Castle Season 4 Episode 23 “Always” Recap
We have come to the end, in more ways than one concerning the season four finale of Castle that aired last night. Everything the characters (including the viewers) have been put through have led to this much hyped about culminating episode that was finally going to settle some of the season’s biggest answers, including will Castle and Beckett finally get together. So in case in point, did our crime-fighting duo finally said those three little words or were we horrible denied…again, guess you will have to stay tuned to find that out.
The episode begins with Beckett precariously hanging off on a ledge of a high-rise building trying to hold on with all over might. She tries to call out for help, but as she does, she starts lose her grip, but Castle’s voice could be heard calling out for her in the distance. Beckett starts to relax a bit (much as one can while dangling off the side of ledge), but time starts to slow down as Kate’s grip starts slip away, before her knight and shining armor can get there and then she…..
*cue scene fading away to the text 3 Days Prior*
Castle and his daughter Alexis are both up early having not been able to sleep due to much on their minds- Castle thinking about Kate and Alexis worrying about her valedictorian speech. Castle bestows his fatherly advice onto Alexis, telling her that instead of trying to match wits with Steve Jobs and Churchill with their speeches, she should stay closer to him such as Say Anything or Twilight. Alexis obviously objects, wanting her speech to be memorable, but the pair is interrupted with a phone call Beckett signaling only one thing. Ahh, crime waits for no one.
On the way to the crime scene, Beckett asks Castle about Alexis’ graduation. Castle recaps the conversation he had earlier with Alexis to Beckett as well describes his plans while Alexis will be enjoying her all-night outer celebrating the end of high school. Castle has Woo double feature planned and even has the courage to invite Beckett along. To his surprise Beckett suggests, but as the two reach the crime scene “date night” is put on the backburner for now.
Their victim is Orlando Costas, a former rehabilitated gang member who was found with the two gunshot wounds, apparently made by two different guns, Lanie points out. Also, it looked like that Orlando was carrying something heavy one point or another, but whatever it was, is long gone now. Evidence suggests that Orlando tried to fight his killer with skin tissue found underneath his fingernails. Lanie makes sure to take the samples back to the lab for analysis, but before she can Castle’s notices something strapped to Orlando’s ankle. At closer inspection, the tools strapped to Orlando happen to be lock picking tools. For someone who was supposedly rehabilitated, this is more looking like a robbery gone wrong for Orlando.
The team heads back to the station where Ryan has gathered more information on their dead victim. Orlando was a former Cazadores gang member, before he cut all ties and joined the military. He and his family were doing okay staying out of trouble, but were financially strapped for cash. Castle and Beckett talk to Marisol, Orlando’s wife and she tells the pair that her husband was on the straight and arrow and would never fall back to his old ways. Marisol, however did state that her husband did leave with her car which he never does. So she suggest that maybe if they would stop trying to find blame with her husband and find the car they may find whoever killed her husband. Beckett decides to do just that and she and the rest of the team locate the missing car. Inside they find bloodstains, a gun and cellphone. The running theory is that Orland was shot doing who knows what, then he drove himself to the alley possibly waiting for someone, but ultimately would be the area his body would be found. Esposito checks the phone and where the last call was made, which so happens to be the house of the late Captain Montgomery…dun dun dunn.
At the house, Beckett speaks with Mrs. Montgomery who explains that she caught Orlando in her house taking some of her late husband’s files as well as his laptop. Hearing this, both Castle and Beckett are fearful that this crime has something to do with her mother’s murder, but that idea is quickly dismissed when Ryan informs them that Orlando called Vincent Delgado right before he died. Vincent is a member of the Cazadores and his cousin, Diego Gutierrez, was busted by Montgomery and after the late captain’s death Gutierrez’s lawyers filed a motion to get him out of prison. The team brings in Vincent so Kate can question him after receiving witness statements of people seeing Vincent fleeing the crime scene, but Vincent declares he is innocent stating that yes he was there, but only to meet up with Orlando. Beckett doesn’t think he is and tells him that directly to his face, except when DNA comes back and doesn’t link him to the crime Kate is angry. But when the DNA matches another shooting, hers she is completely stunned.
Beckett is shocked at first with the news of a first real lead connected to her shooting, but immediately hits the ground running stating that no one tells Gates. Castle and Ryan seem to be the only one’s objection this decision as Esposito fully supports Kate. Awhile later when Castle is at home, he receives a phone call from the mysterious man(the one Montgomery sent the package of blackmail info to keep Kate safe) telling Castle that he needs Beckett to back off from the case or else he can no longer protect her.
Meanwhile, Beckett is brokering a deal with Vincent so that she can get the low-down of what happened to Orlando. Vincent explains that he received a call from Orlando looking for job since money was tight. He says that Orlando had a big job coming through, but need more help. Vincent says that he didn’t help Orlando, but on the day that Orlando was killed he did received a phone call. Orlando called him up saying his was in trouble that he really screwed up big. Vincent told Orlando to meet him at the alley, but when Vincent arrived Orlando was already dead, but he did she a 6ft white guy leaving the scene. Ryan is able to find a $10,000 deposit in Orlando’s bank account to corroborate this and finds evidence that Marisol may know then she let on previously.
