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The Leap Home: Part II (Vietnam) is the second episode of Season 3 of Quantum Leap; also the 33rd overall episode aired in the series, it is also the conclusion of a two-episode story arc. Written by series creator Donald P. Bellisario, the episode, which was directed by Michael Zinberg, originally aired on NBC-TV on October 5, 1990.
Summary
Sam had previously leaped into himself at 16 and leaped immediately after finding out he didn't prevent his brother, Tom from dying in Vietnam. He leaps into Herbert "Magic" Williams, a U.S. Navy enlisted man, a Signalman 2nd Class, and a buddy and member of Tom's platoon. Ziggy says Sam has to make sure Tom's mission succeeds, but because it's the day before Tom dies, Sam is convinced he's there to save his brother.
Synopsis
Sam leaps into Herbert "Magic" Williams (Christopher Kirby), a member of Tom Beckett's Navy SEALS platoon in Vietnam. Al soon tells Sam that he is there to make sure the mission is successful, which Sam interprets to mean that he is there to once again try and save Tom's life.
Sam quickly adapts to life in his brother's unit and starts using Al and Maggie Dawson (Andrea Thompson), a correspondence reporter and photojournalist, to figure out what he is supposed to do. Sam talks Tom into bringing her in on their next mission, which is the one where Tom dies. He figures that when she files the story on it, Al can pull it out of Ziggy and give Sam the information. However, Al checks and says that she never files a story about the mission. Maggie dies on the mission.
Sam soon helps the platoon avoid an ambush that was set up by a VietCong spy who they thought was a defector, but they do not rescue the POWs they were sent to find because Al helps Sam save Tom instead of the prisoners.
Maggie is indeed killed on the mission, but Tom survives all the way to April 9th without being killed. Al tells Sam that she finally got her Pulitzer Prize posthumously for her final photograph of a group of POWs. Looking at the picture, Sam discovers that one of the POWs is Al, who gave up his own freedom to help Sam save his brother's life.
Tom walks up to Sam, puts his arm around him and says, "It's April 9th and I'm still alive. Thanks to you, little brother." Before Sam can react, he leaps.
Music
- Wild Thing (performed by The Troggs)
- Raindrops (performed by Dee Clark)
- Psychedelic Shack (performed by The Temptations)
- Someday We'll Be Together (performed by *Diana Ross & The Supremes)
- I Wish It Would Rain (performed by The Temptations)