Chuck has a problem; he's been trying to get Sarah on the phone to talk about their fake relationship, especially the very real Big Damn Kiss that happened last episode. However, when Sarah comes to find him, she has something more serious to talk about; Bryce is alive, and will only talk to Chuck.
Chuck goes to the facility where Bryce is held to talk to him, but makes a mistake that results in Bryce escaping with Chuck as a hostage. On the way, they're accosted by a mysterious, scarred agent who seems to know Bryce, and who Chuck flashes on as some kind of serious bad guy. Bryce refuses to explain anything before escaping, leaving a drugged Chuck for Sarah and Casey.
At the Buy More, Thanksgiving is coming. Big Mike insists the employees come in on the day itself to practice for what comes next; Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. Jeff and Lester are disgusted by this, choosing to goof off instead and joke around with "pineapple", the store's black swan emergency codeword that is not to be used under any circumstances. Meanwhile, Morgan is bringing a date to Thanksgiving at the Bartowski's; new girlfriend Anna, who is extremely hostile to Ellie due to Morgan's well-known affection for her. When Morgan shows more interest in Ellie's sweet potatoes than Anna's casserole, Anna dumps him and storms out.
When Chuck leaves dinner to get something from the Herder, Bryce approaches him, insisting that he didn't go rogue and needs to talk to Sarah. Chuck hides Bryce in his bedroom and sends Sarah to meet him, but then gets angry when he sees them kissing and sends Casey in too. After some confusion and getting slightly shot (fortunately in the bulletproof vest), Bryce is able to prove that he didn't go rogue. The agent from before, he says, is an agent called Tommy, who works for an outfit called Fulcrum that has operatives in every agency. Bryce wants to come in and report, but needs to be sure he's going with the right people. He needs Chuck to clear whoever comes for him in case they're Fulcrum, and this needs to happen in a public place with plenty of cover. Chuck has an idea about that...
Black Friday dawns, and the Buy More is in chaos. Anna isn't speaking to Morgan, and Jeff and Lester are hiding under a desk. However, the handoff of Bryce to two CIA agents goes smoothly; the agents are clear, and Bryce and Sarah leave with them without incident... only to be run off the road by Fulrcum agents while Tommy brings agents to the store to grab Chuck and Casey, making it clear he will kill the hundreds of people present if he has to.
As Tommy walks him out of the store, they're accosted by a panicking Jeff; the registers are down, and he can't fix them! Warned by Tommy that Jeff will die if he says "more than one word," Chuck sees an opportunity and uses the only word he can "Pineapple!" Jeff runs off and alerts Morgan, who (once he understands that this is from Chuck, and not just Jeff messing around), orders the store evacuated and Anna pulls the fire alarm.
As people stampede to the exits, Anna is knocked down and rescued by Morgan, who carries her to safety. Casey uses the confusion to incapacitate his would-be kidnappers and drag Chuck to the Home Theatre Room, where he has a secret gun stash. Meanwhile, Bryce and Sarah, having overpowered their own attackers, come back to the store to help. A battle ensues, Team Bartowski vs. Fulcrum. The good guys are winning until Tommy grabs Chuck and holds him at gunpoint.
Bryce asks Chuck a question in Klingon. Chuck replies... and Bryce shoots him.
With Chuck out of the way, Sarah and Casey shoot Tommy and rush to help Chuck, who is hurt but basically fine after being shot in the bulletproof vest. As a DHS team clean up the store, Bryce gives his report via the Home Theatre Room and leaves for a new mission, pausing to tell Sarah, "we'll always have Omaha." Meanwhile, Anna takes Morgan back and Big Mike is told the store was cleared due to a gas leak.
Later, Chuck asks Casey what Bryce meant about Omaha, and is told it's likely a code so Sarah can follow Bryce into deep cover. At her apartment, Sarah is packed and ready to go. Her landline phone starts ringing, a signal from Bryce. She goes to answer, but then her cell phone rings too, the caller ID showing Chuck's face. Sarah hovers, conflicted...
Trope Flash:
- Ambiguous Ending: The episode ends on Sarah, undecided between two ringing phones, one from Bryce and one from Chuck.
- Betty and Veronica: Bryce is Veronica, Chuck is Betty and Sarah is Archie.
- Chekhov's Gun:
- Early scenes establish that Chuck and Bryce both speak Klingon. This allows them to communicate when Chuck is held at gunpoint.
- When Casey shoots Bryce, fortunately he's wearing armour this time. Chuck decides to follow suit later, which is also very fortunate.
- "Pineapple". The secret Buy More codeword that is NOT TO BE USED unless you want to clear the store. Say, if a bunch of armed bad guys are there and you need a distraction.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Big Mike insists Buy More staff come in on Thanksgiving to train for Black Friday, to everyone's but especially Jeff and Lester's disgust. Later episodes establish that Jeff and Lester habitually spend Thanksgiving at the store, protecting the merchandise from thieves.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Fulcrum agent Tommy has clear scars all down one side of his face.
- Love Triangle: Bryce and Chuck, for Sarah.
- Never My Fault: Bryce gives Chuck crap for living with his sister and working at the Buy More, waving aside any suggestion that his getting Chuck expelled might be a contributing factor. It's only when he runs into an oblivious Morgan, who mentions his weird resemblance to the "real douche" who ruined Chuck's life, that it seems to sink in.
- Secret Test of Character: Anna's behaviour at Thanksgiving was a boyfriend test on Morgan, who failed by showing more interest in Ellie's food than her own (horrible) casserole. He wins her back by carrying her out of the Buy More when she gets knocked down in the stampede.
