The lifeguards of the North Shore experience the most dangerous ocean conditions the district has seen in years. Em has the day off and joins Jenn to catch some massive waves. Kainalu's father pressures him to leave his shift and help him with his campaign. Hina thinks she is ready to back-up the rescue skis. Emotions reach a boiling point for Sonny when he experiences another loss.
Early on, the lifeguards know exactly what kind of shift they are about to have. They will face the most dangerous ocean conditions they've seen in awhile. It's a thrilling prospect. It's daunting too. It requires a healthy amount of fun and fear. Plenty of people will want to come out and ride the waves. They are larger than usual. The dangers of this stretch of beach remain the same. The lifeguards have to monitor the situation closely. They try their best to keep people out in order to cut down the risk. Only expert surfers are allowed in the water. Even then, it's up to the lifeguards to decide if they trust the person well enough. So much risk is introduced. The lifeguards feel the pull. They want to do everything in a safe way. They aren't trying to ruin anyone's fun. However, each wave has the potential to send multiple victims into their arms. That's an exhausting amount of work. At only moment, someone could slip away. That's the most grueling aspect of this job. If they fail, then there's the possibility a body will never be recovered. It will simply be lost to the ocean forever.
That weighs heavily on Sonny. Zion's body was never found. The lifeguards personally carry the responsibility of this loss. They never forget it. They have to cope with it somehow. That's the only way they can continue to do the job. They have to accept that they are powerless against the ocean. That's easier said than done. Moreover, plenty of complicated emotions can still boil up. Hina is a rookie lifeguard. She wanted this assignment. She aspires for more responsibilities. She wants to be out there at sea providing crucial backup. She's ready for this opportunity. Sonny agrees. They have a couple of successful rescues. The only one either of them will remember is the failure. It hits harder because they knew Rocky. Of course, he wasn't a major character. As such, the audience doesn't really have a personal attachment. Instead, the drama has to communicate the weight of this loss. That too is largely built around Sonny's extreme reaction. He keeps losing people. As captain, he has to inform the family about what happened. He doesn't believe anyone can judge his leadership until they have had to do that. And yet, Em is right for pushing back over how Sonny speaks to Hina. He bullied her.
Em has repeatedly told Sonny he needs to get his head on straight in order to keep doing this job. Nothing ever changes. She has to be more forceful now. She knew why the captain was acting this way. She never had to lay it out so clearly. She has to now. Everything connects to Zion's death. Sonny blames himself. His family has shunned him as well. He isn't dealing with any of it. He believes he's well enough to continue to lead. He relies on his instincts. That's the advice he gives. He needs everyone to remain smart and calm. That's the way they will survive the day. Hina makes a rash decision. She jumps into the water in the hopes of finding Rocky. She fails and needs to be rescued herself. She made the situation more complicated for no gain. The water always has the potential to reach up and grab a victim the lifeguards are trying to save. It's more perilous because of the conditions they face throughout the shift. Em recognizes that even though she has the day off. She wants to enjoy it with Jenn. Everyone else is baffled by the idea of her not coming into work during this shift. She deserves to relax and focus on what she enjoys outside of work. That shouldn't be uncommon. She is exploring her interests while still showing up for her crew when they need a leader the most.
Kainalu is the only lifeguard not out on the water. Instead, he's expected to help his father's mayoral campaign. His dad believes his son has to do whatever he wants because he provides everything in his life. He got him his job, truck and house. The only way Kainalu can show gratitude is by showing influential tourists around the island. Clayton Emerson remains very focused on further development of the island. He doesn't particularly care about what matters to the locals. Everyone flocks to the beach. Streets are being flooded. Ocean conditions are rough. He isn't kept up to date on that situation. He's not asking his son to be of service to his community by keeping everyone safe. Instead, he needs his son to serve him. Kainalu hates when his name is shortened because it allows others to better pronounce and understand it. That's dismissive of his heritage. He has pride in that even though others view him as an outsider. He has the ability to leave his job to focus on family. That matters to Sonny. The situation isn't that important. It just adds tension within this father-son dynamic. The councilman doesn't have any faith in his son. He has to do everything for him. Now, Kainalu has to step up to prove he is capable of building a fulfilling life. He wants to be on the water. Instead, he misses out. He's just left to comfort Hina after her bad day at work. He still has to tell her the house she's crashing out won't be free for much longer.
