad. Big Mike joins all the rest of the non-Buster, non-Morgan staff and they look at Morgan, who's all alone in the world. Just like Jill. Big Mike does say he doesn't want anything to happen to Morgan as long as he's dating Morgan's mom.
At Castle, General Redhead scolds Sarah for losing Jill, so that now they not only don't know where Orion is, but they have a Fulcrum agent who knows all of their secrets (she hardly knows all of them, since she doesn't even know Chuck's the Intersect, but who am I to argue with a U.S. general?) running free. She asks where Chuck is now, and Sarah says he's on his way to the Buy More. Casey asks for permission to drop the twerp into a deep, dark hole. I think he's joking, but General Redhead surprises us all when she says, "Granted." At first I thought she was playing along with Casey, but then she continues: "It's over. The Human Intersect Project has become too hard to control." She can't afford to wonder anymore if this team or Chuck is a liability. Sarah asks what she's saying, so she says she's shutting down the project and putting Chuck into lockdown. He'll be taken to Washington and put into a secure facility, once and for all. Casey: "Operation Moron is over?" I can't tell if he's sad or not, which is I guess what makes him so good, but it makes me mad. Sarah says that Chuck won't go down without a fight, but General Redhead says that's why they're sending Sarah (her exact words: "Chuck trusts you. He thinks that you'd never betray him. Use that.") to tell him they found his father, who's at Castle. When he gets there, Casey will tranq him, and an extraction team will come to take him to Washington. Sarah looks at Casey, who just pulls out a tranq. She asks how he can just stand there and say nothing. He tells her General Redhead is right -- that the safest place for Chuck is underground. He asks her what she thinks will happen when Fulcrum finds Jill, anyway.
Chuck's at the Buy More, digging for Nerd Herder keys. Morgan walks by and tells Chuck he trusted the wrong person. Chuck's heading out with the keys, when Sarah walks in. She tells him they have good news, and he asks if it can wait, citing a "computer emergency." She tells him it's about his father. They found him. Chuck looks slightly skeptical, and asks "Why? How? Where is he?" She says one of their recon teams intercepted him as Fulcrum was moving him. She smiles and says he's back at the Castle, safe, and it's all over. Chuck laughs and almost cries, relieved. He tells Sarah he owes her an apology, because he was beginning to believe Jill was right: that the CIA would never let him go, that they'd always put their best interests ahead of his (well, of course they would; the CIA is not really in the business of looking out for one person but more about trying to stop larger threats to larger populations, but I digress...). He thanks her for always looking out for him, and she looks guilty.
At Castle, Casey gets his tranq gun ready, and then looks at the security cam feed of Sarah and Chuck talking. She leans in to hug him. She whispers, "Take off your watch." He asks why, and she says it's all a lie: His dad is still out there, but General Redhead sent her to take him to Castle, and they plan to take him underground. She says they have to run. Chuck looks completely thrown, but he takes off the watch. Casey watches, but can't see what they're doing, since Sarah's blocking Chuck's wrist and hands. She drops the watch in a Buy More shopping basket on their way out. That won't take Casey long to figure out, though. Not the best plan in the world. In the car, Chuck is still shocked that Sarah's committing treason for him. He tells her she could go to jail, and she says she knows. She doesn't add what we all know, though: OF COURSE she is, you dummy! She loves you.
week: Chuck's trying to find Bakula, while the government is trying to find Chuck. Casey snarls either "I never betray my team," or "Never betray my team." It's not totally clear, thanks to promo monkey editing. Roark is back, too. There are explosions and fighter jets and more. Oh, and Chuck and Sarah in bed, making out. This show is so bringing its A game right now. It better not get canceled.
DeAnn is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com.
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