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"Decoy" is the 11th episode of the fourth season, and the 50th episode in the series overall. It was written by Graham Yost and Chris Provenzano and directed by Michael Watkins. It first aired on March 19, 2013.

Plot[]

Synopsis[]

Boyd and the Detroit Mob try every dirty trick there is to stop Raylan and Drew Thompson from leaving Harlan alive.

Recap[]

The Tonin family helicopter circles above as the marshals, camped out at Arlo's house, try to figure out how to get Drew Thompson safely out of town. Boyd, meanwhile, meets with a very unhappy Nicky, who wants to know how Drew slipped out of their collective grasp. Boyd takes two quick, hard punches to the face. "If you want Drew Thompson, you'll need Raylan Givens and, if you want Raylan Givens, you still need me," Boyd says. Then Boyd asks for a five hundred thousand dollars for his trouble. Nicky punches Boyd in the face one more time before agreeing to the deal.

And so the planning begins. Boyd knows that Raylan won't wait for a police helicopter to try to get Drew far away from Harlan, and suggests that Colt meet the marshal convoy at a specific, strategic spot on the back road out of town. "Here we go," Ava says. Indeed. Luckily, Tim, who is leading the caravan of marshals, spots three cars waiting by the side of the road. It looks like a trap, so he slams on the brakes. From the tree line a few hundred yards away, Colt watches through binoculars along with a Tonin goon. Back at Arlo's house, Raylan is sitting with Rachel and Drew. The caravan is a decoy, complete with Deputy Dunlop in Raylan's hat.

Art calls Raylan and tells him to hightail it to the alternative location. Meanwhile, Tim rightfully smells the work of fellow war veteran Colt  and dials him on the cell. After some pithy back-and-forth, Colt instructs a Tonin goon to force the caravan to move by shooting at the back windows. But Tim anticipates the move and orders the vehicles to form a ring around one of the stopped cars. "Holy shit! They circled the wagons," Colt observes. Colt calls Boyd with breaking news: the marshal caravan is indeed a decoy.

Raylan, Rachel, and Drew have headed to the nearby high school. Rachel wants to know how Drew killed his old buddy Waldo, who plummeted to his death with Drew's identity. "I take no pleasure in what I did," Drew says quietly. Raylan then gets a call from Bob, who is standing outside Arlo's house. A truck pulls up. "Bob, hide!" Raylan says. Too late. Moments later, the young thug is holding Bob hostage. "I just checked his cell phone and he called Givens five minutes ago," the thug says.

Boyd, in the meantime, has a brainstorm. He recalls the time in high school where an astronaut came to visit and landed on the high-school baseball diamond in a helicopter. Could that be where Raylan has headed to get picked up? It's worth a look. Back at Arlo's house, the young thug beats Bob to a bloody pulp ... but the constable won't talk. He lies on the ground and gasps for breath. Suddenly, he pulls a blade from under a chair and stabs the thug in the leg just as Raylan arrives at the scene. The marshal hears a gunshot  Bob has crawled to a gun and shot the mobster dead.

Sometime later, Raylan and a very bloody Bob return to the high school. Raylan hears footsteps. It's Boyd and Tonin goon named Picker. Raylan refuses to hand over Drew. "You come any closer and you're going to have a bad afternoon," the marshal warns. Boyd and Picker retreat to call for back up. Tim, in the meantime, whips up a Molotov cocktail with a plan to blow up the car he believes to be rigged to explode. He tosses the homemade explosive ... and the car goes up in a blaze of fire and metal. The marshals jump into their cars to leave. Colt, sensing defeat, turns his weapon on the Tonin goon standing beside him — and fires a single, deadly shot.

At Johnny's bar, Nicky begins to taunt Ava — calling into question her virtue and accusing her of attaching herself to any number of men. Johnny tells Nicky to shut his mouth. Angry, Nicky tells Ava that Johnny went to Duffy with plans to betray Boyd. Ava cozies up to Nicky and splashes a drink in his face. She then takes his gun. "Ava, don't!" Johnny warns. Johnny then points his gun at Ava. "Ava, I love you," a desperate Johnny says. Ava practically spits. "Aww, that's sweet." She then exits the bar, leaving Johnny and Nicky behind. "I see what you like about her," Nicky quips.

At the high school, Boyd and Picker's back-up men arrived. They approach the principal's office and open the door to find Raylan and Bob with guns drawn. Suddenly, the entire group hears sirens and a helicopter. "You could be on your way and just promise me that we'll get together and do this again someday," Raylan says. Boyd decides to take Raylan up on the rain check and exits. The Tonin men soon follow.

So where is Drew Thompson?

Rachel and Drew have hitched a ride on a coal train headed out of town.

Appearances[]

First Appearances[]

  1. Ethan Picker - Henchman working for Augustine who accompanies Boyd Crowder to the old high school.
  2. See below for Yolo and Mort.

Deaths[]

  1. Yolo - Henchman working for Nick Augustine that holds Bob Sweeney hostage to find out Drew Thompson's location. Femoral artery slashed by Bob Sweeney.
  2. Mort - Henchman working for Augustine who accompanies Colton Rhodes to the meeting place to ambush law enforcement and retrieve Drew. Shot by Colton Rhodes.

Production[]

Cast[]

Starring cast

Guest stars

Co-stars

Co-stars with non-speaking roles

Screenshot Gallery[]

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