Chuck: The 10 Biggest Plot Twists In Series History

For five seasons, Chuck was one of the most beloved shows in all of television. Running from 2007 until 2012, the series didn’t have a huge following but the fanbase was incredibly passionate. They loved everything from the fun characters to the nods to geek culture. However, the real highlight was probably the spy plot.

Chuck saw protagonist Chuck Bartowski lifted from his mindless everyday job and thrust into a role as a secret agent. Along the way, the show was filled with some of the best and most intriguing plot twists you’d find anywhere. From startling revelations to game-changing moments, Chuck always kept viewers guessing.

10 Gregory Tuttle’s True Identity

During the show’s fourth season, Chuck had to deal with an off-screen menace named Alexei Volkoff. He had been the person who held Mary Bartowski captive for decades. She had Chuck meet up with her MI6 handler Gregory Tuttle, played by former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, in “Chuck Versus the First Fight.”

Tuttle seemed like a well-meaning but bumbling agent. However, it was then ultimately revealed that Tuttle was actually Alexei Volkoff and that Chuck’s mother set him up.

9 Morgan Gets The Intersect

For the most part, the series explained that not just anyone had the brainpower to hold all of the information in the Intersect. It was part of what made Chuck so special. That changed over the course of time and Chuck’s spy skills meant he didn’t need the supercomputer.

In season four, he lost the Intersect but had the chance to get it back by the time the finale rolled around. So, it came as a shock when Chuck’s best friend Morgan Grimes put on the glasses and accidentally downloaded the Intersect. Unfortunately, the storyline produced some of the show’s worst episodes.

8 Casey Has A Daughter

The main crux of Chuck was the relationship between Chuck Bartowski and Sarah Walker. That means that the third member of their team, John Casey, was often put on the backburner in terms of having episodes and storylines dedicated to him. That changed majorly in “Chuck Versus the Tic Tac.”

Casey committed treason at the behest of his former mentor. While Sarah and Chuck attempted to find out more, the audience learned about Kathleen, a woman Casey had a romantic past with. The stakes were raised when Kathleen’s daughter Alex entered and fans instantly knew she was Casey’s child. She became a key part of the show and she’d be welcome back for the rumored reunion film.

7 Mary’s Whereabouts

The bond between Chuck and his sister Ellie was an important one. That’s because they believed their mother walked out on them and then their father eventually did the same. The siblings were left to help each other grow up. They reconnected with their dad eventually but not their mother.

In the season three finale, “Chuck Versus the Ring: Part 2,” it was revealed in the final moments that Mary was still alive. Stephen, Chuck’s father, had spent decades searching for her as a solo mission. He was now leaving it to Chuck to find out where she was.

6 Shaw Is Alive

There weren’t many characters in Chuck history more disliked than Daniel Shaw (in what might be Brandon Routh’s finest role). He first appeared in season three as a decorated CIA agent who helped Team Bartowski as they hunted down The Ring. That changed when he found out that Sarah killed his wife in the past.

That made Daniel the villain (although he was already hated for making the moves on Sarah) and Chuck seemingly took him out halfway through the season. However, he was revealed to be alive at the end of “Chuck Versus the Living Dead” and he downloaded The Ring Intersect, setting up another showdown with Chuck.

5 Stephen Is ORION

In season two’s “Chuck Versus the Predator,” Chuck got assistance from an agent under the codename ORION. Unfortunately, it seemed like ORION was killed soon after. Meanwhile, Chuck tracked down his father after promising to get him to walk Ellie down the aisle at her wedding.

The reunion was messy for a handful of reasons but it really went south when Stephen ran into Chuck at Roark Industries. Just when things looked bleak, Stephen revealed that he was ORION the entire time. He hadn’t abandoned his family for no reason. It was to protect them.

4 Awesome Finds Out

While watching season one of Chuck, you would’ve probably assumed that if anyone found out Chuck’s secret life, it would’ve been Morgan (his underrated bromance partner) or Ellie. Those are the characters he had the tightest bond with. Captain Awesome wouldn’t have come to mind because he was a mere side character.

To this point in season two, Devon “Captain Awesome” Woodcomb didn’t have a major impact on the main story. That changed in “Chuck Versus the Colonel,” as he was the first one to accidentally stumble upon Chuck’s secret. It was a total shock that made him integral to the story and proved that he was awesome.

3 Bryce Lives

Bryce Larkin (played by the talented Matthew Bomer) was the most important character in the early run of the show to not be a main cast member. He was Chuck’s college roommate who got him expelled, went on to become a spy, sent Chuck the Intersect to download, and was Sarah’s ex.

The entire series actually begins with his death as he sends Chuck the Intersect. In “Chuck Versus the Imported Hard Salami,” Chuck and Sarah kissed for the first (real) time. However, a wrench was thrown in when the contents of an important container are revealed to host Bryce. He took a breath to end the episode, showing he was indeed still alive.

2 Sarah’s Memory

Fans weren’t sure what twists the show would pull as it neared its final episode. Just before it aired, the villainous Nicholas Quinn kidnapped Sarah and forced her to download a faulty Intersect over and over, ultimately causing her to lose her memory.

That made her something of a villain in the two-part finale, “Chuck Versus Sarah” and “Chuck Versus the Goodbye.” Nobody expected the show to undo seasons’ worth of storytelling on the main romance. To top it off, Chuck chooses to use the one chance to restore her memory to instead save the lives of others, meaning she never regains her memories of the man she loves. Some fans were upset but it was a great finale twist.

1 “Guys, I Know Kung-Fu”

The original Intersect that Chuck downloaded provided him with government secrets. He went on missions for two seasons but was still mostly just a civilian. He had little proper training and wasn’t much in the way of being a threat to any of the bad guys encountered.

Then came the season two finale, “Chuck Versus the Ring.” Chuck downloaded a new version of the Intersect. As he was surrounded, Chuck flashed and immediately took several guys down with karate. This new version imparted physical skills along with information. Chuck’s, “Guys, I know kung-fu,” was followed by a “To be continued…” message even though the show hadn’t officially been renewed to that point.

About The Author