Ua ho'i ka 'ōpua I Awalua

Ua ho'i ka 'ōpua I Awalua (The Clouds Always Return to Alawua) is the 13th episode of Season 7 in the remake version of Hawaii Five-0.

Synopsis
As Max prepares to say goodbye to his Five-0 ohana, they must investigate a murder during a police convention on the Island.

Plot
HPD were throwing their annual convention where they invited police departments on the Mainland to come together and possibly learn from each other. But what every department knows is that the convention is more or less Spring Break for Cops. There was wild partying, tricks played on each other, and even streaking. So the convention tends to get wilder every year and the officer lived to see what happened at this year’s convention however things changed on tonight episode when what felt like a bomb went off in the downtown area. People had felt the explosion miles away and it had taken a whole building.

However, no one could get close to the explosion because there had been too much for the firemen to handle in one. So the police hadn’t been able to get close to the building much less search the area until the next morning and by then they had found a victim. The victim’s name had been Miles Barton and hadn’t died in the fire. He had apparently been a cop from Milwaukee and he had also been one of the volunteers that were searching for any survivors in the fire yet what Five-0 didn’t understand was why target Barton. If someone had wanted to kill him then why kill him in Hawaii and why leave him where he could be found.

Barton had been killed on site flooded with police and they were all combing through every inch of the area. With no dogs no less! Yet, fortunately everything began to make sense for Five-0 when they found out someone had broken into a file cabinet not far from where Barton’s body was found and that files had been taken. There’s not a single person that would wait hours into the night to steal a bunch of files. So the thief must have been planning on stealing them from the beginning and Barton just got in the way. Barton was most likely a witness to someone fleeing the scene and the thief had killed him to buy themselves some time.

So McGarrett and his people had wanted the contents of those files and they had tried going to the guy that owned the company, but he hadn’t been much help. The guys had been told that there had been thousands of files in the basement and that it would take days to realize what was missing. Though Danny and McGarrett did at least get a hand up on the investigation from the Fire Chief. The firemen had found evidence that someone had been tunneling their way to the basement when they accidentally caused a gas leak. And so those files had been in play for much longer than anyone had known.

Someone had tunneled their way to get those files, blown up a building to get those files, and purposely killed poor Barton because he got in the way of the culprit running off with those files. But those files hadn’t been taken from any old company. It had been taken from a law firm owned by a lawyer that must have known what was missing within hours however, the lawyer was protected by Attorney–client privilege and that meant he couldn’t tell Five-0 what they were looking for. So Five-0 had to looking for their own evidence and they eventually found images of a van fleeing the area on night of the fire.

The van had apparently be connected to known felon Jimmy Rorke and they had found still parked in Rorke’s garage along with the body in the back. The body had been Leo Stein and he had once worked at the law firm. However, a further search of Rorke’s place had shown that he was helping Stein blackmail someone. That someone was Edward Gabler who had withdrawn a large amount of cash all in one day. So Five-0 was able to go back to their favorite lawyer and tell him what they suspected. They suspected that Edward who had gotten away with murdering his girlfriend eight years ago was being blackmailed with inconclusive evidence.

The evidence though had been the knife that had been used on Heather Mayfield and that matched the wound that killed Barton. So the guys had asked the lawyer if the knife had been what was missing and they had been told “yes”. He couldn’t turn over to the police so he kept in the basement and had fired Stein when Stein said they should come forward with evidence to finally get justice for Heather. Yet, the lawyer was willing to give up attorney privilege and so he told the guys what else they needed to know. He told them where the drop-off was going to be and the guys had raced there because they figured out something about the blackmailers.

They figured out that Rorke and Stein had in contact with Alan Mayfield who had been the late Heather’s brother. So Five-0 rushed to the scene and they had stopped Rorke from running off with the money, but they had to gently convince Alan not to kill Edward. They told Alan that they understood where he was coming from and that he could still get justice for sister by allowing them to retry Edward for her death. And so Alan did let them have Edward in the end.

But the final case they had with Max had cut into the time they would have liked to have spent with him before he left Hawaii for good however, one may never know the future and he could always come back.

Trivia

 * This episode marks the final appearance of Masi Oka in the opening credits and also as a series regular as Oka departed the H50 series shortly after this episode aired.
 * When Gerard Hirsch said "And may the odds be ever in your favor" he was referencing Hunger Games.

