Kind Is the Bird of Kaiona

Kind Is the Bird of Kaiona (He lokomaika’i ka manu o Kaiona) is the 20th episode of Season 8 in the remake version of Hawaii Five-0.

Synopsis
Catherine Rollins recruits her ex-boyfriend McGarrett and Jerry to help her track down a depleted uranium deposit thought to be hidden on an abandoned Hawaiian island before a suspected terrorist can make dirty bombs with it. Also, when Junior falls and is trapped in a ravine, he reflects on his estranged relationship with his father.

Plot
Why is she here?

These are the words Lou mouths to Steve on tonight’s episode of ''Hawaii 5-0. ''The she in question is Catherine Rollins, Steve’s ex and everyone’s favorite (or not-so-favorite) guest star. Every once in a while Catherine pops up to bring a little excitement to the island (not that it needs it) and remind Steve of what might have been.

The force drawing Catherine to the island in this case is King Kamehameha and his stolen grave goods. When Catherine finds an ancient artifact on a dead terrorist connected to her white whale, Asad Al-Laja, she immediately recognizes it as Hawaiian. The only place the man could have gotten it is the grave of the revered Hawaiian king, whose location has been a secret for many, many years. Catherine knows that she’s bound for the islands, and she knows exactly who she wants helping her. Complicating matters is the uranium traces found on the item, which makes Catherine think that Asad’s plan could involve something nuclear buried on the island.

Steve and Catherine’s army contact points them to Kaho’olawe, an island the US military abandoned but didn’t completely clear out. An underground storage bunker is still buried on the east side of the island, and it could contain more of the uranium. The two are bound for the distant island and need Kamekona’s help to get there. Kamekona is wise to do an inspection of the chopper he’s renting to Steve, Catherine, and Jerry. The teams’ expeditions off the island don’t usually end well.

Catherine and Steve may be after the uranium, but Jerry just wants to find the king’s tomb. He lies about knowing the island like the back of his hand but freaks out when he finds out it is chock full of landmines.

While Jerry stays behind, properly wary of the landmine warning sign, Steve and Catherine forge ahead. They take the time to catch up a little bit (and it was a weird decision for the show to immediately jump into their adventure without showing Steve processing Catherine’s return or Catherine reacting to the new team dynamic). Unfortunately, the two are so busy trying to show each other how cool and nonchalant they are that Catherine walks right into a spike pit and Steve gets caught by the kind of jungle combatants who are always lurking in the brush in this show. Seriously, has there ever been a “hiking in the wilderness episode” where the team hasn’t stumbled on random bad guys?

These random bad guys think the wilderness is a great place to mug someone and leave Steve and Catherine for dead. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for them to get out of the trap, and Catherine takes the opportunity to question Steve about his planned proposal. Steve insists that it was genuine, and Catherine is moved, even if she is insisting that the two stay mature and above their messy relationship.

The luckless hunters use the map they stole from Steve and Catherine to find the bunker themselves and earn a bullet for their troubles. After a brief firefight, the team storms the bunker and finds the barrels that housed the depleted uranium (Steve might want be a little more careful about entering areas with extreme radiation readings). Catherine speculates that the terrorists were using the uranium to create dirty bombs, and one of them is missing.

Steve and Catherine go after the terrorist and Jerry stays behind to track down the missing grave. He is forced to put out a fire of his own making when he’s startled by some spiders. While Jerry is causing his own problems, Steve and Catherine are getting theirs solved for them. The terrorist runs directly into a landmine. Catherine uses a cellphone left in the bunker to take down Asad. Everyone wins but Jerry, who realizes that none of the artifacts were real. Kamehameha’s secret is kept for another day, or maybe for another season.

Steve and Catherine are busy dealing with a fraught situation far from home, but Junior’s danger lurks a little closer.

Junior’s plot for the episode was already about how he was isolating himself from others. When Tani comes over to give him a pep-talk before his father’s birthday lunch, Junior tells her that it isn’t worth it. His relationship with his father will never be healthy, and Junior doesn’t see the point in trying to change that. His response disappoints Tani, who genuinely wants to see Junior have a closer relationship to his family (motivated by the fact that she doesn’t have much left herself).

Now that Junior has metaphorically isolated himself from his loved ones, he finds himself physically isolated when he falls down a ravine while out on a run with Eddie. Junior has an injury on his leg that I officially diagnose as “gross,” and he starts to go a little stir-crazy down in the ravine. With no gruesome murder case to focus on, Junior takes the time to reflect back on his relationship with his sister, Maya, and the mysterious accident that destroyed their family.

Eddie goes full-on Lassie and tells Lou and Tani that Junior is stuck in the ravine (not stuck in the well this time). Beulah Koale does his best acting so far this season when he composes a final message to his dad, unloading years of guilt and frustration in a single voice message that cuts him off before he can finish. Luckily, Tani and Eddie have his back and the team celebrates his safe return and Catherine’s victory with dinner at Kamekona’s.

In our ongoing Noriko plot, Adam is grieving the loss of Jessie. Steve tries to tell him that Jessie’s poor choices are what got her killed, but Adam can’t be sure that his crazy sister wouldn’t have gotten her hands on her one way or another. He, just like Jessie, wants to cut his losses and run. There’s always a place for him with Kono, but Tani tries to persuade him to stay and get justice for Jessie.

Adam tracks down his father’s old friend and banker for one more favor. That favor takes on a very ominous tone when Noriko’s body washes up on the beach.

Quotes
(doorbell rings)  Tani Rey: Hi. Junior Reigns: Oh, this is a surprise. Tani Rey: Yes, I find the element of surprise to be a key part of the unannounced drop-in. So, I come bearing gifts.

