Chuck Episode 4.04 Chuck vs. the Coup D'Etat

We pick up in the aftermath of a last week's surreal scene inside Castle: Chuck, on one knee, holding an engagement ring. Sarah's eyes are wide with astonishment: is he proposing? Chuck quickly realizes what the scene must look like and explains to Sarah that he just picked up an engagement ring that happened to fall from the ceiling. It's incredibly awkward and they both quickly make excuses and head in opposite directions. Even for spies, this was a close call in the danger zone.

Upstairs at Buy More, Chuck and Morgan review surveillance footage of the near-proposal. Morgan observes Chuck's unease and asks him if he would have wanted Sarah to accept if he had indeed proposed. Chuck doesn't know. Morgan declares that the two of them are "crap communicators" and proffers a self-help book for Chuck: 101 Conversations Before "I Do." Chuck recoils, explaining that Sarah wants to take things slow; if he brings out a pre-marriage book, she'll flip out. Morgan tells Chuck that Sarah doesn't need to know about the book: he can simply refer to it as a discussion guide.

Ellie has a discussion point for Awesome: she's feeling "over-babied." He's already in full-time father mode and seems to be fixated on every aspect of the baby; she wants a little romantic time with her husband before the baby arrives and changes their lives forever. He understands.

At Castle, Beckman briefs Casey, Chuck and Sarah. The head of the Costa Gravan secret police is in town unannounced: something must be brewing. She wants Chuck and Sarah to stake out the embassy and determine why he's there. Casey, who's in a wheelchair recovering from a gunshot wound, is ordered to remain behind to recuperate. On their stakeout, Chuck tries to broach the topic of communication with Sarah, explaining that he's going to use a book to help stimulate conversation about difficult topics. Suddenly Beckman breaks in: the stakeout has moved to Awesome and Ellie's apartment. The Costa Gravan security chief, Commandante Turrini, knocks on the front door, surrounded by armed men. Dr. Woodcomb is needed. Generalissimo Goya wants to fly him and Ellie to Costa Gravas to express his gratitude for saving his life.

Chuck and Sarah arrive at the apartment and hear of the Generalissimo's invitation to come luxuriate at his palace. Ellie's excited: this could be the "babymoon" she's been craving. Chuck invites himself and Sarah along; a tropical vacation is just what he and Sarah need. Beckman grants them a few days off. As Sarah models some bikinis for Chuck, he confesses he's looking forward to their trip - in part so they can work on their communication exercises. Sarah sighs.

Beckman's asked Morgan to look in on Casey at home; he's a most impatient patient. Casey's daughter Alex stops by to look in on her wounded dad and is delighted to find Morgan there; she give him a hug, arousing her father's suspicion. From their small talk (Aubrey Hepburn, pot roast recipes), it's clear that Morgan and Alex are friends; Casey doesn't like what he sees.

At his palace, the Generalissimo welcomes his honored guests with a lavish party. With the snap of his finger, he unveils a fitting tribute: a giant statue of Dr. Devon Woodcomb. Everyone marvels at the edifice. But Chuck notices something else. He flashes on a nearby sign: there's a weapons control room nearby. He wants to defer investigating, but Sarah catches wind and decides they must spring into action. Meanwhile, the Generalissimo's disaffected wife, Hortencia de la Corazon Goya, gives furtive orders to one of the guards. It appears all is not peaceful in Costa Gravas.

As the clueless Generalissimo serenades the crowd, his wife continues to give direction to the guards; apparently a coup is in the offing. Unaware, Sarah and Chuck phone Casey for some intel about the palace. Casey and the Generalissimo are old enemies; Casey once spent two weeks inside the palace walls, waiting to assassinate him. He directs Sarah and Chuck downstairs, where they bump into Ellie and Awesome who are stumbling around like a couple of high-school lovers. The awkward scene is interrupted by the sound of gunfire upstairs. They race up to the ballroom to witness a full-blown revolution. The Generalissimo's wife wields a machine gun and her revolutionaries spray the scene with bullets; the head of the Awesome statue is severed, an early casualty of the coup.

