The Ring (Chuck)
Encyclopedia
The Ring is a major spy organization on the television series Chuck
. The main antagonist of the second season (after being introduced in the first), Fulcrum
, is revealed in the Season Two finale
to be only one part of the Ring, which then serves as the main antagonist of Season Three. The Ring's goals are not known, but it is clearly in conflict with the legitimate American intelligence community, and attempts to manipulate politics in several countries to accomplish its ends.
reveals that FULCRUM
was only one part of the Ring, however he died from a fatal gunshot wound before he could say anything further about what he knew. Unlike FULCRUM, which is primarily made up of rogue elements of the CIA, the Ring has operatives outside the intelligence community.
How much the government knows about the organization is also unknown. Bryce Larkin was familiar with their existence, and Daniel Shaw
has been tracking them for at least five years by the time he takes over command of Team Bartowski. In "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
" he reveals that the Ring is primarily cell
-based and consists of a large number of small and decentralized groups. Ring cells operate with a high degree of autonomy, and an agent who misidentified Devon as a spy would not have reported in to her superiors until it was confirmed they had him "turned."
All Ring agents are issued distinctive, circular smart phones. These phones work off a closed network that was impossible to crack until Team Bartowski captured one. Also, nearly all Ring agents carry FN Five-seven pistols.
," where he was revealed to be the driving force behind the Ring itself. He is portrayed by actor Mark Sheppard
.
, Casey
and Devon. Believing he had an opportunity to take out the Director and a substantial part of the Ring's senior leadership, Shaw contacted him and agreed to come in as a Trojan Horse
, intending to use himself as a walking targeting beacon for an air strike. The Director confronted Shaw in an underground facility, where he played him a surveillance video recovered from the corpse of CIA turncoat and Ring informant Hunter Perry to "educate him" about his slain wife, Evelyn. The video revealed that Evelyn Shaw was not killed by a Ring agent as Shaw believed, but by Sarah
. Shaw attempted to attack the director, but his adversary revealed he was never actually in the room and Shaw was instead interacting with a sophisticated hologram. The Director therefore escaped the destruction of the facility when it was bombed shortly afterwards.
In "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
," the Director is involved in a complex plot to turn Shaw to the Ring. He convinced Shaw that the government believed Eve had already been turned, and utilized Sarah to execute her before Evelyn proved she was a liability. The Director allowed Shaw to strengthen his position with the government by allowing him to capture the Ring's prototype for the Cipher and "eliminate" him. Shaw then met him in Paris where he turned over the Cipher and all government technical data on the Intersect. While Shaw was dealt with by Chuck
, the Director attempted to escape with the Intersect data, but he was intercepted and apprehended by Casey.
Few other details of the character, or the nature of his position within the Ring, have been revealed however in his IF Magazine interview, Sheppard identifies the Director with Blofeld and notes that he will figure heavily into Casey's story arc. He further suggests that the Director may become a recurring role in the series.
," he confronted Shaw using a sophisticated hologram rather than expose himself directly to danger, commenting with disbelief that Shaw thought he would meet with him face to face.
The Director is also extremely manipulative. He revealed Evelyn Shaw was actually killed by the CIA to turn Shaw to the Ring, and claimed the CIA suspected Eve herself had been turned and ordered the hit to secure Shaw's loyalty. In "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
," he conspires to gain access to the technical data on the Intersect
to complete the Ring's system by taking advantage of Shaw's single-minded desire to avenge his wife's death, and orchestrates a complex series of operations to achieve this objectives.
," Fulcrum agent Vincent reports to a panel of five superiors whose faces are hidden in shadow. They give him permission to further investigate the Burbank Buy More to further his search for Orion
. In "Chuck Versus the Mask
" it is revealed that this panel is actually senior leadership of the Ring, when Vassily reports Daniel Shaw's involvement in the interception of a chemical weapon. The council has Vassilis summarily executed when he presses them on how they wish to deal with Shaw. In "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
", the Ring Council is formally introduced as the Five Elders, who planned to take over the NSA and CIA. However, they were all captured by Team Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Predator
.
. They hired arms dealer Karl Stromberg to obtain and move an intelligence safe for them, and also attempted to assassinate Premier Allejandro Goya to prevent him from opening his country to democratic elections. Unlike FULCRUM, who saw themselves as patriots attempting to protect the United States' dominance in the world, their assassination attempt against Goya indicates the Ring has wider global interests.
"Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
" has confirmed that the Ring has a continuing interest in obtaining the Intersect. They stole burned-out components of Intersect 2.0 from a government holding facility after Chuck destroyed it, and hired a computer expert to attempt reconstruction of the device. "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
" revealed that the Ring had succeeded in producing their own prototype of the Cipher, the central component of the Intersect
, although Shaw noted significant flaws in the device. Shaw later provided the Ring detailed technical information so they could refine their prototype, however this was intercepted by Casey and it is unknown how much data they managed to recover.
After their defeat in Paris the Ring briefly laid low. In "Chuck Versus the Role Models
" the organization resurfaced again when one of their operatives poisoned Devon in such a way as to mimic the symptoms of malaria in order to remove him and Ellie from Africa. "Chuck Versus the Tooth
" begins to bring their plans for Ellie into sharper focus, when Ellie is manipulated into becoming an asset for the organization under the belief that her father was in danger. "Chuck Versus the Living Dead
" reveals the Ring is after Stephen to capture a device he has developed called the Governor, which controls the electrical impulses the Intersect generates during a flash and poses a threat to the brain of an Intersect host.
