There was much speculation about why Rick Castle disappeared on his wedding day and what made him remain out of picture for two months, as he had no memory of those months. The episode 20 of “Castle” Season 7 revealed the reason, though did not entirely solve Castle’s disappearance mystery. Here is what happened in “Castle” Season 7, episode 20, titled “Sleeper”:

Recap of "Castle": Season 7, Episode 20, "Sleeper":

For a week, Castle has been getting nightmares. He tells Kate Beckett that they are probably related to his disappearance. She suggests that he sees Dr Burke. At the doctor’s place, Castle tries to remember what all he sees during his recurring dream and notes them down on a paper. He remembers a cheap trophy, he in camouflage paint trying to help someone who has been shot, someone calling his name. He also recalls a chase in the jungle. He and the injured man are in the back of a truck, while a blonde man is driving a jeep that is chasing them. The blonde man is also shooting at him. And then Chuck Norris look-alike jumps into the truck and saves him.

Dr Burke tells him that whatever he is seeing in his dream may not be connected to his disappearance. Castle, however, is convinced that they have a connection. He is adamant on following them as leads. He soon finds out that the number written on the license plate is in Thai language and it is from the Northern region in Thailand, the region had a dengue outbreak. This makes Castle believe that he was in Thailand but he is still clueless about how and why he landed there.

He later finds the trophy in one of the boxes in his study room. He remembers that he won a debate competition back in the prep-school and that he shared the trophy with someone. This someone turns out to be Phillip Bartlett. Castle recognises him as the man who is calling his name in the dream. However, Castle and Bartlett’s meeting does not provide any answer, as the latter is clueless about Thailand’s jungle visit.

The pieces of the puzzle start falling into place when Castle sees the photo of Chuck Norris look-alike, Jeff Powers. When Castle and Beckett visit Power’s apartment, they find his body in a chair, with a bullet wound right in the middle of his head. The investigating team finds out that he visited a strip club before he was killed. A stripper reveals that Powers met someone at the club. With her help, the team is able to make a sketch of that man.

Meanwhile, Castle figures out what jogged his memory. There was a ringing in his ears when he saw the glimpse of the blonde man behind a reporter, who was reporting a local news, on TV. The sketch is also that of the blonde man. He is identified as a former KGB agent, Ilya Golovkin. The Russian now works as a private assassin. He had tortured Powers, pulling out his teeth, before killing him. The team later finds the stripper’s body with a gunshot wound in her head.

Castle finds out that Power was a regular visitor at Sunil’s Cafe. He spots the wounded man of his dream there. The man reminds Castle that he was an exchange student at his old prep-school. His name is Bilal Khan and it is he who had shared the debate contest trophy with Castle. Now that Castle has found him, this old friend is in a hurry to pack up and disappear. He, however, answers some of Castle’s questions before getting into a car.

Castle disappeared on his wedding day because Bilal needed him. The man was once part of Pakistan’s spy agency. He reveals that he later became a member of Al Qaeda. When he decided to turn over a new leaf, he tried to contact CIA. When his contact was killed, he asked CIA to bring someone whom he can trust. Castle was that man and thus he was abducted on his wedding day.

The blonde man arrives at the scene. He points a gun at Castle. However, he soon drops dead. Henry Jenkins makes an appearance again after shooting the Russian dead. He tells Castle that he may have missed his wedding but he helped stop a major terrorist attack.

Later at home, Beckett tells her husband that he had the best excuse to go missing on his wedding day. Castle tells her that there are still a lot of unanswered questions, like how did he get shot and why was he gone for two months. But for now, Castle says that he knows enough.

For your questions and feedback, you may contact the writer at a.shrivastava@IBTimes.com.au.

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