Remembrance of things past
Seth thinks this year isn’t as good as last year. He thinks everything would improve if Ryan and Marissa started dating again. Ryan tells him not to live in the past. Seth seems bent on making the relationship happen, even after Summer tells him not to meddle. Seth suggests to Marissa that Ryan design the pep-rally bonfire she’s organizing, as he knows about construction, architecture and setting things on fire. Marissa asks Ryan to help. He agrees, but looks uncomfortable when Marissa suggests they meet at her and Alex’s place to make the plans. Alex isn’t thrilled about it either.
Newport Living
Kirsten tells Sandy that Carter used to self-publish a magazine called Revolution. That was Sandy’s favorite! He wants to meet Carter. He’s also pleased to see that Kirsten has found her wedding ring again. Julie tries to get in touch with Marissa (who hangs up on her), and is interrupted by Lance, demanding hush money. When Kirsten gets to the office, she finds that Carter called in drunk and that Julie is leaving to take care of her “personal emergency.” Kirsten tracks down Carter, who is wallowing in self-pity on the day of his wedding anniversary. Kirsten is not impressed.
On the case
Julie turns to Sandy for help – can she make Lance the Porn King go away? After a few moments of speechlessness and quite a few bad porn jokes, Sandy agrees to help. Problem is, Lance legitimately owns all the rights and Julie was a consenting adult, so there’s nothing illegal about the flick. Extortion is illegal, but Julie doesn’t want to go to the police about it -- there will be a scandal, and Marissa will never talk to her again! Sandy meets with Lance to see if he’ll come down on his demands, but he won’t budge. It looks like Sandy’s going to have to get creative. Julie visits Marissa and begs her to come home – don’t ruin your life just because you hate me! Marissa refuses.
Sparks?
Ryan can't come up with a design for the bonfire. Seth says that whatever he comes up with, Marissa will love him. It! He means it. Ryan growls that there's nothing going on with Marissa, and borrows Captain Oats so he can model a Trojan Horse off of him for the bonfire. Alex stops by Casa Cohen looking for information about Marissa – and Ryan. Is there something going on? Seth denies it, but lets slip that they spent the night together in a tent at the mall. Alex is furious. She waits outside her house until Ryan leaves, then shoves him around, demanding he stay away from her girlfriend. Ryan is pissed, but he does tell Marissa that he won't make the bonfire. Alex confronts Marissa the next day, then storms out. When Marissa tells Summer about their fight, Summer decides to beat the crap out of Seth for continuing to interfere.
Creative maneuvers
Kirsten borrows an old copy of Revolution from Sandy, and drops it in Carter's mailbox as inspiration. This brings Carter out of his funk – maybe they can do something real and subversive with Newport Living. Sandy presents Lance with a contract – he's starting a movie company, and he wants to buy all rights to Julie's film for $500,000. Lance signs. By the way, Sandy says – it might take a little while to raise the money, and if a single frame of the flick ends upon the internet, they'll sue for Lance for millions. Sandy also advises Julie that she needs someone else to talk some sense into Marissa. Julie asks/demands Ryan talk to Marissa, and he reluctantly agrees. He tries to talk to her at Alex's, but she has already left for the bonfire. Alex gets threatening again, but Ryan dismisses her – how much damage does she really think she can do?
The bonfire
Marissa has no idea how the bonfire is actually supposed to get built. She's saved when Ryan shows up and takes charge. Marissa is thrilled. But all is not well – Alex shows up with a couple of skeezy ex-cons to take care of Ryan. Marissa gets them to temporarily back off and finally talks with Alex. They realize living together isn't working, and Alex decides she wants to try going back to school. She apologizes to Ryan. Marissa agrees to move back home.
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Spring has sprung at the OC. But Seth thinks last spring was better. Why? Because last year they were a fabulous foursome and now he and Summer are just a fabulous two-some. Ryan suggests Seth try living in the “Now,” but Seth thinks they’re already half-way there and just need to work on reuniting Ryan and Marissa. Summer thinks Seth should stay out of it.
Seth corners Marissa at her locker with what appears to be a selfless suggestion – how about Marissa recruits Ryan to help her with the design for the Harbor School Pep Rally Bonfire! Marissa agrees that it could be good for Ryan and fun for her. She thanks Seth. Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t, especially to Summer.
Lance, a ghost from Julie’s past, who’s coincidentally reappeared just before the launch of Julie’s new magazine, shows up at her office and threatens to expose more than just her face if she doesn’t come up with the money. Kirsten’s also at the office looking for the new editor of the magazine, Carter, but comes to find out that he left a message with the receptionist at 3am telling them not to expect him.
Julie shows up at Sandy’s office and isn’t impressed with the humble surroundings. She drops a video on his desk entitled “Porn Identity” with none other than herself on the cover. Sandy’s speechless. Lance Baldwin, Julie’s ex, wants a half-million or he’s going public with the video on the eve of Newport Living’s launch. Sandy suggests bringing in the cops but Julie says no way. This time she’s not even thinking about the company or her marriage, she’s thinking about Marissa, who would never speak to her again.