Quotes
Lou Grover: You're kidding me, right?

Steve McGarrett: No, I'm not kidding you.

Lou Grover: You've been here three-quarters of your life, and you never once, not even once, dipped your malasada into your cup of coffee?

Steve McGarrett: Why is that so strange?

Lou Grover: I mean, I'm not saying it's strange as much as it is just sad. I mean, you're on this island, which is sitting on the best coffee in the entire world-- 100% Kona coffee.

Steve McGarrett: Mm-hmm.

Lou Grover: Now, how do you expect to enjoy the fusion of the flavors, the sweetness of the dough up against the bitterness of the coffee, it's just, it's heaven, man. You know what? I'll tell you what. Just observe.

(Lou dunks his malasada into his coffee)

Lou Grover: Okay.

(Lou bites into the malasada and gets a serious look on his face)

Lou Grover: Mmm.

(Lou moans in enjoyment)

Steve McGarrett: All right. I'm gonna do it. Okay?

Lou Grover: Oh.

Steve McGarrett: You ready? All right,

(Steve dunks his malasada into his coffee)

Steve McGarrett: I'm going in.

Lou Grover: Yeah, roll that around in your mouth.

(Steve gets a serious look as he tastes)

Lou Grover: Huh? Hmm?

(Steve then smiles)

Steve McGarrett: (talking with his mouth full) That's pretty good.

Lou Grover: (laughs) Damn right it's pretty good!

Steve McGarrett: It's pretty good, man.

Lou Grover: Yeah, I told you.

(Steve goes to continue walking and goes to dunk again)

Lou Grover: Hey, wait, whoa-whoa-whoa. Wait a second, whatcha doing? What are you doing?

(Steve has a look like "What - I am doing like you just told me?!")

Lou Grover: Are you double-dunking?

(Steve looks really confused now)

Steve McGarrett: Uh

Lou Grover: I'm gonna let that slide, 'cause I know you didn't know, okay? But you never double-dunk.

Steve McGarrett: Never double-dunk. Okay.

Lou Grover: When you double-dunk, now you're messing with the coffee-to-cake ratio.

(Steve looks at his malasada and coffee trying to understand)

Steve McGarrett: Mm-hmm.

Lou Grover: You're risking oversaturation, and that can lead to the dreaded... free dive.

Steve McGarrett: Free dive?

Lou Grover: No, you don't want no part of the free dive.

Steve McGarrett: No. No.

Lou Grover: That's where a chunk of your malasada breaks off and just sinks right to the bottom of your cup of coffee. And then you don't see that nasty, soggy thing again until you're down to the last sip. And let me tell you something. Soggy malasada-- nobody's friend.

Steve McGarrett: Nobody's friend. Copy. Got it. Got it.

(Duke giving the daily brief at the front of the room to the HPD shift)

Duke Lukela: And that brings me to the last item on this morning's brief - this weekend's Honolulu Police Expo.

(Lou and Steve walk into the back of the room)

Duke Lukela: Organizers are expecting almost 5,000 officers from around the country. That means additional patrols. Five-O resources if we need them.

(Steve raises his coffee to Duke in acknowledgement)

Duke Lukela: Now, officially, these mainland cops are coming here to share techniques, to attend workshops and test out new equipment and firearms, hmm? But unofficially, we all know that this is an opportunity for our brothers and sisters in blue to have a good time, to let off a little steam.

(everyone in the room laughs) Lou Grover: (quietly to Steve) Why doesn't he just call it what it is? Spring break for cops.

Steve McGarrett: If it is anything like last year...

(flashback to shenanigans from last year including a goat with NYPD spray painted on its side running through a bar and streakers in the streets)

(Max walks into his partially packed office to see Jerry sitting in his chair reading his daily journal)

Dr. Max Bergman: Oh - Well, I'm glad that you find my intimate recollections so engrossing, but I was under the impression that you came here to help pack.

Jerry Ortega: Yeah, yeah, I'll get right on that. This is amazing stuff. I mean, it says here McGarrett was a fugitive for a couple days?

Dr. Max Bergman: Ah, yes. That was an unfortunate misunderstanding.

