Chuck 5x13 "...vs. the Goodbye"

It may have been predictable, but any long time fan of Chuck should've been very satisfied with tonight's series finale. That's right, Nerd Herder-turned-Intersect-turned-Spy Chuck Bartowski went on his final mission tonight after five action/comedy/drama seasons, paying respect to its beginnings in a big way.

The finale picks up two weeks after where the last one left off, with Sarah hot on the trail of Quinn. So hot on his trail is she that she's infiltrated the plane he's on, where he's buying the first in a three part series of keys needed to turn the Intersect he just got into one that won't damage a brain and erase memories. He manages to get away with the glasses and the key, and Sarah goes flying through the sky unconscious for awhile before she comes to and pulls her parachute. You know, so she can make a sexy, coming out of the ocean debut later.

Pilot flashback! Just one of the many scenes paid homage to
in the finale tonight.

Meanwhile, Chuck is in depresso mode about the situation, despite the rest of his peeps telling him he can win Sarah back if he just reminds her of why she fell in love with him in the first place. He eventually agrees to try this plan, only they don't know where to find her in the first place. Luckily, it turns out she's coming straight to the Buy More to see Chuck anyway, in the first of many mirror scenes to the pilot. They're both even wearing basically the same outfits!

She's not there for any kind of romantic rendezvous, though, but rather to get access to Castle so get information on the next person who has the second part of the key, former Ring member Renny something-or-other. She wants to head off on the mission solo, but Chuck and Morgan manage to convince her that they should come along. Where's Casey during all of this? Re-signing up with General Beckman and being tasked with the same mission to find and kill Quinn.

Woo her with a tango, Mr. Carmichael.

This takes them all to Berlin, where the meet is supposed to take place. And along the way, little reminders of their lives together start popping up all over the place. El Compadre, where they had their first date. Having to do a tango amidst Russians. Even a German Wienerlicious, in which Sarah unconsciously remembers where the supplies should go. Before Chuck can get her to try to remember more, however, Quinn shows up and gets the second key, and manages to escape again because Chuck wouldn't shoot him. That's just not how Chuck does things, guys.

Casey comes in and takes them all back to Castle, and while at first he's going to leave them behind to complete the mission on his own, he gets a talking to from Morgan, who reminds him that he's changed for the better, not worse, thanks to his time in Burbank. It's time to reunite the whole team, because it turns out the last part of the key is in none other than General Beckman's possession, and she happens to be at the "Pacific Concert Hall," aka the Disney Concert Hall they couldn't get the rights to use the name to, I'm sure. Quinn gets the key from her, which was on her insignia all this time, and reveals that he's set up a bomb under her chair. A bomb under the chair? Why, where have I seen this before? Oh yes! The pilot! Immediately I thought to myself: porn virus to save the day. But, you know, that's still a little ways down the line yet.

Anyway! The bomb is not the only thing weighing on Chuck's mind, however, because Ellie tells him that if he manages to get the Intersect back, they can use this key thing to upload new stuff into it, and would then be able to give Sarah back all of her old memories. So, basically, he's got to stop the bomb and get the glasses, both of which he needs Quinn for, even though Sarah is intent on killing him.

While Casey and Morgan hang back to work on stalling the bomb's imminent explosion (it is set to explode when the music stops), Sarah and Chuck go after Quinn. Quinn is in evil league of evil mode, almost cackling at the bomb's upcoming explosion. But what's this? The music has not stopped! Lo, the saviors of the day once more... the one, the only... Jeffster! Yes, it was obvious that was going to happen too, but who cares? They rocked some A-Ha 'Take on Me', man. And they rocked it good.

Quinn reveals that he doesn't know how to turn off the bomb, and at that point Sarah shoots him. Bad guy: down. They've got the glasses back, but they won't be able to get into the locked bomb case without the use of the Intersect, which means that, since it only has one upload left, they won't be able to use it to save Sarah's memories. Well, obviously. Because Chuck had to get the Intersect back again, it's the only thing that makes sense. Don't take that for sarcasm either, I mean it. Anything else would've been a letdown.

Chuck uses the Intersect to get inside the case, but even then isn't sure what to do. That's when Sarah suggests the aforementioned Irene Dimova porn virus that they used in the pilot, another indication that her sub or unconscious memory can still be accessed. They use the virus, the bomb is diffused, the day is saved once more.

Except, of course, that Sarah still doesn't have her memories back, and doesn't want to stick around to try and get them. Chuck lets her go, despite all of us knowing that Morgan's earlier prediction that he just needs to kiss her already is true. But, he doesn't. Instead, we take some time to give everyone their finale wrap ups.

Big Mike is happy to find that the Buy More is getting some new owners, who apparently also own Subway. Naturally.

Jeff and Lester are contacted by a German music producer who wants to make them famous, to women and men, in the motherland, and they set off.

Ellie and Devon received offers to go to a hospital in Chicago, and they decide to go ahead and do it.

Morgan and Alex decide to move in together, and Casey gives them the keys to his place. He's got a new mission: track down Verbanski and have his way with her.

Kiss the girl!

That just leaves Chuck. What's he going to do without Sarah? Obviously that's not how it's going to end for him. He's got to go find her, and where else would she be but at the very place she herself once assured him that everything was going to be okay: at the beach. She asks Chuck to tell them their story, and we get to see a series of flashbacks to some classic moments, and even though by the end Sarah doesn't remember all of them, and Chuck would probably be prepared to let her go if that's what she really needed, she tells him to kiss her.

And that, as they say, is that.

Well, that's it everyone. Were you happy with the finale? Are you sad to see the show go, or are you relieved that it ended? I'm honestly kind of relieved that they didn't draw it out too much longer. Better to go out with a bang than a whimper.

Farewell Nerd Herders, Buy Morians, it's been a fun ride.

Song Choices:

Rivers and Roads - The Head and the Heart
Cruel and Beautiful World - Grouplove
Gold on the Ceiling - The Black Keys
Goshen - Beirut

Quotes:

"You're right. I can do this. I took down the Ring, Folcrum. I'm a very impressive spy for hire." - Chuck

"Unleash the perverts." - Lester

Devon: Grandma, what did we say about baby Clara seeing firearms?
Mama B: It's a no no.

Quinn: What's happening?
Chuck: One word. Jeffster.

"I'm a Casey. I don't run, I stalk my prey." - Casey

Sarah: Chuck.
Chuck: Yeah?
Sarah: Kiss me.

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