Although the exact and final goals of the Ring were never clearly defined, in "Chuck Versus the Subway
" and "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
" they attempted to seize control of the CIA and NSA during a coup, first by discrediting Team Bartowski and General Beckman, then by using Shaw to arrange the replacement of multiple senior members of both organizations with the Elders. The plot was ultimately foiled by the team, and both Shaw and the Elders were apprehended.
", Chuck flashes on a control panel outside the Ring base, identifying the manufacturer, McTiernan Industries, as a subsidiary
of the Ring.
" would later push back the Ring's direct involvement in the events of the series to as early as "Chuck Versus the Sensei
". According to Chris Fedak, the Ring has a specific goal so far revealed only as different from the goals of Fulcrum.
colonel and Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko
in London. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
.
" later reveals that Bennett was not working independently after all, but had in fact been turned to the Ring by Col. James Keller. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Sensei
.
and demanded he turn over the prototype after capturing him and Team Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
.
) was a Ring assassin. He was sent to kill someone at a nightclub where Casey and Sarah were running a sting operation believing him to be a courier, before Chuck inadvertently blew the op when he thought Sarah was being targeted. Javier escaped but tracked Chuck to the Buy More, where he murdered Emmett and captured Chuck and Sarah. He was gunned down in a firefight by Casey during his rescue of his teammates. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Pink Slip
.
) and Neil (Cedric Yarbrough
) were two Ring operatives who infiltrated the Buy More in an effort to locate and destroy Castle, acting on the Council's intelligence that identified the store as a CIA substation. They entered the store posing as corporate executives of Cost-Less who were interested in buying the store, and began interviewing the employees while the rest of their team searched for the entrance to Castle. Del successfully identified Chuck as Agent Carmichael and located the facility. However before his team could destroy the government's data on the Ring and eliminate Chuck and Morgan, Chuck flashed and defeated them with Morgan's assistance. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Beard
.
) was a former US military black ops officer who recruited John Casey—then known as Alex Coburn—into the NSA in 1989 while operating in Honduras. The full extent of Keller's activities during the time from his recruitment of Casey and when he re-emerged in the present day are unknown, however at some point Keller joined the Ring and turned former NSA combat instructor Ty Bennett as well. A flash by Chuck suggests that Keller had been dishonorably discharged. He contacted Casey following a failed attempt by the Ring to seize Castle and blackmailed him into stealing a top-secret government emotion-suppressing and performance-enhancing drug called Laudanol. Keller threatened to murder Casey's ex-fiancee if he refused to obey. However the plot was foiled by the team, and Keller was killed when Casey snapped his neck. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Tic Tac
.
.
) is one of two Ring agents transporting the key to the Ring Intelligence Safe on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris. He is an expert at close-range combat and uses a short sword that he keeps in his checked luggage. After being rendered unconscious three times during the flight, he is apprehended upon arrival in France.
Steve Austin reprises his role in the fourth season episode, "Chuck Versus the Cubic Z
." He is rendered into the team's custody when a prison transport on which he is being moved breaks down and is diverted instead to Castle. He escapes after fabricating a weapon from a newspaper innocently given to him by one of the guards and reveals that he was contracted by Volkoff to kill Heather Chandler, who was being transferred with him, in retaliation for her failed attempt
to acquire her husband's plans for the modified F-22 Raptor
. After chasing the team and Heather through the store he is briefly recaptured by Casey, only to escape again. He is finally subdued when Big Mike stuns him with a cattle prod while fleeing through the Buy More.
Although Panzer is a very large and formidable man, he displays a great degree of intelligence. He was able to successfully hack into Castle's computer systems both to prevent Casey from gaining access to the facility, and to override the door security
in the holding cells in an attempt to kill Heather. Panzer is also the first member of a previous season's main antagonist organization to return after that organization's defeat. His escape in Castle was scored with a reprise of the Ring's droning theme music from Season 3. First seen in: Chuck Versus First Class
) was a Ring operative who headed a cell in Los Angeles. She tried to recruit Devon Woodcomb after mistaking him for a spy, but was shot by Daniel Shaw after being cornered by the team. However, in "Chuck Versus the Ring, Part II", an Intersect flash show that Sydney was in fact captured. Two members of her team, Glenn and Ian, are referred to by name. First seen in: Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
.
) is one of two Ring agents transporting the key to the Ring Intelligence Safe on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris. She was placed aboard the flight in the guise of a flight attendant
to support Panzer during his mission. Serena freed Panzer after he was disabled in the cargo hold, and poisoned Chuck to force him to return the key. She was later incapacitated by falling luggage after Sarah took control of the aircraft via satellite and destabilized it, and was apprehended when the flight arrived in France. Shaw expressed a familiarity with Serena's tactics, and implicated her in several poisonings of high-ranking officials. First seen in: Chuck Versus First Class
.
) was a CIA operative and expert on the Ring assigned by General Beckman to lead Operation Bartowski in their efforts to destroy the organization. His wife was killed five years prior to his joining the team while investigating the Ring, and he believed that the Ring was responsible for her murder. He learned in "Chuck Versus the American Hero" his wife was actually killed by Sarah during her red test, and the Director reveals in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" her death was ordered by Langston Graham
after the CIA uncovered information suggesting Evelyn had been turned by the Ring, although the Director never himself states that Eve had turned. Shaw subsequently turned himself and joined the Ring, but soon after was shot and presumably killed by Chuck to prevent Shaw from killing Sarah in revenge for his wife's death. However, in Chuck Versus the Tooth
and Chuck Versus the Living Dead
, it is revealed that Shaw is still alive, and has downloaded the Ring's new Intersect. He is presumably the person behind Justin Sullivan's plot to use Ellie for luring Steven Bartowski out of hiding. First seen in: Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
) is a security coordinator who operated in Africa for Doctors Without Borders. He met Devon and Ellie after their arrival, punctuated by killing a venomous snake approaching the couple while having dinner. Later, while Ellie expressed her frustration at her difficulties adjusting to working under such conditions, Justin encouraged her over the work they were doing. He further assisted them with making an emergency evacuation when Devon was stricken with malaria. However as they departed, Justin made a call on a Ring communicator announcing that the couple were out of the way and that Devon's symptoms were artificially engineered.
