Chuck Episode 5.07 Chuck Versus the Santa Suit

It's Christmas Eve at the Buy More and customer panic abounds because the Omen has infected the world's computers. A local television reporter conducting a live newscast from the store explains the situation to the viewing audience. Big Mike interrupts, stepping in front of the camera and telling the reporter he thinks the virus is really a gag and isn't dangerous. He tells everyone not to panic and to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Buying stuff. He announces there are no virus problems at Buy More. Lester then takes his own cue in front of the camera and neuters Mike's pronouncement by admitting the virus is everywhere at Buy More. In a high security penitentiary, two guards watch the live newscast from the Buy More and discuss the danger of the Omen since every cell at the prison is locked via electronic doors connected to a mainframe. With their attention focused on the television, they fail to notice one of the prison doors opening. An unseen inmate quietly gets out, then ambushes and kills the two guards. The mystery prisoner then puts on one of their uniforms and takes their weapons.

At the Woodcombs', Ellie is panicked because they're six hours away from a Christmas party and have yet to even put up a tree. As she scrambles to find the Christmas tree topper her father gave her years ago, Awesome tells her to relax and be Zen about it. Ellie explains that Christmas was her first memory, and she wants Clara's first memory to be special. Awesome asks what he needs to do in order to make her happy. Ellie asks for a real tree, lights, fake snow and a picture of Clara on Santa's lap. He admits it's a tall order, and Ellie agrees. That's why she recruited someone to help. She picks up the phone and speed dials Sarah. Sarah picks up and tells Ellie "Project Santa" is under control. They just need to get the tree and snow.

Chuck calls Sarah via videoconference from Morgan and Casey's place. She tells him Ellie is freaking about Christmas Eve. Chuck tells her it wouldn't be Christmas without a little Bartowski drama. He tells her there's still no progress on finding the origins of the Omen virus. Sarah thinks whoever is behind it will slip up eventually. She promises no one will ruin their Christmas. Before signing off, she tells Chuck to tell Casey his "Mr. Pippers the Preppy Polar Bear" has arrived. Morgan gets on the screen and says that's probably one of their favorite childhood toys but why did Casey buy one? Casey tells them he bought it on eBay for Alex because her mom told him it was something she used play with as a kid. Casey wonders if it's a dumb idea. Chuck and Morgan think it's touching. Morgan tells Casey he thinks he's actually beginning to exhibit signs of real human emotion. Just then Beckman pops up on the screen and tells them she knows who is behind the Omen virus.

Sarah is leaving Castle loaded with Christmas stuff when the elevator door unexpectedly opens to reveal... Shaw! He says, "Merry Christmas, Sarah. Did you miss me?" Sarah immediately takes a defensive posture while Shaw initiates the Intersect, and they begin to fight. Sarah is no match for an Intersect-loaded Shaw, and she's pummeled into unconsciousness. She awakens to find herself bound and hanging from the Castle ceiling. Shaw asks if she's comfy and checks the progress of the virus. He tells her it will only be a few hours before the virus fully launches. Sarah asks why he initiated the Omen. He tells her, "Why stay in jail when I can break out, release the virus and take over the CIA" before duct taping her mouth. Sarah's phone rings and Shaw picks up. It's Chuck. "Hello nerd," Shaw tells Chuck. He orders Chuck to turn on the monitor. With Casey and Morgan standing behind him, Chuck turns on the monitor to see Shaw standing in front of a bound and helpless Sarah.

Shaw tells Chuck the story of Krampus, the German Santa Claus. Krampus visits kids on Christmas Eve, but instead of giving the bad kids a lump of coal, he makes sure they don't wake up to see Christmas morning. Chuck demands he let her go. Shaw tells him he has no Sarah, no Intersect so he's got nothing. He orders Chuck to lock down Castle and break into Decker's CIA office to retrieve the Macau device. He's got three hours or Sarah dies. Shaw stops the transmission and asks Sarah if she's impressed. He's implicated Chuck in a massive conspiracy and has captured his girl all from an 8 x 8 prison cell. Sarah asks how he connected with Decker. He tells her during his integration he was able to disseminate all of Decker's secrets and, after a little blackmail, was able to recruit him.

Back at Casey and Morgan's, Chuck is in a quasi-catatonic state thinking about his next move while Casey and Morgan look on with concern. Chuck snaps out of it and announces he has a plan. He tells Morgan to have the nerds (Jeff and Lester) reverse engineer the Omen. He needs to know what will happen when it activates. He tells Casey to find alternate routes into Castle so they have options in case he can't get the Macau device. Casey reminds Chuck that breaking into the CIA alone is suicide. Chuck, Casey and Morgan speak to Beckman on the monitor. Chuck asks her what's the best way to get into the CIA. She tells him there's only one way. With her.

