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Chuck Versus Santa Claus
Season 02, Episode 11
211Chuckvssanta
Air Date December 15, 2008
Writer Scott Rosenbaum
Director Robert Duncan McNeill
Previous Chuck Versus the DeLorean
Next Chuck Versus the Third Dimension
"You're going to be okay, John. A lot of people get by with nine toes. "
―Ellie Bartowski

Chuck Versus Santa Claus is the eleventh episode in season two, which aired on December 15, 2008, and was the last episode of 2008. It was the first Christmas episode of "Chuck", and the twenty-fourth overall.

Synopsis[]

The Buy More staff work on the decorating for the annual sale while watching a live car chase on TV wall. Devon and Ellie come to the store to do their early shopping, and the car chase ends at the store with the perpetrator taking everyone at the store hostage.

Full Story[]

It's the holidays and Big Mike and Emmett Milbarge have raised the prices at Buy More by 15%. Morgan is dressed as an elf, and Anna will not talk to him because he does not want to move in with her. Ellie and Awesome show up early to do some Christmas shopping using the "friends and family" discount. Suddenly the car from the chase they've been watching live on TV crashes through the Buy More front doors. The fugitive gets out of the car and points a gun at Chuck.

NedRhyerson

The LAPD gather outside. Casey and Sarah talk to General Beckman who says that the fugitive, Ned Rhyerson is a regular guy who does not have a record. They have to save Chuck and let the police take care of the rest. Lt. Frank Mauser, the police negotiator, calls the store to bargain with Ned who speaks only through Chuck. They agree to release one hostage. Emmett throws himself at Ned, "Good God, pick me! Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! My 86-year-old mother is dying of a very rare disease. It's leukoplakia. And she needs me... her bobo." He is released, and proclaims all the great sales that Buy More is having for the assembled press.

Sarah and Casey are able to get to Chuck but he does not want to leave without his family and friends. Ned enters and discovers them, surprised that there are two more people in the store. Agitated, Ned accidentally shoots Casey in the foot. Ellie tells him that he will be fine getting by with nine toes, and then Jeff informs everyone that he gets by just fine with eight toes.

Ned does not have any demands, so Chuck tells him that he should call his wife. Ned agrees and he also agrees to let the hostages call their loved ones as well. Chuck calls Sarah and in private, he gives her a charm bracelet that belonged to his mother. Sarah tells him that he should give it to his real girlfriend, but he insists that she take it. Frank calls and asks to exchange him two hostages. Ned decides to release Casey, since he is hurt, and Sarah, since she is Chuck's girlfriend. Chuck tries to protest, but he can't because it will give up everyone's cover. Frank enters and Chuck gets a flash on his watch - Frank is a Fulcrum agent.

Knowing the danger everyone is in, Chuck tells Frank that he will do a hand-off with Ned. He then tells Ned that Frank is bad and that he should let everyone go. He also says that he knows people that can make what he is doing go away.

Outside, they find out that Ned isn't even married, Ned had called Frank.

Frank, meanwhile, tells Chuck that he knows that Casey is NSA and that he's protecting someone, but he does not know who. Fulcrum had planned for Ned to cause a disturbance to flush him out. Frank tells Chuck that he'll have Ned shoot Ellie and the rest of his friends, unless he cooperates. He demands that they tell him where Bryce Larkin and the Intersect are, or else his sister is going to die. Afraid for Ellie's safety, Chuck tells Frank that he has no idea where Bryce is but that he is the Intersect.

Frank immediately takes Chuck out of the Buy More and puts him in an ambulance for transport to a Fulcrum facility, and he is told that he will never see his family or the light of day again. Chuck says goodbye to his sister and tells Awesome to take out Ned. Devon, Jeff, Larry, Big Mike, and Morgan plan everything out. First, Lester tries to attack Ned, but he does a roundhouse kick and puts him down. Morgan who is hiding, jumps out and sprays Ned with fake snow and Big Mike and Awesome jump him.

SarahKills

Sarah kills the Fulcrum agent

Sarah and Casey shoot at the tires of the ambulance. Chuck escapes and runs through a Christmas Tree sales lot. He bumps into Sarah who tells him to get out of there. Sarah and Frank then fight. After she beats him, she tells him that he will go to a CIA facility to ensure that Chuck's identity remains a secret. Frank gloats that Fulcrum will find him, and he will make sure that that will be the end of Chuck. Chuck unable to abandon Sarah, watches this from afar. Sarah hesitates, assessing the threat, then, in order to protect Chuck, Sarah executes Frank. Chuck is horrified.

Sarah returns to Buy More where Ned has been taken into custody. Sarah tells Chuck that Frank has been arrested and removed to a secure facility. Lester gets taken away in a stretcher and kisses Anna, which apparently repulses her, as Morgan looks on, horrified.

Guest Stars[]

Trivia[]

  • The gunman's name, Ned Rhyerson, is an homage to the movie Groundhog Day.
  • The officer in charge outside the Buy More introduces himself as Sergeant Al Powell. The character is played by Reginald VelJohnson, who also played the same character in the first two Die Hard movies, both of which take place at Christmas. He is also eating Twinkies, which is what his character in Die Hard was buying when introduced. Additionally, echoes of Beethoven's 9th Symphony 'Ode to Joy' were heard as the gunman establishes himself at the Buy More.
  • The Lieutenant in charge outside is a homage to Lieutenant Mauser from the Police Academy franchise.
  • Emmett says his mother has leukoplakia, this is a condition in which white patches or spots form inside the mouth. It is most often caused by smoking or other tobacco use, such as chewing tobacco.
  • When Sarah kills Mauser, she's holding her gun right-handed. However, a moment later, the still-smoking gun is in a two-handed grip. This image is reversed. You can clearly see the ejection port is on the wrong side of the pistol.

Quotes[]

Chuck: We have a cover date tomorrow. Christmas at the Bartowski's!
Sarah: Oh, thanks for the invitation, Chuck, but I don't do Christmas.
Chuck: I'm sorry, I think you just said you don't do Christmas?
Sarah: Look, I would rather not get into it.
Chuck: But it - it's Christmas! Look, I'm not buying the whole Scrooge act, okay. Underneath that spy cover is a regular person, just like the rest of us. I mean, honestly, how weird could Christmas have been for you?
Sarah: Christmas at the Burton household meant the annual Salvation Army con job.
Chuck: Okay, well, it's, uh... okay, you're a little different than the rest of us. But Christmas at the Bartowski's means eggnog, PJs, a fake gas fireplace and that's right-- Twilight Zone marathons. I'm not taking no for an answer, Walker, so prepare to be heart warmed.

~

Ned: Could someone please tell me who's in charge here?
Jeff/Anna/Lester [pointing]:Chuck!
Chuck: Actually, I'm not technically in charge.
Ned: I don't want to hurt anyone, Chuck, so, as long as no one gets brave, no one gets shot, okay?
Chuck: Okay, I think we're safe. Yeah, um, this store has a very strict 'no bravery' policy.

Music[]

  • Your Vegas – “Christmas and Me Are Through”
  • Beethoven – “Ode to Joy”
  • The Darkness- "Don't Let the Bells End"
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