The Truth (The O.C.)

"The Truth"
The O.C. episode
Episode no.	Season 1 (2003-2004) Episode 18
Directed by	Rodman Flender
Written by	Allan Heinberg
Production code	176517
Original air date	February 11, 2004 (FOX)
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Rivals" Next → "The Heartbreak"
The O.C. (season 1) List of The O.C. episodes

"The Truth" is the 18th episode of the FOX television series, The O.C.. The episode was written by Allan Heinberg and was directed by Rodman Flender. It originally aired on Wednesday February 11, 2004.

Guest starring

Actor / actress	Character
Samaire Armstrong	Anna Stern
Alan Dale	Caleb Nichol
Taylor Handley	Oliver Trask

Plot

Sandy enters the pool house to tell Ryan that he's been suspended indefinitely from school over attacking Oliver the previous day. Ryan is unapologetic about what he did, because he says Oliver secretly confessed to him that he wants Ryan out of the way and thus provoked him into attacking him. However, Sandy is skeptical. He wonders why Oliver would drop the assault and battery charges if he really wanted Ryan gone. For the life of him, Sandy can't figure out why Ryan would attack Oliver and potentially blow his chance at a new life. Ryan tries telling Sandy that Oliver is dangerous, but Sandy cuts him off, still refusing to believe him. Sandy tells Ryan that is free to do what he wants. But if he wants to stay a part of the Cohen family, he is not to go anywhere unless Sandy and Kirsten approve.

The next day at school, Marissa and Summer can't make sense of Ryan attacking Oliver for no reason. Summer feels that it might have been jealousy for there must be something going on, because Ryan is not delusional. Marissa insists that she and Oliver are just friends, and she likes having a guy friend who actually tells her what he's thinking. Summer is just excited that both girls are single again. She thinks they should celebrate with a spa trip after school, but Marissa turns her town for she promised Oliver she'd help him study.

Elsewhere, Anna wonders if Sandy and Kirsten will kick Ryan out for the incident the previous day. Seth says he doesn't know, and he hasn't really talked to Ryan since that day he attacked Oliver. Seth too thinks that Ryan is just jealous about Oliver's relationship with Marissa and is skeptic to Ryan's claims that Oliver is a sociopath. Anna is surprised by that, but Seth tells her that she'd have to know Ryan and that he has a violent temper. Seth and Anna come across Marissa and Summer in the hall, an awkward moment that is only interrupted by Oliver's timely arrival and shocking invite to walk Marissa to her next class. The remaining group notice Oliver's happy new demeanor and why he refused to press assault charges against Ryan, and start to think something might be up here.

Sandy and Kirsten have lunch to talk about Ryan. Sandy wonders if they made a mistake bringing him into their home, but Kirsten assures Sandy that he's a good kid despite his past history. Their tranquil eating is interrupted by a team of movers working at Julie Cooper's behest. Seems that Julie, the Newport Group's new Design Director, has decided to give the office a facelift.

Ryan's still sitting at home by himself. He considers calling Marissa to warn her about Oliver, but doesn't because he knows she will not believe him either, which is fine because Marissa is currently busy lunching with Oliver, who is slyly trying to get Marissa to join him in Mammoth this weekend. She resists, saying that she has to spend the weekend with her mom, but Oliver doesn't relent. Luke, fully wise to Oliver's nefarious schemes, drops by with a little muscle. Then Marissa gets a call. She sees from her caller ID that it's Ryan. She doesn't answer. Luke wonders why, and Oliver says she's not speaking with Ryan right now. Luke wonders if she's speaking to anybody, or is Oliver doing all of her talking? Luke takes off, and Marissa, suddenly sensing some awkwardness, goes to get some dessert, leaving her phone behind. Oliver picks it up, listens to Ryan's voicemail asking to meet Marissa in the library after school and then deletes it.

