8 Months Is A Long Time To Wait...

...until another episode of LOST but I will attempt to bring you some interesting stuff to hold you over between now and then. First I want to begin by saying I have a new addiction and it is the 70's children's series Land Of The Lost. There is a movie based on the series being released next week starring Will Farrel.

But I don't want to talk about the movie which will be "loosely" based on the series at best. I want to talk about the series from the 70's. I remember being about 8 or 9 and this show coming on for the first time. It was no HR Puffinstuff or Sigmund the Sea Monster but it was developed by the same people. The sets were heavy on the cheese and the acting wasn't very good either. What set this show apart, for me at least, was the writing and the fact that it built onto itself and built it's own mythology that continued each week. The show can also brag about having some of the better sci fi writers of the era work on the show at one time or another. Some of the names who contributed to the show are David Gerrold who also wrote for Star Trek, in fact he wrote the episode The Trouble With Tribbles one of the most popular episodes of the show ever. Gerrold wrote several episodes of the first season. Sci fi veteran Larry Nivens also wrote episodes during the first (and best, IMO) season of LOTL. He also wrote Green Lantern comics, and he is also a Hugo and Nebula award winner for his novel Ringworld from. Norman Spinrad has twice been the president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America organization, and he wrote The Doomsday Machine script for the second season of the original Star Trek season and also wrote for LOTL. Speaking of Star Trek, Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in the original series also wrote for LOTL. The main writer was by far Dick Morgan (during seasons 1 and 2, at least) but he also wrote episodes of Barney Miller and Emergency. Another writer who LOTL borrowed from Star Trek was D.C. Fontanna. Originally Gene Rodenberry's secretary, she went on to write several scripts for the series herself. She also wrote for Star Trek The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. She also wrote for The Six Million Dollar Man, Logan's Run, and Babylon 5.

Along with some very good scripts written by some surprising names in the science fiction field, it also had two rather good directors who did the best they could with the shoestring budget the show was forced to use. Bob Lally made his mark with Sid and Marty Kroft during the Sigmund the Sea Monster run. He also directed several episodes of LOTL. Gordon Wiles, who directed for Disney as well as Rowan and Martin lent his hand to LOTL for it's second season.

The lesser third season isn't much to write home about, however, there is one thing worth taking notice of. Not only did Spencer Milligan, who played the father Rick Marshall, in the series quit the show, but LOTL also found itself without it's main writers and directors. For season three, the show became piecework and it soon found itself cancelled. One of the writers who lent their abilities for the third season was Peter Germano. Besides writing an episode of LOTL, Germano also wrote episodes of the animated series based on the French novel The Little Prince. Which is also the title of an episode of LOST from this past season. And this is where things get interesting...

It may end up to be a big nothing because if you look hard enough you can find connections to many things LOST; but those things there in the photo with Sawyer, Kate, and Jack are called Sleestaks. Any guesses as to what the name of the actor who played one of the main Sleestaks? Would you believe Jon Locke? Another similarity to hold you over until I can lay more on you? The name of the family from the series was "Marshall". The name of the movie Matthew Fox made while he was working on LOST? We Are Marshall. The name of Will and Holly's uncle who came onto the show after the actor playing their father quit? That would be Jack. WTF?

There's more and I will be back soon to give you some more connections.

The Incident Part 3

I WAS NEVER MUCH GOOD AT GOODBYES

Does Miles act in time to save Chang’s arm? A tool box to the head later and Jack is out. Radzinski attempts to make his getaway in a jeep but that doesn’t work out so well. Phil is about to shoot Sawyer but is stopped by some scaffolding and then is really stopped by a metal spike to the chest. A length of chain grabs Juliette and drags her down the shaft. Kate and Sawyer try to save her but their effort is in vain which will go down as one of the saddest scenes in LOST history EVER. Juliette tells Sawyer she loves him and he tells her not to leave him. She lets go and disappears down the shaft.

