- Butchie and Kai wake up to a joyous revelation; Imperial Beach plays host to a makeshift parade organized by a revamped Stinkweed.
- I believe the reason why people liked this episode but "can't really say why", is because this episode spoke to our heart---not to our mind. This episode was about REDEMPTION amd CONNECTION and LOVE. In the opener we see Kai snuggling with Butchie. They have renewed their love from many years ago and Butchie is almost whole again. Meyer's girlfriend is performing oral sex--which surprises Meyer. Remember how cold and stand-offish her character was when it was first introduced? Well now she engages in an act of intimacy which she could never have done before--"a life changing event for Meyer"--as we later learn. Enter John and Sean. Not only is Sean OK---he is wonderful as he and John beautifully surf in tandem to the wonderful music by Bob Dylan. Link and Tina are also together in bed, as he gives a thumbs up that everything is OK. Butch reaches out to touch Sean's hair in another act of connection---he is becoming a father--and Sean smiles at Butchie acknowledging the connection. Sean and his mother share a hug--another redemption--another connection. Just as Butchie is becoming the father he never was, Tina is becoming the Mother she never was.
Sean, who has shown no sense of self throughout the series asks Cissy (his Grandmother) for a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich---Instead of the tuna that she always makes him (and never asked him how he liked it to be made--as we found out in an earlier episode). Link begins to understand the word of the Father as conveyed to him through John. In an epiphany Link says to John "You use my words, and if I listen right I can hear your Father" Link , too is redeemed through this epiphany. Butchie is even able to reconnect with Tina and disniss his anger towards her. In another act of selfhood, Sean tells his grandparents (who also seem to have reached a reconnection of sorts) that he wishes to move out to live with his Dad and John. Sean realizes that his Dad (Butchie) is now almost healed thus the wish to re-establish the connection even more strongly. Sean is able to express his love to his grandparents and in a third act of selfhood states he is going to leave (jump over the fence) rather than just stay and watch them bicker as he had done in previous episodes.
Meanwhile John bestows healing words upon Butchie as he openly ackowledges the effect that Cissy's molestation of Butchie had on Cissy. It forced her to become "the worst ball buster known to man --so no one would be around her and she wouldn't have to be afraid she would do something like that again --thats how ashamed of herself she was" This horrible act served to wound and estrange both Butchie AND Cissy. Butchie, having been wounded, hurt Barry who, in a vulnerable state ,was molested by Mr Rollins. To which John then adds--WE ARE ALL FRAIL VESSELS. In other words we are all easily wounded and we all use poor judgement and we all can be forgiven and redeemed.
Sean doesn't know where he went with John but he is alright with that. He knows he had fun, rode "good waves"--he has become very John-like in his discussion with Butchie. Buchie again connects with Sean by reaching out for his hand.
Of course there are miracles throughout the episode. Mitch Yost continues to levitate. The man and woman at the restaurant
are able to see what is unfolding through their computer although it is "technically impossible" we are told.
Barry confides to Ramon that he was finally able to sleep through a night without the terrible self deprecating thoughts running through his head. Barry also, is healing. Freddie demonstrates his redemption/healing by easing himself out of the drug dealing business.
Stinkweed which once tore the Yost family apart now helps to put them back together. As John says "Stinkweed lays down cover for my father".
Even Bill, who is not at the Stinkweed parade ,talks to the love of his life---his long dead Lois. He laments her loss. and the loss of Skippy, and much to his amazement Skippy re-appears allowing Bill to be re-connected.
At the fadeout, we see Kai finally surfing and having fun. Something we had not seen through the entire first season. Kai is finally able to lay down the heavy burden of being the glue to keep the Yost family together now that they are healing and becoming redeemed--so too is she redeemed and healed
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