In this week’s Tom Swift, Tom, Zenzi, and Isaac locate the capsule piece they need. However, it lands in Tom’s rival’s territory and Tom must find a way to charm him and his family, unveiling a secret about Tom’s past in the process. Read on to find out what happens in “…And the 4b Curl.”
Enemy Ground
Tom, Zenzi, and Isaac reach the first piece only to find that it’s just wreckage. On the plane, Tom says he needs the “brain,” or the other pieces are useless. He wonders if something is wrong with Barclay, which sparks playful banter with Tom and Zenzi, leading into how Isaac has an ex-girlfriend, and confirms that he’s trans and pansexual (and, per Zenzi, VERY interested in Tom).
Tom locates the brain piece and learns it landed at the Darby estate, a rival family that Tom clearly isn’t fond of, though Zenzi has a different idea. Tom is ready to break in, but Zenzi suggests he invite the Darbys to dinner instead. So, Tom runs the idea by Lorraine (with a bogus reason) and she agrees to get everything set up. She’s a bit hesitant, though, as it’s her first social event since Barton died.
A Terrible Dinner
Isaac finds a photo of Rowan, the congressman’s bodyguard, in Barclay’s database and think he comprised Barclay and wants to shut him down. Tom refuses when Barclay announces the brain piece is in the mines. Bad news for the team, as Tom also refuses to go into the mines. As he and Zenzi head to dinner, he says they’ll find another way.
While Tom, Zenzi, and Lorraine wait for the Darbys, Zenzi gets a text from Chris Darby that prompts a conversation about her interest in him and riles up Tom, who gets it all out when the Darbys arrive. Dinner begins with small talk before hitting an awkward pause that Tom breaks. Everyone begins reminiscing when Chris brings up a story about Tom and lifeguard whose swim trunks he allegedly stole. The Darbys have a major laugh at Tom’s expense. Tom gets angry and shuts it down, turning it back on the Darbys for mimicking the Swifts. After a long, dead silent pause, Lorraine begins to laugh and ease some of the tension. Afterwards, Tom asks Mr. Darby if he can explore the mines (again, with a bogus excuse). With a smile plasted on his face, Mr. Darby says, “absolutely not.” During all of this, Isaac was surveying the Darby property.
After Lorraine, Tom, and Isaac see everyone, Lorraine scolds Tom, and Rowan arrives with an invitation from the congressman; he’s inviting Lorraine to a fundraising dinner. Lorraine accepts then heads upstairs. Tom makes eyes at Rowan and assures Isaac he’s harmless. Isaac isn’t so sure.
What Happens in the Mines
Tom meets Zenzi at Swift Enterprises and finds Chris is there with her. She thinks the two can bury the hatchet with no parents around, adding that Tom should apologize. Chris agrees but in a way that only adds salt to the wound. When Tom says no, he and Chris begin throwing insults back and forth until Chris mentions the incident in the mines. After tossing a final threat, Chris leaves. Then, Tom tells Zenzi about the mines, with a flashback included. When he and Chris were kids, Chris – being unusually nice – brought Tom into the mines for a “man test”: Tom had to wait, alone, for five minutes and Chris would come back for him. Well, Chris did not come back. When Tom tried to leave, he got lost and got cut up and burned the side of his face (due to acid runoff). He adds that it was because Chris thought Tom was acting “too gay.”
The focus turns back to capsule piece. The team tricks out the G-Wagon and make a plan to get into the mines. The only problem? The acidic runoff. Zenzi mentions her hair, prompting Tom to remember a leave-in conditioner she uses. If ups the concentration of its properties, the conditioner goes from protecting the 4b natural to a human in a wetsuit (designer, of course).
Finding the Brain
Isaac gets the trio past the fence, and they lower Tom into the mines. Despite a few flashbacks, everything goes swimmingly until Tom’s line gets stuck on a beam. Above ground, Zenzi shares her frustration with Isaac about Tom not telling her about the incident, even though lying to save face was the norm growing up – and how that got her family in serious debt, and Barton helped her out. Isaac wonders if that’s why she goes for guys like Chris, but she says it’s because they make her feel like she belongs. Isaac tells her she deserves better, then Tom calls for help.
Thanks to an extra suit, Zenzi goes into the mines and free Tom. When they land on solid ground, they find the capsule piece, but it requires a password or else it will self-destruct. They can’t figure it out, and as tensions rise, they begin to argue. After they cool down a bit, Tom cracks the code. When they get out of the mines, Chris and several security guards are waiting. Tom calls Chris on his BS and delivers an exquisite comeback before walking away. Chris says he was always compared to Tom and reveals that Barton said he was proud of Tom. After a beat, Tom genuinely apologizes and offers to make Darby Minerals a vendor for Swift Enterprises. Chris agrees. A bit later he attempts to ask out Zenzi, who also shuts him down with a sick burn.
Not Quite Sleep
Meanwhile, Lorraine meets with Claire who wants to become full-time CEO of Swift Enterprises, hoping Lorraine will support her. Lorraine becomes emotional and tells Claire that despite Tom’s behavior, she can’t take the position away from him. Claire says she understands before offering to bring Lorraine to help her sleep.
When they meet later, Claire gives Lorraine a sleeping gel. Lorraine almost immediately becomes woozy and Claire begins telling her to do certain things, which Lorraine does without question. It’s revealed that Claire was testing a theory about why the production was halted. She then asks Lorraine what it will take to become CEO. Lorraine says that it will never happen.
Never Trust the Bodyguard
Isaac tails Rowan to Zenzi’s place, where Rowan offers an invitation from the congressman for a private dinner. Back home, Tom celebrates locating the other capsule pieces when Barclay starts glitching. Tom discovers a tracking algorithm in the source code that’s sending data somewhere. Tom calls Isaac to tell him, saying that right now it’s only bits and pieces but could become photos and video. Isaac has Tom text him something and uses binoculars to confirm that Rowan received the text. Isaac is ready to pursue. Tom has a different idea and records a saucy little “you up?” video for Rowan.
Tom Swift airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on The CW, available the next day on The CW app and cwtv.com. Keep up with our coverage here.
