For the finale, we have one new guest blogger, Bill, known to many on the Jericho boards as Nuciferous1. First, here’s the basics on Bill:

Age: 41
Where I live: Minneapolis, Minn.
When I started watching Jericho: I was rooted to my couch for the season premiere on Sept. 20, 2006.
What about Jericho makes it so special to me: I like Jericho because instead of the usual diseases, homicides and every day dreck, Jericho presents something that could quite possibly be in our near future. It is great drama that makes me think what I would do if every single freedom I enjoy were threatened and I was thrown into the middle of a civil war in my own country.
My favorite character on the show and why: It would be easier for me to say who my least favorite character is. I like them all but if I had to take a pick I would have to say Johnston Green. He is the ultimate leader. He’s flawed but very wise and a combat tested veteran. He knows when to pick his battles and is able to to accept defeat when it is inevitable. Jake and Eric have their work cut out for them in the coming season. Then there’s the venerable Robert Hawkins. I have just 9 words for him — “Robert hawkins is in ur revolution scarin’ teh enemies.”
Unless you want to hear about all of my L33t coding skills, I’ll skip this question.
Me, on the Internet: Nuciferous adj. Yielding Nuts for Jericho

And now, Bill’s recap:

We begin the story 6 years prior to the events of the past year, at Eric and April’s wedding. April, Eric, Johnston and Gail are trying to pose for wedding pictures and wondering where the best man, Jake, and Grandpa Green are. Gail goes to find them and as she steps out of the church she steps back into the cold reality of the present, a Jericho that has been devastated by New Bern’s mortars. The citizens of Jericho milling about, armed and waiting for the battle to come.

Jake rides up on horseback as Eric walks out to greet him, both in a hurry to meet with Johnston, Hawkins, Gray Anderson and others involved with planning the defense of Jericho from Constantino’s army. Jake reports that the Talbot farm has fallen into the hands of the opposition. Understanding that the Talbot farm fell to 60 or 70 men, they reckon they are outnumbered and there’s a much larger force still in reserve. Realizing this, Johnston suggests that splitting Jericho’s forces to defend individual farms will cause more casualties than they can afford. It would be much better to stand together as one against Constantino’s army. Johnston advises that Stanley Richmond’s farm, being the highest point in the area, is the place to make that stand.

Back at the front of Constantino’s column, one of his men informs him the Talbot farm has been secured. Constantino, ready to take the other farms around Jericho, mounts the lead vehicle. The camera pans out to reveal a column of trucks filled with men extending for half a mile or more — definitely a force to be reconked with.

Sixty miles away on state Route 37, several men in military uniforms come upon the site of a wrecked vehicle with several dead individuals. As they round the overturned car, they find one person still alive. As they roll her over, we find it is the long-missing Heather Lisinski. If you look closely as they turn her over, you can see something is not quite right with the soldiers’ uniforms.

Again flashing back to Eric and April’s wedding, we find Jake, Stanley, Emily and Grandpa Green at Bailey’s tavern getting quite drunk and swapping old stories. Stanley relates that he loved the stories Grandpa Green would tell Jake, especially the story about the peanuts and World War Two. Jake looks rather confused and Grandpa Green asks what the hell he is talking about. Jake finally figures it out and clues Grandpa in — the story of the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944, when Allied troops were surrounded by German troops. The American division knew it had to hold that ground. Just before Christmas, the Nazis sent a note to the American commander, telling him he could surrender and save his men or they could stay and fight. As the story goes, the American commander, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, sent a one-word reply to the German commander: “Nuts!”

Gail walks in, rather peeved that Grandpa Green has gotten Jake drunk, and breaks up the fun. As she shoos everyone back to the reception, she stops Jake to inform him that, as Eric’s best man, he is required to give a toast. She hands him some notes, some things she thought he might want to say. Jake, asking if she thought he was going to wing it, gets a little sigh of doubt from his mother.

Back in real time, Hawkins and Jake bring Johnston into a private meeting at Town Hall. What follows is, in my opinion, on of the best conversations, and one of the best Johnston Green quotes of the entire series. [Amy note: I totally agree. I laughed out loud at the line.]