After school, Anna and Seth are discussing some plans for the afternoon when they come across Summer. She wants to join them because Marissa is with Oliver and she has nothing to do. That's all well and good, but Seth was planning on dropping in on Ryan to make sure he's okay. Seth sees Ryan who is walking through the school parking lot. Seth asks Ryan what is he doing at school since he is prohibited from entering school grounds. Ryan tells him that he is meeting Marissa at the school library. Ryan again tells Seth that Oliver provoked him into attacking him in order to come off play-acting as the poor innocent victim to win sympathy from Marissa and everyone else. But Seth continues to remain skeptic, thinking that Ryan is just jealous. Seth tells Ryan that he should just let Marissa go and let her make her own decisions. But Ryan is still adamant that Oliver is dangerous. Seth tells Ryan that he will not tell his parents that he saw him on school grounds, but he continues to refuse to believe Ryan about Oliver's true nature.

Ryan waits in the library for Marissa. Instead, he gets Oliver, who disingenuously tells him that he's trying to help his anger issue. Marissa, Oliver claims, doesn't want to see him anymore and doesn't want him to call again. Oliver advises Ryan to give it up. "It's over, man. You lose". Ryan angrily tells Oliver that "it hasn't even begun".

At home the next morning, Kirsten is on the warpath about Julie disrupting work in her office. Sandy tells her to talk to Caleb. Ryan comes in, grabs some coffee and heads back out. Kirsten feels guilty about Ryan's sullen mood. Julie swings by to pick up Kirsten for work, but Kirsten says she's working at home today. Sandy encourages Kirsten to go into the office so she can talk to Caleb - wink, wink - and she heads up to get a shower. Ryan pops in again now that he and Julie are alone. Ryan finds out Marissa will be spending the weekend with Julie and he implores her to keep Marissa away from Oliver. Ryan tells Julie that Oliver is dangerous and prone to losing it. But even Julie is skeptic and she outright tells Ryan that she doesn't buy his teen heartthrob story and thinks that he's just jealous about Marissa's involvement with Oliver (much like Sandy, Kirsten, Seth and everyone else). But Ryan lays a few a pertinent details on the table about Oliver.

At school, Oliver asks again Marissa if she will be joining him for a ski weekend to Mamouth Mountain. She still resists, blaming Mom time. Oliver lays a guilt trip on her and when she says she'd love to blow everything off and spend time with him, he suggests a day trip to L.A. and to be back before dinner. Seth and Luke see the happy couple take off and Seth now starts to wonder if Ryan has been right about Oliver all along. Seth asks Luke if he's ever met Natalie, Oliver's supposed ex-girlfriend, and Luke says he knows some dudes at Pacific High, where Oliver claims Natalie goes. He'll just ask them.

Meanwhile, Kirsten visits Caleb to discuss Julie. He starts off by saying that she's driving him crazy. She's always around! He wants Kirsten to break up with Julie for him. At home, Ryan is still idling when Seth pops in the pool house to see if he wants to come inside for a change. Ryan refuses and lets Seth know he's happy alone and staying in the pool house since no one will believe him about Oliver. Seth leaves and says "Fine, miss the comic book fun inside". The aforementioned comic book fun consists of Seth introducing Summer to various titles, which Anna takes note of.

Anna retreats to the kitchen to ask Sandy some questions. She wants to know what the secret of a successful relationship is. Sandy suggests that it's patience. But when Seth comes in and asks if Summer can stay for dinner, Anna's patience runs out and she excuses herself from the kitchen. Sandy slaps his boy upside the head for being so stupid. Following that, Luke pops in for a visit. He asks Sandy if he could talk to Ryan and see how he is doing.

In the pool house, Luke tells Ryan that he saw Oliver and Marissa leaving school earlier today. He tried calling her on her cell phone, but no answer. So, Luke drove over to Pacific High to talk to some old friends over there to ask questions about Oliver and of his girlfriend Natalie. It turns out (not surprisingly), there is no Natalie.

Inside, the girls are setting the table. Sandy goes to get Ryan, not knowing that he just sneaked out. Marissa comes home and finds Ryan waiting for her at her front door. She demands that he leave her alone... and quit with the lies about Oliver! Julie comes out and tells Marissa to get inside for she is angry that the school called to inform her about Marissa cutting afternoon classes. But Marissa runs off and drives away in her car. Next door, Sandy oversees it all. Marissa rushes to Oliver's hotel and asks if she can stay the night.

