The Fosters 3×10 – Lucky – Recap

Last week, Callie and Brandon had sex, Mariana and Mat didn’t, Stef found out that Monte kissed Lena, Callie shared a recording of Carmen admitting that Rita didn’t hit her (and put her adoption at risk in the process), Brandon won the Idyllwild music contest… and I had jury duty, hence the missing recap. Fast-forward to this week. The Fosters 3×10, “Lucky,” was also the summer finale – and given the level of drama on your average episode of The Fosters, there were bound to be some Grade-A fireworks packed into those 42 minutes. On with the recap!

‘You saved me; I saved you’

Callie, Brandon and Mariana return from Idyllwild to find Rita in the kitchen with Stef, Lena and Jude. Well, this can’t be good. It turns out that Callie’s social worker is recommending her adoption – which would be great news if Callie hadn’t slept with her kind-of brother the night before. But didn’t the same recording that proved Carmen was lying about Rita hitting her also reveal that Callie and Brandon kissed the day of Stef and Lena’s wedding? In short, as Rita explains to Callie, “You saved me; I saved you.”

This would all have worked out soooooo well were it not for the Brallie resurgence – or, as the folks in ABC Family’s hashtag department are calling it, #BralliesMistake.

Speaking of troubled relationships, Stef and Lena are preparing to host an anniversary party for Lena’s parents, but they’ve barely spoken since Stef found out what happened between Lena and Monte. Stef really isn’t having a good couple of days: First comes the Monte/Lena mess, then her doctor calls with news that her mammogram results were inconclusive and she needs to be re-tested.

Meanwhile, Callie freaks out to Daphne about whether she should tell Stef and Lena about what happened with Brandon, and Daphne actually ends up offering some great advice.

“Listen to me – don’t go getting any big ideas about running away or taking off or something. You figure it out. You decide what you want and then you make it happen.”

‘Nothing is unforgivable’

Over at Anchor Beach, Monte admits that she’s in love with Lena, but their conversation is interrupted when Lena’s estranged half-brother Nate shows up. He finally apologizes for using a racial slur to describe Lena’s mother years ago and explains that the entire thing stemmed from being angry with his father. Later, Dana urges Lena to show compassion and see the situation from the point of view of a scared teenager lashing out.

Back at the house, Nate and Lena’s father is encouraging Mariana not to give up on her relationship with Mat and claiming “Nothing is unforgivable.” Mariana decides to take his advice and volunteers to join Brandon and Mat’s anniversary party performance, but Mat bows out. Well, Stewart did say winning him back wouldn’t be easy…

In other relationship drama news, Connor’s ever-disapproving father sternly delivers Jude back home after walking in on Jude and Connor making out with their shirts off. Cut to Lena giving Jude “the talk,” and being supportive, sweet and basically everything Adam isn’t.

Lena: I’m really happy that you’ve found someone as wonderful and as kind as Connor. I really am. And when sex is shared between two people who –
Jude: OK, OK, Connor and I are not having sex.
Lena: Oh, OK, good. Good. Um, so… when any kind of physical intimacy is shared between two people who care about each other, it’s a beautiful thing. OK, look, if I’m being honest, I really don’t know a whole lot about the logistics of two men being together, but I definitely want you to know how to take care of yourself and how to be safe for when the time comes, which hopefully won’t be for quite some time.

…Then she produces a condom, and everything just gets awkward.

‘Family is everything & love is everything’

Speaking of awkward, Lena recounts her conversation with Monte to Stef, but Stef’s skeptical that Monte could develop such strong feelings without any encouragement from Lena. Lena admits that she liked the attention, and Stef blows up, saying that she has too much on her plate to always put Lena first. While the Adams Fosters go to bed mad, Callie sneaks into Brandon’s room to tell him she loves him, and he responds in kind.

