The gang is sitting in The Bait Shop, reminiscing about an enjoyable winter break together. Because she never, ever wants to be without her best friend again, Summer comes up with the brainstorm to begin a Free Marissa campaign. Seth and Ryan agree and the trio try to think of a way to have Marissa re-admitted to Harbor for the final semester of their senior year.
At school, the first phase - or "prong," as Summer describes it, the irony of Marissa never having picked up a fork lost on her - of the plan goes into motion when Ryan simply asks Dr. Kim. While understanding, the good doctor's hands are tied because only the board of trustees can allow Marissa to return. Fortunately, there's a meeting on Thursday in which the issue will be debated. This inspires the group to make t-shirts, posters and buttons in about six minutes, while trying to recruit Taylor Townsend for the job of school motivator. While the typically tenacious Taylor is happy to help at first, she is then rebuked by her malicious mom (who happens to sit on the board and at least has the good taste to despise Marissa).
While her three best friends are going to every length to free her (from the opression of the lower class public school kids, evidently), Marissa is having doubts about returning to Harbor. She doesn't want to abandon a depressed Johnny. Ryan, however, pays the sullen surfer a visit and hammers home an important point: dude, you suck. He also mentions that maybe he ought to make sure Marissa doesn't give up her future out of pity for him. Inspired, Johnny makes up a story about being accepted on a professional surf team and Marissa makes it to the board of trustees meeting.
Once there, Taylor triumphs when she ignores her mean mom and speaks up on Marissa's behalf; so does Julie and her new friend (or maybe more?) Dr. Roberts. Sandy, naturally, steals the show during his plea to give Marissa a second chance. In the end, she is re-instated to Harbor and Johnny is sad. Because the episode bored him as much as the audience or because he won't be seeing her as often? We may never know.
"The Safe Harbor" File: