Chuck Episode 3.04 Chuck vs. Operation Awesome

Awesome has been captured by a Ring agent, Sydney -- and she has mistaken Awesome for a world-class spy. Back at Castle, Casey and Sarah try to assuage Chuck's panic about his missing brother-in-law, but nothing seems to be working.

At the Buy More, Big Mike notices a change in Morgan and promotes him to assistant manager, even though Morgan still needs to learn how to run with the big dogs. Meanwhile, Chuck has completely lost his cool at work and is flashing on any little thing: he yells at a Korean woman (in Korean), and later roundhouse kicks Lester in the face when Lester won't leave him alone. Before things can get any worse, Awesome turns up at the Buy More and informs Chuck that they're in trouble: Sydney thinks Awesome is Chuck, a master spy.

Down in Castle, Beckman informs Awesome and the team that Sydney Prince is head of a Ring cell in Los Angeles and is trying to recruit. Sydney has given Awesome a Ring-Phone, a communication device that only works on a closed network. Beckman wants to exploit Awesome's connection to capture Sydney. However, Chuck doesn't want anything to do with the mission -- he wants to protect Awesome.

Chuck congratulates Morgan on his new assistant manager position, and apologizes to Lester for kicking him in the face. Surprisingly, Lester isn't mad; he thanks Chuck for hitting him and Jeff begs Chuck to hit him "as hard as he can." Lester does the honors for him instead.

An anxious Ellie confronts Awesome when he finally comes home -- where has he been for the past 24 hours? Awesome elaborates a story about being attacked by a bear, but is unable to convince Ellie of this tall tale. Chuck steps in, making up a story about an intoxicated Casey being arrested and Awesome trying to get him out of jail. Fortunately for Awesome, Ellie takes this as the truth, but it's not so fortunate for Casey --who has no idea Chuck has made up this fabrication.

Something strange is going on with the Buy More staff: they're all bruised. But the first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club; Lester has become the Buy More's own Tyler Durden, much to Morgan's disapproval. But his former pals have turned against him because of their newfound leader, Lester. No one wants to listen to the Ass Man.

Chuck is now Awesome's handler and his job is to keep Awesome calm during the mission. This means Chuck cannot freak out. Awesome receives a package from Sydney that comes fully equipped with an earpiece and watch for tracking and communication. Sydney contacts Awesome via the Ring-Phone and directs Awesome to put on the earpiece and watch -- Chuck assures Awesome that this is all protocol. But it turns out that there is a bomb in the earpiece, and if Awesome strays from the mission at all, Sydney will detonate it.

When Awesome and Chuck enter the security locked door, Chuck realizes that they have walked into a C.I.A. facility -- this mission is a set-up. Sarah and Casey get locked in the surveillance van, unable to follow Sydney into the building. Beckman informs Casey and Sarah to stand down, this is in fact, a set-up to trick Sydney. Sydney contacts Awesome and tells him that his mission is to find the man in the C.I.A. facility and kill him. Chuck, doing his part as Awesome's handler, promises no one is going to die.

Chuck finds an unknown tall, dark and handsome man in the C.I.A. office, who already knows who Chuck is. Special Agent Daniel Shaw swallows a mysterious red pill and orders Chuck to shoot him. Chuck refuses to kill Shaw, even though it would mean death for him and Awesome. Shaw, knowing what needs to be done, shoots himself in the shoulder and falls dead to the floor. Chuck hides in the office and gives Awesome the gun, so by the time Sydney comes to the room it looks as though Awesome has completed his Ring mission. Sydney is pleased with Awesome's work. Once Sydney leaves, Chuck finds out that the pill Shaw took was Amiodarone, something that stops the heart for a few moment -- using the medical kit stowed in a desk, Awesome saves Agent Shaw.

The team, including Awesome and Shaw, is debriefed at Castle. General Beckman informs the team that Shaw now has total command authority on any mission regarding the Ring. Chuck, feeling that Awesome has been through enough, does not want to cooperate when Shaw says that their next move is to use Awesome to get to Sydney -- but Shaw explains it's the only way to save him.

Chuck is determined to save Awesome on his own and takes the Ring-Phone to the Buy More. As he tries to hack into The Ring's closed network, he gives Morgan some advice on how to handle Lester's Fight Club (now fully equipped with an electro-shock cage). Morgan leaves and Chuck establishes communication with Sydney. He tells her that he is the spy she's looking for; they arrange a meeting at the Buy More.

Chuck creates his own trap for Sydney at the Buy More, but he gets an unpleasant surprise when Shaw denies Chuck help from Casey and Sarah by holding them at gunpoint. Apparently if Chuck wants to do the mission his way, he's going to have to do it himself. Panicked and in over his head, Chuck tries to hide from Sydney and her men but to no avail. When faced with Sydney and her thugs, Chuck is unable to flash and runs away to save his life.

Sarah and Casey, forever dedicated to Chuck's safety, draw their weapons on Shaw and run into the Buy More. Chuck uses the electrified cage to take out two of Sydney's men while Sarah goes head-to-head with Sydney. But The Ring agent is too powerful for Sarah and knocks her out with a kick. Chuck runs after Sydney and holds her at gunpoint. Unfortunately, Sydney doesn't believe Chuck to be a real spy. It looks bad for Chuck: he's unable to shoot Sydney, who readies a knife to throw at him. Just as she's ready to dispatch Chuck, she drops to the floor. Agent Shaw has arrived just in time to deliver a fatal shot.

Despite the team going against his orders, Shaw congratulates them. Chuck is clear with Shaw: family and friends are the most important people to him -- and he'll do anything to protect them. Sarah defends Chuck to Shaw too, saying how sometimes it helps to know that you have something to lose.

Morgan has had about enough of Lester and the unruly Buy More Fight Club members. Big Mike offers more words of advice to help Morgan -- and it works. Morgan fires Lester -- gaining the respect of the other employees, and also putting Lester back in his place. Humiliated, Lester begs for his job back and is put on probation.

The day comes to an end as Chuck and Morgan invite the friends and family over for dinner, including Ellie, Awesome, Sarah and Casey. At Castle, a lonely Shaw watches the dinner through a surveillance cam and takes a moment to himself to remember the life he used to have.