Ka Makau kaa kaua

Ka Makau kaa kaua (The Sweet Science) is the 10th episode of Season 6 in the remake version of Hawaii Five-0.

Synopsis
The brother of a promising local boxer is murdered, and the chief suspect is the outspoken reigning champion opponent from the mainland.

Plot
The events of the past few months, and maybe the past few years, come together for a heartbreaking midseason finale of  Hawaii Five-0. The team’s enemy makes a daring play, and one member of the Ohana says goodbye.

The whole gang is gathered to watch the weigh-in before the match of Haynes v. Nakano. Luke Nakano is the fan favorite to win on home soil. Even Max is bringing the faith to the match with his menorah and yamakas. I like where Max’s head is at, but unfortunately, it doesn’t do much to help Nakano’s brother Ben when he is found dead the morning of the fight. Nakano is devastated, but he decides to push forward with the fight in his brother’s honor.

Haynes is insistent on two points. The first is that any bitterness he felt toward Ben Nakano he left in the ring, and the second is that little brother Luke Nakano will lose the upcoming fight. Chin and Abby trace Ben’s movements, and figure out he was connected to an armored car heist with an associate connected to Gabriel. Ben was killed to gain access to the arena for the fight, so the team races to stop whatever it is Gabriel is planning. With a few of Gabriel’s guys already inside, Steve has to put himself in Gabriel’s mind to figure out what he wants. For months Gabriel has made his presence known in Oahu, aligning himself with the Yakuza and proving his power to anyone who will listen. Jerry sees that not one, not two, but three heads of crime in Oahu are at the fight unarmed and unprotected, and it would be better safe than sorry to assume that Gabriel is after all three.

In the center, or in the background depending on your perspective, is the match. Luke’s head isn’t in the ring, until he has a vision of his brother cheering him on, after which he gets a second wind and a fighting spirit to win. The trick for the team is to resolve the situation quietly without creating a panic in the arena. They only barely get to their would-be victims, and they can’t prevent at least one from being shot by a sniper. The crowd is undeterred, the noise having masked what really happened. Steve realizes this means Oahu could be the center of bloodshed and chaos in the next few months. Gabriel himself assassinates the head of the Yakuza at the end of the night.

Elsewhere in the episode, Adam decides to take a deal of 18 months in prison for his crimes. Kono takes a break from work to be with her husband on their last day together before he has to serve his sentence. Adam reassures Kono with a story of his grandparent’s three-year separation when his grandfather was drafted to the Japanese navy. Since they went on the live a happy and prosperous life together, Adam is confident he and Kono will be able to do the same. You could hope for a last minute Hail Mary, but instead Adam says goodbye to a tearful Kono as Five-0 is left to comfort her.

Quotes
KameKona: (to Steve) Yo, Bobby Flay, these burgers need a little bit more grill time.

Steve McGarrett: What have I told you about backseat barbecuing at my house?

(Max knocks and enters Steve's house through the front door)

(Everyone is watching the broadcast for the boxing match)

Dr. Max Bergman: Sorry I'm late. I forgot the candles.

Steve McGarrett: Hey, Max.

Abby Dunn: Max. I wasn't aware you were Jewish.

Dr. Max Bergman: Oh, well, as one might imagine, I get that often. I was adopted by a Jewish family.

Abby Dunn: Oh, cool.

KameKona: Potato latke. Shallow-fried in peanut oil. Lightly salted. Your ancestors would be proud of you, bruddah.

(Max sets up his menorah)

Flippa Tupuola: So, how does this work, brah?

(Max lights a match)

Jerry Ortega: The eight candles represent the eight days of Hanukkah.

Dr. Max Bergman: That is correct, Mr. Ortega.

KameKona: Bruddah... you're supposed to be in a house of worship for that kind of stuff.

Dr. Max Bergman: (chuckles while lighting the menorah) Well, the lighting of the menorah is meant to be done in front of many people to celebrate the miracle that the holiday represents.

Flippa Tupuola: Maybe you should light one of them candles for my boy, Luke. He's gonna need a miracle tomorrow night.

Abby Dunn: I don't think it's those kind of candles, Flippa.

Dr. Max Bergman: Actually, this holiday's about celebrating the the triumph of faith and courage over might, so it might be a little help.