WELL NOW THIS EXPLAINS A LOT

Richard offers Sun water and she asks for alcohol. Richard says he doesn’t have any but wishes he did. This scene was a little odd wouldn’t you say? Ilanna and her group show up at the statue and asks to see "Ricardus". Richard steps forward and tells her his name is Richard. Wonder how long it has been since he was called Ricardus. She asks him the statue question to which Richard answers in Latin. She tells Richard she has something he needs to see. They overturn the crate and Richard gazes at the corpse of John Locke. Apparently Locke is still dead and was never brought back to life on the island. So that’s how special John Locke was, just special enough to end up dead, in a crate on the island. Poor pawn. The John Locke we have seen since his return has been another of the islands ghosts taking form like Christian, Yemi, and Alex did in the past. Compliments of the MIB.

“THEY’RE COMING”

The fateful meeting between Ben, Jacob, and the fake Locke or as I shall call him "Flocke" (or do you like "Un-Locke" better?) takes place under the stars. Flocke greets Jacob and Jacob says that Flocke found his loophole. So we know that somehow the man from the beginning of the episode is now the fake John Locke. Flocke tells Jacob that he has indeed found the loophole and he has no idea what he had to go through to get back there. Ben asks if the two have met before and Flocke says that they have, in a manner of speaking. Flocke tells Ben to do what he told him to do. How was it to watch Ben, who had spent his life manipulating people now be manipulated himself? He had, in fact, manipulated Locke up until recently and now it was Locke, or at least the visage of Locke, manipulating Ben. Jacob tells Ben that he doesn’t have to do it, that Ben has a choice. Ben mocks Jacob as he comments that Jacob has finally decided to stop ignoring Ben. Ben states that he was on the island for 35 years and always got orders from Jacob through Richard. "All those slips of paper. All of those lists", comes out of Ben's mouth like venom. Ben continues as he says that was told he had to be patient when he asked to see Jacob, but Flocke asks and he is marched right up to see Jacob like he was Moses. What was that face that Flocke makes when Ben makes the Moses comment? Is Ben on the right track? Ben asks Jacob what was so wrong about him? He ends by asking Jacob “What about me?”. Jacob answers Ben sort of coldly; “What about you?”. Ben stabs Jacob who falls to the ground and says “They’re coming.” right before Flocke kicks Jacob into the fire. I was a little troubled by how easily Ben was able to kill Jacob. Jacob didn’t put up much of a fight in fact he almost seemed to welcome the violence. (And why the hell did he flare up like that? Almost looked like a grease fire in a BBQ.) Jacob has a plan, I guess, but I can’t figure it out. Maybe it has something to do with dark not being able to exist without light. Maybe he knows something about Ilanna and her people and what part they play in all of this. Who knows, but for certain, Jacob, who is portrayed as sort of demigod, is certainly not done.

SON OF A BITCH PART 2

Kate and Jack pull Sawyer out of the shaft who is still distraught over Juliette’s apparent death. (And probably won't be much help in the beginning of next season so we will all be taking bets on when Sawyer snaps out of his funk. Unless, of course he finds out Juliette really isn't dead early on, which I doubt he will, but Elizabeth Mitchell is signed and TPTB have said she will be in next season but they would not specify how many episodes she will be in or when we will see her.) More crap is pulled down the shaft and as the camera follows it down we see that Juliette is still alive. Barely. We also see the bomb is lying right next to her. With the help of the amazing appearing and disappearing blood trails and a (Black) rock, she begins to beat on the bomb. Is “Son of a bitch!” the last words we will ever hear Juliette say? Guess we will have to wait until January to find out for sure. As the bomb goes off (or does it?) we fade to white. Black letters over a white background. We are treated with a small teaser for next season, the last season, with another eye opening. It looks very similar to the beginning of the very first episode of the series. Is it Jack’s eye opening all over again and the loop starting all over again? So much to think about until January.

