Chuck Versus the Predator

Chuck Versus the Predator
Season 02, Episode 17

Air Date	March 23, 2009
Writer	Chris Fedak
Director	Jeremiah Chechik
Previous	Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon
Next	Chuck Versus the Broken Heart

"I can't lose you, Chuck, I need you. It's time for you to become a spy."

―General Beckman

Chuck Versus the Predator is the seventeenth episode in season two, which aired on March 23, 2009. It is the thirtieth episode overall.

Synopsis[]

Chuck is contacted by Orion, the genius behind the Intersect, who may be able to remove the Intersect from Chuck's brain. The Buy More crew take on their snobbish Beverly Hills counterparts.

Full Story[]

The episode opens with Chuck, Casey and Sarah returning after a mission that involved posing as plumbers to find the intel General Beckman wanted - Chuck's cover name seems once again to be 'Jorge' as that is the name tag on his coverall.

Chuck asks Sarah if she heard anything from Beckman about Orion ^[1] and she answers “not yet, these things take time”. Chuck is a little desperate to discover if Orion may be able to get the Intersect out of his head so he can return to a normal life. Sarah says that she wants that, too. She also agrees with Chuck that there is a team of “brilliant analysts” working on it, and she tells Chuck to leave the search for Orion up to them.

Still awake at 4:15 am, Chuck is reviewing his research recorded on the back of the Tron Poster, meanwhile, his computer is shown to be executing an automatic search for Orion. The computer camera switches on which attracts Chuck's attention, who wonders why it turned on.

The other end of the connection is in Hong Kong. The person cannot be identified; this person watches Chuck for a few moments and apparently runs a facial recognition program, then hears intruders and severs the connection. He types on a keypad attached to his arm and leaves just before a group of armed men burst into the room. The leader of the intruders says that Fulcrum should be alerted that Orion is gone. He sees ice in a drink and know the target has only recently left. A message to the intruders appears on the laptop, telling them their day is about to get worse, the building starts to shake. An incoming missile and explosion are heard the scene cuts to the Buy More which is draped in toilet paper.

Lester comments that on the bright side they won’t have to buy toilet paper for years, Jeff asks “Why start now?” Morgan says that their home has been defiled, “this is our castle,” which brings a mild reaction from Chuck.

A group of neat and tidy Buy More employees, referred to as “incredibly colorful and well coordinated team” by Chuck, enter the store. Barclay, the assistant manager of the Beverly Hills branch, doesn’t admit to the deed. Big Mike and Emmett arrive. Big Mike says the attack was a result of Burbank branch is getting the new Roark Instruments laptop computer first. Lester asks in disbelief if they are getting the new R7 gaming laptop that no one has even seen yet. After the Beverly Hills group departs, Big Mike says there will be no retaliation, “calm and collected, the Buy More way."

While cleaning off a computer, Chuck receives a message on the screen that says "I know your secret" then clarifies: "You're the Intersect." Chuck is stunned, the message then identifies the sender as Orion and that they should meet because the connection is not secure, he would send Chuck one of his computers. Sarah appears and Chuck proceeds to tell Sarah, Casey, and General Beckman about his encounter and the computer to be sent. The General wants the computer taken and secured since it is “next gen” and capable of breaking defense computers and hijacking weaponry. The last thing they need is for it to fall into the wrong hands.

Back at the Buy More, Lester accepts a package addressed to Chuck, thinking it is the new gaming computer.

Sarah voices her displeasure at Chuck not telling her about his rogue search. He explains that he wants the Intersect out of his head and that the NSA and CIA might not be sympathetic. Sarah says that Chuck should have trusted her.

Morgan and Lester enter the men’s bathroom, the last stall serves as Jeff’s office. They open the laptop which is described as nothing seen before and is liquid cooled, titanium housing, and has an overclocked processor. When opened, a message appears on the laptop screen asking for identification. When the Buy More group enters a reply that they can’t, the message sender asks if there is danger, and when Morgan confirms this, a predator drone is sent. Assuming it is a simulation game, they target their Buy More location.