The next morning, Sandy drops by the pool house with some coffee for Ryan and concern. Ryan apologizes for going out last night next door and Sandy implores him to just speak with him. Then Luke shows up wondering how things went last night, and Ryan says that Marissa stayed out all night, but when Luke wants him to go talk to her about it, Ryan declines for Marissa will not listen to him about Oliver. Luke says she'll listen to him, and off he goes.

In Oliver's penthouse over breakfast, Oliver suggests they jaunt off to Paris for the weekend. Marissa's phone rings and it's Luke. Marissa answers and he tells her the truth about Natalie and that Oliver is conning her. But Marissa refuses to believe Luke, and she tells him that he shouldn't get on her case too. Oliver overhears Marissa's phone conversation with Luke and his mood takes a sudden turn for the worse.

Kirsten heads into the office, where she finds Julie. The office is almost done, and Kirsten has to admit that it's beautiful. And she also has to admit that Caleb is breaking up with her through Kirsten. Caleb comes in just as Julie gets the news.

At home, Sandy finds Seth on the couch, continuing the comic book education with a reluctant Anna and an eager Summer. Sandy demands to talk to his boy in the other room. Sandy informs him that he's hurting Anna's feeling by flirting with Summer right in front of her.

Luke visits the Cooper home to pick up Marissa's clothes as she asked him to do. When he arrives, he finds a teary Julie. Luke finds out that she's broken up with Caleb and consoles her. Julie thanks him with a kiss on the cheek that lights a few sparks between the two. After a few moments, Julie suggests that Luke leave.

At the front desk of the hotel, Marissa stops to ask if anybody has dropped off a bag of clothes for her. And that's when she notices the woman at front desk has a name tag that reads, "Natalie". Marissa asks if her last name is Bishop, and sure enough... it is. Back in the penthouse, Marissa is now starting to join everybody else in worrying about Oliver's true intentions. Marissa tells Oliver about the Natalie Bishop downstairs and that she'd better be going. Oliver starts screaming and punching himself in the head and Marissa assures him that she's not going anywhere.

Oliver goes to get changed and Marissa frantically calls Ryan. He catches her on the phone and flashes his handgun. "Give me the phone!" yells Oliver. Ryan heads through the house to leave and Sandy catches him. Ryan tells Sandy that he wants to go to Oliver's hotel for Marissa might be in trouble. Sandy demands the car keys and says he'll drive.

At the hotel, Oliver is freaking out. Highly agitated, Oliver professes his love for Marissa and she expresses disbelief that she did not know his true feelings. Oliver threatens to shoot himself, saying that without Marissa, he has nothing.

Sandy and Ryan arrive at the hotel and get no answer on the house phone. They head upstairs with Natalie Bishop. Natalie inquires if everything is okay in there and Oliver says they can't come in because he just got out of the shower. They're about to leave when Ryan calls out for Marissa. She yells back that he's got a gun. Security guards breaks in and Oliver holds the gun to his head. Ryan pleads with him not to shoot himself saying it'll just hurt Marissa, the only person that cares about him. He finally drops the gun.

Back at home, the news comes in and Seth suggests calling Summer to let her know that Marissa is OK. Anna can't believe that's his first thought. She's not going to keep pretending she's his girlfriend if she's not. It's over.

Music

• "Love of The Loveless" by Eels
• "Three Feet Tall" by I Am Kloot
• "New Resolution" by Azure Ray
• "Watching The Game At Joes" by Mastersource
• "Self-Help" by Turin Brakes

Trivia

• The episode debuted at 11.4 million viewers in the United States Nielsen ratings.
• Though credited in the opening credits, Tate Donovan (Jimmy) does not appear in this episode.
• This is the last appearance of Oliver Trask.
• Seth, Summer and Anna are watching Batman: The Animated Series (opening credits), at the Cohen household in a scene in the episode.

External links

• Full Cast & Crew at the Internet Movie Database
• Recap from Official Website
• Recap from Television Without Pity