Hawkins: Mr. Green, I have access to a keyhole military satellite … that I can use to track New Bern’s movements in the field today.
Johnston: Beg pardon?
Jake: It’s real.
Hawkins: The one restriction, is that no one can know where you’re getting this information. Tell ‘em I’m scouting in the field, tell ‘em what you want, but this satellite must remain a secret.
Johnston: Sounds good.
Jake: Wai … That’s it?
Johnston: What do you want me to say? I get it, the man has a satellite and doesn’t want anyone to know.
Jake: Yeah, but I …
Johnston: I am about to go to war with New Bern, Kansas, the home of the nearest Costco. Today is already just about as weird as I can handle. I’m not asking any more questions.

Cut to Stanley’s farm as Stanley, Mimi and Bonnie are paying their respects at the graveside of Stanley and Bonnie’s parents. Stanley “introduces” “that witch from the IRS.” As Mimi tells his parents how much she loves Stanley and Bonnie and how much she enjoys living with them, Stanley appears to be upset since he hasn’t told his parents that they were living together. Flustered at this revelation, Mimi realizes that she has once again been the butt of one of Stanley’s jokes. Wondering if everything is a joke to him, Stanley explains that he hopes one day, when they are buried in the family plot, that their children will be able to joke with them.

In the distance, the citizens of Jericho are preparing for the upcoming battle with New Bern. Johnston, Eric and Jake ride up to meet with Gray and Jimmy. Wondering how things are coming along with organizing their forces, Jimmy informs Johnston that it is taking a lot longer to get everyone together and they only have around 200 men. As Johnston sends Jake and Eric down to get everyone organized, he stops Gray. Gray asks why he can’t go; Johnston informs him that he is the elected leader and is is to be protected at all costs. And, they need him to help arm the tank.

Hawkins is calling up the satellite in his basement command center as Darcy worries that their daughter, Allison, is out carrying a rifle while she is with Hawkins. Hawkins says he needs her with him and that Allison will be safe because she’ll be miles from the fighting. As the satellite picture zooms in on the approaching column from New Bern, Hawkins radios Jake that the enemy is coming and they need to be ready. Suddenly Hawkins realizes that someone is homing in on his signal through the satellite. He suspects it is Valente from Homeland Security and as long as he can shut down the feed before the trace is finished all will be OK.

We cut to a hospital room as Heather wakes up. As she exits what appears to me a mobile hospital unit she finds herself in the midst of a large military compound in southwest Nebraska.

Back at the front lines of the Richmond farm, the citizens of Jericho await the forces from New Bern. The situation is tense as they make final preparations and ready themselves behind their barricades. Two of New Bern’s scouts round the corner and signal their unit to advance. Three trucks full of armed men pull up and take position about 75 or so yards away. As Jake and his crew wait and wonder what will happen next, Eric says they’re going to need that tank. Suddenly, the army from New Bern opens fire.

A tactical note: If you are about to be in a firefight, don’t wait for the enemy to take up positions. It is best to start shooting before they have a chance to get ready and start firing on you.

Flashback to Eric and Aprils wedding. Eric presents Jake with a speech for him to give. We find out about some of the tension between the two as they argue that Jake’s life is a joke and that Eric didn’t want Jake to be his best man. The only reason Jake is was because Gail wanted it that way.

Back at the front lines and taking heavy fire, Jake goes for higher ground in order to get a better position to get a better shot at the New Bern forces — especially the guy with the 60-caliber machine gun who is wreaking havoc on them. Who, as I stated above, should have never been able to set up his position in the first place.

Switch to Hawkins’ basement, where Darcy wonders why the terrorists would want to eliminate all witnesses of the attacks. She realizes that those who are tracking Hawkins want more than Hawkins and the bomb. She realizes the bomb is more than a potential terror threat. Hawkins has the last bomb that can be traced to its origin and that it is evidence of who carried out the attacks: “The smoking gun behind the greatest crime in the history of the world.”

Again, back at the front lines and taking heavy fire. Jake is pinned down on the hill. Just as the battle seems hopeless, Jake sees, the tank come over the hill. As the tank reaches the bottom of the hill and takes aim, New Bern’s army starts to flee. The tank takes aim at the nearest truck and fires, blowing it into little pieces. On another tactical note, it’s never a good idea to destroy infratsructure unless you really need to. A tank can be a lot more effective in advancing against a lesser force than simply blowing up an empty and potentially useful two and a half ton military truck. Better to blow up the guys who are trying to kill you. But I digress.