Casey says the Predator redirected from Edwards Air Force base matches the signal used in Hong Kong. They see that the Buy More is the target so they will use the fire alarm to evacuate the building. As the group in the bathroom change the target of the predator to the Beverly Hills Buy More, Chuck calls off the fire alarm, realizing who has the laptop, Chuck suspects that his coworkers have intercepted his laptop and are the ones entering the targets. Chuck calls Morgan and tells them to stop playing with the computer. He then finds them in the men's room and a struggle for the computer ensues. Chuck is able to cancel the aerial support and the flight is aborted. Casey and Sarah burst in, with the former wanting to kill at least one of the Buy-morons for nearly blowing up the store. Chuck reminds Sarah that she is in "the little boys room", prompting her to exit. As the whole group leaves the bathroom, Big Mike asks what’s going on. He assumes that the Orion laptop is the Roark 7, takes it, places it in a safe and assigns Emmett as guard overnight. Jeff and Lester peek in one set of office windows and plot an after-hours job. Casey, Sarah and Chuck peek through another set of windows and plot their mission to rob the Buy More.

Vincent, the leader of the Fulcrum team from Hong Kong, is welcomed by voices in the dark, within the Ring Council Chamber. He reports that he discovered a similar signal to the one in Hong Kong, originating from Burbank. One of the voices asks if it's a Buy More. Another voice states that Fulcrum has lost many agents there and they assume it's a CIA substation, and therefore, it is too risky a mission for Vincent. Vincent says that even if he doesn’t have their support, he will still do the job. They let him proceed, and say they appreciate his initiative.

Emmett is on guard at the Buy More that night. Casey, Chuck, and Sarah secretly emerge through the Home Theatre Room floor. Casey says that Chuck got them into this mess, so he has to give them the plan. Chuck instructs the two agents to distract Emmett while he cracks the safe since he knows the combination is kept in Big Mike's desk. He also says that no guns or violence are needed in this plan. As the agents are getting into place, Emmett continues his rounds, and walks past Lester and Jeff, who are dressed in black just like Chuck's team, and come with their own plan. As Jeff attempts to throw his voice, Emmett starts to seek the source, "I'm hearing things, just like Fresno. Just like Fresno," and all the people in black scatter. Chuck enters the office, Lester mistakenly scolds a masked Casey who he believes is Jeff, and Jeff mistakenly talks to a masked Sarah who he thinks is Lester. A figure comes through the ceiling and turns out to be Vincent, also there to steal the computer. Chuck unlocks the safe and turns to see a Vincent, with a gun. Chuck flashes on him. He tries commenting how two thieves are robbing the store at the same time, which Vincent finds unconvincing.

Jeff finds Lester, and they flee when they find out Lester has been talking to someone who is not Jeff. Unfortunately, they run right into Emmett who maces them and causes them to run away crying. As Emmett is gloating, he turns around only to be knocked out by Casey. As Sarah joins Casey, he comments "That felt good," then Chuck emerges with Vincent holding a gun on him, who then demands that they drop their guns. Chuck explains his plan didn't include guns, whereas Vincent says that it would be unprofessional not to shoot them. Casey draws a gun and shots Vincent first, saying, "I always have a gun." Before they can get to Vincent, he takes what appears to be a suicide pill from his ring and swallows it, a nauseated Chuck comments how he didn't have to see that.

In Morgan's bedroom, he is sitting up in bed, disturbed by the noise on the other side of the wall involving his boss and his mom making love. Big Mike then gets a call from Emmett who tells him there is trouble at the store. Big Mike then pounds on the wall, calling Morgan to go with him to the store, much to his relief.

Casey dumps Vincent's bagged body in a room in Castle. As Chuck is about to open the computer to get some answers, Beckman instructs him not to. She explains that her analysts believe that it wasn't Orion who contacted Chuck, but it was a Fulcrum trap. She said that her technicians would check the laptop, but Chuck says there isn't time to send the computer to Washington for analysis, Orion might never contact them again. Beckman says that's why she was taking over the operation personally, and she would be on site within the hour, warning Chuck that he may have to return with her if Fulcrum knows he's the Intersect.

Chuck is sent to his apartment. Sarah says that Beckman doesn't want to see him. As he climbs into his room, Beckman walks into the courtyard and is reassured that the asset is secure.

