"Choosing My Own Way of Life" is the sixth episode of Season 6 of One Tree Hill and originally aired October 13th, 2008. The episode was written by Mark Schwahn, and directed by John A Norris.
Lucas heads to Omaha for the start of his book tour promoting The Comet, and reunites with an old friend. Nathan contemplates his health when he is given an unexpected opportunity to return to the court - just not playing basketball. Peyton confronts Mick about his identity, whilst Haley gives Brooke a proposition that could change her life.
Contains examples of the following tropes:
- The Bus Came Back: Joe Manganiello returns as Owen Morello, having last appeared in "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side" in Season 5.
- Daddy's Girl: Peyton is last seen speaking to Larry on the phone, calling him to let him know that she misses him and loves him.
- Epic Fail: Lucas' book tour winds up being cancelled after the first date - in which he signed a total of one book, and it wasn’t even his.
- Failed a Spot Check: Lon, the rep sent by Lucas' publishers instead of Lindsey, admits that he hasn't read The Comet and thinks it's a science fiction novel because of the title. Subsequently, he put Lucas' signing in the Science Fiction section and Lucas has to explain to him that it's a love story and the comet is a metaphor.
- Free-Range Children: Nathan and Haley find Sam living in the back of one of the cars in the Auto Shop class. She explains that despite currently being in one of the better foster homes she’s lived in, she’s ultimately invisible there; by the end of the episode, Sam has moved in with Brooke.
- Happily Adopted: After the turmoil of learning she was adopted in Season 3, Peyton has reached a point where she has happily accepted being adopted by the Sawyers.
- Honor Before Reason: Mouth quits his on-air position in Omaha, reasoning that it isn't worth spending his time away from Millicent.
- Internal Reveal:
- Peyton finds out about Brooke's attack.
- Peyton tells Brooke about meeting Mick, her biological father.
- Never My Fault: After Lucas points out that he arranged a signing for a romance novel in the Science Fiction section, Lon claims that they wouldn't have gotten a better turn out if they were on Main Street.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: After Dan mocks Deb's relationship with Skills by suggesting he's barely out of high school, Deb reminds Dan that he graduated the same day Dan confessed to murdering Keith.
- Titled After the Song: The episode title is taken from the song "Choosing My Own Way Of Life" by Suicidal Tendencies.
- Tragic Keepsake: Mick’s chip commemorating a year of sobriety is revealed to be Ellie’s, from when she was pregnant with Peyton.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Peyton confronts Mick about his refusal to admit that he's her biological father.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: After seeing that Brooke has turned her bathroom mirror into a diagram reminding her of the injuries she suffered in her attack, Peyton rewrites the diagram and replaces all of the negative connotations with positive ones to remind Brooke of what her friends see.
