Recap
Stingray telling Serena he's going off the pills - and that he wants her back.
Jack saying to Steph that he hasn't given her much reason to trust him lately.
Connor and Toadie excited about the robot challenge.
Jack breaking down and asking Steph to help him.
Hoylands'
Steph tells Max that she's taking Jack to her mate Stanno's place in the country. Max isn't too keen on them leaving at nighttime and doesn't see why they have to go so far, but she thinks it's for the best. He reluctantly gives her the car keys because it would be uncomfortable for Jack on the bike. Summer gets up to see what's going on but Max tells her to go back to sleep. Jack and Steph leave with Jack apologizing to Max on the way out.
Susan's
Sindi has just finished telling Susan about the robot challenge and how she's getting no attention from Toadie because of it. Stingray can't see the problem.
STINGRAY: Yeah, but it's an annihilation robot.
SINDI: Yeah, but it's annihilating my relationship.
She says she isn't going to stand around and be replaced by some heap of scrap metal. Susan hands Stingray his pills to have with breakfast. He cautiously tells her he was "thinking of flying solo again". Susan seems really happy with the idea but just wants to get the okay from Karl in case there's any side effects involved in not taking them anymore.
Hoylands'
Max asks Summer to do some housework for him in the lounge room but she says she's too busy. She's peering out of the front window waiting for Caleb to make another visit; they're supposed to be going to Halliday's Chocolate Factory for a private tour. Max still wants her to do the chores even though she tells him it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.
SUMMER: Halliday's Sweet Treats Boutique Chocolate, home of the choc-drop block. MAX: Hoylands', home of the filthy carpet.
Max says the chocolate factory will still be there another day and that she needs to learn some responsibility. Summer ain't a happy gal.
Stanno's Country House
Steph brings some firewood up to the house in a wheelbarrow and asks Jack if he wants to go for a walk. As they meander along Steph tells him that she wants to pay for his knee surgery so he has no excuse not to play soccer again. Jack says it would take a lot more than that for him to be a good player again. "It's a very generous offer but it would be totally wasted on me." Steph gets annoyed at his self-pity and sarcastically says she's sorry and she'll never overestimate his talent again.
Susan's
Karl and Susan talk about the Darcy incident while they wait for Stingray to get back from the shops. Susan says Carmel rang and they've moved Darcy into a hospital closer to her. "No one seems to hold out much hope for a recovery, do they?" "No," Karl sullenly affirms.
Stingray gets back and Karl tells him that he got a hold of his pediatrician and they both seem to think that there'll be no harm done if he goes off his medication. Stingray is thrilled, "Spiggin Cuban!" Susan's also excited. Karl warns him that he'll have to take small steps though as it's a trial period for now. Stingray is happy to comply.
Number 30
Stingray observes Toadie and Connor as they agree that using Sindi's tweezers as a section of the robot is a bad idea. Speaking of Sindi, she waltzes into the kitchen in a sparkly little number hoping to grab Toadie's attention. She does... for about a millisecond until he goes back to making R2-D2's long lost cousin. Stingray suggests to them that they need a scoop so the robot can just pick up its opponent and throw it away. Toadie loves the idea and asks Connor if Stingray can be special weapons consultant for the day. Connor glares at Stingray.
CONNOR: Don't lose anything.
Sindi jumps in and perkily suggests they use a laser gun but the boys all but ignore her. She goes off to sulk in the corner.
Country
Jack says he's going home if all Steph is going to do is "give [him] the boot". Steph says that's not her plan but he needs to hear the truth. She tells him that he thinks he's so destined to fail that he subconsciously tries to mess everything up. Jack thinks that is a load of bull and that he's a "stuff up, plain and simple". Steph tries a different tactic.
STEPH: Yeah well you're forgetting coward. Gutless coward.
JACK: You don't know what the hell you're talking about!
STEPH: You're gutless Jack!
Jack walks off and yells at Steph not to follow him.
Susan's
Stingray empties all his pills into the bin. Susan makes a "bold statement" and says she thinks that he doesn't even have ADHD. She reminds him how good he was going on the healthy diet and that she's going to be there for him a lot more from now on. Stingray asks what she's up to today and Susan says she's meeting up with some Uni friends.
STINGRAY: Ahh, the old wrinklies.
SUSAN: Mature-age, yes.
He asks if Karl's going to be there (to which she says yes) and slyly suggests he should tag along to keep an eye on them. Susan laughs.
Hoylands'
Cinderella Summer is vacuuming when Caleb makes his appearance. She tells him of her housecleaning fate and he produces his mobile phone. She hopes he isn't calling off the chocolate tour but he says he isn't and he'll get her "out of this prison", giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Country - Pub Office
Steph is on the phone to Max telling him about her lack of progress with Jack. Max thinks that they could do better at home. Steph says she's not giving up on him and Max says he doesn't want her to do that; he just doesn't want Jack to drag her down as well.
MAX: You're on time off at the moment without pay and we can hardly afford that.
