"Full Engagement" is an episode of JAG that first aired on February 21, 1997. Directed by Alan J. Levi. Written by Jack Orman.
Lt. Commander Rabb takes Major MacKenzie up in his biplane, but neglects to check the fuel line. They are forced to land somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains, where they become aware of poachers who killed a game warden. Of course the poachers now want to kill Rabb and Mac, who has suffered a leg injury. To make matters worse, Mac kills one of the poachers in self-defense, and his brother swears vengeance.
Meanwhile, Lt. Roberts takes up the defense of a 16-year-old, Angel Muñoz (Demetrius Navarro), who enlisted fraudulently. Rabb was supposed to make a motion on behalf of the boy. Roberts makes the motion but the judge, Captain Morris (Harrison Page, previously seen in "Heroes"), is unconvinced. The defendant speaks out of turn to point out that Roberts is not an attorney, and the judge grants him a continuance until Rabb can return to represent him.
Rabb is able to carry Mac back to the plane, repair the fuel line and take off, even as he's drawing fire. Once up in the air, he gets phone signal and calls for an ambulance. He also hints he has some information to give local law enforcement.
Tropes
- Brand X: Beltway Burgers, seen on "Heroes," are mentioned in this episode.
- Coming in Hot: Although Harm's able to perform a controlled landing rather than crashing the plane.
- Continuity Nod to "Heroes": Roberts mentions to Muñoz that Morris is ill-disposed towards Rabb, but doesn't explain why (because Rabb fired a gun in the courtroom).
- Evil Poacher: Harm and Mac stumble across poachers burying the game warden they just killed, and spend much of the episode evading them. The poachers don't do a lot of poaching on-screen, functioning solely as armed antagonists.
- Flare Gun: One of the poachers approaches Mac leaning up against a tree. But it turns out it's just her coat, which sets off a booby trap that fires a flare gun at him. The poacher is temporarily incapacitated.