Kirsten shows up at Carter’s pad and tries to convince a very inebriated editor that Newport Living is not just a homage to Julie Cooper but a real opportunity to turn the community upside down – to make it about art and culture, to be subversive and irreverent. Carter says he’d rather be drunk. He thinks it’s just a photo opportunity for 55-year-old women with 25-year-old breasts.
Alex drops by Seth’s room soliciting advice about Marissa. Or more specifically, about Ryan and Marissa. Alex has really fallen hard for her and she needs to know if it’s a lost cause. Are Marissa and Ryan just one of those couples that will always be a couple? Seth comments that if Alex had been this neurotic and insecure when they were dating, things might have worked out differently. He also wonders if this is about the other night at the mall. And when Marissa says she knows all about the mall, Seth assumes that means she knows all about Ryan and Marissa sleeping in a tent together… but it turns out Marissa left that part out. Alex takes off.
Ryan arrives at Marissa and Alex’s place to work on the bonfire design. Ryan brought Captain Oats along as a model for the Trojan horse he wants to build.
Meanwhile, Sandy pays Lance a visit at his sleazy motel room, introducing himself as Julie Cooper’s attorney. He’s there to negotiate but Lance tells him it’s going to take 500 grand to make it go away, otherwise the video will be streaming live on the internet in 72 hours.
Marissa walks Ryan out to his car and mentions that she’s glad Seth suggested they work together. Seth suggested this? Ryan explains that Seth’s living in the past and thinks just because he and Summer are back together….that, well… Ah, Marissa finally gets it. Alex, meanwhile, has been sitting in her car drinking and watching Marissa and Ryan hug goodbye. After Marissa reenters the apartment, Alex confronts Ryan, warning him not to go near her girlfriend again.
Marissa gets a message from Ryan telling her he’s not going to be able to make it to the bonfire after all. Alex asks who the message is from and Marissa lies and says her mom. Then Alex proceeds to confront her about other lies, like the night in the tent with Ryan.
Julie stops by Sandy’s office again looking for good news. Sandy tells her that Lance may be as sleazy as he looks but he’s not as dumb. Turns out Lance owns the rights to the movie in perpetuity and, given that Julie was an adult when it was shot, he’s entitled to make money from it if he so chooses. The only thing he can be charged with is extortion, but that would involve the authorities. Julie’s still determined to keep the cops out of it.
Kirsten rummages through Sandy’s Berkeley memorabilia and finds an old copy of the magazine “Revolution” that Carter used to edit in college. She makes another trip to Carter’s place and leaves a copy of the magazine in his mailbox.
Marissa talks to Summer about her fight with Alex. Summer suggests Marissa move back home but Marissa says she can’t. Why, because you love Alex and wherever she is, that’s your home? Uh, no, because it would make her mom too happy. Oh. Marissa explains that Alex is the reason Ryan isn’t going to the bonfire. Summer wonders how Alex found out about the tent. Then it suddenly dawns on her and she springs up. “I’m going to kick his ass back to next year.”
After taking Sandy’s advice to heart that… sometimes it’s the messenger, not the message… Julie stops by the pool house and solicits Ryan’s help. Ryan doesn’t want to get involved but Julie convinces him that this isn’t about Marissa’s relationship with Alex, it’s about Marissa’s future, which is rapidly slipping away from her.
Ryan drops by the apartment looking for Marissa but runs into an intoxicated Alex instead. Marissa’s already at the bonfire and if Ryan shows up there, it’s on! Ryan reminds Alex that this sort of thing is his specialty. Then, before heading out the door, he adds that if Alex has to work this hard, the relationship probably isn’t working.
At the beach, Marissa is bombarded by students who can’t make heads or tails of Ryan’s blueprints, literally. Marissa can’t answer anybody’s questions and it’s looking hopeless for the horse when Ryan suddenly shows up and takes charge. Marissa looks on admiringly.
Carter drops by Kirsten’s office with his old magazine in hand and remarks that it was a dirty trick for her to haunt him with his past. Kirsten claims she was just trying to inspire him. Carter wants to know where she found the magazine and Kirsten tells him she got it from a crusading idealist – also known as her husband. So, you in? Carter sits down to and gets to work.
Sandy pays one more visit to Lance, only this time he’s carrying a contract which would make him the sole owner of the film, the master, and all negatives. In exchange, Lance will get his half-million. Lance signs. Then Sandy warns him that if one frame of the video leaks onto the internet, they’re coming after him for ten times the amount for copyright infringement and piracy.
Back at the bonfire, things are going great… until Alex shows up with two big, tough, tattooed companions. She tells Marissa they’re here to see Ryan. Marissa manages to break up the fight before it gets started. She convinces Alex that this isn’t about Ryan and the two of them walk off to talk. Marissa says she didn’t know being with Alex meant giving up her life. Alex claims she never wanted Marissa to give up her life, she just wanted to be a part of it. Well, this is my life, what do you think? Alex thinks she doesn’t fit in. Marissa apologizes if she hurt her and Alex apologizes for bringing the thugs to her bonfire. So what now? Alex thinks maybe she’ll go home, save up some money, go back to school. She thinks this whole school spirit thing actually looks kinda fun. Then Alex apologizes to Ryan and says goodbye to Marissa. Seth and Summer arrive just in time to see Ryan and Marissa arm in arm, lighting the bonfire together. Hmm, maybe last spring isn’t so far off after all?
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