CHUCK Versus the Last Details Recap: Boy Howdy!

In this season’s (hopefully not the series) penultimate episode, Sarah learned a very important lesson: Never, ever, say, “nothing can go wrong.” Because boy howdy, does it ever go wrong after those four little words come tumbling out of one’s mouth.

The episode begins with Mary Bartowski (Linda Hamilton) pulling what will forever be referred to as the “Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible” move – repelling down from above to steal something. In this case the item was a piece of the Norseman device. Reminder: the Norseman is that very evil device Vivian Volkoff (Lauren Cohan) that uses DNA to target people. If the user has your DNA he/she can target you and your family. It’s bad stuff. Before Mary can get her hands on the goods, in walk Vivian and Riley (Ray Wise). They test the device using the DNA of the poor scientist who got it ready. Vivian seems a bit unsure about killing this relative innocent, but Riley tells her it’s fine. They leave, and Mary comes back down from the ceiling, only to be discovered by Riley and Vivian who came back into the room. He introduces Vivian to “Frost” the woman that betrayed her father.

Back in Cali, Chuck and Sarah are excited to enjoy an entire week off leading up to their wedding so they can relax while Devon, Ellie and Morgan take care of all the plans.

Sarah: You know what we have to do today?

Chuck: Mmmmm…. Hunt someone?

Sarah: No.

Chuck: Blow something up.

Sarah: No again

Chuck: Crawl through sewers or rat holes. Or underground lairs filled with sewage and/or rats.

Sarah: No, no and no.

They bask in the glory of the impending week or relaxation and Chuck’s adorableness at planning a surprise for Sarah. But then Sarah doesn’t the stupidest thing ever… she claims nothing can go wrong. Cue Morgan yelling for help because he somehow ends up hanging upside down off the balcony while trying to hang twinkle lights. Chuck uses his super flash power to save his best man (“Bitchin’” says Devon). But Ellie doesn’t have time for such nonsense – there are more twinkle lights to be hung! She is a bit of a slave driver with this stuff. Morgan, not the least bit scared, runs off to his apartment to get twinkle light help from Casey and Alex. Alex and Morgan have some sweet moments as Casey looks on with his grumble-face. But before he can growl about something, he gets a message to come into Castle. Morgan tries to go with him, but Casey says no. Next thing we know, he is at Chuck and Sarah’s door. They don’t want to hear anything about a mission during their week off, but Casey tells them that mom was taken by Vivian.

Chuck, Sarah and Casey are off to save Mary, so Chuck leaves Morgan in charge of the romantic montage video he planned on making for Sarah. But since he doesn’t really have much in the way of pictures of Sarah, he asks Morgan to photoshop her in. Oy. Morgan is off to make the video…. with some help from Jeff and Lester who, not so surprisingly have been recording Sarah for the past several years. Big Mike, acting as their agent, get Morgan to agree that Lester gets first cut of the montage. I think we all can see this is going to a scary place.

In Colombia, the team discovers a mine that is being guarded by heavily armed men. There was a brief scene at a cafe, however if I were to describe the plate of “food” that the owner of the cafe brought, I may never eat again. I’m still a little nauseous from seeing it earlier tonight. The team takes out 2 guards and Chuck and Sarah change into the outfits and pretend Casey is their prisoner. Chuck, always looking for a good Star Wars reference says…

Chuck: Move it along, Chewy.

Sarah: Chewy? Why are you calling him Chewy? He didn’t even eat anything off that disgusting platter.

Chuck: Honey, it’s a reference to Sta….oh, I love you.

Those two. If that’s not love…. Anyway, they get past the guard using the old “I’m trying to impress the hot girl” tactic, but Chuck just ends up punching the guy out anyway, to defend Sarah’s honor. Sweet. The team finds Mary, who while touched they would bother, is ultimately annoyed with them because she has it under control. She wants to stay, but Sarah says she is just being stubborn and the mission is failed. Uh oh – nothing like your future wife and your mom having an argument, huh Chuck? So Casey and Chuck head off to find the Norseman while Sarah guards Mary. Casey, always handy with the life lessons this season, tells Chuck that he is going to be sharing a bed with Sarah, so it is time he starts siding with her. Good advice, my friend. Chuck and Casey discover the Norseman is gone – Vivian has it and is going to sell it. Meanwhile, Riley and Vivian are in the cave now. They head to Mary’s cell and Riley wants Vivian to kill her – you know, to get her in the Big Bad sort of mindset. Before she can pull the trigger, Sarah saves the day. But Chuck tells her not to kill Vivian, since they still need the norseman. Chuck and Casey get to the cell, save Mom (which blows Vivian’s mind that Frost is Chuck’s mom) and Sarah. So the bad guys just get locked in a cell, while the team and Mary head back to Cali to regroup.

