Sonny, Em, Will and Laka race to the beach to find missing paragliders that plummeted into the ocean by a violent down draft. Kainalu invites Hina to a party with his ex-girlfriend and pretentious high school friends. Jenn doesn't think Laka is serious enough for her. Em and Will face temptation of rekindling their past romance. Sonny secretly puts in his notice to retire and recommends Em as his replacement.
Sonny formally announces his plans to retire. He informs the Chief after he remarks on how well his deal with Mayor Emerson has paid off. He also recommends Em to succeed him as captain. He says she is one of the best lifeguards he has ever seen. Despite that, he suggests she will grow into the job. That infers that she isn't ready for this responsibility right now. People can reasonably read between the lines and arrive at that conclusion. Sonny believes it too. He tests Em to see if she has the skills to discipline a subordinate despite awkward tension between them at the moment. She passes. She is excellent at this job. She reminds Sonny of himself when he was younger. That parallel allows him to be even more confident in this decision. And yet, the Chief believes someone else is more qualified for the job. This is a personnel decision that must look at a wide range of factors. This district covers the most dangerous terrain in the world. It requires someone excellent who is already at the top of their game in leadership. There is no room for doubt. Em has to earn it. She has wanted to become captain more than anything else. She is incredibly driven in her career. She will fight for it. She just has to know the stakes of the mission.
Em is wonderful when given the opportunity to shine. She advocates for dangerous risks. They pay off a lot of the time. That provides for a grand heroic moment. When others see the vast emptiness of the ocean, she sees the possibility of where a victim could still be clinging to life. The audience knew there were two victims from the paragliding incident. The level of concern was raised when the lifeguards only found one of them initially. The rescuers didn't know any better. In fact, they make their typical comments of disapproval regarding the activity that resulted in this rescue. They each have so much contempt in this world. It requires them to be on high alert all the time. They are jaded because of what they've endured on the job. That's not exactly a fun quality for the viewer. It's marvelous to see the beauty of the landscape from that perspective up in the sky. It's perilous when disaster strikes. That provides entertainment. It's not fun to listen to the characters hate on tourists and how their foolish decisions created these situations. That robs the joy out of life especially in a show that wants to be escapist. It aims to showcase the stories of this terrain. It has to do so honestly. It doesn't have to follow such a predictable pattern though. That leads the audience to distrust anything that occurs.
Will invited Em to his wedding. Then, he rescinded the invitation after Julie expressed her justified opinion. Will and Julia are just bad as a couple. The narrative has never offered any proof that they like each other. There is no reason for this relationship to exist. It simply provides an obstacle to overcome before Will and Em get back together. That too was inevitable. It finally happens here. It's not exactly passionate. They recognize the ugly nature of what they are about to do. They do it anyway. They are united over the shift they've just experienced. It was miraculous. Julie doesn't understand that. She's busy with her own life. She shouldn't be discarded or disdained for that. Will and Julie just aren't the right match. That's not to say Will and Em are a true couple who belong together. It's nothing but empty words at the moment. Moreover, it's more compelling to see the parallel between how Will previously behaved and how Sonny handles the possibility of Em's promotion. He too essentially tells her the job is hers. She just has to be quiet for awhile as he finalizes his plans. He doesn't let her know she will have to work for it. Her quality on the job should speak for itself. That's not ultimately what will decide things. Em should know that. Instead, she is being thrown to the wolves without even knowing it.
Similarly, Kainalu and Hina are positioned as a couple. They are mistaken for one when Kainalu invites Hina to join him at a luncheon. He reconnects with friends from high school. His ex-girlfriend is getting married. Her fiancé has made millions in cryptocurrency and runs an environmental-focused non-profit. It all sounds rather impressive. Hina doesn't see it as real. It's just a fanciful story people tell themselves to believe they are actually making a difference in the world. Meanwhile, the lifeguards are actually saving lives. Their jobs shouldn't be looked down upon. And yet, the wealth flows to those in these positions of power self-serving themselves. Kainalu belonged to that world for a long time. People believe he became a lifeguard to annoy his father. That's not what motivates him. This is simply what he wants to do with his life. That should be good enough. It is never perceived as such. Hina offers that perspective. They are roommates who understand each other. That's a good foundation for a romance to blossom eventually. They come from different worlds but they are the same. That's a story the viewer can get behind and champion. It's still a forced plot dynamic. It also allows more personality and purpose to shine through. That's what is missing between Em and Will.
