Mana'o (episode)

Mana'o (Belief) is the 8th episode of the first season in the remake version of Hawaii Five-0.

Synopsis
The team is up against Internal Affairs, dirty cops and a powerful cocaine cartel when they investigate the murder of Danny's ex-partner found dead at a Hawaiian luau with his badge in his mouth.

Plot
The body of Detective Danny Williams's former Honolulu Police Department partner, Detective Meka Hanamoa, is discovered at a lū'au.

Meka's widow, Amy Hanamoa, approaches Danny for help because she is worried something is going on with the investigation HPD isn't telling her.

As Danny and his Hawaii Five-0 colleagues Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly and Officer Kono Kalakaua dig into the case, the team learn that Meka's murder is being investigated by Internal Affairs of the HPD as they believe Meka was guilty of corruption.

The investigating officer, Sergeant Cage, refuses to grant them access to the case files and has put the entire HPD under gag order, however Detective Kaleo discloses that Meka may have investigated the Ochoa cartel. Steve and Danny track down an art dealer who works for the cartel who tells them the time and place of his next meet with Emilio Ochoa, the head of the cartel. He also reveals that there is a leak in HPD, but that only Ochoo himself know the identity of the dirty cop.

The team's findings increasingly incriminate Meka: he had booked a flight for one person to Singapore and concerned himself with wire transfers between Ochoa's shell corporation and an encrypted account in Singapore. After Steve and Kono openly suspect Meka of being the mole, Danny leaves angrily.

Trying to prove Meka's innocence, Danny visits Sang Min in jail as he had a mole in HPD but Sang Min won't tell Danny anything unless he gets something in return. So the only chance at identifying the mole is capturing Ochoa. Unfortunately, the plan hits a snag when Detective Kaleo shoots Ochoa, claiming that he was solely acting in self-defense but evidence reveals that Kaleo shot Ochoa in cold-blood and also up close and personal.

Steve and Danny confront Kaleo, who is done for when Sang Min identifies him. Enraged, Danny attacks Kaleo.

In return for identifying Kaleo Danny takes Sang Min to see his family. Sang Min is thankful and rejects the offer to talk to them as he thinks he caused them enough pain.

A few days later and with Meka's name and good reputation stored, he is buried with full honors and with the entire HPD and Hawaii Five-0 Task Force also attending.

Main cast

 * Alex O'Loughlin as Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett
 * Scott Caan as Detective Danny Williams
 * Daniel Dae Kim as Inspector Chin Ho Kelly
 * Grace Park as Officer Kono Kalakaua

Guest starring

 * Jon Seda as Sergeant Cage
 * Will Yun Lee as Sang Min
 * Dichen Lachman as Amy Hanamoa
 * Jason Scott Lee as Detective Kaleo
 * Bronson Pinchot as Bastille

Co-starring

 * Christian George as Emilio Ochoa
 * Taylor Wily as Kamekona Tupuola
 * Teilor Grubbs as Grace Williams
 * Garret T. Sato as Detective Ahuna
 * Pomaikai Brown as Host
 * Hannah Cornett as Gatekeeper
 * Edwin Bond as The Mark

Quotes
Steve McGarrett: (to Danny) I'm so glad you're not a hothead. I would hate to work with someone like that.

(In the speeding Camero Danny is driving down the busy streets)

Steve McGarrett: Just for the record, if I pulled something like this, you'd read me the riot act about proper police procedure.

Danny Williams:  No, I'd probably just arrest you.

(SCREAMING from the guy tied down to the hood of the car)

Steve McGarrett: When compared to this, hanging a guy off a roof and throwing a guy in a shark cage is pretty tame.

Danny Williams:  No, I disagree. The shark cage was way worse than this.

Steve McGarrett: Well, whatever. You're wrong. I'm just saying to be clear, next time, I get a free pass. Okay?

Danny Williams: This is about Meka. He would not move off to Singapore and leave his wife and his kid, you understand? I know that because he was my friend. He was my partner.

Steve McGarrett: Right, but what is it you cops always say? - "Don't ignore the evidence."

Danny Williams: Okay. All right, then let me ask you a question. Let's say IA accused me of skimming off a drug lord. And they showed you a stack of evidence that suggests that I did it. Would you believe them?

Steve McGarrett: No, I wouldn't.

Danny Williams: Why not?

(Steve makes a face and then the epiphany occurs.)

Danny Williams: Exactly.

Danny Williams: I appreciate you being here. I know you didn't know him.

Steve McGarrett: I know you.

Danny Williams: Thank you.

Trivia

 * Danny wears his Newark PD uniform with Sergeant stripes to the funeral.