Everyone had difficult decisions to make in “Nashville” Season 4, episode 3. Avery (Jonathan Jackson) realized that it might be time to give up on his marriage. Teddy (Eric Close) returned and revealed if he would tell the truth in court or lie to try to get out of prison early. However, Scarlett (Clare Bowen) had the toughest choice of all. After her mother Beverly (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) suffered another aneurysm, Scarlett had to decide if her mother should live or die.

Scarlett’s Choice: Beverly is brain dead after a second aneurysm. Deacon (Charles Esten) wants to keep her alive, but Scarlett is the one with the power to pull the plug. She isn’t so sure of her decision.

Eventually, Scarlett leans on Gunnar (Sam Palladio) for help. Scarlett reveals how guilty she feels about her strained relationship with her mom, but Gunnar comforts her. “You’re the wisest, most levelheaded, empathetic person I’ve ever met,” Gunnar says. “And if you believe it’s the right thing to do, it’s good enough for me.”

Scarlett decides to cut off life support, but Deacon still doesn’t approve. Scarlett says that it isn’t his fault, and they need to do what’s best for Beverly. Even if she miraculously survived, Beverly wouldn’t be herself or have a good quality of life when she woke up.

Rayna (Connie Britton) tells Deacon that he needs Scarlett more than ever. She tells her fiancé to go to the hospital, but Deacon says it isn’t right. Rayna points out that it doesn’t matter if it’s right. He needs to say goodbye to his sister. He couldn’t do it, though. Scarlett is alone as her mother dies.

Juliette and Luke’s Adventure: Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) and Luke (Will Chase) both have a couple days off from their tour in Indianapolis, so they bond. Luke takes her to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to race cars, but Juliette wants to do something more fun. She takes him to a bar and gets a party started. She drags Luke on stage for a cover of Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation.”

Eventually, the bar starts to get too crowded, and the manager tells Luke they need to leave. Luke knows they can’t just ask Juliette to go home. He waits until she passes out, and then Luke sneaks her out in a box for music equipment.

The next morning, Luke reveals that he used to be just like Juliette. He partied while his wife and kids were at home. He explains that his partying ruined his marriage. He tells her not to make the same mistakes he did, and Juliette walks away.

Avery’s Divorce: Avery talks to Glenn (Ed Amatrudo) and Emily (Kourtney Hansen) about Juliette. He says that it’s difficult to sympathize with her when she doesn’t want help. The guitarist is giving up on his wife. He wants to file for divorce, and the lawyer says that it should be pretty easy. Avery says he only wants full custody of their daughter.

When he tells Emily about the divorce, Emily reminds Avery that Juliette absolutely wanted her husband and daughter to be her family just a few months ago. Later, Avery can’t quite bring himself to sign the papers and puts them away in a drawer.

Teddy Returns: Daphne (Maisy Stella) gets into a fight at school while trying to defend her father. She truly believes that he is innocent and just wants to see him. Teddy (Eric Close) doesn’t want his daughters to visit him in jail, but Rayna says they need to see him.

During their visit, Maddie (Lennon Stella) won’t even speak to her father. Daphne, however, is thrilled to see him. She tells him to just explain to the judge that he didn’t do anything wrong and starts crying. Teddy says she can stop defending him, and Daphne asks if he is guilty after all. Teddy says he is sorry, and Daphne runs away.

The girls go home and start ripping Teddy out of their scrapbooks until Rayna yells at them. The country star takes them back to the prison to talk to their father. Rayna thanks Teddy for being a good husband and father and says that his recent mistakes can’t change their past. “We’re gonna always be a family and family forgives,” Rayna says.

Teddy reveals that he is going to plead guilty and asks the girls not to forget him while he is locked up. Maddie promises that they’ll always remember their father.

Elsewhere in “Nashville” Season 4, episode 3:

  • One of Kevin’s (Kyle Dean Massey) friends criticizes Will’s (Chris Carmack) silence after publicly coming out, and Will says that he doesn’t owe it to anyone to be the face of change.
  • A one night stand sneaks out of Luke’s bedroom in the beginning of the episode.
  • Emily says she is still on Juliette’s payroll, so she is more than willing to help out anytime Avery needs her.

“Nashville” Season 4 airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC.

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