Lou Grover: The Lord works in mysterious ways, huh?

Dr. Max Bergman: Well, that's technically a different deity, but your sentiment is correct, Captain Grover.

(Max hands out yarmulkes to all the men and begins singing his prayer while doing it)

Dr. Max Bergman: (singing) Baruch atah adonai eloheinu.

Steve McGarrett: Shalom.

Various others at the house: Shalom, shalom. Shalom.

Dr. Max Bergman: (to Abby while still handing out the yarmulkes) Not for you. Sorry.

Danny Williams: It's a stupid conversation in the first place.

Steve McGarrett: Yeah, it is.

Danny Williams: Boxing is better than MMA in all ways.

Steve McGarrett: You're crazy. You don't know what you're talking about.

Danny Williams: I'm not crazy. Let me explain something to you, okay? Boxing is civilized. Which is probably why you don't like it that much, okay?

Steve McGarrett: Uh-huh.

Danny Williams: It's a technical sport. It requires something that you do not have - Patience.

Steve McGarrett: Uh-huh.

Danny Williams: It's called the sweet science for a reason.

Steve McGarrett: How about I give you some sweet math, all right? Three minutes, 19 seconds, to be exact.

Danny Williams: I don't know what that means. What does that mean?

Steve McGarrett: Oh, well, I'll tell you what it means. Three minutes, 19 seconds is the time that it took Randy Couture to take out James Toney in The Octagon in 2010. Okay?

Danny Williams: James Toney? He.. he hit his peak in.. in the '70s! What are you talking about? James Toney. Lou, let me ask you a question... it's a very, very serious question. Boxing or MMA?

Lou Grover: Boxing. No question.

Danny Williams: Thank you.

Steve McGarrett: That's one opinion.

Danny Williams: No, it's actually one.. two opinions. Okay? Should we keep asking people?

Steve McGarrett: No, no. Why don't you shut up..

Danny Williams: Uh-huh.

Steve McGarrett: We'll let him speak, how about that?

Lou Grover: You should get your money back from that therapist.

(Steve is riding a jetski while dragging a suspect behind him in the water)

(Abby and Danny watch as he drives by)

Abby Dunn: So is this how you interpret "Immunity and Means"?

Danny Williams: (slightly defensive) No, no, no, no, no. That's Steve, not me.

Abby Dunn: Huh.

Danny Williams: I don't do this kind of stuff. I don't approve of it. (humorously resigned) You know, he's very impatient when it comes to getting information from people.

Abby Dunn: Huh.

(they watch Steve continue with the suspect)

(Steve is calm and casual while he drives around with the suspect behind him in the water)

Danny Williams: You know, two weeks after I met him, he hung a guy off of a building by his ankles.

(Abby looks a bit stunned)

Danny Williams: Yeah! (protective of Steve) This is actually.. this is mild in comparison. Don't you think?

Abby Dunn: I guess.

Danny Williams: Yeah. I wouldn't, uh I wouldn't bring any of these techniques back to San Francisco with you.

Abby Dunn: (stunned laughter) Yeah, I agree.

Danny Williams: Yeah.

(Adam hands his wedding ring to Kono)

Adam Noshimuri: (quietly) Next time you slip it onto my finger all of this will be behind us. Okay? I love you.

Kono Kalakaua: (crying) Forever.

Adam Noshimuri: Forever.

(Adam turns around and walks away to the correctional officers, turning himself in)

(Kono cries and tries to hold it in)

(the correctional officers walk Adam into Halawa)

(The Five-0 ohana pulls up in their cars and everyone gets out)

(Steve hugs Kono as the rest of the team comes to hug and support Kono)

(shot ends with Kono and Chin hugging while Steve, Danny, Lou and Jerry stand around them)

Trivia

 * The ring worn by Larry Manetti is the same one worn by his character Orville "Rick" Wright on Magnum, P.I. (1980). It depicted a Cross of Lorraine and was known as the team ring. It was worn by Rick, Magnum, and TC.


 * Luke Nakano
 * Lewis Tan
 * A man who appears in the episode.
 * Devon Haynes
 * Harold House Moore
 * A man who appears in the episode.
 * Keiko Hekekia
 * Candace Smith
 * A woman who appears in the episode.
 * Keiko Hekekia
 * Candace Smith
 * A woman who appears in the episode.