First Big Mystery
This isn't a traditional Veronica Mars mystery in that there isn't one big crime committed that then leads to a whodunit for the rest of the season. It is more a series of crimes that get increasingly more violent and all end up being committed by a new gang in the Neptune area.
– Weevil plays a large role in this storyline. He made some money off the student ID card thing during the summer and then quit his janitor job at Hearst. He has now started to hang out with this new gang. Unlike with the PCHers, Weevil is not the leader of this group. He's a newbie and has to prove himself. Weevil think the gang is involved in the same things that the PCHers were (stealing cars, etc.). But he soon finds out that they are also involved in dealing drugs and weapons too. Weevil's not comfortable with it but he's already in too deep to do anything about it.
– There is another low man on the totem pole, Oz, who is constantly sucking up to the gang leaders (in a gang member-type way). However Weevil's car-thieving expertise makes him a new favorite among the leaders and Oz is clearly jealous and holds a grudge against Weevil.
– The gang's crimes affect the Hearst campus in almost every episode throughout the first half of the season. For example, Hannah's roommate, Kate, is one of several people whose car is stolen.
– There is also a situation that occurs at a bar Dick and Wallace are hanging out at where a guy threatens another guy with a gun that we saw Weevil (reluctantly) supply to him. The guy doesn't know how to handle a gun and it goes off accidentally, whizzing close enough to Dick to shatter the mug of beer he is drinking.)
– Vinnie/the police and Keith/Veronica look into all these incidents as they occur and at times suspect the gang, but they cannot prove anything. (Anyone who knows the gang is involved is either bribed or threatened into not talking.)
The Second to Last Episode Before the Midyear Break
– There is a very sad mystery-of-the-week about three Hearst students who all OD the same weekend. One of the students who dies is a "background" character that has been around throughout the season. (Dick and Wallace had class with him and hung out with him sometimes.)
– It eventually comes out that the three students had all taken laced Ecstasy and Veronica (with Keith's help) finds the student on campus that dealt the drugs to the victims. We (the audience) find out that the student dealer's supplier is Weevil's gang, however, the gang is covert enough that the student dealer never knew anything about his supplier so neither Keith and Veronica, nor Vinnie and the police can trace it back to the gang.
– In this episode, Weevil is very affected by the fact that three innocent (well, except for the drug-taking) kids died because of something he is involved in and he privately shows the audience that in some ways he is disappointed that the gang is not caught for this.
– Oz, still holding a grudge against Weevil, is the only one of the gang to notice that Weevil isn't particularly happy that the gang got off scot-free.
– At the end of the episode Weevil shows up at Keith's office and it is clear he is ready to confess all (he literally has tears in his eyes).
The Last Episode Before the Midyear Break
– We find out that Weevil confessed everything to Keith and that they have decided to work together to bring down the gang. Keith has Sarah pull a favor with the DA so that Weevil will not be arrested if his cooperation leads to bringing down the big players in the gang.
– During the episode, Veronica realizes that something is going down with Weevil and Keith but for once, she stays out of it.
– Weevil goes to the gang wearing a wire and gets the main players to admit to enough crimes to get them all arrested. Keith and Sarah and a few police officers (including Leo) are listening and come in to make the arrest.
– Unfortunately, suspicious Oz had been following Weevil and figured out what Weevil was doing. Before Keith, Sarah, and the police can bust in, Oz exposes Weevil.
– There is an intense scene where the gang pulls their guns on Weevil as Keith, Sarah, and the police rush in, and there is a big standoff. A shootout begins and one of the gang members is shot dead by Leo. Keith is about to be shot by another gang member but Weevil pushes Keith out of the way and is shot in the shoulder. The police eventually are able to injure or kill enough of the gang members that the rest surrender. Keith yells for an ambulance for the injured Weevil and later walks with the stretcher that Weevil is laid on to the ambulance. Vinnie shows up and is pissed that his officers somehow didn't think they needed to fill him in what was going down that night. (There are some funny quips between Keith and Vinnie.)
– During this same episode, Veronica actually has the B plot for once which is an uncomfortable double date for Hannah and Logan and Veronica and Matt. Although many awkward (and humorous) situations come up (this is when Hannah and Matt find out a lot of details about the Veronica/Logan relationship that they would probably rather not know), in the end all works out well.
– The last scene of the episode takes place on Christmas Eve in the hospital where Weevil is recuperating. Some adorable families (each with one member who is wearing a hospital gown and is obviously a patient) are shown singing Christmas carols and hanging ornaments on the hospital's Christmas tree. Weevil is then shown lying in bed in his darkened hospital room, all alone.
– Suddenly Veronica and Keith storm the room, wearing Santa hats and singing carols off-key. Weevil is very happy to see them and mentions that his grandmother still won't come see him because she is so mad at him for getting himself in such a bad situation.
– The tone turns serious for a moment as both Keith and Veronica reprimand Weevil for his involvement with the gang. Weevil is very humble and tells them he knows he messed up and then he thanks Keith for helping him out. Keith, in turn, thanks Weevil for taking a bullet for him.
– The tone becomes light again as Veronica starts decorating Weevil's room with tinsel. The episode ends with a fadeout from the window of the hospital room, with Veronica, Keith, and Weevil inside laughing and tossing tinsel at each other.
Second Half of the Season
– Weevil comes to Keith and asks to be allowed to work for him again. Keith references how his short employment with Keith the previous year did not turn out well, not to mention his recent gang-related activities, but Weevil argues his case and Keith eventually relents.
– At first Weevil is relegated to being Keith and Veronica's assistant (some amusing scenes occur where he is sent out for complex coffee orders and take-out for the "hard-working" PIs, etc.) but slowly he begins to work on investigations with Keith and Veronica.
– The first case that Weevil really handles on his own is for a hot, twenty-something woman who needs to prove that her late grandfather intended to leave his estate to her. She is so grateful when he finds the evidence she needs that she invites him over to her place for "coffee." (Weevil happily agrees.)
Author's Note
My next update will be the second big mystery (there's a murder!) and will conclude the season. Thank you again for your reviews. I really enjoy writing this and reading your reviews afterwards!
