Chuck wants to find his mom, but he might just find out more than he expected. Will Chuck get a happy reunion? Or will finding Mom Bartowski bring a dark, more sinister ending?

There are two likely scenarios when it comes to Mary Bartowski. First -- and best for Chuck -- Mary Bartowski could be a loyal and brave spy held against her will by nefarious and mysterious forces. The second, less cheerful explanation is that Chuck's mom is some sort of enemy spy who disappeared due to her own criminal reasons.

Is Chuck's mom good? Or is she an evil, bad mom?

Good Mom:
Chuck's dad was searching for her.
Whatever his many faults, Stephen J. Bartowski was one of the good guys. He built computers to help make the world a better place. He stayed with his motherless children until he felt they were safer without him. So if he devoted years and technology to the pursuit of his missing wife, he had to think she was worth it. Didn't he?

Bad Mom:
Chuck's dad never said he was searching for his wife because she was good.
He just told Chuck that he'd been searching. And that Chuck had to find her. That doesn't necessarily mean that the reunion would be all sunshine and buttercups. Maybe Chuck has to find his mom in order to stop her.

Good Mom:
She killed a bad guy who was out to harm her family.
OK, so we saw Mary Bartowski shoot a man rather coldly in the season 4 premiere. But Marco was very, very bad.

Bad Mom:
Did you see how she took out Marco???
That was cold. No way she's a good guy.

Good Mom:
The CIA says Mary Bartowski was on a mission.
If Mom was off fighting the bad guys when she disappeared, it stands to reason she's a captive good guy.

Bad Mom:
She doesn't look like any captive I've ever seen.
Nice suits, video feed of sensitive areas, minimal guarding... It's not like Mary Bartowski is languishing in chains in a dungeon. She looks a lot more like an evil mastermind than an incarcerated do-gooder.

Good Mom:
She's doing it all for family.
Mary Bartowski only appeared, guns blazing, when Chuck and friends stirred up trouble. It's entirely possible that the whole disappearing act (and whatever she's been up to since then) was an attempt to keep the rest of the Bartowskis safe.

Bad Mom:
She left her kids.
What kind of mother does that? The kids seem to have been pretty traumatized too, since neither searched for Mom before Ellie's wedding.

Good Mom:
She is Chuck's mom, after all.
Chuck is such a straight arrow and a fighter for the forces of good, is it possible that this apple could have sprung from a bad seed?

Bad Mom:
How cool would it be if Chuck had to defeat his own mother?
Talk about a worthy opponent! The emotional angst of fighting an evil mother would be amazing TV.

Good Mom:
She kept half of that boy-and-girl pendant.
Awwwww... No bad guy could be that sweet!

Bad Mom:
Actually, I've got nothing. That is sweet!

What do you think? Is Mary Bartowski fighting for truth and justice? Or will Chuck only be disappointed when he learns the truth?

(Image courtesy of NBC)