POPULARITY
Spanning days 141 and 142, this episode sees Molly and Ethan hike from Big Lake Youth Camp to beyond Ollalie Lake. Along the way, they surpass the 2000 mile mark and reflect on the miles as well as the pride they feel for having come so far. Having skirted around Mt Jefferson, they finally get views of Mt Hood in the distance; their future destination and the spot of a well needed two days zero. Along the lakeside of Ollalie they are treated to magic in the form of homemade Mexican food delivered by some of the most kind and generous trail angels yet but have to peel themselves away from the treat to find a little spot for camp to one side of the trail. Only one more whole day of hiking before Ethan's parents meet them at Timberline Lodge. Excitement is in the air.
The Cleric chastises the Praetor about his loss at Mt Jefferson, then meets the Foreman, who is on his way to meet with the Praetor. The Foreman says that they have found an entrance to the Codex, and they only need to summon the Praeceptor to enter. The Cleric asks the Foreman to not tell the Praetor, but the Foreman refuses to conspire against his commanding officer. The Cleric then tells his Seraphim to kill the Foreman. However, Anda Sofadee hears of this plot and the Praetor orders her to have her Special Operations Elites shadow the Foreman and protect him. The Foreman begins to notice this, though, and thinks that the Praetor is trying to kill him. He goes to the Cleric for help, and is executed in secret.
The Humans are holding the fortress against the relentless attacks by the Covenant, but Erda's forces tunnel under the wall and send several cloaked Elites into the fortress to open the gate. Jack realizes the plan, but is too late to stop the Elites from slaughtering the wounded Humans and opening the gate. Elites pour into Mt Jefferson, and Erda Renadee personally joins the fight, killing Sergeant Henderson with his own blade. He then sees Jack and immediately recognizes him as the reason for Erda's failure at Delta Base. Driven into a blood-rage, Erda attacks Jack and is killed. As Elites continue to fight through the open gate, the Chief is forced to order an evacuation of the fortress. The Humans flee through the tunnels in the back of the base, and some drive the Warthogs straight out through the Covenant army. They leave a little surprise behind them, though: a bomb which destroys Erda's army.
Erda Renadee follows the Spartans to the crash site of the Human starship, killing the last few ODSTs left there. The Spartans arrive at Mt Jefferson and start to get set up, but before they know it, Erda's army appears outside the gates and begins the siege of Mt Jefferson.
Responding to the Spartans' call for help, a small flotilla of UNSC ships appears in orbit. They are quickly destroyed by the Covenant fleet, but not before many ODSTs make it to the surface alive. Meanwhile, the Spartans return to Delta Base and find it occupied by Erda Renadee's Elites, and are forced to find a new home. After hooking up with the ODSTs and their leader, Sergeant Henderson, who were holed up in the wreckage of their destroyed ship, the Humans make their way to a remote mountain fortress called Mt Jefferson.