Justin follows Ellie back to Burbank in "Chuck Versus the Tooth
" and poses as a CIA operative to gain Ellie's confidence and recruit her as an asset
. He claims that Casey is a double-agent who poses a significant threat to her father, and manipulates her into revealing Stephen left a means for his children to contact him when he left after her wedding. Justin uses Ellie in an attempt to capture Stephen and steal the Governor, which regulates the electrical impulses of an Intersect flash and helps protect the host from harmful side-effects and brain damage. He was captured, along with the Ring Elders, when they attempted to leave the Joint Security Summit, in "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
". Justin has the most appearances in the series among villains, not counting Daniel Shaw, who entered the series as a member of Operation Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Role Models.
) was an agent of the Ring charged with smuggling a chemical weapon in via a golden mask of Alexander the Great. At some point in the past his face was burned by Shaw, leaving him with a scar. When Chuck and Sarah successfully swapped out the mask, Vassilis mistook Chuck for the agent in charge, believing he used Sarah and Hannah to gain access to the vault. He attempted to use Hannah to force Chuck to return the mask, but was duped with a duplicate, which Chuck smashed to make him believe the weapon was released. As he fled the scene, he saw Shaw with Sarah, and reported his presence to his superiors. Vassilis was executed for his failure. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Mask
.
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. The main antagonist of the second season (after being introduced in the first), Fulcrum
Fulcrum (Chuck)
Fulcrum is the codename of a fictional hostile espionage organization on the television series Chuck. Fulcrum serves as the series' main antagonists up until the end of season two, though their specific goals beyond acquiring the Intersect have not yet been fully revealed.-History:Very little...
, is revealed in the Season Two finale
Chuck Versus the Ring
"Chuck Versus the Ring" is the second season finale of Chuck, which aired on April 27, 2009. The day of Ellie and Devon's wedding arrives, but Chuck finds himself forced to protect both his sister and the event from a vengeful Ted Roark....
to be only one part of the Ring, which then serves as the main antagonist of Season Three. The Ring's goals are not known, but it is clearly in conflict with the legitimate American intelligence community, and attempts to manipulate politics in several countries to accomplish its ends.
Organization
Little information about the Ring has been revealed so far. In "Chuck Versus the Ring," Bryce LarkinBryce Larkin
Bryce Larkin is a recurring character on the spy comedy series Chuck on NBC. Bryce is the ex-college roommate and fraternity brother of the series' main character, Chuck Bartowski and was formerly partnered and once romantically involved with Chuck's CIA handler Sarah Walker. Bryce was responsible...
reveals that FULCRUM
Fulcrum (Chuck)
Fulcrum is the codename of a fictional hostile espionage organization on the television series Chuck. Fulcrum serves as the series' main antagonists up until the end of season two, though their specific goals beyond acquiring the Intersect have not yet been fully revealed.-History:Very little...
was only one part of the Ring, however he died from a fatal gunshot wound before he could say anything further about what he knew. Unlike FULCRUM, which is primarily made up of rogue elements of the CIA, the Ring has operatives outside the intelligence community.
How much the government knows about the organization is also unknown. Bryce Larkin was familiar with their existence, and Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw is a fictional government agent on the television series Chuck. Shaw is introduced in the third season episode "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" as a government agent specializing in the terrorist organization known as the Ring, and who becomes a mentor to Chuck Bartowski and ultimately...
has been tracking them for at least five years by the time he takes over command of Team Bartowski. In "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
"Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" is the fourth episode of the third season of Chuck, originally airing January 18, 2010. When Devon becomes an unwilling agent of the Ring, Chuck must take on the role of his handler and help him survive the Ring's dangerous test...
" he reveals that the Ring is primarily cell
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
-based and consists of a large number of small and decentralized groups. Ring cells operate with a high degree of autonomy, and an agent who misidentified Devon as a spy would not have reported in to her superiors until it was confirmed they had him "turned."
All Ring agents are issued distinctive, circular smart phones. These phones work off a closed network that was impossible to crack until Team Bartowski captured one. Also, nearly all Ring agents carry FN Five-seven pistols.
The Director
The Director is the head of the Ring. He first appeared in the third season episode "Chuck Versus the American HeroChuck Versus the American Hero
"Chuck Versus the American Hero" is the 12th episode of the third season of Chuck. It first aired on March 29, 2010. Chuck is given a week's paid leave before being sent on his first mission as a real agent, and chooses to use that time in an effort to win back Sarah's heart.-Main plot:Chuck...
," where he was revealed to be the driving force behind the Ring itself. He is portrayed by actor Mark Sheppard
Mark Sheppard
Mark Andreas Sheppard is an English actor and musician, born in London of an Irish-German background. He is often credited as "Mark A. Sheppard".-Personal life:Mark Sheppard is the son of actor W. Morgan Sheppard...
.