With the battle won, Stanley and officer Bill are quite proud of their use of the tank; cheers abound. That is, until Eric realizes Johnston has been seriously wounded. Eric and Jake carry him into Stanley’s house to administer first aid. Hawkins calls on the radio to congratulate them on winning the battle. When Jake tells him what happened to Johnston, Hawkins advises that people are going to be looking to him for orders and that he needs to be prepared for New Bern’s army to regroup.

As Eric and Jake are administering first aid, Johnston seems to know his time is near. He asks Jake to send everyone outside and delivers one of the most poignant farewells I have ever watched — telling Eric how he should not have to see him die after what he had been though and telling Jake that he is proud of him. After Johnston passes away, we flash back to Eric and April’s wedding reception. It becomes apparent how much Jake cares for Eric.

Back in real time, Jake comes out to announce that his father is dead and it’s evident that Johnston will be missed as a leader, a friend, a father and husband. Unfortunately there is little time to mourn his death, as Hawkins radios Jake to let him know New Bern is on the move again and that a train with hundreds of men is on the way.

Back at Camp Liberty in Nebraska, Heather finds the officer in charge and tries to enlist help for Jericho. The colonel informs her that his orders are to secure the roads in the area and he doesn’t get to make the decisions; he’s just a government employee. Heather questions him about which government and the fact that six different people had claiming the presidency.

The colonel says there were, and there are still some holdouts in Texas and a bloc in the East, but the federal government has been restored in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Heather insists that the military needs to intervene in the fight between New Bern and Jericho but the colonel rebuffs her and sends her away. Later, in a video conference involving several members of the new government, the colonel informs Valente that a significant skirmish is to be expected between New Bern and Jericho. Valente informs the the colonel that one of the terror suspects has been tracked to that area and orders him to go to Jericho, crush the skirmish, clear the area and begin the search for the terrorist.

As Jake and the citizens of Jericho regroup from the battle and the loss of Johnston, Stanley confides in Jake how much he loves Mimi and that he doesn’t want to die today. Jake assures him that all will be OK. Hawkins rides up on horseback to let Jake know that Constantino’s forces are getting close and there is very little time. When Jake inquires about the train, Hawkins simply tells Stanley that he needs to borrow the tank. As Jake readies to lead Jericho into battle once again, he seems unsure of himself. Emily reassures him that his father is still here and watching over him.

Once again, flash back to the end of Eric and April’s wedding reception. Johnston tells Jake that one day he is going to become the man he was born to be, and that day is going to be something to see. As they walk down to the lake to share a bottle of 30-year-old Scotch, it’s the last we see of Johnston and Grandpa Green.

Back to present day. Constantino radios and tells Jake he is sorry to hear Johnston is dead. He tells Jake that Jericho is outnumbered and out-gunned and cannot win the fight. He gives Jake one last chance to back down and surrender. Jake’s reply to him is: “NUTS! You can go straight to hell.” And that he is coming to avenge his father. Jake tells his troops that his father expected them to take a stand and defend their home.

At Camp Liberty, Heather finds out the army is going to Jericho. As they are leaving she seems a bit unsettled and notices that the flag flying over the camp is far different from the American flag of 50 stars and 13 horizontal stripes. A very ominous tone is set as she sees a flag with 21 stars and 13 vertical stripes.

Hawkins has arrived at the train tracks to stop the train headed for Jericho. As the battle at the Richmond farm is about to begin, Hawkins sees several helicopters fly over. As Constantino’s troops approach from the smoke-filled horizon, Jake tells everyone to wait for a clean shot. As the tension mounts, Jake yells, “NOW.”

The screen goes black to the sound of gunfire.

And thus began one of the biggest fan protests in history.

Thank you all so much for joining in the Great Jericho Blogging Experiment. It’s been so much fun to read and edit all your recaps and fan fiction and thoughts and opinions.

I will continue to post news updates on Jericho and of course will be blogging on the show regularly once it returns (triumphantly!) to the airwaves. Then, besides my weekly recaps, we’ll have some guest bloggers from time to time as well.