Emmett explains what happened at the store to Big Mike and Morgan, thinking that an entire crew attacked him. Jeff and Lester run in, making up a story of how they heard of the break-in. The suspects were the Beverly Hills Buy More crew. There is a discussion of how serious laws were broken and they can't be calm this time. Big Mike says they will be calm and collected as they visit the rival store, enter using the manager's code and as they burn the store to the ground. The Buy More crew then walks through the Buy More as a coordinated, jumpsuit-clad group on a mission for payback that will most likely include illegal activities.

During the wait Chuck drops off to sleep, when his computer displays message: "Wake up Chuck." Orion then calls Chuck on his phone. Chuck explains that the computer is locked up in a government facility and there are thoughts that Orion is connected to Fulcrum. Orion instructs Chuck to look at his computer where Chuck flashes on a symbol. When Chuck asks how Orion knew that was in the Intersect, he replies that he put it there, fully convincing Chuck.

General Beckman says she lied to Chuck, that Chuck did what no one else could do, find Orion. Sarah asks why'd they lie to Chuck if Orion is necessary for their operation and to Chuck. Beckman cuts her off, stating that she had an army of spies and analysts hunting for Orion since before Sarah was "in a training bra." They were never able to even lay a hand on him... until now... until Chuck. Orion had purged his personal records and disappeared and no one, not Fulcrum or the CIA ever came close to him again.

Orion tells Chuck he can't trust Sarah and Casey, and by way of proof tells Chuck to go to his computer. Chuck sees surveillance of the meeting between Beckman, Sarah, and Casey; he comments how tiny Beckman is. He hears Beckman explain that when Fulcrum cornered Orion in Hong Kong, he nearly destroyed an entire building with the stolen Predator drone. Sarah asks if Orion can get the Intersect out of Chuck's head, then why not let them meet? Beckman insists that Bartowski is too important to national security and can never meet Orion. Sarah reluctantly says she understands while Chuck looks on in disbelief. Chuck then leaves the apartment, on Orion's signal, leaving his tracker watch behind.

Chuck enters Castle and finds the computer, which identifies him as Chuck. Chuck wants to ask a question. Orion knows the question: can he get the Intersect out of Chuck's head. The answer is yes. They prepare to meet, but in the background the body bag that contains Vincent moves and then open as Vincent emerges from it. Orion suggests they meet that night at 54 Temple Ave. Los Angeles in an hour. Vincent instructs Chuck not to scream as he has a splitting headache. Chuck turns to find a not dead Vincent holding a gun on him. Vincent explains that the pill he took put him in a near-death state, to avoid interrogation.

Sarah tells Beckman that Chuck is not a spy, and he knows it, that if Orion is out there, he will not just sit in his room without doing something. She then realizes that Chuck is no longer in the apartment, and Casey checks his room via video and when he is not there checks the Castle. Chuck is seen being led up the stairs by Vincent, who then shoots one of the cameras. Sarah rewinds the video from Castle to find a clue that she suspects Chuck would have left. They find the address of the meeting with Orion, left visible by Chuck's stumbling to move the laptop screen in the face of the camera.

The Buy More crew enters the Beverly Hills Buy More with Big Mike carrying a violin case. Emmett loves the beautiful, clean store. Big Mike extracts a baseball bat from the case to "play music". Morgan tries to calm Big Mike down and talk it out. The group agrees to let Emmett have the bat to take his revenge. Emmett's first swing at a cardboard cutout of Barclay misses. His second swing, however, not only connects but causes a chain reaction of shelves tipping over. The group stares in disbelief and Big Mike calmly suggests "we should run now".

Chuck and Vincent make it to the rendezvous, and Vincent asks how long Chuck has known Orion. He says he doesn't really. Vincent asks if he's CIA, and Chuck says that he is, his name is Carmichael. Vincent says he's heard of him, surprising Chuck. He tells Chuck he has been hunting Orion for three years, but he was coming out of the cold for Chuck and compliments him. He then instructs Chuck to inform Orion that it's safe, producing photos of Ellie and Sarah, implying that he will kill them if Chuck doesn't do as he says.

