-Schmidt is despondent over his recent double break-up, and Jess fears that his depression will ruin the Halloween party that she is throwing in the loft.

-Nick, sad to see Schmidt suffer, reveals a secret to Jess--that Schmidt's mom sent Schmidt uplifting letters as a child, writing them herself but pretending that they were sent by Michael Keaton.

-As Schmidt went off to college, Nick took over the job, writing the Keaton letters (which were now emails) to him.

-To raise Schmidt's spirits now, the gang begins to send him Keaton emails once more.

-At first, the plot works. But Nick, Jess, and Winston go overboard with the emails, and Schmidt discovers the truth.

-Nick and Jess try to convince Schmidt that Michael Keaton has shown up outside their building on Halloween night, but the damage has already been done.

-Schmidt decided to move out.