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So, Agent Superman takes Sarah off somewhere and Chuck takes in a secret team to save her, but ultimately, it turns out that Agent Superman's not a bad guy and Chuck's mission is called off. General Redhead thinks Chuck's crazy for thinking Agent Superman can't act like a professional around Sarah. She thinks it is perfectly fine that Agent Superman could work with the woman who was responsible for killing his wife, but Chuck sticks to his guns. He also mixes whiskey and gaming, and misquotes John Hughes movies. When Sarah comes over and finds him in this state, she admits she loves him, and they kiss. Then they head off on a mission with Agent Superman to take down the Ring director. Agent Superman proves himself by fighting and then killing a bunch of Ring bad guys. Everyone buys it until Chuck shows Morgan (who quit his job at the Buy More to be Chuck's assistant) the footage of the fight, and the kung-fu geek knows a fake action sequence when he sees one: Agent Superman didn't really beat up the bad guys. Chuck wakes General Redhead to let her know, but when she sees Morgan, she shuts him off and blocks his calls. Chuck and Morgan enlist Casey and head to Paris to save Sarah from Shaw.
When Chuck gets there, Shaw's already drugged her and is doing some sort of ritualistic reading her of her last rites in the place where she killed his wife, with the Ring director conveniently present. Chuck heads in to save Sarah, while Casey shoots up the Ring baddies off-screen (lame!). Chuck can't shoot Shaw, so Agent Superman gets up and fights him, and wins (Agent Superman comments on how he can't flash because of his emotions). Agent Superman takes Sarah to the river, and tells Chuck he likes him and doesn't want to hurt him, but if he follows, he will kill him. Chuck finds Sarah's gun and follows. When he gets to the river, he pleads with Agent Superman not to kill Sarah, and that this isn't him; he can't do this. Agent Superman says that, actually, he can, but Chuck can't, so he raises his gun. Chuck's faster, and he totally, awesomely, goose-bump-inducingly shoots Shaw, who jumps over the bridge and tries to take Sarah with him. But Chuck grabs her and hangs on. So he basically saved her twice, but she's too passed out to realize it.
Chuck and Sarah stay in Paris, so she can sleep off her drug, while Casey and Morgan head back to Burbank, apparently. Casey has the Ring director, and uses him to bribe General Redhead for his old job back, a new Crown Vic, and apparently a job for Morgan. Morgan's already begged for his own job back with Big Mike, which is fine, because that will be his cover. (It's a little far-fetched that Morgan could be a spy, but ... that's just this show, so I don't really require or expect realism.) In Paris, Sarah wakes up a little groggy, and Chuck reminds her Agent Superman's dead. She pieces it all together and says that Chuck shot him. He starts to explain, thinking she won't think he's the same Chuck, but she says he saved her and they start making out. General Redhead interrupts and insists they come back for a mission involving Peruvian assassins. But, while she's talking, Sarah turns the computer around and shuts her off. She and Chuck crawl under the covers and finally, after two and a half years of foreplay, have sex. And fanboys and fangirls everywhere cheered and cried tears of joy over their Subway sandwiches.
You know you want to watch the episode (or at least the end over and over) so go ahead. Here's the link. Have a field day.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Some things Chuck wants us to know about him: Sarah thought he killed a guy and it upset her, but Casey told her the truth: Casey was the killer. Agent Superman found out Sarah's Red Test was to kill his wife, and then he took her away in secret at the end of the episode. Chuck was worried. We open on Sarah and Agent Superman running together along the side of a building, seemingly working together. He tells her the Ring's most senior operative is inside, and she breaks them in. She asks him to cover her, and he draws his gun ominously.
Buy More. Chuck's looking for Casey, but Morgan's pestering him about being a member of Operation Bartowski. He sells himself as the Q to his Bond, Robin to his Batman. Morgan tells Chuck Casey's whereabouts (he's exiting the bathroom), so Chuck's like, "You're a spy." He says it to get rid of Morgan, but ... this is Morgan, so we know he thinks it's real. Sarah goes down some stairs and says, "Shaw?" with some uncertainty. Casey thinks Chuck shouldn't have just told him everything he just told him off screen, but Chuck says General Redhead won't help so he has to. Casey gives him his contact, finally. It's one Colonel Sanders, and Casey growls at Chuck not to make fun of his name.