Biography
Nothing has been revealed about the Director's identity, and even his real name is unknown. Although his nationality has also not been identified, he does speak with an English accent, reflecting the international nature of the Ring.Series
The Director was first mentioned by his subordinates in "Chuck Versus the American Hero," when he sent them to apprehend Shaw and bring him in, but this plan was inadvertently thwarted by MorganMorgan Grimes
Morgan Guillermo Grimes is a major character on the television series Chuck. He is portrayed by actor Joshua Gomez, and is the best friend of Chuck Bartowski....
, Casey
John Casey (Chuck)
Colonel John Casey is portrayed by actor Adam Baldwin on the television show Chuck on NBC. Prior to the episode "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac," he was partnered with CIA agent Sarah Walker to protect Chuck Bartowski....
and Devon. Believing he had an opportunity to take out the Director and a substantial part of the Ring's senior leadership, Shaw contacted him and agreed to come in as a Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
, intending to use himself as a walking targeting beacon for an air strike. The Director confronted Shaw in an underground facility, where he played him a surveillance video recovered from the corpse of CIA turncoat and Ring informant Hunter Perry to "educate him" about his slain wife, Evelyn. The video revealed that Evelyn Shaw was not killed by a Ring agent as Shaw believed, but by Sarah
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
. Shaw attempted to attack the director, but his adversary revealed he was never actually in the room and Shaw was instead interacting with a sophisticated hologram. The Director therefore escaped the destruction of the facility when it was bombed shortly afterwards.
In "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
Chuck Versus the Other Guy
"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" is the thirteenth episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on April 5, 2010. Sarah and Shaw are ordered to track down the Director by Beckman, but Chuck has misgivings over whether Shaw can be trusted after the revelation that Sarah killed his wife.-Main...
," the Director is involved in a complex plot to turn Shaw to the Ring. He convinced Shaw that the government believed Eve had already been turned, and utilized Sarah to execute her before Evelyn proved she was a liability. The Director allowed Shaw to strengthen his position with the government by allowing him to capture the Ring's prototype for the Cipher and "eliminate" him. Shaw then met him in Paris where he turned over the Cipher and all government technical data on the Intersect. While Shaw was dealt with by Chuck
Chuck Bartowski
Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main and titular character of the American fiction television show Chuck on NBC. He is portrayed by Zachary Levi.-Character profile:...
, the Director attempted to escape with the Intersect data, but he was intercepted and apprehended by Casey.
Development
Actor Mark Sheppard's casting was first indicated on December 10, 2009, and later confirmed by Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune. More details emerged in an interview with ifmagazine.com, in which Sheppard confirmed he will be playing the Director of the Ring.Few other details of the character, or the nature of his position within the Ring, have been revealed however in his IF Magazine interview, Sheppard identifies the Director with Blofeld and notes that he will figure heavily into Casey's story arc. He further suggests that the Director may become a recurring role in the series.
Personality
As with his origins, the series has so far revealed very little of the Director's personality, however the Director has proven cautious and calculating. In "Chuck Versus the American HeroChuck Versus the American Hero
"Chuck Versus the American Hero" is the 12th episode of the third season of Chuck. It first aired on March 29, 2010. Chuck is given a week's paid leave before being sent on his first mission as a real agent, and chooses to use that time in an effort to win back Sarah's heart.-Main plot:Chuck...
," he confronted Shaw using a sophisticated hologram rather than expose himself directly to danger, commenting with disbelief that Shaw thought he would meet with him face to face.
The Director is also extremely manipulative. He revealed Evelyn Shaw was actually killed by the CIA to turn Shaw to the Ring, and claimed the CIA suspected Eve herself had been turned and ordered the hit to secure Shaw's loyalty. In "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
Chuck Versus the Other Guy
"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" is the thirteenth episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on April 5, 2010. Sarah and Shaw are ordered to track down the Director by Beckman, but Chuck has misgivings over whether Shaw can be trusted after the revelation that Sarah killed his wife.-Main...
," he conspires to gain access to the technical data on the Intersect
The Intersect
The Intersect is a fictional secret technology appearing in the television series Chuck. Within the series, it is used to house and analyze large quantities of encoded data...
to complete the Ring's system by taking advantage of Shaw's single-minded desire to avenge his wife's death, and orchestrates a complex series of operations to achieve this objectives.
Ring Elders
In "Chuck Versus the PredatorChuck Versus the Predator
"Chuck Versus the Predator" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on March 23, 2009. Chuck Bartowski reluctantly tells his handlers that he has been contacted by Orion, the mastermind behind the Intersect computer and the person who can erase the Intersect...
," Fulcrum agent Vincent reports to a panel of five superiors whose faces are hidden in shadow. They give him permission to further investigate the Burbank Buy More to further his search for Orion
Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski is a recurring character on the television series Chuck portrayed by actor Scott Bakula. Stephen is the estranged father of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski, and under the government codename "Orion" was the chief designer of the Intersect....
. In "Chuck Versus the Mask
Chuck Versus the Mask
"Chuck Versus the Mask" is the seventh episode of the third season of Chuck which originally aired February 8, 2010. Chuck is forced to involve Hannah in the team's latest mission...
" it is revealed that this panel is actually senior leadership of the Ring, when Vassily reports Daniel Shaw's involvement in the interception of a chemical weapon. The council has Vassilis summarily executed when he presses them on how they wish to deal with Shaw. In "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
"Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II" is the 19th episode and season finale of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Subway." Team Bartowski escapes execution by Shaw, thanks to Morgan and Devon...