Chuck and Sarah fight their way past the revolutionaries taking Ellie and Awesome and the Generalissimo to safety. As they cross through the weapons control room, Sarah snaps some pictures and they all board the general's private jet. As they fly to the U.S., the deposed leader realizes he's without a safe haven; his country is in ruins. Sarah offers up a CIA safe house, but the general refuses. The only place he will feel safe, he says, is in the home of John Casey.

Morgan frets in his office at Buy More; Casey's daughter has sent him a text, asking to get together sometime. Concerned Alex's father would go ballistic if he escalates the relationship, Morgan turns to Big Mike for some love advice. Mike counsels him that if he really thinks she's the one, there's no physical injury that's not worth it. Downstairs in Castle, Chuck reminds Sarah that they need to keep working on their relationship communication, awkward though the conversations may be. A sample technique: talk to your partner while they're sleeping. Sarah discovers the book Chuck's been turning to, 101 Conversations Before "I Do." The prospect of marriage still scares her and she reminds him that they agreed to take things slow. While they're fretting, Chuck flashes: the Costa Gravan control panel is a launch system for nuclear weapons.

Beckman confronts Generalissimo Goya. He downplays the threat, but admits there are missiles located throughout the Costa Gravan jungle. The control panel needs two keys to launch them; he holds up one of the keys on a necklace. His wife holds the other. While Chuck and Sarah prepare to return to Costa Gravas to neutralize the threat, Beckman instructs Casey to continue to protect Goya at his apartment. But in a tense scene in the apartment courtyard, Goya's head of security, Commandante Turrini, draws a gun. He's in league with the Generalissimo's wife and is going to take the second launch key by force. Even though he's outnumbered, Casey draws his own weapon, but Goya himself knocks Casey out with a flowerpot; he will surrender to the turncoat Turrini rather than see his noble enemy shot needlessly. Turrini takes the captive former leader back to Costa Gravas.

At Buy More, best-selling author Dr. Fred Hornblower, scribe of 101 Conversations Before "I Do" is signing books. Morgan seeks out his advice. He really needs to know if Alex is worth risking his life for. Witnessing this, Big Mike's offended. How could his future son-in-law turn to a pointy-headed author for love advice? Big Mike says it's simple: Morgan needs to go find Alex, hold her, kiss her on the lips and see if he hears the music within that will confirm she's it.

Chuck, Sarah, and Casey infiltrate Costa Gravas, crawling through a tunnel to the control room. Inside, the Generalissimo and his wife are fighting. Their relationship problems have put the world on the brink of an accidental nuclear launch. Chuck and Sarah burst in. They're clearly outgunned, but Chuck is armed with his newfound weapon: relationship advice. He begins counseling the troubled couple, building connections, reinforcing that they still love each other. Turrini wants to shoot Chuck and Sarah, but Hortencia feels like she's finally getting somewhere with her husband, after 25 years of neglect. Casey bursts in and subdues Turrini. The Generalissimo and his wife hug and kiss as Sarah disarms the control panel. Chuck's ability to leverage the power of love has neutralized a world threat.

Alex stops by Morgan's office at Buy More. He's still tentative about going further with her. She throws herself at him, planting a big kiss; she has no doubts about wanting to move ahead together. Morgan's surprised and afraid and pulls back, but finally gives in to the music inside. Apparently the feeling is mutual.

As they dismantle the nuclear control panel, Chuck flashes. Volkoff Industries supplied the panels! He quizzes the Generalissimo about Volkoff and whether he had any dealings with an agent named Frost (Chuck's mother). The general had heard of her, but never met her. Volkoff apparently kept her hidden. He cautions Chuck: these are dangerous people.

Back home, Chuck talks with Ellie in the courtyard. He reveals that he's looking for their mother; she's concerned this could put him in danger. She still doesn't know he's a spy. Still, she accepts why he wants to find their mom. Later, as Chuck lays with his back to her, Sarah asks if he's awake. He appears sound asleep. She begins telling him how much she loves him and that if he had asked her to marry him for real, she would have said yes.