Back at the Ring warehouse, Sarah finds the same video Agent Superman watched last week of his wife saying "I love you" and then Sarah shooting her. Chuck and his gang approach the building as Agent Superman approaches Sarah with his gun drawn. When she turns and asks him why the Ring has this video of her Red Test, he lowers his gun so it looks like he was never pointing it at her, but at whoever might be lurking behind her. She still doesn't get who the woman is, but she says it was the worst moment of her life. Agent Superman: "Mine too." She asks who the woman is, and he says, "Evelyn Shaw." She can't believe she killed his wife, but he says it's not her fault since she was used and manipulated. She's clearly torn up about it, and Chuck watches as she and Agent Superman end up hugging. Then someone calls his radio, startling the hugbirds. Chuck's all, "Hi," and then Colonel Sanders' crew comes in like it's a big something when it's a whole lot of nothing. Chuck cancels everything: tactical, air support, "and the tank. Cancel the tank." Hee. Bobby Cake credits.
Castle. General Redhead scolds Chuck for calling in a full tactical assault, and says he's clearly not ready for Rome. He points out it was Sarah who was in danger and he had to save her, but General Redhead's not thrilled about the bill, which is longer than her copy of Atlas Shrugged. Right, but it probably doesn't seem as long, which is what matters. Chuck reminds her that she also believed that Agent Superman had gone rogue. Just then Sarah and Agent Superman come in, and he tells General Redhead that Chuck's actions were those of a true spy, and he'd have done the same thing himself. "Maybe without the stealth bombers, but maybe that's just me." Sarah sweetly thanks Chuck for the tank. Agent Superman wonders who ordered the Red Test, and then he tells General Redhead he can still work with Sarah, since they both want the same thing: to capture the director and take down the Ring. He asks Sarah if she's with him and they can still be a team. She says yes, and Chuck's like, "Great. Everyone's back together again."
Buy More. Morgan's crying in Big Mike's office, when Big Mike comes in and tries to figure out what the problem is. Morgan finally spits out that he's quitting, because he got a real job. Big Mike makes sure Morgan's not selling his body, then gets a little teary himself as he bids Morgan farewell. Jeffster! and Casey watch from the store. Lester thinks Morgan's dying, but Jeff can tell they're tears of joy and he has a new job. Jeffster! tell Casey that at least there's room for him to replace Morgan in their crew. Casey growls and stalks off.
Alone in his room, Chuck turns on the General Redhead cam and cites his position as "the titular member of Team Bartowski" to point out how bat-shit crazy it is to put Agent Superman back in the field after what he just found out about Sarah killing his wife. General Redhead says that what Chuck's seeing in Agent Superman right now is an absolute professional, which Chuck isn't. She tells him she's moving Sarah and Agent Superman to D.C. after all, and Chuck will stay in Burbank until she figures out what to do with him. At the Buy More, Morgan's unpacking his locker when Casey asks what's up. He quickly deduces Morgan's going to work for Chuck, and Morgan says it's awesome and they can work together once Casey earns his way back into the spy fold. Casey says General Redhead doesn't forget a small thing like treason, plus he's trying to pretend he's enjoying his new life here. Morgan tells Casey to "enjoy my old life," and Casey responds, "You too." Awww, sad.
Morgan arrives home to tell Chuck the exciting news of him quitting but he notices Chuck's holding a glass of whiskey with a gaming console in his lap. He's all, "Hold on. Something's going on here. Oh, are you mixing gaming with whiskey?" Chuck says Sarah's leaving with the other guy (the titular other guy). Chuck tries to drink more as Morgan tries to take away the whiskey. Chuck says he's already over the edge, but Morgan says he's not going to let it get to the point where Chuck quotes liberally from John Hughes and things go dark. Chuck flashes and then we cut to Morgan tied up on floor muttering as Chuck listens to If You Leave, while holding a guitar on the floor. He starts the John Hughes quoting: "She said she couldn't be with someone who didn't believe in her. Well, I believed in her. I just didn't believe in me." Morgan tells Chuck he's misquoting and ruining Pretty in Pink for him. He begs Chuck to stop this now, and he'll forget it happened. Thankfully, Sarah comes in and asks what the hell's happening. Morgan tells her this is all because Chuck found out Sarah is leaving with Agent Superman. He continues that Chuck's eaten a whole carton of ice cream and drank a lot of whiskey. Sarah unties Morgan and asks him to leave them. Morgan says he forgives Chuck, then turns off the music as he screams, "Great. Now I hate this song."
