Chuck opens this week with a meeting of the minds to discuss a problem: Chuck has been unable to flash since Rafe tried to kill Sarah and Shaw. He is distraught at being benched by Shaw, and is also sure that the reason is because he can’t talk about the job with any of his friends. He tries to talk to Devon, to no avail. Devon has taken Ellie away for the weekend to a fancy resort hotel to make up for recent events. Back at the Buy More Morgan calls Chuck on the carpet in his broom closet. Hannah quit her job and left, Chuck hasn’t leveled with him, and he is upset. Chuck tries to tell him what has come between them but cannot, and Morgan “fires” him — as his best friend.
Chuck is left behind at Castle as the rest of the team departs on their mission to determine who the Ring is targeting; intel says they are trying to turn a CIA agent at a nearby resort hotel. Casey tells the dismayed spy-newbie to go back to his day job, and upon his return to the Buy More there is an uproar. A group of prospective buyers is apparently looking at the store and, in addition to going over the actual building floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, are preparing to interview the staff for their own jobs. The staff acts through their various characters under the stress; Chuck upholds his “best friend” Morgan as the “real cream of the crop at Buy More” when the interviewers ask about his notoriety as SuperGeek.
At the hotel, the team intercepts a communication that reveals the target of the Ring to the team: Devon. Additionally, the “buyers” at Buy More turn out to be Ring agents. The massive coordinated op is directed at locating Castle and Team Bartowski, since they now know Shaw is still alive.
Devon and Ellie are by the pool: no stress, no worries, as Shaw and Sarah lock and load to save them. Chuck is sitting in Castle trying to figure out why he cannot flash. Shaw and Sarah warn Devon as Casey enters the Ring agent’s hotel room, tosses a flash-bang and finds a decoy Ring phone. He warns Shaw and Sarah who awkwardly excuse themselves from the Awesomes’ vacation. As they deduce the Ring’s true plan, back at the Buy More Morgan witnesses the discovery of a Castle entrance behind the lockers in the Buy More, and follows the Ring operatives in while barely restraining his shock at the CIA hi-tech. Morgan sneaks back out and tells Chuck about the base and the Ring invasion. Morgan thinks the shock on Chuck’s face is because he doesn’t believe what the Beard is telling him.
Chuck argues with Morgan as Morgan tells him that the pair has to take the fight to them. Chuck reluctantly agrees, but only if they get all the people out of the store first, and if Morgan tells no one about the base under the store. Getting the employees out is impossible, as they have locked themselves down so as to keep from losing their jobs. The duo turns back, and Chuck is able to contact the team on his watch. Sarah tells him they’re on their way but them Morgan catches up and talks Chuck into heading through the door to adventure, where they are greeted by Ring operatives with real firearms.
With the two of them tied up downstairs Morgan goes through the expected fumbles about not knowing anything, not realizing the interrogation is directed at Chuck until they tell Chuck they are going to torture Morgan and Chuck is forced to admit the truth to Morgan about his secret identity.
At Orange Orange Shaw and Sarah try to get into the computer system but Casey goes back into Buy More. The Ring is distracted and takes off to deal with Casey, Shaw and Sarah. Chuck takes advantage of the opportunity to start at the beginning with Morgan, who unexpectedly is thrilled to know that he hadn’t lost Chuck as his friend — rather, that his best friend is a spy! The Ring ops are mildly amused at the “revolution” in the Buy More, but with Casey trying to force his way into Castle, not so much. The men dispatched to take him out fail thanks to — of all people — Jeff, who inadvertently gives Casey just the edge he needs. Sarah forces Shaw to hold off on the self-destruct five more minutes.
Downstairs, Chuck finishes his story. Morgan is most amazed with the relationship between Chuck and Sarah, still not believing that it was completely fake. Morgan reinforces Chuck’s feelings for Sarah and Chuck admits the reality in his own mind. His relief at being able to divest himself of his repressed feelings is so great that he flashes and takes out all the Ring operatives as they return to kill Chuck and Morgan (except the leader, who Morgan flattens last).
At Orange Orange the team has given up but just before they can activate the self-destruct they hear the back Castle entrance open. Guns drawn they race back to greet Morgan, followed by Chuck, the victorious heroes.
Shaw tells Chuck that Morgan has to go. Chuck protests. He and Sarah convince Shaw that Morgan is absolutely necessary to Chuck’s functionality. When the rest of the team has gone home, Shaw calls Big Mike at the Buy More pretending to be from “Corporate” and tells him the store is no longer for sale because of the immense team loyalty. There is much rejoicing.
On the home front, Chuck tries to reassure a still-panicked Awesome that they are doing everything possible to keep him and Ellie safe, whereupon Devon promptly goes to Ellie and suggests — seriously — that they join Doctors Without Borders and go to Africa (she’s thrilled at the prospect). Back at Castle, the decoy Ring phone discovered in the hotel begins to ring. Casey reluctantly answers. “Hello, Colonel Casey,” a smug voice says on the other side, as the camera fades to black. “It’s been a while.”
It would be impolite to tell you that next week’s mission is to locate and capture Colonel Casey, dead or alive. So I won’t tell you that.