", the Ring Council is formally introduced as the Five Elders, who planned to take over the NSA and CIA. However, they were all captured by Team Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Predator
Chuck Versus the Predator
"Chuck Versus the Predator" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on March 23, 2009. Chuck Bartowski reluctantly tells his handlers that he has been contacted by Orion, the mastermind behind the Intersect computer and the person who can erase the Intersect...
.
Motives
The motives of the Ring are currently unknown. Much like FULCRUM, they did attempt to gain control of the Intersect until it was destroyed by Chuck BartowskiChuck Bartowski
Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main and titular character of the American fiction television show Chuck on NBC. He is portrayed by Zachary Levi.-Character profile:...
. They hired arms dealer Karl Stromberg to obtain and move an intelligence safe for them, and also attempted to assassinate Premier Allejandro Goya to prevent him from opening his country to democratic elections. Unlike FULCRUM, who saw themselves as patriots attempting to protect the United States' dominance in the world, their assassination attempt against Goya indicates the Ring has wider global interests.
"Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
"Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler" is a third season episode of the television series Chuck that originally aired February 1, 2010 in the United States...
" has confirmed that the Ring has a continuing interest in obtaining the Intersect. They stole burned-out components of Intersect 2.0 from a government holding facility after Chuck destroyed it, and hired a computer expert to attempt reconstruction of the device. "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
Chuck Versus the Other Guy
"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" is the thirteenth episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on April 5, 2010. Sarah and Shaw are ordered to track down the Director by Beckman, but Chuck has misgivings over whether Shaw can be trusted after the revelation that Sarah killed his wife.-Main...
" revealed that the Ring had succeeded in producing their own prototype of the Cipher, the central component of the Intersect
The Intersect
The Intersect is a fictional secret technology appearing in the television series Chuck. Within the series, it is used to house and analyze large quantities of encoded data...
, although Shaw noted significant flaws in the device. Shaw later provided the Ring detailed technical information so they could refine their prototype, however this was intercepted by Casey and it is unknown how much data they managed to recover.
After their defeat in Paris the Ring briefly laid low. In "Chuck Versus the Role Models
Chuck Versus the Role Models
"Chuck Versus the Role Models" is episode 15 of the third season of Chuck. Chuck and Sarah are assigned to train under Craig and Laura Turner , a married CIA team who, despite their impeccable record, hate one another. The Turners' stormy relationship forces Chuck and Sarah to wonder if they're...
" the organization resurfaced again when one of their operatives poisoned Devon in such a way as to mimic the symptoms of malaria in order to remove him and Ellie from Africa. "Chuck Versus the Tooth
Chuck Versus the Tooth
"Chuck Versus the Tooth" is the 16th episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on May 10, 2010. When Chuck struggles with disturbing dreams, he believes his most recent one predicts danger for a visiting head of state. Beckman, however, is unconvinced and assigns Chuck to meet with a CIA...
" begins to bring their plans for Ellie into sharper focus, when Ellie is manipulated into becoming an asset for the organization under the belief that her father was in danger. "Chuck Versus the Living Dead
Chuck Versus the Living Dead
"Chuck Versus the Living Dead" is the 17th episode of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 17, 2010. Chuck has another dream which he interprets as indicating Daniel Shaw may actually be alive. Tension mounts as he, Sarah, and Casey search for the truth surrounding Shaw's supposed...
" reveals the Ring is after Stephen to capture a device he has developed called the Governor, which controls the electrical impulses the Intersect generates during a flash and poses a threat to the brain of an Intersect host.
Although the exact and final goals of the Ring were never clearly defined, in "Chuck Versus the Subway
Chuck Versus the Subway
"Chuck Versus the Subway" is the 18th episode of the third season of Chuck. It originally aired on May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II." As the Intersect continues to malfunction Stephen hurries to complete the Governor for his son...
" and "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
"Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II" is the 19th episode and season finale of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Subway." Team Bartowski escapes execution by Shaw, thanks to Morgan and Devon...
" they attempted to seize control of the CIA and NSA during a coup, first by discrediting Team Bartowski and General Beckman, then by using Shaw to arrange the replacement of multiple senior members of both organizations with the Elders. The plot was ultimately foiled by the team, and both Shaw and the Elders were apprehended.
Affiliated Organizations
The Ring is a larger organization composed of many other groups, in addition to its own cells.FULCRUM
FULCRUM was the main antagonist of the series for parts of Season One and the entirety of Season Two. They are a CIA splinter group seeking to maintain America's place in the world, although their exact goals were never specified beyond this and acquisition of the Intersect. FULCRUM's status at the end of season two was not conclusively revealed.McTiernan Industries
In "Chuck Versus the SubwayChuck Versus the Subway
"Chuck Versus the Subway" is the 18th episode of the third season of Chuck. It originally aired on May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II." As the Intersect continues to malfunction Stephen hurries to complete the Governor for his son...
", Chuck flashes on a control panel outside the Ring base, identifying the manufacturer, McTiernan Industries, as a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of the Ring.
Development
The Ring was first introduced in passing in the season two finale, "Chuck Versus the Ring." The episode revealed no further information about the organization, other than that FULCRUM is only one part of it. "Chuck Versus the Tic TacChuck Versus the Tic Tac
"Chuck Versus the Tic Tac" is the tenth episode of the third season of the television series Chuck, airing on March 15, 2010. When Casey's former commanding officer returns, Chuck and Sarah take it upon themselves to clear his name when he is arrested for treason...