As soon as Chuck types the all clear into the laptop, Fulcrum agents surround and capture the man approaching the rendezvous and take him to a chopper on the roof. Sarah and Casey arrive and see Chuck being held at gunpoint in an upper window. Vincent says he has to shoot Chuck now, and Chuck responds that it would be unprofessional not to. Casey is able to get off a shot wounding Vincent and knocking him down, giving Chuck a chance to escape; he grabs the laptop and runs. Chuck meets Sarah and Casey in the hall and runs away from them to try to save Orion. They reach the roof as the chopper takes off. Chuck opens the laptop and sees a message that says, "Emergency Protocol". Casey gets a message that a predator is heading towards them, so they have to leave now. Chuck thinks Orion is going to "take himself out" and believes he can use the laptop to reprogram the predator, but the system does not allow him access. They watch as a missile roars overhead and hits the chopper. Chuck is devastated.

The General explains that it is better that Orion did not fall into Fulcrum's hands. She then admits when asked, that she does not want the Intersect out of Chuck's head. With the state of the secret war with Fulcrum and the fact that she had lost many agents to them, only his operation, only Chuck is the factor that has found the "chink in their armor." In short, it is time for Chuck to become a spy.

The Buy More boys are celebrating their victory when the Beverly Hills group enters and says they went too far. Big Mike explains that calling the cops is not the Buy More way. The group exits, causing a minor spill on the way out. Big Mike thanks Morgan for stopping him back there and says there are rumors of a store closing. He reassures Morgan that he won't let that happen.

Back at home, Chuck lies in his bed only to find a packet containing papers and a disc under his pillow. The disc contains a video from Orion with instructions to study the cards which depict the Intersect. He says the disc will self-destructs in five seconds and then that he always wanted to say that. Sarah enters through the window as Chuck hides the cards. They discuss the General and the fight with Fulcrum. Chuck says this is not his future and he will get his life back.

The General questions Casey about Agent Walker's reliability and feelings towards the asset. She requests everything Casey has on Agent Walker and Chuck. They see Chuck, via video surveillance, lying in bed, reading a comic book (Ex Machina #39), unseen by them, pasted inside of the comic, are the Intersect spec cards.

Trivia[]

On a shelf in Morgan's bedroom are the board games Operation, Risk, and Life, all of which are played by the characters at one point or another throughout the series.
54 Temple Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90013 is not a real address. There is a West Temple Street in LA zip code 90013 and East Temple Street in LA zip code 90012, but both start at block number 100. There is a 54 Temple Ave in Long Beach, LA but it is in zip code 90803 and in the middle of a residential area.
The Ex Machina comic book series details the life of Mitchell Hundred (also known as the Great Machine). This is an obvious parallel to Chuck having the Intersect in his head.
In Hong Kong when Orion notices Fulcrum agents closing in on him, he turns his screen to the black screen. When the scene cuts to another camera angle, the screen is back to normal, and then black again in the next camera change.
The last interaction between the Buy More teams is reminiscent of the speech that Sean Connery gives to Kevin Costner in the Untouchables.
Big Mike states "I love the smell of Buy More in the morning." This is a reference to Robert Duvall's speech in Apocalypse Now, after a napalm strike on a Vietnamese village. The allusion was first employed by Big Mike in "Chuck Versus Santa Claus", when he observed to Emmett, "Love the smell of day before Christmas in the morning."
During Chuck's flash on Vincent, the word "Freedom" is misspelled as "Freedin" - Something most viewers would likely not notice without pausing.

Quotes[]

Vincent: You have one chance. Drop your guns.
Chuck: Uh, sir. They don't have any guns. I personally put this mission together, and I forbade them from packing.
Vincent: Why would you do that?
Chuck: I don't know. I just, you know - I think guns make things too easy. I like my spies to be tough. Look, you're not going to shoot anyone, right?
Vincent: It would be unprofessional not to.

~

Chuck: You had a gun?
Casey: I always have a gun.

~

Vincent: It's called Tetrodotoxin, a modified poison extracted from blow fish. Fulcrum agents are taught to survive its near death state.
Chuck: That sounds like a fun class.