Hawaii Five-0 Premiere Recap 09/27/19: Season 10 Episode 1 "ua eha ka ili i ka maka o ka ihe"

Brief Summary:
The Season 10 premiere of Hawaii Five-0 delivers a mix of high-stakes action and emotional farewells. As McGarrett and the team chase down a pair of mysterious assassins targeting mob bosses, a new ally enters the scene and one of the show's beloved members decides it's time to move on. The episode balances suspenseful investigations with heartfelt personal moments, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter.

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1. Jerry's Recovery and Personal Change

The episode opens about two weeks after Jerry was shot. He's still at the hospital, slowly regaining his strength and reflecting on life.

"He thought he was dying at one point and all he could think about was Dungeons and Dragons."

This funny but sincere confession shows how much Jerry values his passions, but he also realizes he hasn't really lived his life to the fullest. Jerry decides that from now on, he wants to see more of the world and seek out new experiences, not just stick to what he knows.

Jerry shares these thoughts with Junior, just as Tani walks in, all dressed up and ready for a date—with Junior! Jerry is genuinely happy for his friends, recognizing that they, too, are moving forward with their lives.

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2. From Opera Date to Deadly Crime Scene

Tani and Junior head out for their special night at the opera, not expecting that the evening would suddenly transform into a crime scene. As the performance ends, they notice a woman panicking next to a man who has slumped over—he's dead.

"The dead guy was identified as Billy Sato. He was the head of the triads and he was assassinated in the middle of the performance."

What was meant to be a romantic outing immediately becomes official Five-0 business, and the two have to shift back into detective mode.

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3. Interruptions and Investigation: McGarrett's Turn

While the crime unfolds, McGarrett himself is out on a date—his first in a while—with Brooke, a parent Danny knows. Danny has been pushing McGarrett to move on and re-enter the dating scene, but McGarrett is a bit rusty.

"McGarrett was on the older side. He hadn't had to go on a date in a while and it showed when he almost ruined things by nonstop talking."

Just as McGarrett is patching things up with Brooke, he gets the call about the murder and rushes to the theater. There, the team investigates thoroughly, believing the killer could still be somewhere inside. McGarrett chases the suspect, but this time, he hesitates instead of taking his usual risks—a change not lost on Danny, who jokes about it. Still, the chase yields a sketch of their main suspect.

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4. A Mysterious New Ally and More Twists

As Five-0 pursues their clues, they learn someone else is also hunting for the suspect. A woman has been showing his picture in bars and leaving only a burner phone number. The team tracks her down, though the encounter gets tense when both sides draw weapons—a classic misunderstanding.

"They said they were Five-0 and she said she was Sergeant Quinn Liu. She first claimed she was Military Police and then she said she was with CID. Her story was sort of all over the place."

Quinn finally shares her target's name: Tom Kendall, a former Army Ranger who recently went missing. She's worried because this isn't the first vet to have disappeared under her watch.

The investigation deepens when the team discovers Kendall is already dead. They learn from his messages that he was working with someone else, and the killings aren't over yet.

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5. Uncovering the Vets' Tragic Motive

Adam digs into his own criminal connections to figure out who could be behind the attacks. No one in the yakuza or the triads claims knowledge of Sato's murder, which stirs up more confusion.

Quinn, meanwhile, is still tracking the second missing vet, Marcus Sanders. Her fears ring true when Sanders attacks a gathering, targeting Masuto, the father of one of Adam's friends.

"No sooner did Quin warn this group that someone was hunting one of them, that Sanders started shooting out the windows and killing anyone he could find."

With quick teamwork, Adam and Quinn manage to protect Masuto until help arrives, and Five-0 hunts down Sanders. Unfortunately, Sanders forces them to use deadly force.

Piecing the mystery together, the team uncovers that both Kendall and Sanders were part of an experimental drug trial for soldiers with PTSD. Someone had used this information to turn them into contract killers. The mastermind is revealed to be Mr. Wes Cullen, who lent his car (not had it stolen) to Kendall and orchestrated the hits on men responsible for his own family's tragic death.

"So, those men killed his family. Cullen didn't know their names until one guy came out of prison and that's when he set about trying to kill everyone that took his family from him."

With both soldiers now dead, the Five-0 team is unable to build a case against Cullen, so he walks free.

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6. Farewells and New Beginnings

The episode closes with an emotional twist as Jerry decides to leave the Five-0 team. Inspired by his brush with death, he chooses to focus on writing his book and discovering more about himself.

"It was going to be hard saying goodbye to him but they know that Jerry is happy and that's all that matters."

Jerry shares a heartfelt hug with everyone—yes, even the newly-introduced Quinn—hinting that she might become part of the team in the future.

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Conclusion

The Hawaii Five-0 Season 10 premiere offers gripping mysteries, poignant goodbyes, and the promise of new adventures. We see Jerry move on to pursue his dreams and the arrival of a potential new team member in Quinn. With unresolved feelings, fresh starts, and a major case under their belts, the Five-0 team is ready to tackle whatever comes next. 🌺

"THE END"