" would later push back the Ring's direct involvement in the events of the series to as early as "Chuck Versus the Sensei
Chuck Versus the Sensei
"Chuck Versus the Sensei" is the ninth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on December 1, 2008. Chuck Bartowski is still reeling from the discovery that his ex-girlfriend Jill Roberts was a Fulcrum agent and goes on a mission to take his mind off of his shock...
". According to Chris Fedak, the Ring has a specific goal so far revealed only as different from the goals of Fulcrum.
Jack Artman
Jack Artman (Andrew Connolly) is a poisoner sent by the Ring to assassinate Premier Allejandro Goya when the latter attempted to open up free democratic elections in his country, because the Ring desired to preserve his country's current situation. His first attempt was foiled by Devon Woodcomb, who successfully treated Goya's heart failure. A second attempt also failed when Devon mistook Casey—who had spotted Artman and was moving in—for the assassin. He made a third attempt on Goya with a poisoned cigar, which Devon again managed to thwart (using Casey's knowledge of Goya's blood type as well as Casey's blood). Artman expressed a familiarity with Casey and attempted to kill him, but Casey managed to defeat him and escape. Artman escaped as well, and kidnapped Devon at the hospital where he worked. Chuck's flash on Artman indicates that he was born in Connecticut, his specialty is chemical engineering and he was involved in the highly publicized poisoning of ex-KGBKGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
colonel and Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko was an officer who served in the Soviet KGB and its Russian successor, the Federal Security Service ....
in London. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte
"Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" is the third episode of the third season of Chuck. It aired on January 11, 2010 as part of the season's three-part premier, following "Chuck Versus the Pink Slip" and "Chuck Versus the Three Words" on January 10...
.
Ty Bennett
Ty Bennett (Carl Lumbly), born April 11, 1963 at Camp Foster Marine Base, is a karate and kung fu expert who was previously a combat trainer with the NSA, serving as the sensei for John Casey. When he first appears in present day, he is working as a global arms dealer and steals an inertial guidance system from the Global Launch Agency. Bennett attempts to recruit Casey, but Casey rejects the offer with disdain. Following a protracted abduction and hand-to-hand battle, Casey becomes the first known agent to force Bennett to "tap out," contributing to Bennett's apprehension. Bennett is also known to crush cans with his bare hands. "Chuck Versus the Tic TacChuck Versus the Tic Tac
"Chuck Versus the Tic Tac" is the tenth episode of the third season of the television series Chuck, airing on March 15, 2010. When Casey's former commanding officer returns, Chuck and Sarah take it upon themselves to clear his name when he is arrested for treason...
" later reveals that Bennett was not working independently after all, but had in fact been turned to the Ring by Col. James Keller. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Sensei
Chuck Versus the Sensei
"Chuck Versus the Sensei" is the ninth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on December 1, 2008. Chuck Bartowski is still reeling from the discovery that his ex-girlfriend Jill Roberts was a Fulcrum agent and goes on a mission to take his mind off of his shock...
.
Julius Burrow
Julius Burrow (Bob McCracken) was the Ring operative in charge of handling Manoosh Depak while the engineer was working on rebuilding the Intersect. When Manoosh attempted to cheat the Ring, he tracked him to Weap-Con in DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and demanded he turn over the prototype after capturing him and Team Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
"Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler" is a third season episode of the television series Chuck that originally aired February 1, 2010 in the United States...
.
Javier Cruz
Javier Cruz (Adoni MaropisAdoni Maropis
Adoni Maropis is an American actor.Maropis was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the middle of three sons. He is best known for playing Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat: Conquest. He also played General Hassan in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun as well as Sakr in Hidalgo...
) was a Ring assassin. He was sent to kill someone at a nightclub where Casey and Sarah were running a sting operation believing him to be a courier, before Chuck inadvertently blew the op when he thought Sarah was being targeted. Javier escaped but tracked Chuck to the Buy More, where he murdered Emmett and captured Chuck and Sarah. He was gunned down in a firefight by Casey during his rescue of his teammates. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Pink Slip
Chuck Versus the Pink Slip
"Chuck Versus the Pink Slip" is the third season premiere episode of the television series Chuck. It aired on January 10, 2010 in a special two-episode block...
.
Del and Neil
Del (Diedrich BaderDiedrich Bader
Karl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
) and Neil (Cedric Yarbrough
Cedric Yarbrough
Cedric Yarbrough is an American comedian and actor.Yarbrough was born in Burnsville, Minnesota. Yarbrough attended Burnsville Senior High School and later Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is also an alumnus of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.Yarbrough starred on the Comedy...
) were two Ring operatives who infiltrated the Buy More in an effort to locate and destroy Castle, acting on the Council's intelligence that identified the store as a CIA substation. They entered the store posing as corporate executives of Cost-Less who were interested in buying the store, and began interviewing the employees while the rest of their team searched for the entrance to Castle. Del successfully identified Chuck as Agent Carmichael and located the facility. However before his team could destroy the government's data on the Ring and eliminate Chuck and Morgan, Chuck flashed and defeated them with Morgan's assistance. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Beard
Chuck Versus the Beard
"Chuck Versus the Beard" is a third season episode of the television series Chuck. It originally aired March 8, 2010, and was the television directorial debut of series star Zachary Levi...
.
Col. James Keller
Col. James Keller (Robert PatrickRobert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick, Jr. is an American actor, known for his leading and supporting roles in a number of films and television shows....
