In Which: Alex cheats to help Harper win a marathon, which leads to a revelation that Alex has actually helped Harper cheat at a LOT of stuff, which leads to Alex and Justin playing jump rope. (And jump rope is pretty much all the Jalex for this episode.)
JALEXCAP
Harper is training for an upcoming marathon (see AlexCap below) and Jerry and Theresa are thrilled to see how committed she is to winning. Even one of the sub station customers notices:
Customer [to Jerry and Theresa]: Oh, you must be very proud of your daughter.
Jerry: Yes, that's our daughter!
Justin [overhearing]: Come on, she's not your daughter!
Alex [entering the station]: Hey guys, check it out! If you put cereal on hot dogs, it counts as breakfast!
Justin [grinning]: THAT'S your daughter!
Alex and Justin don't interact during the marathon (see JustinCap below), though Zeke tells Alex that he's set up all four members of the Alien Language League to cheer Justin on along the way (which gets a laugh out of Alex).
After the marathon, when it comes out that Alex used magic to help Harper win, Justin (who wanted to win the marathon himself) feels vindicated. Theresa points out that Harper is broken up about it. "Who cares?" Justin shoots back. "Alex cheated! She's a cheater! I can still be the first Russo to win an athletic trophey!" He adds that he will keep training and run the next marathon--as soon as his toenails grow back. As Justin walks off, Theresa turns on Alex: "See what you've done?? Not only have you hurt Harper's feelings, but you've sent your brother off on an unrealistic goal!" Alex doesn't see the problem, replying, "Why? His toenails will grow back."
Toward the end of the episode, Justin shows up briefly when Alex sets up a jump-rope contest for Harper to compete in. Zeke thinks jumping rope would be good cardio for Justin. Except when Zeke and Alex start turning the rope, Justin finds it difficult to jump in. Alex gets bored and tells him he's done, and he and Zeke run off.
That's it for the Jalex.
AlexCap: This episode's main plotline is centered on Alex and Harper. Alex is annoyed because Harper is spending all her time training to run a 26 mile marathon--training which includes late-night runs on the squeaky Russo family treadmill. Once Alex realizes that she can't convince Harper to give up the training (which Harper thinks could take up to three years), she decides to cast a spell that will speed up Harper's training to the point where she'll be able to win the marathon on the first try. The spell works and Harper wins. Everyone is happy until Jerry realizes that Alex used magic to make it happen. Alex is forced to tell Harper not only about the marathon spell, but about all of the other times she cast spells to help Harper with various things during their childhood. Harper gets upset and Alex decides to repay her by recreating the past occasions when she used magic on Harper--the fifth grade spelling bee, a jump rope contest, and tae kwon do lessons. Unfortunately, without Alex's magic, Harper loses the rematches. Alex feels badly about it, but Harper admits that SHE feels better knowing that at least the rematches were magic-free. Then they race to the hot dog stand down the street--with Jerry tripping Alex to ensure that this is one thing that Harper wins.
JustinCap: When Jerry and Theresa notice Harper training for the marathon, they make a comment about how they wish one of their children could do something to make them proud. Justin of course points out all of the scholastic awards he's won, but Theresa says that the difference is that those awards didn't require physical movement/athleticism. This inspires Justin to enter the marathon (Zeke acts as his trainer). As you read in the JalexCap above, Justin loses the race, but remains committed to training so that one day he can be the first Russo to win a trophy in something athletic.
[All pictures are from these YouTube videos, uploaded by thskd]
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