JACOB’S PAST ACTIONS

Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch, I know I didn’t include the Jacob flashback scenes yet. I want to look at them all together. First he appears in Kate’s flashback when she steals the lunch box that her and Tom will use to make their time capsule. Jacob pays for the lunch box and the shop keeper lets her go. Jacob makes Kate promise she won’t ever steal again. As it turns out stealing was never Kate’s problem. Patsy Cline is once again playing in the background with “Three Cigarettes (In An Ashtray)”. Jacob tells her to be good as he leaves. The next time we see Jacob is at the funeral of Sawyer’s parents. Sawyer is trying to write “the letter” but his pen runs out of ink. Jacob gives him a pen so he can continue to write the letter. One of Sawyer’s family members comes to him and tells him he has to stop writing the letter. “What’s done is done.” the man tells Sawyer, which is something Sawyer later tells Jack. Jacob is also there when Nadia is hit by the car and killed in L.A. Was Nadia the actual intended victim of whoever was driving the car? Could the real target have been Sayid and Jacob saved his life? It was sad moment to watch Nadia tell Sayid to take her home. Jacob shows up in Ilanna’s flashback and he tells her he wishes he could have gotten there sooner. She says she is happy to see him. He tells her he needs her help. Did it seem they already knew each other? Don’t know where she got her wounds or how but I am guessing that Jacob healed her. I guess now is as good of a time as any to point out that it doesn’t seem that Jacob ages either. Jacob is reading a book titled Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flanning O’Conner. I don't know how that ties in at all except that it had a picture of a dove being shot with a spear or whatever it is. White dove; black spear. Jacob is sitting on a bench as John Locke lands on the ground behind him. Jacob goes to Locke and tells him that everything is going to be alright. Jacob also tells Locke that he is sorry that this happened to him. It seems Locke survived the fall because Jacob healed him just enough to live through the fall.

After Sun sees Charlie’s Drive Shaft ring in the cradle, we see her wedding day and we see that Jacob was there as well. He wished them well and said that they should never take their love for granted. Something that the two of them may have been guilty of did at one time but have since learned to love each other better. Courtesy of Jacob and the island. We are next treated to the flashback of when Jack cut the sack thing he told Kate about in the first episode of the series. Christian tells Jack to count to five. After Jack “fixes” the girl he has an argument outside of the OR with his father. This is of course after Jack gets ripped off by the vending machine. Jack says that Christian made Jack look bad in front of his team. Christian makes a comment implying that maybe it is Jack that is having trouble believing in himself. Jacob gets two APOLLO bars out of the vending machine and asks Jack if one of them is his. Jacob tells him that all the machine needed was a little push. Seems that it was Jack that needed “a little push” in order to become the man of faith. Our final Jacob flashback comes after Hurley is released from prison and the two share a cab ride. Hurley offers Jacob half of a fruit roll up. Jacob tells Hurley that he was in the cab waiting for Hurley. Hurley thinks Jacob is dead. Jacob tells Hurley that he is definitely not dead. Hurley says he won’t go back to the island because he is cursed. Jacob tells Hurley that he isn’t cursed and that he just might be blessed with the ability to talk to his friends after they are dead. Hurley asks Jacob who he is and Jacob gives Hurley the Ajira flight information that will take Hurley back to the island. Jacob gets out of the cab and Hurley tells him he forgot his guitar. Jacob tells Hurley that the guitar isn’t his. So what does Jacob’s meetings with all of these Losties mean? I have no idea. Did he go back in time himself to see all of the people we see him talking to?



One thing that is definitely true is he made physical contact with all of them in their meetings. Kate he swiped on the nose. With Sawyer he made sure to touch the boys fingers when he handed him the pen. He puts his hand on Sayid’s shoulder right after Nadia is hit by the car. Didn’t see him touch Ilanna but I’m sure he did at some point or it‘s possible since she wasn‘t a flight 815er he didn‘t need to touch her. Jacob seems to wake (resurrect?) Locke after he falls to the ground with a touch on the shoulder. Jacob touches Jin and Sun on the shoulders when he meets them at their wedding. Jacob grazes Jack on the fingers as he hands him the Apollo Bar in their meeting. And it was creepy too, even Jack thought so. Jacob touches Hurley on the chest as he tells him about the Ajira flight. Also something caught over on Lostpedia; when Hurley is leaving prison he is given something that Jacob gave to the 815ers in the flashbacks. Hurley is given money like Kate was given for the lunch box, a pen like Jacob gives to Sawyer, and candy that he gives to Jack. Not the same exact pen or candy but you get the idea.

