Chuck Versus the Push Mix is the thirteenth episode of Chuck's fourth season.
Chuck and Morgan embark on a mission to take down Alexei Volkoff, while Sarah tries to rescue Chuck's mom. Casey tries to get to know his daughter better, and Ellie eases Devon into fatherhood.
This episode provides examples of:
- Actor Allusion: The hospital set where Ellie gives birth is the same set as Scrubs, where Sarah Lancaster played Lisa the Gift Shop Girl.
- Brain Bleach: Chuck does not need to know what Ellie and Awesome plan to do with the placenta.Awesome: Listen, I gotta run. I still gotta find someone to make Ellie's placenta into vitamin pills.
Chuck: Ugh. I gotta unhear that. How do I unhear that? I don't know how to unhear that. - Call-Back: The showdown between Volkov and "Orion" takes place in Stephen Bartowski's cabin from Chuck Versus the Living Dead.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: Tired of losing people he loves to the fight against Volkov, Chuck is going to war.Chuck: No. No, Morgan. I can't do this any more. I watched my mom leave us and my dad follow her. I let Sarah go. And now, Casey. And the whole time I did nothing. Nothing - while one man took everything away from me. Ellie's right. Bartowskis take care of their family. And right now, it's time I put mine back together again. This was my father's mission. And I have to finish it. We're going to take down Volkoff!
- Chekhov's Gun: Alex brings Casey a Bonsai plant, which he later uses to clobber Armand.
- The Chessmaster: Chuck proves his Chessmaster credentials by destroying Volkov's whole empire with his brain rather than weapons. First, he sends Volkov messages that seem to be from Orion, playing on Volkov's jealousy believing Stephen might still be alive. He and Morgan mount a rescue mission to save Sarah and Mary from The Contessa, the boat on which Hydra is now housed, taking the opportunity to install a virus. The rescue goes sideways, forcing Mary to stay behind after taking Volkov hostage to buy time. When Mary is overpowered, a final message lures Volkov to Stephen's cabin, where Chuck tricks Volkov into repeating, separately, the words of his Hydra password, allowing Chuck's virus to transfer the network to the CIA while Beckman's forces take Volkov's people outside the cabin into custody, and finally Volkov himself.Chuck: Technically, I guess you could say that in the end, it was Stephen J. Bartowski who took you down. Fitting, don't you think? You know, my father, he taught me a lot of things. Like, looks can be deceiving. [Casey Fakes The Dead to beat Armand] Fight for your family. [Sarah rescues Mary from the Contessa] And of course, never use a gun unless you absolutely have to. [Volkov tries to shoot Chuck. The gun is empty] Yeah, I probably should have told you, I have this thing about bullets. I was never going to kill you, Alexei. After all, I am my father's son, aren't I?
- Faking the Dead: When Armand overpowers and smothers him with a pillow, Casey slips a monitor off his finger to fake a flatline, so Armand drops his guard and Casey clobbers him.
- Meaningful Background Event: The episode ends with a shot of a janitor cleaning the hospital floor outside Ellie's maternity room. Over the janitor's shoulder, Chuck proposes to Sarah.
- Panicky Expectant Father: Awesome is far, far more freaked out by Ellie going into labour than Ellie is. Highlights include calling a CIA team to drive them to the hospital, and stumbling around Ellie's room in a Heroic BSoD packing and repacking things. Casey finally gets him out of it by telling him how much he regrets missing Alex's birth and childhood.Casey: Oh listen. Don't make the same mistake I did. I missed my daughter's birth. Missed her whole damn childhood. Alex's mom had to raise her all on her own. There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret that. Get in there. Move it!
- Punny Name: The Hydra drive formerly worn by Yuri the Gobbler was invented by Professor Eimacher. "Macher" is German for "maker," making his name "Eye-maker."
- Shout-Out:
- Morgan uses yoga to get through a Laser Hallway, as in Entrapment.
- Stephen Bartowski's cabin is called Twin Pines cabin.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When Volkov finally realises she was never on his side, Mary finally lets him have it.Mary: You want the truth, Alexei? The truth is, alive or dead, my husband will always be ten times the man you are! And every moment that I was with you I was thinking of him.
- Title Drop: The "push mix" is Ellie's requested music for labour. It's stolen by Jeff and Lester, who have their own opinions on the music baby Clara should hear first.