Chuck apologizes to Sarah and says he will protect her from his mom in the future. Oh the family drama! Back at Castle, Beckman tells the team that Vivian is assembling a group of bad guys in Moscow to auction off the Norseman. It’s invite only, but miracle of miracles, the CIA just captured one of the lucky baddies with a golden ticket. Even more exciting – he looks just like Morgan! No one is excited that Morgan is going to have to be in the field. But Morgan is having fun, especially with the Italian accent the guy is supposed to have. (“It’s-a me-a, Mario!”) When Casey is still not supportive, Morgan calls Casey on it and asks what is wrong. Casey says it is because Alex loves Morgan and now he needs to protect Morgan for her. Aww. These two. Of course, then Morgan says nothing can go wrong…. dun dun duuuuun.

At the Buy More, Jeff and Lester are going to show Ellie and Devon (who are now in charge of the montage video) the cut that Lester made. It starts out nice enough. Then we see Lester has edited himself in it. I can’t describe the horror. It reminded me of the scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the Gene Wilder one, thankyouverymuch) when they are in the tunnel and that horrible movie is projected on the walls. You know the creepy and disgusting feeling you got when you saw that…. this was worse. Jeffster is off video duty, and Ellie is going to take care of it herself.

In Moscow Mary and Casey bond over protecting their kids (or their boyfriends) on the roof across the way while Sarah and Chuck try to encourage Morgan who is getting cold feet. Again, the only way to go is a Star Wars reference, so Chuck and Morgan perform a rousing rendition of the Imperial March (from Star Wars) to get Morgan in a villainous state of mind while Sarah looks on with a look of confusion and horror. Oh Sarah… Chuck has so much to teach you. At least you’re pretty.  Morgan enters the room, and to prove his villainy to the scary group of men, he makes a phone call ordering the death of a puppy. Nice. Riley and Vivian arrive, and then use the Norseman on the entire group, so Morgan has to play dead. Riley tells Vivian he is trying to turn her into who she needs to be. He is a bad influence, that guy. He also tells Viv that someone there isn’t dead (Ruh-roh!) but he actually doesn’t mean Morgan. He means some MI-6 guy who jumps up, starts blathering on about his mission, so Riley shoots him. Classic.

Our two villains  head out with the Norseman. Morgan goes to leave, but cleaners arrive to deal with the dozen dead bodies. They have acid “like Breaking Bad” and have also closed the shades so Casey and his sniper rifle can’t see them. So Morgan uses the camera in his glasses to show Casey where to shoot. Casey being the BAMF that he is takes them all out, as well as nicks Morgan’s arm. Oh well- that guy could use a battle scar. Meanwhile, Chuck does some fancy driving to take out Riley and Vivian’s car. The Norseman is in the trunk, and Sarah goes to the van to get something to open it and get it out. Chuck tries to talk to Viv – he tells her that he isn’t Agent X like she believes, that it’s her dad. She thinks it is crazy, but then Riley finally comes to and confirms the information. Of course he also tells her that it was Chuck’s dad that made him that way. And that both Stephen and Mary used it to further their careers. Riley is about to shoot Chuck, but Mary and Sarah both come to save the day. In the end, it is Sarah that kills him – a symbol to show who the real team is. But in all this hullabaloo, Vivian got away.

It appears the team has won – they all go home and get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Everyone is having a lovely time. Morgan admits to Casey and then to Alex that he shouldn’t be in the field – the Alex/Morgan cuteness abounds. Mary toasts the happy couple, even conceding that Sarah is a strong woman and that Sarah and Chuck should always save each other. Then Chuck goes to show the montage. Ellie freaks because she fell asleep before she could finish. However when Chuck presses play, a beautiful, tear-inducing montage comes on the screen. Jeff tells Ellie, “Lester never let you see my version.” Jeff’s reward for his surprisingly thoughtful and not-at-all-creepy gesture: a big fat kiss on he lips for Ellie.

Of course, this is Chuck and nothing is going to stay happy. Chuck’s phone rings and Vivian is on the other line. She has another Norseman (naturally) and is about to take away someone Chuck loves, just like he did to her. He thinks it is going to be Mary, but as he starts to go towards mom, it is Sarah that collapses.

Even though I have seen enough TV to know Sarah isn’t going to die – I will admit, that was tough to watch!

Next week is the SEASON (not series, you hear me, NBC?!?!) finale. What are you all expecting/hoping/dreading? What did you think of this episode? I thought it was great – especially the final act. Is it next Monday yet?

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae / Screencaps from ZacharyLeviFan.com

Ellie says to read Small Screen Scoop every day. I’d do it, because she gets scary when she is demanding!