Casey and Morgan return to the Buy More. Morgan tells Jeff and Lester a cover story about corporate wanting them to find out everything about the Omen. Jeff and Lester are uninterested and aren't motivated to help. They need an incentive. Casey reminds them with the Omen wreaking havoc no one is going to buy anything, which means they get no Christmas bonus. The nerds are still unimpressed. Desperate, Morgan tells them to name their price. Lester asks for a Subway sandwich. Jeff tells him he was going to ask for a trip to the Bahamas. The boys get started, and Casey quietly tells Morgan he's going to try and enter Castle through the air ducts.

On the Buy More show room, Ellie and Awesome are hoping Big Mike can wear the store's Santa suit and take a picture with Clara. He takes them to where the Santa suit is stored only to find it missing. Ellie stresses, and Awesome tells her to relax. He's calling in the big guns. He calls Chuck to tell him the Santa suit is missing. Chuck tells him that's a shame. Chuck is then revealed to be in an elevator with Beckman wearing the Santa suit as part of his plan to infiltrate the CIA with Beckman. She tells him they've got a CIA holiday party to crash.

The temperature at Castle has dropped to freezing. Sarah asks Shaw why it's so cold. He tells her he's tapped into Castle's internal generator and dropped the temperature because when the Omen hits the mainframe it may overheat with the massive influx of data. He tells her she'll probably soon go into hyperthermia shock, slipping in and out of consciousness. Sarah wonders why he just doesn't kill her. He tells her this is about her because she's the superior spy, not Chuck. And he's missed her. She tells him he's insane. He assures her he's going to crush her soul like she crushed his. After Shaw steps away, Sarah removes a hidden knife in her shoe and begins to cut her bindings.

Back at the Buy More, Jeff and Lester are hard at work trying to solve the Omen mystery. It certainly helps that a Subway employee is feeding them sandwiches and coffee. Lester tells Jeff when the Omen goes full bore everything electronic will go dead. Computers, the electrical grid, everything. Jeff hopes they're not the only ones trying to solve the Omen. He trusts there are more qualified people within the government trying to solve it. At the CIA holiday party, Beckman tells Chuck she hates company holiday parties because everyone turns into a mess. Beckman's co-worker "Stan" (played by comic legend Stan Lee) asks Beckman to join him at the punch bowl. Beckman turns him down flat and tells him he's embarrassing himself. He walks away in disgust.

Still at the CIA party, Beckman tells Chuck about Caroline Hayes, who's in charge of internal security. Normally a hardliner, she loosens up once a year during the holiday party. She has electronic access to every office at the CIA including Decker's. Beckman tells Chuck he must attempt to seduce her and steal the access card. Chuck wonders if he's her type. Beckman tells him he's "drawing breath and he's in a Santa suit, so yes." Chuck engages Caroline, and she responds by telling him she wants to sit on his lap. She throws him on an office chair and straddles him while Chuck manages to snatch her entry access card. Before things get out of hand, Beckman interrupts and asks Caroline to control herself.

Shaw returns to check on Sarah only to find she's escaped. He draws his gun and starts to search Castle. Although she's hiding, Sarah is unarmed. Shaw opens the armory and takes out an automatic weapon before resuming the search for her. Meanwhile, Casey is in the Castle air ducts, trying to sneak his way in. Shaw hears Casey above him and fires into the ceiling, causing Casey to crash down hard on the ground. And he's been shot. Sarah surprises Shaw from behind and tries to take him down, but Intersect Shaw is too much. He knocks her out. He then kicks Casey into the Castle interrogation room and locks the door.

Back at the CIA, Chuck and Beckman get into Decker's office. After a brief search, Chuck finds the Macau device. However, Internal security has detected someone in Decker's office and rush to investigate. In a hasty maneuver to ward off suspicions, Beckman kisses Chuck just as security reaches the office so as to appear as just another eggnog holiday party hook-up. Beckman tells security to leave or she will have them court-martialed. After leaving the CIA with the Macau device, Chuck calls Sarah's phone expecting to get Shaw, but instead it's Sarah. She tells him she's escaped Shaw and to return to Castle. It's then revealed it's not Sarah on the phone but Shaw who's using a voice clone device to mislead Chuck.

Chuck arrives at the Buy More and is immediately greeted by Morgan. The store is inundated with angry shoppers frustrated with the Omen. Chuck gets another call from Shaw disguised as Sarah telling him that Shaw's been captured by Casey and to hurry up and get to Castle. At the end of the conversation, Shaw makes the mistake of calling Chuck "dear." Chuck immediately knows it isn't really Sarah because she never calls him that. Chuck tells Morgan about the bogus call, and Morgan reminds him that last time Shaw was around he blew up the Buy More. Chuck looks around the store and realizes it's filled with people and tells Morgan to close for the day. Morgan makes an announcement, and the place clears. As the store empties, Ellie sees Chuck and tells him about the botched Santa photo and wonders why Sarah isn't answering her phone. Although initially reluctant to tell her about Shaw, he fesses up. She tells him she wants to help. Chuck demands she go home because he has to know she's safe.

