Brandon and Dean Trimble are caught in the middle of a conflict when several Jewish students, including Andrea, protest the scheduled campus appearance of a controversial, anti-Semitist, African-American orator, in which the demonstrations and near-riots disrupt Kelly's photo shoot for the magazine. Meanwhile, Donna plans a party for Ray's 25th birthday. In the hospital, Dylan spends the time talking with his mother Iris, while his drug dealer pays an unexpected visit and threatens him not to tell the police about their business.

Dylan recruits Valerie to help him and Jonesy pull off a caper in Punta Brava, Mexico to reclaim his lost money after they find Kevin and Suzanne. Jones and Valerie pose as a couple at a resort hotel where they befriend Kevin and Suzanne (aka: Karl and Kitty Cavendish) in order to get to know more about where they keep Dylan's stolen money. But when Dylan wants to rescue his sister Erica, Jones backs out, leaving Dylan to carry on a rash rescue attempt alone. In Beverly Hills, Brandon feels threatened by Kelly's relationship with Professor Finley when Brandon starts dealing with criticism by the dean concerning the professor's tenure and his unorthodox teaching methods. When Brandon meets Professor Finley for the first time to question him about his teaching methods, he sees another side to Finley who lashes out at Brandon which causes a rift between him and Kelly.

Lenny becomes an outcast when he is suspected of the campus rape despite his protest of innocence which prompts him to ask Brandon to help him prove his innocence. At the same time, the real rapist stalks an unsuspecting Donna and violently attacks her in the beach apartment. Meanwhile, Dylan accidentally becomes privy to Andrea's affair with Peter when he sees them together at Charlie's motel. When Andrea decides to leave Jesse to be with Peter, he reveals that he doesn't share the same views as she. Elsewhere, Valerie asks Steve to help secure the rock group "The Flaming Lips" after she cancels Ray's bookings, and Donna wrongly blames David for Ray's departure after Valerie lies to her that David is the one responsible for Ray leaving town.

Hypnotic regression leads Dylan to a past life where he is Billy McCoy, a gun-slinging outlaw in the Wild West, until he meets an upper-class woman (in the form of Kelly) to redeem his outlaw ways. Meanwhile in the real world, while Kelly goes to New York with Steve to meet with modeling agencies, Valerie turns her sights on Brandon who is hoping to be re-elected student body president. But Brandon runs into all kinds of problems when news of college tuition for undergraduates will be increased, he is criticized for not looking after the students best interests. As a result, Brandon's political rival, Alex Diaz, enters the race as a new candidate and wins by a landslide.

During an argument with Donna in the student union, David throws a tantrum and cuts his hand on a glass. He must see a psychiatrist after displaying hostile behavior toward the ER staff. Mel agrees with the doctor's recommendation that David be held 72 hours for observation. David is diagnosed with a mild form of manic depression. His mother comes to see him and advises him to moderate his behavior; he will not require medication if he seeks therapy and stops drinking. David thanks Donna for her support and they decide to get back together. Steve faces plagiarism charges; Professor Randall, who assumed control of the independent study course after returning to CU, recognized Brandon's writing. Randall still holds a vendetta against Brandon and brings collusion charges against him. Kelly and Mark's plans for a romantic weekend getaway are foiled by a lost reservation. They finally secure a motel room, only to come down with food poisoning. The gang helps Willie build a house that his family will receive from Habitat for Humanity. Val displays construction skills as a result of working with her contractor father, but hints to Clare that she has few happy memories of her dad. Everyone eats Thanksgiving dinner inside the unfinished house.