The next day, Jude tells Connor about the conversation he had with Lena. Needless to say, Connor’s dad wasn’t nearly as accommodating. In fact, he’s so intolerant that Connor wants to go live with his mom… in Los Angeles. Is this the end for Jonnor? As their young love potentially falls apart, Nate shows up to mend fences with his father. Remember that thing about forgiveness that Stewart told Mariana earlier? Now it’s time for him to put his words into action.

In a rousing speech, Stewart thanks the party attendees. His assertion that “Family is everything and love is everything” hits home for many members of the audience. In the glow of his words, Stef gets a perfectly timed call with the news that her mammogram results are all clear, and she and Lena tightly hug. Alone in the garage, they finally have their overdue heart-to-heart.

Outside, Brandon plays the piano while Mariana sings “Love Will Keep Us Together,” Mat sits emo-ly on the sidelines, Jude and Connor share a melancholy dance, and Stef declares Lena to be “the absolute love of my life, and nothing will ever, ever, ever, ever change that,” and Callie and Brandon exchange meaningful glances.

Callie and Brandon sneak off to the kitchen and watch the party through the window. “Technically, we weren’t even fostering you when you came to Idyllwild – you were staying at GU and the thought of adoption wasn’t even a possibility,” Brandon rationalizes, but Callie’s not so sure. They vow never to tell anyone what happened, and Brandon tries to reassure her that everything will be OK even though the expression on his face is less than convincing.

Meanwhile, Mariana approaches Mat and confronts her own shattered love life.

Mariana: Look, I know I made a mistake – a huge one – and if you can’t get over it then that’s fine. I have to live with that, but I’m not gonna beg and grovel anymore. I’m not gonna beg you to forgive me, ’cause I forgive me.
Mat: OK.
Mariana: OK? Does that mean you’re willing to try to get back together?
Mat: No, but I’m glad you stopped beating yourself up about it. Night.

Well, ouch.

Fost & (finally) found

Remember that video Callie recorded as part of her Fost & Found project, in which she named and shamed the judge standing in the way of her getting adopted? She records a follow-up message on the eve of her adoption, talking about how lucky she feels. Ohhh, this is foreshadowing if I’ve ever seen it. Sure enough, the next day, her social worker tells her that the judge saw the video and implores her to apologize, but she refuses. When she walks into the courtroom, it’s filled with foster kids applauding her. In front of the judge and her supporters, Callie defends the position she took in the video.

“The system is broken, sir. Badly. And the only people who really understand just how bad are the ones without any say, without any voice. Somebody’s gotta speak up. I’m one of the lucky ones. I found an amazing family and I’m finally safe and loved – like, really, truly loved. And one of the things that I’ve learned from my moms, from watching the way that they live their lives is that when you’re lucky, it is your job to give something back and when you see something wrong, to stand up and to say so, so I’m really sorry if I offended you. It was not my intention. I’m not going to apologize for standing up because somebody has to.”

After an excruciating silence, the judge admits she makes some valid points and says he’s proud of her for taking a stand. Next, he asks about her relationship with Brandon, and she tells him their romance is over. Then, finally – finally – her adoption is granted. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Outside the courtroom, Jude pulls Connor aside and says he supports Connor moving to L.A. “I was watching you in there when Callie was talking about how great it is to finally be happy and safe and to have a family that is really, truly there for her,” Jude tells him, “and I want you to have that because I love you.” Best. Boyfriend. Ever. Connor, of course, says he loves him too, because who doesn’t love Jude? If you don’t love Jude, I don’t know what to even say to you.

Back home, there’s a big surprise waiting for Stef and Lena in the form of the second coming of Jesus. Resurrected from the ashes of Jake T. Austin (who’s still alive and everything, just no longer part of The Fosters cast), meet actor Noah Centineo. Delighted to see her twin again, Mariana exclaims that she doesn’t want him to go back to boarding school, and Jesus proceeds to drop the last bombshell of the summer season: He can’t go back.

Remember, The Fosters 3×10 was the summer finale, but if you tune into ABC Family next Monday at 8/7c, you’ll be just in time to catch the season 4 summer premiere of Switched at Birth. Look out for our interview with Vanessa Marano, coming soon!