Sometimes characters outlive their usefulness and get written off the canvas.

Still, it was too early for Joe White to die as he did on Hawaii Five-0 Season 9 Episode 10.

As the flashback showed, Joe was the surrogate father and guardian angel that a young, angry McGarrett needed.

He was more of a father figure to Steve than McGarrett's own father Jack, for much of the past couple of decades.

Since his introduction on Hawaii Five-0 Season 2 Episode 1, Joe has appeared in every season but Hawaii Five-0 Season 6.

Joe even rescued Steve from Wo Fat in North Korea which led to his being forced to retire from the Navy on Hawaii Five-0 Season 2 Episode 11.

Related: Hawaii Five-0 Season 9 Episode 9 Review: Mai ka po mai ka 'oia'i'o (Truth Comes from the Night)

He helped to shape McGarrett into the paragon of masculinity he is today.

Hell, I bet even Steve inherits Joe's Bullethole Ranch.

Well, at least Joe went out in a firefight, with McGarrett by his side.

The other shoe finally dropped from Greer's veiled threat about the Rabat mission on Hawaii Five-0 Season 9 Episode 2.

I hadn't thought much of Greer. I find her pretty weak as the season's big bad. But this episode revealed that she's just a link to the new big bad.

Omar Hassan is the son of the high-value target that the SEAL team killed 16 years early, who has become a rich shipping magnate who finally has the Americans who killed his father in his sights.

Related: Watch Hawaii Five-0 Online: Season 9 Episode 9

Here's what I don't get: Why didn't the CIA just drop Greer, the traitor, in one of the famed black sites somewhere? You would think they'd want to bury their mistakes.

No, instead she's imprisoned on Hawaii, and she somehow gets word to Hassan about the SEAL team, and he's so grateful that he buys a guard and facilitates her escape.

I see Adam's still firmly stuck in character purgatory. He spent his two scenes convincing the old prisoner to do him a solid, only to find out the guard that Gakuto told him about had already escaped with Greer. That was productive.

At least he got to operate solo this episode, rather than being the sidekick or third wheel. I guess that's progress.

Grover had his moment as well, getting that side of beef who attacked McGarrett to cooperate by appealing to the family man buried inside him. At least the behind-the-scenes work by him, Tani and Junior finally led to the mastermind of the attack.

But let's face it. This episode was about the bromance between Steve and Joe while the bullets were flying and stuff blew up. The police stuff was truly secondary.

Related: CBS Cheat Sheet

I liked Cole. I guess I should have known better than to get attached, as someone had to go down when the good guys were outnumbered 4-to-1. How will the Rhode Island ladies survive?

It was amazing how quickly the three of them put together an arsenal on the fly. They should have invested in better Kevlar.

What was even more outlandish was how they attackers got such good intel from a woman in prison. What good is having a remote ranch if any bad-intentioned pack of mercenaries can sneak up on it?

Was anyone surprised when McGarrett and Joe were the last men standing?

But McGarrett couldn't have gotten medical attention there quickly for Joe? I mean the two of them in the saddle, crossing the plains looking for help, was a great image. But a medivac promised a better result.

But at least Joe was able to give Steve one more lesson, about finding people to share his life and taking care of them. He doesn't have to be the strong, silent type, heading off the bad buys by himself.

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And yes, it was poignant when Joe revealed to McGarrett how Joe's aid was no accident, and how Steve profusely thanked him, as the sun set, bathing the scene in pastel light. I don't agree Joe had to die, but still, it was effective.

Now Steve has a mission: to recapture Greer and to bring down Hassan, getting justice for Joe. So what if he has no jurisdiction outside of Hawaii?

Now we just have to wait for the other side of the holidays to find out what happened. So there won't be a Christmas episode this season, I'm afraid.

To catch up during the hiatus, watch Hawaii Five-0 online.

Were you surprised that Joe was killed off? What do you think of Greer? Is a Muslim swearing vengeance an adequate villain for this season?

Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.