Marisol is brought back to the station after she was caught trying to flee with her son. She says that Orlando knew someone from his military days who was dangerous, but offered to help him out. He was supposed to steal files from a dead cop. She then goes to say that they although she never met the man, she knows that the first meeting took place at their local church. At the church, Beckett and Castle talk to the local priest who informs of their own security camera and there they are able to get their first real glimpse of the man who most likely shot Kate, portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica).
At Beckett’s place Kate is going overall the information tied to her shooting and her mother’s, but she starts to become consumed by all of the memories, but is soon broken out of it by Castle knocking on her door. Castle comes clean about the deal with the “mysterious man” in order to ensure that she was kept safe. He tells her about how she was only kept safe, because she stopped investigating. She is shocked and made as hell asking “why would he lie to her?” Castle responds back saying “because I love you Kate.” He goes on to say that he has been waiting four years for her to open her eyes to see that he has been right there all along. Beckett tells him that she is ready for whatever that may come her way and that it is her life. He agrees that it is her life, but he cannot watch her so carelessly put it in jeopardy, so he says he is done and leaves without another word.
Beckett goes into the station letting Esposito and Ryan know that Castle is off the case and to catcher her up to speed on what they find. Esposito informs her of a keychain that he was able to catch a glimpse of in the security footage at the church. From there, they were able to identify that it was for a cab company that their “shooter” worked for. They are able to come up with an alias of his a Cole Maddax and are able to track down his last whereabouts to a hotel on the eastside. Esposito and Beckett are about to leave to check the hotel out, but Ryan stops them informing them that they backup because they have no idea who they are up against. They tell him that they “got this,” but Ryan still thinks it is a bad idea. Ryan tries to get a hold of Castle, but he ignores the call opting to focus on his daughter’s graduation.
Meanwhile, Esposito and Beckett find their shooter’s hotel. They find all of Montgomery’s files, including a wedding of the late captain’s and is wife. They believe the shooter is trying to identify someone and that theory is confirmed when they find a blank space of a missing photo, but unfortunate that is when they come face to face with their shooter. Cole first disarms and knocks Kate down and then goes after Esposito knocking him on unconscious. When Kate finally manages to get back up she sees Cole running up to the roof, where they progress to have a major fight scene. At one point, Kate is knocked down with Cole hovering looming over her and when it seems like she is down for the count, she tells him that he has no idea who is up against. She then proceeds to tackle him, but he just throws her aside and then she proceeds to fall off the ledge of the roof and hanging from the ledge. Cole then walks up to the ledge and tells her “we know exactly who we are up against” and walks away.
*cue scene from the beginning*
Kate is dangling from the ledge trying to hold on for dear life, but as she fights to get a better grip she starts to slip. She tries calling out for help and hears Castle’s voice calling out to her, but she loses grip and starts to fall, but as she starts to fall a hand reaches out, catches and pulls her up to safety. The thing is that it isn’t Castle who saves her it is Ryan. Castle was never there, she just imagining hearing Castle’s voice. The other catch is that Ryan not only brought back up to help out, Gates happened to come along as well.
When everyone is back at the station, Gates calls Beckett and Esposito into her office reprimanding them both for their reckless actions. She suspends them both, but Kate decides to resign instead. She packs up her desk leaving the station of the last time, while Ryan tries to talk to Javier to explain why he needed to inform Gates, but Esposito just ignores and walks past. Looks like our dream team is no more.
The scene quickly changes to Kate who is talking a long walk in the rain (more like a downpour) and comes across a playground sitting on the swings, thinking of all the events that have transpired. Back at Castle’s house, Castle is talking on the phone with Alexis telling her to have and not to come home until the following afternoon. They say their goodbyes and Castle gets ready to watch his double feature, but before he does he deletes all the files on his crime board pertaining to Kate, really signaling the end…or is it? A knock at the door, catches him by surprise and on the other side is Kate soaking from head to toe, but nonetheless glad to see Castle. She kisses Castle, but she is pushed away. Castle wants to know what happened and Beckett explains that she almost died today, but none of that mattered because she kept on thinking about him. The two then proceed to get hot and heavy rather quickly (you get the idea) thus officially creating Caskett (oddly morbid I know).
Believing all ends well on Castle, the scene changes to our “mysterious man” (aka the guy who was calling Castle) entering his office to be greeted by Cole Maddax. Cole greets “mystery man” by his name, Mr. Smith (seriously that is his really name) and he tells him to hand over the package containing the blackmail info. Mr. Smith reminds Cole that he has an understanding with Cole’s employers, but Cole states that “understanding” has come to end. He will retrieve the package and will finally put Beckett into the ground, where she belongs….dun dunn dunn!
Yes, that is a wrap on season four and what a wild ride it has been. Be sure to look for my review on Wednesday to catch my take on the episode including the highs, the lows and my thoughts on the Castle and Beckett hookup. Until then, share your thoughts on the season four finale and your take on the Castle/Beckett finally shacking up.
Originally posted on Affairs Magazine