When they're alone, Chuck says he knows what he looks like, but the ice cream sobered him up. She says it's okay, but he says it's not because he thought Agent Superman was bad and he could save her and they could be together. She tells him Agent Superman's a good spy, and Chuck's all, "I get it already. Shaw's amazing." He says them running off together to save the world is great news for the world, but he realized that he hasn't asked Sarah a very important question. He asks her now: "Do you love me?" Strummy music plays as Sarah hesitates. Chuck starts babbling about how he's sitting in his underwear holding a plastic guitar and probably making a complete fool of himself. Sarah says yes, and Chuck thinks she means yes, he's making a fool of himself, but she clarifies that she fell for him a long time ago, after he fixed her phone and before he started diffusing bombs. She leans in and kisses him. For real. Finally. And it's pretty awesome. She tells him that Casey told her about the Red Test, that he couldn't do it, which means he's still the same Chuck: "You're still my Chuck." He wants to clean up, but she says there's no time because of their new mission: a three-man op with Agent Superman, who thinks he's found Ring headquarters. Morgan, who's been listening the whole time, comes out and says if there's a mission, he's totally on it, since he's Chuck's assistant. He gets Chuck some coffee.
But on the actual mission, it's just Chuck, Sarah, and Agent Superman. Chuck plays too cool, like everything's normal, then whispers to Sarah about whether Agent Superman's onto them. Chuck and Sarah are going to rappel down into what's supposedly Ring headquarters, while Agent Superman waits at the top and does ... I don't know what, actually. The missions in this episode don't make a whole lot of sense, actually, which would be a problem in most shows, but, because it all turns out so right in the end and because this show is really more about the characters than the missions, I'll let it go. But not without that mention, so there. Now you know: The missions are lame. Anyway, Chuck and Sarah rappel us into commercial.
Chuck and Sarah wind up in an elevator and let Agent Superman know they're in. Chuck whispers to Sarah that he has a concern about Agent Superman, because he thinks he is a great spy, but is emotionally "Swiss cheese." Sarah tells Chuck not to worry, since all Agent Superman wants is to capture the Ring director. Just then some Ring guys come in and Agent Superman beats the crap out of them, then we get a close-up of a camera in the corner of the room. Agent Superman explains it was "Ring company," and Sarah's like, "See? I told you we can trust him." Chuck pulls out a gun, but tells Sarah not to worry, it's just a tranq gun, and he's counting on her to do the killing. Agent Superman tells Sarah and Chuck there's movement toward the elevator, so they think maybe the director's coming in early. It is him, of course, and he thinks it's brazen and impressive that they'd kidnap him in his own lift. He says there's no chance they'll get the cipher, though, which is the Intersect they've been building for a year. Sarah asks where it is, and Chuck tells him to pull out his Ring phone and call his assistant. So he does.
When Denise arrives, she gives him the cipher, but when he says something about Barcelona, Sarah pulls her into the elevator because that was obviously a code word. Chuck asks what they're supposed to do with her, and the director says he'd shoot her. Another guy comes in, because he heard something strange in the elevator shaft, so they pull him in too. As Agent Superman gets the elevator moving, the director says this was a trap for Sarah. They all pull guns, and Sarah asks if she looks like an amateur. He says she doesn't, but her partner and his tranq gun are a different story. When the elevator opens, it's more Ring guys, so Sarah and Chuck are trapped. Until Agent Superman comes in shooting up all the Ring people. He makes them leave him in the elevator with the director, and they hear a gunshot behind them. Chuck's like, "I think we should probably wait to tell him about us." But, in the elevator, all the Ring people come back to life, and the director tells Agent Superman he did good work; he thinks they bought it. Agent Superman: "Of course they did."