STEPH: Well, y'know, I'm really sorry if my brother happens to be more important to me than money.
MAX: Aw, you know that's not what I mean... Maybe you can help him just as much at home. STEPH: Yeah, look, I gotta go.
MAX: Steph...
(She hangs up)
MAX: ... I love you.
Pub
Susan has her fellow Uni buddies rallied around her and is organizing a protest because the Uni wants to shut down their study lounge. Karl slips into the meeting late and looks on in admiration as Susan gets everyone ready and raring to cause a ruckus on campus.
Karl goes up to her and tells her she was really good. She thanks him and says she likes to get passionate about things she believes in. She gives herself a little smirk as he walks off (glancing back at her along the way).
Number 30
The boys are trying to think of names for the robot. Toadie suggests 'Brutal Angel', Connor dismisses that and proposes 'Fatal Warrior'. Stingray thinks he has the ultimate name though, 'The Cake-Taker'. They're not too keen on that one. Sindi whispers sweet nothings into Toadie's ear to entice him away and she almost succeeds in getting him to the bedroom until the robot starts moving and he runs back to marvel over its greatness. She looks on in disbelief as the boys share a rowdy group hug.
Pub
Susan and Max have a laugh about Susan's Uni protest. Karl says that she can count him in to help, "you only live once!" She says that most people start off radical and go sedate but he says he's doing things backwards. Susan exclaims that she's really enjoying herself and for the first time in ages she's really being "me". "I don't have to answer to anyone, I can do exactly what I want to do, and I feel really excited by life again!" Karl says that's terrific and answers a call on his mobile.
KARL: Hi gorgeous, everything okay?
(Susan rolls her eyes)
KARL: Well ah... a spider's not going to hurt you.
(Susan looks incredulous)
KARL: Okay, well I'll be home soon I'll get rid of it then.... No it's fine, I'll come now. (Susan looks like she's going to burst into laughter - Karl says bye and hangs up)
KARL: Izzy's being terrorized by a huntsman.
SUSAN: Oh gosh, better get your skates on then.
Karl leaves and glances again at Susan on his way out (the song lyrics end on "All I want is you..." as we cut to an ad break).
Hoylands'
Caleb has hired some cleaners for Summer's house and the kids look on as the people do the vacuuming and dusting. Summer thinks it's great that he can just wave his gold card and make things happen. She looks a tiny bit guilty at not doing what Max asked her, but brushes it off, as they get ready to go to the chocolate factory. That is until Max arrives home and barges into the lounge room (after stealthily tripping over a shoe) to see what's happening. He's not impressed.
Number 30
The boys get ready to put BrutalAngelFatalWarriorCake-Taker (they say it all at once, so I shall Christen it with that name - or Annie for short... 'Annihilation'... 'Annie'...ahem). Sindi yet again tries to entice Toadie away, this time using food as a weapon. But he is yet again drawn back in by the power of Annie as she works her mechanical whimsy on the fellas. Sindi stalks back into the kitchen and manages to stomp right on the controller with her stiletto by accident. The boys look on all heartbroken.
Hoylands'
Summer apologises to John and Edith the cleaners as they leave the house. Max sends Caleb on his way as well - there'll be no chocolate factory today. Summer wants to know why Caleb had to leave and Max lists all the things he did (ringing the cleaners etc). "What, aren't I allowed to have fun anymore?" He says of course she can after her chores are done and reminds her that there wasn't that many of them anyway. He's worried that Caleb's "fantasy world" may be rubbing off on her but Summer says she realises her and Caleb's worlds are different. She also reminds him that it didn't seem to matter that much when he and Mr. Wilson were enjoying themselves the other day. He says that was different and Summer wants to know why. He doesn't quite have an answer for her.
Number 30
Toadie has taken the death of the controller quite hard and says to Sindi that she's been competing for his attention with 'Brutal Angel' all day. She asks him if he thinks she'd be that vindictive and gets outraged when he doesn't answer her. Stingray tells her he's on her side. Sindi gets even madder when she sees her curling iron and tweezers in with the spare parts. She shouts that she's happy she killed the robot because maybe now the boys will return to the human race.
Sindi leaves and Connor and Toadie are all downtrodden until Stingray gets their morale going again. They rush into the lounge room to get the remote controls to use. Stingray pats Annie on the head. "At least you know your parents love you!"
Country
Steph sits forlornly outside until Jack comes up to her and says she was right, "I'm scared of committing to things, people you know, in case I get in too deep." Steph starts to apologise but Jack says someone needed to say it to him. Jack is worried because he doesn't know where to go from here and what he's going to do about all the mess back home. Steph says he'll take things slowly and everything will be okay.
STEPH: You can start again.
JACK: Can't get any lower.
STEPH: And you've got to get off your own case.
She reminds him of how great he felt when he made himself strive to be a successful soccer player. "You can do whatever you want." Jack says he can't promise some magic trick that will make him turn his life around, "but I'll start to give myself a bit of a chance from now on." Steph smiles at him. "That's all I want."