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Hard Losses

Album: 25: Darkness Before Dawn

Episode: 328

Lesson/Theme: Darkness Before Dawn mini-series

Bible Verse: n/a

Characters: Bart, Rodney, Tom

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: August 19, 1995

Last Air Date: April 27, 2009

Description:
Bart Rathbone's misinformation campaign against Tom Riley is getting more intense. Dale Jacobs at the Odyssey Times has just learned that Tom's campaign was helped financially by Edgebiter Chemical Company. This makes it look like Tom was backing the very company he was supposed to be against. Bart and Cryin' Bryan Dern make a big deal out of this, questioning Tom's honesty. But in a surprising turn of events, former wrongdoer Richard Maxwell shows up to tell Tom that something big is happening, and Richard wants to find out what it is. Tom has never really forgiven Richard for burning down his barn several years ago, though. Tom refuses Richard's help and won't even listen to him. Meanwhile, we discover that Jellyfish and Philip Glossman are working together. Jellyfish tells Glossman about Jack Allen's resignation from Whit's End and reports that Jason has taken over the Israelites. Glossman is delighted that their plan is working so nicely, everything is falling apart for the good guys. Jason's reckless decision making will work in the Bones's and Glossman's favor. On his way out, Jellyfish bumps into Richard Maxwell in the elevator. They recognize each other from their jail days. Their meeting gives the impression that Jellyfish and Richard were enemies while in prison. It seems that Jellyfish often tried to get Richard into trouble, and that Richard would like nothing better than to put Jellyfish in his place. That night, Bart frantically wakes up Rodney and tells him they need to hurry with the "recall Tom Riley" petitions because "he's" coming. It's time. The next day, Richard meets Jack at Whit's house. Richard pleads with Jack to persuade Tom to listen. Richard has important information about who is behind the whole mess in Odyssey. Richard says the responsible party is Dr. Regis Blackgaard. But Tom stubbornly refuses to listen. Tom believes that Richard is probably working with Blackgaard again. Meanwhile, the city council is voting on the issue of Tom's recall. The vote is close, but the council decides to allow the city to vote. The city will decide whether Tom should be recalled as the mayor of Odyssey. Tom sadly vows to fight to clear his name.

Questions:
Why wouldn't Tom listen to Richard Maxwell? Why were Bart and Rodney so afraid of the news that "he is coming"? Why was it so dangerous for Jason to be making reckless decisions, especially at that time?