AND ANOTHER THING…

So much happened in this episode that it is hard to keep everything straight but here’s one more thought about Jacob. He effectively saves Sayid’s life when the two meet as I am sure Sayid would have been made road pizza right along with Nadia. In the season finale we see Sayid take a bullet and will that bullet finally course correct and kill Sayid as was originally supposed to have happened at that moment with Nadia? Only time will tell. What’s the most important meeting of all of these? The meeting with Hurley, for sure. For years I have been calling Hurley the wild card. Why? Hurley is the exception that Jacob and the MIB have always been debating. Nothing has been able to corrupt Hurley. Not money, not the threat of danger, not even the thought of insanity. Insanity is something Hurley has always had to fall back on in tough times but Jacob is sure to convince Hurley that he is not crazy. Something that goes far in convincing Hurley to be on the plane that will bring him back to the island. The guitar case was another great idea Jacob used to get Hurley back on the island as it was certainly put there by Jacob to remind Hurley of Charlie. We were promised that we were going to be shown what was in the guitar case this season but that didn’t happen so when we do it better be a huge reveal.

Did anyone else notice that TPTB like to blow shit up at the end of seasons? First there was the hatch door, then it was the entire Swan Station, followed by the Others at the 815 camp, the freighter, and this year it was the Swan again. This is also two years in a row that Ben violently stabs someone in a season finale. For the second season in a row Locke’s dead body is revealed.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

In all of this, conspicuously missing from the past few episodes was Charles Widmore. How does he fit into all of this. Since Bram, it would appear, works for or with Jacob and Bram tried to get Miles to not work for Widmore can we assume Widmore works with or for the MIB? We will undoubtedly be getting an Ilanna flashback next year. We know that Jacob and the MIB worked under certain rules but we also know that Ben and Widmore do as well. When will we see what those rules are exactly? After several days, it can be stated that what Richard says in latin when Ilanna asked her question translates to “He who will protect (save) us all.”. Since we now know that the statue was of Taweret, a Goddess that was in charge of protecting pregnant women, is it assumable that when the statue was destroyed (possibly by the MIB) that is when the trouble that women being able to give birth on the island began? And who is the MIB? Could he be Jacob’s older brother Esau? Again, that's Biblical man.

Flocke watches Jacob burn which was similar to the way Locke looked through the flames at his wheelchair in season 1.

The Incident Part 2

ME AND MY CHEVY VAN

Okay maybe it’s not a Chevy but regardless, inside of it, Jack tells Hurley to take them to the Swan station. He tells them he has a plan and it is the only way to save Sayid’s life. He also tells Jin that it is the only way to get him back to his wife. Just to try and get Jin on his side because Jack really has no idea. But like he said a few episodes ago he was plucked out of a plane and landed on an island in 1977 so what isn't possible at this point?

WHAT IS IT WITH YOU PEOPLE?

Sawyer asks Rose and Bernard why they didn’t meet up at the creek three years ago after the flaming arrows. In all of the commotion that was going on at the time, Bernard says that they didn't hear Sawyer yell that. Sawyer explains that he had Jin out scouring the island looking for them on a regular basis for the past three years. They said that they knew that as well and apparently they just wanted to be left alone. They say that they are retired and wanted to leave all of the running around nonsense behind them. Kate tells them about Jack’s plan and Rose comments that it is always something with you people. I didn't Rose was racist, did you? Nah she's not a racist (she's married to a white guy! duh!), but she was right! They always have some type of drama when all of them get together and the reunion specifically of Kate, Jack, and Sawyer can only be bad. Nothing good can come of that. Bernard tells Juliette that he doesn’t care about dying as long as he is with Rose. Juliette watches Sawyer look at Kate when he says this and you can tell she was hurt by Sawyer looking at Kate at that moment and not her. Before she leaves, Bernard asks her if she wants to stay for tea. Almost as if he knew that if she was to stay it might help her avoid what was to come next. Unfortunately, Juliette doesn’t stay for tea. As the three of them walk off, did you notice Juliette holding her stomach? Pregnant? Please discuss.