Tani Rey: So you're not gonna go? Junior Reigns: It was always gonna be a last-minute-decision type thing. Tani Rey: Right, I mean, that's actually why I came over here this morning. You know, I figured you could use a pep talk before you went over. Junior Reigns: (cat Eddie) You hear that, boy? You were an afterthought.

Steve McGarrett: Okay, Catherine, I gotta ask you a question: Why Five-O? I mean, you have unlimited amounts of CIA assets at your disposal, right? Catherine Rollins: I do. But, Steve, this is your island. Okay, no one knows it better than you do. And I figured, if there are terrorists operating on it, then you'd want the op.

Jerry Ortega: All right, it's my first time. Steve McGarrett: And I'm guessing, um, you've actually never been hunting, either. Jerry Ortega: Definitely not. My uncle and I would play Super Nintendo. I could never hurt another living creature. Steve McGarrett: Jerry, you lied to us. Jerry Ortega: But not about the cultural significance of what might be here.

Steve McGarrett: Isn't it great that we can talk to each other about this stuff now? Catherine Rollins: It really is. Steve McGarrett: Look how mature we are right now. Catherine Rollins: So mature. Steve McGarrett: Up high. It's not all that surprising, really, if you think about it, because we were really good friends before we got involved. Catherine Rollins: Yeah, we were. I mean, sometimes I think it ruined us. Steve McGarrett: Well, we probably shouldn't have slept together, but, you know- Catherine Rollins: Oh, God, huge mistake for the friendship.

Catherine Rollins: Okay, what if you try to boost me right up there and see if I can catch the lip? Steve McGarrett: Think you'll be all right to pull yourself out with that arm? Catherine Rollins: Are you trying to say that I'm soft now? Steve McGarrett: Well, I mean, maybe a little bit. Catherine Rollins: I'm good.

Catherine Rollins: I ask you a question? Steve McGarrett: Now? Catherine Rollins: Yes, now. Steve McGarrett: What? Catherine Rollins: Were you really gonna propose, or did you just buy that ring in the event that you decided you were gonna propose? Steve McGarrett: What do you think? Catherine Rollins: Just answer the question! Steve McGarrett: Yes, yes, yes. I was gonna propose, Catherine. Yes. Catherine Rollins: Okay.

(Catherine climbing a tree) Jerry Ortega: Oh, good idea. Get a high vantage point, scope the perimeter. Steve McGarrett: I'm pretty sure she's just thirsty, Jerry.

Jerry Ortega: Oh so we’re going towards the gun shots now

Catherine Rollins: I really wish you wouldn't do that. Steve McGarrett: Why? Catherine Rollins: He's got a bomb, Steve. If he dies, so do my chances of getting any Intel on finding Asad. Steve McGarrett: Wait a minute. Did you just question my accuracy? 'Cause if you did, that hurts.

(Steve and Catherine are chasing after a "bad guy" who is running ahead of them)

(the "bad guy" trips and falls - and the area blows up)

Steve McGarrett: (To Catherine) I ah.. I didn't do it.

(leaving a recording on his own phone) Junior Reigns: I-I-I remember I followed you around that summer. I was like a tick on a deer. We were fishing on the lake. Counting the stars in the sky in the backyard and We were fixing the roof every time it leaked. You-you held the nail while I was hammering, and You were never afraid. You never flinched. Not once. (chuckles) I remember, uh, singing songs on the beach-- me, you and Maya Maya. She made everything so easy. Even when I grew up, and me and you grew apart, her smile it-it was our bridge. You know, and after she, uh After she, uh Everyone always said that I was just like you, Dad. I was proud like you. I was stubborn like you. And I wore that like a badge of honor. And when I told you, Dad, I wanted to join the military and serve my country like you did, you said no. You flinched, and you said no. Losing one was enough. And I understand it must be painful to lose a child. Just like how it was painful for me to lose my best friend. Pops, all I wanted to say was (Phone cuts out)

Junior Reigns: How'd you find me? Did-did Eddie lead you here? Tani Rey: What? No, dude, he's not Lassie. No, I know where you like to run.

Steve McGarrett: Don't worry about it, buddy. Shake it off. Good news is she's paying for dinner. Catherine Rollins: Oh, I am? Steve McGarrett: Yeah, you almost got both of us killed. Think it's the least you can do. Catherine Rollins: Okay, that's fair. But I get to pick the place.

Trivia

 * Despite being credited, Scott Caan and Kimee Balmilero do not appear.
 * Michelle Borth returns for her guest appearance in this episode.
 * Cast member Ian Anthony Dale will be credited only for next episode, but he will return for second season of 13 episodes in Salvation, then he returns in ninth season episode "Is Borne on the Back; Is Borne in the Arms".

Cast

 * Dr. Royce
 * Mapuana Makia
 * Unknown
 * Matt Harlow
 * Louis Herthum
 * CIA Agent
 * SFC Rodriguez
 * Tracey Graves
 * Sergeant First Class US Army.
 * Marcus Kalawaia
 * Ma'a Tanuvasa
 * Police Sheriff
 * Mr. Kimura
 * Dana Lee
 * an old friend of Adam's father's and Yakuza banker
 * Hunter #1
 * Lehi Falepapalangi
 * Hunter #2
 * BJ Penn
 * an old friend of Adam's father's and Yakuza banker
 * Hunter #1
 * Lehi Falepapalangi
 * Hunter #2
 * BJ Penn
 * Hunter #2
 * BJ Penn
 * BJ Penn