Jerry Ortega: Whoa, hold up. He came to you for help?

Dr. Max Bergman: That is correct.

(flashback to that time)

Max Bergman: (RE: Steve) I suppose that one might have a problem with a fugitive seeking shelter in their home. But truth be told, I was moved. Up until that point, our relationship was strictly professional. Commander McGarrett was taking a huge risk. I was a sworn member of law enforcement, and I was duty-bound to turn him in. He knew that, yet he still came to me. He trusted me. I saw him as a colleague, but he saw me as a friend.

Dr. Max Bergman: Truth be told, I wasn't aware I was capable of such bravery. (RE: asking Sabrina out)

Jerry Ortega: Yeah, me, too. So where'd that come from?

Dr. Max Bergman: Actually, Officer Kalakaua - she suggested that I man up and put myself out there. So I followed her counsel to a T, and the results exceeded my wildest expectations. Of course, Sabrina got shot moments later and nearly died. However, the experience did bring us together.

Jerry Ortega: Okay, first of all, spoiler alert. But second, you owe Kono big-time.

Dr. Max Bergman: I.. I suppose I do.

(Danny is smiling listening to Flippa sing)

Steve McGarrett: (to Danny) You don't have to dance with me tonight.

(Danny looks at Steve and continues to smile)

(Steve breaks out his big goofy smile to Danny and then turns his head to smile at Chin)

Gerald Hirsch: Hey, everyone. Friends, Hawaiians, countrymen. (pointing to Kono) And women. Lend me your ears.

Danny Williams: (quietly aside to Steve) Is he lit?

Steve McGarrett: Hammered.

Gerald Hirsch: Oh, and if any of you are interested in acquiring a Crime Clean franchise

Kono Kalakaua: (to Hirsch) You're done.

Gerald Hirsch: Okay, all right, Th.. that's all. Oh! And l'chaim!

Everyone: (toasts) L'chaim.

Dr. Max Bergman: But, what I will miss the most is is my adopted family. And by that I mean you.

(Max looks at Steve)

Dr. Max Bergman: Commander McGarrett. As you know, I grew up as an only child. And I always wanted a big brother. And when I started working with the Five-0, I finally got one.

Steve McGarrett: Mahalo, Max.

(Max looks at Danny)

Dr. Max Bergman: Detective Williams. This might be a surprise to you, but I always considered you as something of a role model.

Danny Williams: That does, that does surprise me.

(everyone laughs)

Steve McGarrett: Surprises us all, Max, but go on.

Dr. Max Bergman: I've always been on the receiving end of your sarcasm, but, truth be told, it never bothered me. I always took them as a token of affection. I'm going to miss your little quips. I hope that you would consider texting me one of those from time to time.

Danny Williams: To you, buddy.

(Max looks a Chin)

Dr. Max Bergman: Lieutenant Kelly. Nobody understands the meaning of ohana more than you.

(Chin bows his head in acknowledgement)

Dr. Max Bergman: And for that reason, among many others, you are gonna make an amazing father to little Sara. And from what I've already seen, you already are.

Chin Ho Kelly: Mahalo, brother.

(Max turns to Kono)

Dr. Max Bergman: Kono. Without you, I would've never married my beautiful Sabrina. And Detective Williams is my role model as an individual, but your loving relationship with Adam is something that Sabrina and I hope to emulate.

Kono Kalakaua: Love you, Max.

(Max looks at Lou)

Dr. Max Bergman: Sergeant Grover. I'll miss your smile.

Lou Grover: Ohhh

(Lou laughs and smiles)

Dr. Max Bergman: Yes, that one. (others laugh) I know a part of you will always belong to Chicago, but Hawaii has claimed you as one of its sons, and I truly believe that the islands are a better place because you are here.

Lou Grover: (wiping his eyes) Oh, damn it, Max.

(Max turns to Jerry)

Dr. Max Bergman: Jerry. Thank you for being a friend and all your counsel. You've changed me in many ways, and allowed me to grow in ways I never could've imagined.

(Jerry nods to Max)

Dr. Max Bergman: (to everyone) All of you will be ohana to me. Forever.

(Max loses his stoic facade and chokes up with tears in his eyes)

Dr. Max Bergman: I love you.

(The crowd replies in kind with toasts being raised to Max)