Shaw has Sarah tied up again but this time on a chair chained to the floor. Hypothermia is creeping in and she's slipping in and out of consciousness. Shaw comes up to her and plants a kiss on her mouth, repulsing Sarah who calls him a sick S.O.B. Shaw tells her he was checking to see if there was any spark there. "No," he says. "Ice cold." Sarah tries to plead with Shaw, telling him she didn't know she was killing his wife. She was a young agent only trying to do her job. Shaw ignores her. Back at the Buy More, Jeff and Lester are amped on endless cups of Subway coffee. They explain to Chuck and Morgan they think Omen is a hoax. In fact, the virus is only infecting government computers. But they're not sure where all that info is going. Chuck and Morgan guess it's Shaw trying to create Intersect 3.0 using all the CIA databases. With the CIA's databases wiped clean and in Shaw's head, the agency will be forced to rely on him for intel. They'd have to reinstate him as an agent. Chuck tells Morgan he has a plan.

The elevator door at Castle opens, alarming Shaw who draws his gun. He finds the Macau device on the elevator floor. At that moment Chuck calls Shaw and tells him that now, since he has the device, he can let Sarah go. He tells him the Buy More is empty, and he can come up and kill him. Before Shaw goes up to meet Chuck, he uses the Macau device to upload the Omen data into his Intersect glasses. He will now be virtually unstoppable. He slaps Sarah awake and tells her to watch the monitor because he wants her to watch as he kills Chuck. He tells Sarah because she killed his wife, she'll pay by not having Chuck anymore.

In the locked Castle interrogation room, Casey struggles on the floor, nursing his gunshot wound. He discovers the "Mr. Pippers the Preppy Polar Bear" Sarah was to deliver to him before Shaw showed. He realizes he can record a message on the bear for Alex to hear if he should die. He begins by apologizing for not always being there for her through the years and says he's sorry he has to say it to an electronic bear. He then realizes he can probably cannibalize the electronics of the bear to try and disengage the door and get out. He gets to work taking Mr. Pippers apart.

Shaw goes upstairs and enters the Buy More. He walks past a hidden Morgan who sneaks into the elevator and goes downstairs to get Sarah. Once in the store, Chuck reveals himself to Shaw and tells him if he wants to shoot him now he can, but he doesn't think that's what he has in mind. Shaw confirms Chuck's assumptions and puts his gun down. He then puts the Intersect glasses on assuming he will download the Intersect 3.0. After he's done, he tells Chuck he's been thinking about this moment for a long time. With that, Chuck punches him right in the face, and it's then Shaw realizes Chuck put the Omen on the Macau device, and he's actually just uploaded the virus into his brain. Without the Intersect, they're evenly matched.

While Shaw and Chuck battle to the death upstairs, Morgan arrives at Castle to see Sarah near frozen. He tries to wake her up but gets no response. Casey manages to rewire the door using the talking bear parts and escapes. Morgan tries to pick her up but she's tied to the chair and the chair is locked to the ground. Just then Casey emerges and shoots the lock, freeing the chair. They both grab Sarah and carry her away. Upstairs, Chuck has Shaw where he wants him, but Shaw manages to grab the gun. He points the gun at Chuck and tells him, "You're good Chuck, but you're not lucky" and just when he's about to fire, Ellie smacks him on the back of the head and knocks him out. She never left the store like Chuck had asked.The whole team including Beckman is at the Buy More watching a newscast about the Omen and how it's no longer a threat. Beckman tells the team they all have an open invitation to rejoin the CIA. She wishes everyone a nice holiday. Before she leaves, Sarah asks Beckman if she has somewhere to go for the holiday and invites her to Ellie's party. Ellie reminds everyone that her party's now a bust. Chuck asks Beckman if she'd consider helping to make the party happen after all. She's reluctant, citing "taxpayer dollars" but succumbs to the holiday sprit.

Back at the Woodcombs' place, Ellie's getting everything she wished for: a Christmas tree, Santa, fake snow and family. Chuck tells Ellie he knows without their mom and dad it can never be a perfect Christmas, but she'll always have him around. She admits it felt pretty good taking down Shaw. She thinks their dad would be proud. Casey gives Alex the "Mr. Pippers the Preppy Polar Bear" and tells her she probably shouldn't listen to the recording because things got pretty grim. He should just tell her in person that he loves her. He knows the bear won't make up for all the lost holidays. Alex disagrees and thinks it's perfect. Casey then tells her she should reconsider Morgan because he's not such a bad guy. Sarah thanks Chuck and tells him when she was captive Shaw kissed her. Chuck tells her that he had to kiss Beckman. Beckman then asks Chuck for a private word with Sarah. Beckman tells Sarah that Shaw has asked her to visit him in prison. Beckman thinks she shouldn't go. Sarah goes anyway. In the visitors' room, Shaw tells her that, in Hungary, he set something in motion she can't do anything about. He asks her, "Does Chuck know about the baby?"