Much like “Chuck Versus the Marlin” in the show’s first season, virtually all the main characters are in some way directly connected with the main storyline of “Chuck Versus the Beard.” As the episode begins, Chuck is benched by Shaw when he fails to flash in the aftermath of the team’s previous mission. He declines an offer by Sarah to talk through the emotional issues interfering with the Intersect, and is rebuffed by Devon, who has taken a vacation with Ellie to escape Chuck’s spy life. Back at the Buy More, Morgan calls him into his office for “disciplinary measures.” Morgan reveals that Hannah quit after Chuck broke up with her, and asks Chuck to talk to him about what’s happening. Chuck tries, but to protect his secret is unable to. Morgan unceremoniously “fires” Chuck as his best friend.

Meanwhile, Sarah, Shaw and Casey head to a hotel where The Ring is attempting to turn a CIA agent. With Chuck unable to flash on the target’s identity, it is left to the rest of the team to stakeout the hotel and attempt to identify him before it’s too late. While they’re away, Big Mike announces to the Buy More staff that their store is being sold. Representatives from Cost-Less will interview the employees while the building is inspected prior to the sale.

The “Buy Morons” Interview

The Buy More staff agrees to a “blood oath” to support each other in the interviews, as Big Mike believes the corporate representatives will begin by firing the unnecessary employees. However when Lester is called in first he immediately attempts to make a deal to give up the “dirt” on his coworkers for immunity, while Big Mike attempts to protect Chuck as the store’s best asset. Chuck, in turn, attempts to stand up for Morgan. As Chuck leaves the interview, the senior executive (Diedrich Bader) confides in his subordinate that he believes Chuck is actually Agent Carmichael; they are Ring operatives, and are attempting to locate Castle. Unaware of the danger, Chuck returns to the base and attempts to retrain himself to flash without success.

Lester attempts to spy on the Ring agents during the interviews, and overhears their leader giving them the order to “terminate everyone” but Morgan and Chuck, which leads him to believe that they are to be fired.

Decoy

Meanwhile, Sarah and Shaw trace a Ring phone call to a room at the hotel. The mark is identified by the caller as a man wearing blue and white swim trunks at the pool. As they scan the guests they spot him, and Sarah is stunned to realize that The Ring is after Devon. They intercept him at the pool to warn him, and Devon is incredulous, believing that he was supposed to be in the clear. As Sarah and Shaw attempt to calm him, Casey breaks into the room where the call was placed from and finds it deserted except for a Ring phone set up to playback a message. Casey relays to Sarah and Shaw to stand down, and they release Devon, who is still shaken that Chuck’s spy life has once again intruded on his own.

In the hotel room they debrief with Casey, and begin to put the pieces together that The Ring set them up to draw Shaw into the open and leave Castle undefended. The team realizes that Chuck is on his own.

Meanwhile, Jeff is being called into the interview when he begs Morgan to clear contraband from his locker before it can be discovered. As he does so, two of the Ring agents arrive and Morgan hides by the vending machines. Their scanners pick up the hidden entrance to Castle behind the lockers and call in their superior. Morgan is astonished to learn that a CIA base is hidden under the Buy More and follows the group after they break in. Taking cover, he eavesdrops on them as they announce their attentions to steal back all the data the team has on The Ring, and destroy Castle and the store with it.

Morgan tracks down Chuck and reveals everything he has learned. Chuck is stunned, but keeps his cover by playing along. Their attempts to call the police fail, as Castle and all communications in the store are now locked down–Sarah and Shaw are unable to even reach Chuck by phone as they race back from the hotel. Chuck tries to dissuade Morgan from trying to act to protect him, but he eventually agrees they have no other choice but to do something, provided Morgan keep the secret and they get their coworkers out of the store first.

Buy More Revolt and Castle Under Siege

However Big Mike, still believing they are to all be fired, has decided not to give up the store without a fight. The employees barricade themselves inside and refuse to leave when Chuck advises them to do so. They hold a rally and party in the store, where Jeffster! performs, while the Ring agents search Castle for Shaw’s files. Chuck finally makes contact with the rest of the team via his watch, and is ordered to stand down. He attempts to warn Morgan off, but his friend is determined to stop The Ring agents. Unfortunately his bluster soon gets them both captured.

Chuck and Morgan are interrogated in Castle’s sparring room. Under threat of torture to Morgan, Chuck finally acknowledges that he is, indeed, Agent Carmichael. The Ring operatives briefly leave them alone to finish their work, during which time Chuck explains everything to Morgan, even the Intersect. Chuck is relieved that he finally had the chance to explain everything that was happening in his life, while Morgan points out that regardless of whether his relationship with Sarah was a cover, that his love for her was genuine. The Ring agents successfully locate Shaw’s files just as the remainder of the team returns. While Sarah and Shaw attempt to gain access to Castle via the Orange Orange, Casey makes his way to the Buy More. After gaining admittance by revealing his “support” for the revolt, he attempts to use the Buy More entrance but is locked out. He is ambushed by two Ring agents, but is unwittingly saved by Jeff who, while high on chloroform, knocks out one with the gas while Casey disables the other.

Back in Castle, the Ring agents return to finish off Chuck and Morgan. However after Chuck and Morgan’s talk and with his feelings back under control, Chuck is able to flash and quickly defeats the intruders (with Morgan knocking out the leader from behind). Unaware of these events, Casey returns to the Orange Orange after failing to gain access to the facility, where Shaw is preparing to invoke its self-destruct over Sarah’s objections; Chuck is still inside, and he would be killed in the process. However just as he’s about to override her to protect their data, the entrance in the freezer opens and to the astonishment of the team Morgan struts out, greeting Sarah as “Agent Walker” as Chuck emerges behind him.

Aftermath

Shaw insists that Morgan be placed under Witness Protection, against Chuck’s objections. Casey is also unconvinced when Chuck points out Devon knows his secret as well (as Devon is “Awesome” and Morgan is an idiot). Chuck counters that Morgan’s loyalty matters, and that without his help he would have been unable to flash. Sarah throws her own support behind Chuck, and Shaw relents, releasing Morgan. Back at home, Chuck and Morgan relax over a game of duck hunt where Chuck’s firearms training has Morgan accusing him of cheating with the Intersect. To further distance himself from Chuck’s spy life, Devon suggests to Ellie that they join Doctors Without Borders and make a trip to Africa, although Ellie is unsure how to respond. The Buy More revolt ends when Shaw, masquerading as a senior Buy More executive, tells Big Mike that they have decided not to sell the store due to the staff’s dedication. Sarah is concerned that Castle may be compromised, and is not fully convinced by his assurances that the Ring agents were blocked from reporting in by their own communications blackout. He muses on why The Ring didn’t take the opportunity to assassinate him, as their ruse successfully drew him out into the open.

As the episode ends, a Ring phone captured by the team rings while Casey is stowing their gear. When he answers it, a voice greets him, mentioning it’s been a long time.

“Chuck Versus the Beard” is a Third Season episode of the television series Chuck. It originally aired March 8, 2010, and was the television directorial debut of series star Zachary Levi.

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