THE ROOF THE ROOF THE ROOF IS ON FIRE

We get more discussion about the contents of the box as Bram tells Frank that they need to show it to someone so they know what they are up against. Bram tells Frank that they are the good guys. Where have we heard this before? Is he telling the truth or is Frank right about his observation about the people who say they are the good guys? The group arrive at Jacob’s cabin and they notice the ring of ash has been disturbed. So what was the ash ring for? I'm going with the theory that the ash was keeping the MIB inside and it was him that Locke originally heard say “Help Me” inside the cabin. Once the ash was broken, the entity was allowed to leave and he took the form of Christian but it knew Richard wouldn’t take Christian to see Jacob because Richard had no idea who Christian was. It took the form of John Locke, who it knew Richard was keeping an eye on. All of this goes along with my other theory that the MIB needed Christian to convince Locke to turn the wheel and get off of the island where Locke could be killed because the island would not allow Locke to be killed while there. Inside Jacob’s cabin Ilanna sees the picture of the dog on the floor and a machete stuck into the wall. She takes the piece of material and leaves. She tells Bram that Jacob hasn’t been there for a while. Someone has been there though and she tells them to burn the cabin. She shows Bram the tapestry that has the statue on it and he says that now they know where they are going next.

HOME SWEET HOME

Locke and company arrive back at the old 815 camp. Locke sits down with Ben and asks him about the first time they went to Jacob’s cabin. Ben admits that his conversation with Jacob was all for show. Ben says he was surprised when things started to fly around the cabin. Ben tells Locke that he was embarrassed by the fact that he had never actually seen Jacob so he lied because “that’s what I do”. In fact, at the beginning of the scene, Ben snidely remarks to Locke that he is a Pisces which is a lie because Ben would be a Sagittarius Ben asks Locke why he wants him to kill Jacob. Locke goes on to point out all of the shitty things that have happened to Ben. All of them very good reason why Ben should want to kill Jacob. The MIB is very sly, if you didn’t know ahead of time, you would certainly think this was John Locke and not someone pretending to be Locke. The MIB is able to retain some of Locke’s memories as evidence when Locke tells Ben that the quarantine sign on the door is where they first met. The MIB is a little sentimental?

WHAT‘S THAT IN THE ROAD, A HEAD? NO, JUST, A, MISPLACED, COMMA,.,

Sayid tells Jack that he altered the bomb so it will explode on impact. He also tells Jack that he is not going to be able to stop Sayid's bleeding and he is going to die. Miles and Jack argue over exactly what the bomb is going to accomplish. Hurley suddenly brings the van to a stop because standing in the road blocking their way is Kate, Sawyer, and Juliette.

5 DOLLAR FOOT LONG

Locke’s group halt their trek and Richard says he has something to show Locke. Locke says that it is a very nice foot but wants to know why they are there. Richard says the foot is where Jacob lives. Dun dun dun!!

EVERYBODY WAS KUNG-FU FIGHTING

Sawyer tells Jack that he owes him at least five minutes of talk time. Jack agrees. Sawyer tells Jack the story of his parents death. He tells Jack that happened one year ago and that he could have left the island and stopped it but “what’s done is done” which is what his uncle told him the day of his parents funeral. Sawyer drills Jack about why he is trying to do what he is trying to do and what it is he wants. Jack says that Locke told Jack that this was their destiny and Sawyer tells Jack he doesn’t believe in destiny. Jack tells Sawyer that he had Kate and he lost her. Sawyer tells Jack that he doesn’t have to do all of this to get her back that all he has to do is tell her and that she is right there on the other side of the trees. Jack says that it is too late for that and their five minutes are up. Sawyer makes one last effort to stop Jack by telling him that if what he says is going to happen actually happens then they will be strangers and Kate will be in handcuffs. Jack says that if it was meant to be than it was meant to be. The part of John Locke is being played by Jack Shephard and Sawyer takes the Man of Science role in the argument this time. This was the Jack and Sawyer confrontation that was a long time coming. Finally, they get to go all dukes and ruffians. This could be the last fight we will see between these two as I believe they will be firmly on the same side when we begin next season and will definitely work together. (or will as soon as Sawyer gets his shit together after the episodes horrible ending.) Sawyer tells Jack that he had a life on the island and hits Jack with a low blow. Sawyer mounts Jack (not as hot as it sounds) and pummels him until Juliette stops him. She tells Sawyer that Jack is right. Sawyer asks her what the deal is because she was on the stop Jack band wagon just a few minutes ago. She calls on her woman’s prerogative and says she changed her mind.

