Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 ending explained: What does Jed gift to Cal?

Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4, titled A Clear Perspective, aired on June 4, 2025, on The CW. In this episode, Jed Jones (John Ralston) makes the difficult choice of discontinuing his cancer treatment. His relationship with his son, Cal (Chad Michael Murray), is going through some emotional challenges as Cal has a hard time dealing with his dad's illness and their unresolved problems.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4. Readers' discretion is advised.

As the episode goes on, Jed and Cal have an honest discussion that makes it possible for them to get along again. At the end of the episode, Jed gives Cal one last gift before he goes on a trip with Marissa. The gift is a carved sculpture of a father giving his son a piggyback ride, symbolizing the bond they once shared.

This moment comes as Jed prepares for his last adventure and provides a sense of closure between father and son. The gift becomes the emotional heart of the episode, encapsulating Jed’s feelings for his son as he faces the end of his life.

The episode deals with Jed and Cal’s troubled relationship. It also follows the stories of Maggie (Morgan Kohan), Marissa (Torri Higginson), and Sully (Scott Patterson). At the end, the episode shows how important it is to love, forgive, and heal, especially among family members.

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Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 ends with an ailing father’s gift

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 concludes with a deeply emotional moment between Jed and Cal. Before Jed goes on his last trip, he gives Cal and Maggie a gift that they can open when they get back. Cal finds a carving of a father giving his son a piggyback ride when he opens the gift.

This is meant to remind him of the sweet times he spent with his dad in the past. This gift sums up the episode's theme: the importance of family, the power of forgiveness, and a father's love for his son.

Through the gift, Jed gives Cal something he can hold on to. It's a physical reminder of the love they share, despite all their problems and the hurt they've caused each other. There is a sense of closure at the end of the episode, giving viewers hope that relationships can always be fixed as long as there is love and a desire to make things right.

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The emotional reconciliation between Cal and Jed

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

In Sullivan's Crossing season 3 episode 4, the emotional climax centers around the strained relationship between Cal and Jed. As the episode goes on, we see Jed break down in tears as he tells Cal that his cancer has spread and he has decided not to get treatment.

When Cal hears about his father's decision, he struggles with his own feelings of abandonment and confusion, which sets off their reconciliation. Even though Cal isn't sure if he should talk to Jed at first, it's clear that he knows how important it is to be there for his dad in these last moments.

Cal recalls a touching memory of Jed giving him a piggyback ride after he had a nightmare, which reminds Jed of the love and care he used to give and leads to reconciliation. Jed says that the monster Cal feared as a child wasn't something outside of him, but himself—the emotional distance his illness caused.

Cal is able to forgive his father after this heart-to-heart, and the episode ends with them exchanging words of love and a sense of understanding that has been missing for years.

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Jed’s decision to avoid treatment in Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

Sullivan's Crossing season 3 episode 4 takes a turn when Jed decides not to get cancer treatment. His choice not to get any more medical help affects everyone in the family, especially his son Cal.

Marissa has cared for Jed for years and is also deeply affected by this decision. She doesn't know what she will do with her life after Jed is gone, and her emotional response makes things even more complicated because she is also dealing with loss and uncertainty.

Maggie learns about Marissa's secret and how worried she is about Cal and how much Jed's illness has hurt him. Maggie then tells Marissa that this revelation will change Cal, just like Maggie did with Sully after their relationship went through a rough patch.

Maggie's hope for peace is a key part of the episode's emotional arc. It brings up the idea that it's never too late to make peace with someone one loves, even if one knows they'll lose them in the end.

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Cal’s struggle with his past and present

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

In Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4, Cal's conversation with his mother shows that he is deeply angry and confused about the things she gave up for Jed. Cal talks about how he and his siblings had to grow up without her because she put Jed's needs ahead of those of her family. This painful memory helps explain some of the emotional walls Cal has put up around himself, especially when it comes to his father.

When Maggie talks Cal into going on a balloon ride with her, the conflict between his desire to get back in touch with his father and his reluctance to deal with old hurts is shown in more detail. Maggie's gentle support makes Cal think about reconciling with his father, but he's still not sure if it's worth it.

Eventually, Cal chooses to sit down with Jed and talk about the problems they still haven't solved. Both of them feel better after having this emotional talk, and Cal can finally understand how much Jed loves and regrets what he did, and in the end, he gets the closure he never thought he needed.

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Cal and Jed's final words in Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

In Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4, Cal and Jed share a final, heartfelt conversation, leading to an emotional reconciliation.

When Cal tells Jed that he hasn't always been a good dad, Jed, who has been fighting a cancer that will kill him soon, feels bad about it. He says that the "monster" Cal had been scared of as a child wasn't something outside of them, but Jed's own emotional distance and inability to connect with his son.

Jed says that one reason he has decided to stop his cancer treatment is that the drugs make him feel even more distant from the people he cares about, especially Cal. Cal finally voices his long-held anger during the conversation and realizes that Jed's intentions have not been malicious.

Cal talks about the pain he's been carrying for years because he feels like his father has left him and ignored him during important times in his childhood. He says that he has been running away from his inner demons and that it is hard for him to balance his love for Jed with the emotional scars that his absence has left behind.

Cal's words move Jed deeply, and he apologizes for not being the father Cal needed and admits that he couldn't keep Cal from going through the emotional turmoil his illness caused. Cal forgives Jed and tells him that he still loves him, despite everything that has happened. This marks a big turning point in their relationship.

In Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4, the last thing they say to each other is an emotional farewell. Jed tells Cal that he has always hoped for a chance to make things right, and Cal tells him that even though it hurts, he is thankful for the time they have left. Cal holds his father's hand at the end of the scene, showing that they are finally at peace with each other.

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The Grand Canyon Trip: A final adventure in Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4

A still from Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 (Image via CTV)

In Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4, Jed Jones reveals to Cal and Maggie that he plans to take one last trip to the Grand Canyon with Marissa. This trip is especially important because it will be Jed's last adventure before he dies, and he wants to spend time with Marissa in a beautiful natural area.

The fact that Jed chose to go on this trip shows that he has accepted his fate and the fact that he has a terminal illness, and wants to do something meaningful before his time is up. The trip to the Grand Canyon is shown as a calm and thoughtful way for Jed to end his life. It gives him and Marissa a chance to enjoy nature one last time.

Cal is all for the Grand Canyon trip, something that Jed wants to remember for a long time, both for himself and for his family. Cal helps Jed and Marissa pack the old school bus as they get ready for the trip, which is another sign that they are getting along again.

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Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 episode 4 is available to stream on The CW.