At Castle, General Redhead's scolding Agent Superman for eliminating the director. She says this wasn't a red op. Chuck's really excited by watching the footage of Agent Superman kicking the bad guys asses while Sarah and Chuck were in the elevator. General Redhead says her people have analyzed the cipher, and the Ring wasn't as far along as they thought with a new Intersect. She sends Sarah and Agent Superman to Paris, but says Chuck's going to have to stay put for now. Chuck asks Sarah if they'll ever get their chance, and she says they will, as soon as she's back. "Just one more mission." So Sarah and Agent Superman are off in Paris together and Chuck tells Morgan at home that General Redhead doesn't think he's ready. Morgan explains this is bad news since he quit his job to be part of his team. Chuck: "You did what?!" Like, Chuck, don't you know Morgan by now? He believes everything you ever say ever. Morgan beats himself up for giving up a management position in a down economy, and then tells Chuck that Agent Superman's going to get Sarah and Chuck's going to drink himself into Guitar Hero oblivion. You know, that actually sounds pretty fun. Chuck tells Morgan that Agent Superman's actually a hero, and Morgan thinks that's nice since "99 times out of ten, [sic] that guy gets the girl!" To cheer up Morgan, Chuck shows him a copy of the Shaw-ass-kicking video, but Morgan -- being the crazy kung-fu geek he is -- immediately notices that the fighting is fake. Chuck says Agent Superman shot people, and Morgan asks if Chuck saw viscera or brain matter. Chuck realizes that if the fight was staged, that means Agent Superman's working with the Ring and Sarah's with him now.
At Castle, Chuck uploads the fight footage to General Redhead's home computer. She wakes up in pajamas and a night kerchief, and Clappers on her light, already annoyed at Chuck. She's more annoyed when he tries to say Agent Superman's still bad, and even more annoyed when she sees Morgan is there. She fires Chuck and tells them to both leave Castle. But Chuck says Morgan's still a spy, because Chuck needs him; he's all he's got. Morgan: "No. There is another." And then they're at Casey's, where he's in pajamas and a robe, as Chuck explains everything and pleads for his help. Casey refuses, unwilling to fight now that he's just a civilian. He won't listen to Chuck saying he's the ultimate spy, but Morgan's reverse psychology about how Casey's life is the Buy More now -- which is cool and all if he wants to hang out with Jeffster! -- works. Casey tells Morgan to go to the closet and get him his black suit.
Morgan's not on the plane with Casey and Chuck, which confirms what one reader of my recaplet told me: I was wrong in thinking Morgan went to Paris with them. Nope, it's just Casey and Chuck smashed into coach, looking at every file they have on Shaw, hoping Chuck will flash on something that will help them find Sarah once they land. Casey tells him to forget the Intersect, and figure it out by being smart, like he was before he had that computer in his brain. In Paris, Agent Superman and Sarah are walking when she realizes they're in the place where her Red Test took place. She asks why he brought her here and pulls a gun on him. Agent Superman asks if she really thought he'd be okay with her killing his wife, and then someone shoots her with a dart from behind, so she drops her gun. The shooter walks up, and it's the director, who takes her gun and says there's a cafe around the corner to discuss the details. Agent Superman leads her to a chair outside the café, and tells her the drug won't kill her, but it will immobilize her. He needs her to see what happens . The director tells Sarah that Agent Superman's his newest agent. She manages to ask why, and the director says it gives Agent Superman a chance to avenge his wife's death and to destroy the CIA for having Evelyn Shaw killed. Agent Superman says he needs the CIA to know his pain, so he has to kill Sarah. Right. Because Sarah's as important to the CIA as a wife is to a husband. Agent Superman passes the information on the cipher along to the Ring bad guys, who offer to kill Sarah, but Agent Superman wants to show her the river. So they take the information and leave.
As they go, Agent Superman tells Sarah it's almost time to go as someone else, a waiter, walks up behind him. Sarah looks up and she (and we) sees it's Chuck, who points a gun at Agent Superman's head. He realizes who's there and asks how they found him. Chuck says he read all of Agent Superman's files and knows he comes here every year to remember his wife's death and he thought it would make morbid sense he'd want Sarah to see it too. Agent Superman thinks Chuck's smart, and Chuck tells him to stand up because he's under arrest. Agent Superman thinks that's less smart and that Chuck should pull the trigger, NOW, and kill him. Chuck hesitates and looks at Sarah. He says he wouldn't do it. Gunshots are heard off screen, and Chuck says it's Casey taking care of the new director. Chuck tells Agent Superman to stand up, but he says he guesses Chuck's gun was Casey's idea. He turns around and fights Chuck. Chuck flashes, but it doesn't last long, and they end up in a silverware fight, with Sarah helplessly watching it all. Finally Agent Superman wins, and Chuck begs him not to do this. Agent Superman knows that Chuck's emotions are getting in the way of flashing. He tells Chuck to stay here, since this wasn't his fault and he doesn't want to hurt him. He says he hasn't told the Ring Chuck's secret, but if Chuck follows, he will kill him. Agent Superman takes Sarah and runs off. Chuck yells after him.