WHATEVER WE DENY OR EMBRACE FOR WORSE OR FOR BETTER; WE BELONG, WE BELONG, WE BELONG TOGETHER - THE GREAT PROPHET PAT BENETAR

Juliette’s parents tell her sister and her that they are getting a divorce. She says they still love each other but sometimes people just don’t belong together. (just like her and Sawyer) She tells Juliette that when she grows up she will understand. Some people have already asked me why Jacob wasn’t in Juliette’s flashback and some say that maybe he was and we just didn’t see him there yet. I don't know about that one, it's more than likely he was never there. Why would he be? She wasn’t important to the island, she was brought there by Ben in order to fulfill his dark fantasies. Jacob wouldn’t know or care about her either way. Unfortunately for Juliette it would appear she is the most lost of them all. Maybe the most expendable as well. Sawyer tells a grown up Juliette that he deserves to know why she changed her mind. She tells him that she saw the way he looked at Kate. He says that he doesn’t care about any look and that he loves her. She says that she knows that he loves her and that is why he would stay with her forever if she let him. She tells him that it is possible that they were never meant to be together and it’s possible that Jack can make everything right again. She ends the conversation by telling him that if she never fell in love with him she would never have to worry about losing him. The beginning of some of the hardest scenes to watch in the history of LOST. Well, for me they were anyway!

TIME FOR ONE MORE JACK ATTACK

Phil warns Radzinski that Jack and his group are heading to the Swan. Radzinski calls for backup. Jack asks Kate why she made him promise to never ask about Aaron. She tells him that she was angry with Jack for making her go back to the island. She says that she came back to the island for Aaron in an attempt to reunite him with his mother. Jack tells Kate that if his idea works Claire will be back with Aaron and they will be safely in L.A. Hear the power and confidence Jack has in his own words when he tells Kate that he has never felt anything “this right” in his life before. Jack asks Kate one last time if she is with him and she says that she is.

PLACES EVERYONE

Miles comments that Sayid doesn’t look too good. He's so observant. Jack says that at the Swan, the drill hit something and it is almost time for him to go. Sayid says the bomb must go off as close to the pocket of energy as possible. Jack says that this is going to save Sayid, Sayid says nothing can save him now. Sayid knows he is damned no matter what happens. Nothing can in fact save him now. The last few moments Kate and Jack share was a little like the moments they shared in the first episode of the series when she was sewing up Jack's wounds from the plane crash. Jack see Sawyer one last time before he heads towards the Swan site. Jack tells him he will see him in L.A. One of the best Jack lines EVER!

CLIMBING JACOB’S LADDER

Night has fallen outside of Jacob’s foot and Richard asks Locke if he is sure he needs to do this. Almost as if Richard knows what is going to happen. Could Richard know but is powerless to stop it? Locke says that he is tired of waiting and wants to go now. Ben says to Sun that the statue was the way it is when he arrived on the island. Which she doesn't know if she should believe, but I think he is telling the truth there. I don't think we ever saw the statue in Dharma time so it is more than likely that the statue was already gone when Ben got there. Locke tells Ben that it is time for them to go. Richard says that Ben can‘t go because only the leader is allowed to go to see Jacob. Locke says that if it is a problem he will take it up with Jacob when he sees him. Richard opens the door and tells Locke to tell Jacob he says "Hello". Inside, Locke gives Ben a knife and tells him that things will change once Jacob is gone. I thought for a moment that Ben might stab Locke right then.

START THE COUNTDOWN TO SEASON 6 AS OF RIGHT NOW

Miles asks what if what Jack is about to do is the incident. This is an interesting question that I guess we will find out about next season. Phil shows up with reinforcements and Sawyer asks Juliette what she wants him to do. She says “live together die alone” and they go to help Jack. Phil spies Jack making his move and they open fire on the good doctor. Jack’s support comes to the rescue and saves his ass. Sawyer whacks Radzinski over the head and grabs Phil all in one swoop. Chang takes Radzinski’s gun and actually helps Sawyer. Sawyer tells Jack to "do his business". Chang says the drill won’t stop and that the pocket of energy is pulling it down. Jack looks at Kate as she nods her approval and Jack drops the bomb, literally. Sawyer and Juliette share one last look of love and goodbye. They all wait and ... nothing frigging happens! Or at least nothing like the explosion that Jack and the rest had expected that would bring them all to L.A.X. The electromagnetic energy goes crazy and begins to pull all that is metal down into the shaft.