) was a former US military black ops officer who recruited John Casey—then known as Alex Coburn—into the NSA in 1989 while operating in Honduras. The full extent of Keller's activities during the time from his recruitment of Casey and when he re-emerged in the present day are unknown, however at some point Keller joined the Ring and turned former NSA combat instructor Ty Bennett as well. A flash by Chuck suggests that Keller had been dishonorably discharged. He contacted Casey following a failed attempt by the Ring to seize Castle and blackmailed him into stealing a top-secret government emotion-suppressing and performance-enhancing drug called Laudanol. Keller threatened to murder Casey's ex-fiancee if he refused to obey. However the plot was foiled by the team, and Keller was killed when Casey snapped his neck. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Tic Tac
Chuck Versus the Tic Tac
"Chuck Versus the Tic Tac" is the tenth episode of the third season of the television series Chuck, airing on March 15, 2010. When Casey's former commanding officer returns, Chuck and Sarah take it upon themselves to clear his name when he is arrested for treason...
.
Miles
Miles (Tug Coker) was a member of Casey's old special ops unit. Miles murders an imprisoned Ted Roark and his own comrades on Casey's team after Ellie and Devon's second wedding. He spares Casey's life because his commander once saved his. Miles was revealed as an agent of "the Ring," an organization of which FULCRUM was only one part. He attempted to steal the rebuilt Intersect, but was foiled by Chuck, who uploaded the computer into his own brain again before destroying the system. Miles attempted to retaliate by killing Chuck, but was defeated when it was revealed the Intersect gave Chuck advanced martial arts skills. First seen in: Chuck Versus the RingChuck Versus the Ring
"Chuck Versus the Ring" is the second season finale of Chuck, which aired on April 27, 2009. The day of Ellie and Devon's wedding arrives, but Chuck finds himself forced to protect both his sister and the event from a vengeful Ted Roark....
.
Hugo Panzer
Hugo Panzer ("Stone Cold" Steve AustinStone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
) is one of two Ring agents transporting the key to the Ring Intelligence Safe on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris. He is an expert at close-range combat and uses a short sword that he keeps in his checked luggage. After being rendered unconscious three times during the flight, he is apprehended upon arrival in France.
Steve Austin reprises his role in the fourth season episode, "Chuck Versus the Cubic Z
Chuck Versus the Cubic Z
"Chuck Versus the Cubic Z" is the third episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired October 4, 2010. A prison transfer delivers old foes, Heather Chandler and Hugo Panzer , to the Buy More, canceling Chuck Bartowski and Sarah’s romantic mission...
." He is rendered into the team's custody when a prison transport on which he is being moved breaks down and is diverted instead to Castle. He escapes after fabricating a weapon from a newspaper innocently given to him by one of the guards and reveals that he was contracted by Volkoff to kill Heather Chandler, who was being transferred with him, in retaliation for her failed attempt
Chuck Versus the Cougars
"Chuck Versus the Cougars" is the fourth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on October 20, 2008. Chuck Bartowski learns more about Sarah Walker's past when they run into her old high school nemesis Heather Chandler . Sarah's teenage insecurities come to surface and she tries...
to acquire her husband's plans for the modified F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
. After chasing the team and Heather through the store he is briefly recaptured by Casey, only to escape again. He is finally subdued when Big Mike stuns him with a cattle prod while fleeing through the Buy More.
Although Panzer is a very large and formidable man, he displays a great degree of intelligence. He was able to successfully hack into Castle's computer systems both to prevent Casey from gaining access to the facility, and to override the door security
Door security
Door security relates to prevention of door-related burglaries. Such break-ins take place in various forms, and in a number of locations; ranging from front, back and side doors to garage doors.- Common residential door types :...
in the holding cells in an attempt to kill Heather. Panzer is also the first member of a previous season's main antagonist organization to return after that organization's defeat. His escape in Castle was scored with a reprise of the Ring's droning theme music from Season 3. First seen in: Chuck Versus First Class
Chuck Versus First Class
"Chuck Versus First Class" was the fifth episode of Chucks third season. It aired on January 25, 2010 in the US . While Chuck embarks on his first solo mission, Morgan faces a continued revolt of his co-workers masterminded by Lester....
Sydney Prince
Sydney Prince (Angie HarmonAngie Harmon
Angela Michelle "Angie" Harmon is an American fashion model and television/film actress. She became a well-known model before gaining international fame for her roles in Baywatch Nights and Law & Order....
) was a Ring operative who headed a cell in Los Angeles. She tried to recruit Devon Woodcomb after mistaking him for a spy, but was shot by Daniel Shaw after being cornered by the team. However, in "Chuck Versus the Ring, Part II", an Intersect flash show that Sydney was in fact captured. Two members of her team, Glenn and Ian, are referred to by name. First seen in: Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
"Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" is the fourth episode of the third season of Chuck, originally airing January 18, 2010. When Devon becomes an unwilling agent of the Ring, Chuck must take on the role of his handler and help him survive the Ring's dangerous test...
.
Serena
Serena (Josie DavisJosie Davis
Josie Rebecca Davis is an American actress and producer, best known for her role as Sarah Powell in the television sitcom Charles in Charge from 1987 to 1990.-Television work:...
) is one of two Ring agents transporting the key to the Ring Intelligence Safe on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris. She was placed aboard the flight in the guise of a flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
to support Panzer during his mission. Serena freed Panzer after he was disabled in the cargo hold, and poisoned Chuck to force him to return the key. She was later incapacitated by falling luggage after Sarah took control of the aircraft via satellite and destabilized it, and was apprehended when the flight arrived in France. Shaw expressed a familiarity with Serena's tactics, and implicated her in several poisonings of high-ranking officials. First seen in: Chuck Versus First Class
Chuck Versus First Class
"Chuck Versus First Class" was the fifth episode of Chucks third season. It aired on January 25, 2010 in the US . While Chuck embarks on his first solo mission, Morgan faces a continued revolt of his co-workers masterminded by Lester....