At the river, Agent Superman tells Sarah the drug will dull the pain, so this won't hurt her. Chuck yells, "Stop!" Agent Superman turns and draws his gun, because he warned Chuck and he totally couldn't see this coming. Chuck's gun is drawn too, but he begs Agent Superman please; it doesn't have to be like this. He tells him this isn't him; he can't do this. Agent Superman flashes on his wife and tells Chuck that, actually he can; it's Chuck who can't. But Chuck shoots first and it looks like he hits Agent Superman at least twice. He falls and jumps over the ledge into the water, grabbing Sarah's hand on the way. Chuck runs over and holds onto her until Agent Superman falls into the water. Chuck holds Sarah, who's passed out by this point. More commercials.
Casey's smoking a cigar in a café somewhere in Paris, talking to General Redhead on his computer. She tells him they've been over this (so, presumably, he's called before) and he no longer works for her -- unless there's a sale at the Buy More. Oh, look at General Redhead being all snarky. He just nods and smokes, then shows General Redhead the Ring director (and how cool is it for Jayne to finally have the upper hand with freaking Badger?)passed out to him. She asks what he wants for him, and Casey says he's like full reinstatement, his old rank back, a new Crown Victoria, and "a request you're probably not going to like." Cut to Morgan begging Big Mike for his job back. Big Mike hesitates, but is of course delighted to have him. He hadn't even opened the job up to others because he was waiting for Morgan. He calls Morgan "Son" and asks him to call him "Dad" or "Papi." Morgan's like, "Dad. I like that one." You know, between those two, I think I do too. When Morgan leaves Big Mike's office, his cell phone rings. It's General Redhead asking for Morgan. He's like, "Yeah. Who dis?" She identifies herself and then offers Morgan a job on Team Bartowski. Which is so ridiculous that it works on this show. He tells her he'll go quit his job again, but she says Buy More will be his cover, so that won't be necessary. She also tells him to thank Colonel Casey. Morgan: "Aye, aye, Captain." General Redhead: "General. It's General." Then he calls her sir, and ma'am, and she hangs up.
At a fancy hotel room in Paris, Sarah wakes up in what looks like the most comfortable bed in the world. Chuck asks how she feels, and she wonders what happened with Agent Superman. Chuck tells her he's dead, and he's sorry. Her fuzzy memories come together, as she pieces together the café, the bridge, and Agent Superman trying to kill her. Then, finally, that Chuck killed him. He says he's sorry, but he promises he's the same guy. She says, "You saved me," and they start kissing. But then the computer on the bed turns on and General Redhead starts talking. She tells them they did excellent work, but she wants them back to Burbank ASAP; it's something about Peruvian assassins. Sarah turns the computer around while she's talking, and then she closes it as General Redhead asks for her people to fix the connection so she can get in contact with Sarah and Chuck again. Chuck's not sure, but Sarah tells him to shut up and kiss her. He does, and then they go under the covers as the camera pans down, past Chuck's Chuck Taylors and to the Eiffel Tower out the window. That feels like the longest wait for characters to hook up in the history of television. Maybe I'm just a geeky, desperate shipper, but I don't think so because I never even hated Shaw. Even in this episode, I had sympathy. I mean, what's a guy to do when he finds out who killed his wife? It's almost romantic in its own way. How about a spin-off about his backstory and his search for his wife's killer. As long as he's shirtless a lot, that's sure to be a hit.
Chuck won't be back for three weeks, but we get a sneak peek of what's to come after that. It's a quick look, but it includes: Chuck and Sarah making out, Morgan and Casey together, Chuck and Sarah on a motorcycle, Anna coming back, Casey training Morgan, Ellie's leaving, Sarah has an accent, Ellie and Awesome in a jungle, Ellie hits Casey with a frying pan (which makes sense since she thinks he's a big perv), and ... Bakula! I can't wait. I know this show can still be good (or even better) without all the angst.
DeAnn, a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon, is a little sad to lose Agent Superman. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com.
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