.
Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw (Brandon RouthBrandon Routh
Brandon James Routh is an American actor and former fashion model. He grew up in Iowa before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, and subsequently appeared on multiple television series throughout the early 2000s. In 2006, he gained greater recognition for his role as the titular hero...
) was a CIA operative and expert on the Ring assigned by General Beckman to lead Operation Bartowski in their efforts to destroy the organization. His wife was killed five years prior to his joining the team while investigating the Ring, and he believed that the Ring was responsible for her murder. He learned in "Chuck Versus the American Hero" his wife was actually killed by Sarah during her red test, and the Director reveals in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" her death was ordered by Langston Graham
Langston Graham
Langston Graham is a fictional recurring character in the NBC television series Chuck. Graham was the director of the CIA, and oversaw Operation Bartowski, a fictional top-secret project to guard Chuck Bartowski and the Intersect...
after the CIA uncovered information suggesting Evelyn had been turned by the Ring, although the Director never himself states that Eve had turned. Shaw subsequently turned himself and joined the Ring, but soon after was shot and presumably killed by Chuck to prevent Shaw from killing Sarah in revenge for his wife's death. However, in Chuck Versus the Tooth
Chuck Versus the Tooth
"Chuck Versus the Tooth" is the 16th episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on May 10, 2010. When Chuck struggles with disturbing dreams, he believes his most recent one predicts danger for a visiting head of state. Beckman, however, is unconvinced and assigns Chuck to meet with a CIA...
and Chuck Versus the Living Dead
Chuck Versus the Living Dead
"Chuck Versus the Living Dead" is the 17th episode of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 17, 2010. Chuck has another dream which he interprets as indicating Daniel Shaw may actually be alive. Tension mounts as he, Sarah, and Casey search for the truth surrounding Shaw's supposed...
, it is revealed that Shaw is still alive, and has downloaded the Ring's new Intersect. He is presumably the person behind Justin Sullivan's plot to use Ellie for luring Steven Bartowski out of hiding. First seen in: Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
"Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" is the fourth episode of the third season of Chuck, originally airing January 18, 2010. When Devon becomes an unwilling agent of the Ring, Chuck must take on the role of his handler and help him survive the Ring's dangerous test...
Justin Sullivan
Justin Sullivan (Scott HolroydScott Holroyd
-Biography:Holroyd was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1993 he graduated from AC Flora High School . He then went on to the University of South Carolina and graduated from there in 1998, where he received a B.A...
) is a security coordinator who operated in Africa for Doctors Without Borders. He met Devon and Ellie after their arrival, punctuated by killing a venomous snake approaching the couple while having dinner. Later, while Ellie expressed her frustration at her difficulties adjusting to working under such conditions, Justin encouraged her over the work they were doing. He further assisted them with making an emergency evacuation when Devon was stricken with malaria. However as they departed, Justin made a call on a Ring communicator announcing that the couple were out of the way and that Devon's symptoms were artificially engineered.
Justin follows Ellie back to Burbank in "Chuck Versus the Tooth
Chuck Versus the Tooth
"Chuck Versus the Tooth" is the 16th episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on May 10, 2010. When Chuck struggles with disturbing dreams, he believes his most recent one predicts danger for a visiting head of state. Beckman, however, is unconvinced and assigns Chuck to meet with a CIA...
" and poses as a CIA operative to gain Ellie's confidence and recruit her as an asset
Asset (intelligence)
In intelligence, assets are persons within organizations or countries that are being spied upon who provide information for an outside spy.There are different categories of assets, including people...
. He claims that Casey is a double-agent who poses a significant threat to her father, and manipulates her into revealing Stephen left a means for his children to contact him when he left after her wedding. Justin uses Ellie in an attempt to capture Stephen and steal the Governor, which regulates the electrical impulses of an Intersect flash and helps protect the host from harmful side-effects and brain damage. He was captured, along with the Ring Elders, when they attempted to leave the Joint Security Summit, in "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II
"Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II" is the 19th episode and season finale of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Subway." Team Bartowski escapes execution by Shaw, thanks to Morgan and Devon...
". Justin has the most appearances in the series among villains, not counting Daniel Shaw, who entered the series as a member of Operation Bartowski. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Role Models.
Nicos Vassilis
Nicos Vassilis (Henri LubattiHenri Lubatti
Henri Lubatti is an American actor.-Life and career:Lubatti was born in Seattle, Washington, to Catherine Lubatti, a travel agency worker who is of French descent, and Henri Lubatti, Sr., a physics professor who is of Italian descent....
) was an agent of the Ring charged with smuggling a chemical weapon in via a golden mask of Alexander the Great. At some point in the past his face was burned by Shaw, leaving him with a scar. When Chuck and Sarah successfully swapped out the mask, Vassilis mistook Chuck for the agent in charge, believing he used Sarah and Hannah to gain access to the vault. He attempted to use Hannah to force Chuck to return the mask, but was duped with a duplicate, which Chuck smashed to make him believe the weapon was released. As he fled the scene, he saw Shaw with Sarah, and reported his presence to his superiors. Vassilis was executed for his failure. First seen in: Chuck Versus the Mask
Chuck Versus the Mask
"Chuck Versus the Mask" is the seventh episode of the third season of Chuck which originally aired February 8, 2010. Chuck is forced to involve Hannah in the team's latest mission...
.