We wrap it all up in a nice neat bow and shove it up our asses and incubate it for 8 or 9 months tomorrow.

THE INCIDENT PART 1

Here we are, about a week later than usual, but it was also the season finale so give me some slack. For the sake of my readers eyes, as well as their short attention spans, I have decided to break the recap up into three parts. Trust me I wrote the damn thing, you need it to be broken up. So let's dive in head first, shall we...

THE BAD TWIN

We are treated to a knitting wheel, a fire pit, and Rumpelstiltskin making a tapestry to begin the season finale. A man in a white shirt goes out into the ocean and retrieves some fishing gear. He cooks a red herring (that made me laugh when I saw it) and we see the Black Rock, or at least a ship that looks like the Black Rock sailing near the island. A man in a black shirt walks up and the two men seem familiar with each other. This looks (their shirt patterns look ancient) and feels like an old scene; something that did in fact happen hundreds of years ago in the island mythology. Jacob offers the man some fish and he says “No thanks I just ate.” which made me wonder what (or who) did he just eat. The man in black asks how the ship found the island. The man in the white shirt... oh for god sake, Jacob, okay, it’s Jacob if you read my blog at all you would have known right away from the picture I posted on here, oh I don’t know, about a month or so ago, that this guy is indeed the infamous Jacob! So, where was I? Oh right, Jacob tells the other guy that he will have to ask them how they got to the island when they get there. The other guy says that Jacob brought them. The MIB continues by telling Jacob that he is still trying to prove him wrong. Jacob says that he is wrong. The MIB says "they arrive, they fight, they destroy, and then they corrupt, and it always ends the same". Jacob says "it only ends once and anything that happens before that is progress". MIB declares that he really wants to kill Jacob and will find a loophole someday. Jacob tells the MIB that when he does find a loophole, he will be right there waiting for him. “Always nice talking to you Jacob.” the MIB says as he walks away. Jacob responds with; “Nice talking to you too.” but doesn‘t throw us a bone and say the MIB‘s name. As the MIB walks away the camera pulls back to reveal even more of the statue. It has been officially stated by ABC that the statue is indeed Taweret which was predicted by me right here on this blog way back in early March. Don’t take my word for it go, check out the post for yourself - just click here: http://cheekie-sweetcheeks.blogspot.com/2009/03/whooooooo-are-you-who-who-who-who.html

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE

On the sub, Kate explains to Juliette and Sawyer what Jack is planning to do with the bomb. The sedative is being passed around on the sub so it would seem that the Others got the idea from the DI. The Captain of the Galaga comments that after they all take their sedative that he will "see them on the other side". Whatever that means. Sawyer tells Kate that they were happy on the island until they came back. He tells her that he is done with the island and he is going to take his chances in the real world.

LEARN TO LOVE THE BOMB

Deep inside the tunnels, Sayid tells Jack how to get the core of the bomb out of Jughead and how to detonate it. Richard mentions that Eloise is pregnant. How does Sayid know so much about Faraday’s time table? Was all of it written in the notebook?

THE UGLY DUCKLING STATION

Radzinski shows up at the Swan construction site and wants to know why they have stopped drilling. Chang explains that the drill got close to the pocket of energy and the temperature raised 60 degrees, and he didn’t want the drill to melt. Radzinski tells him there is water there for them to put on the drill to make sure it doesn't get too hot and that they are to continue drilling. It would seem that Radzinski does have some sort of “in charge” position when it comes to the Swan station. He says that he has been working on plans for the Swan station for a number of years.

STEP BY STEP, RUNG BY RUNG

Locke and his group continue to trek towards Jacob. Sun asks Ben who Jacob is. Ben tells her that Jacob is is in charge. The leader of the others answers to Jacob. Ben has never met him. Richard says that he doesn’t understand how Locke wasw able to come back from the dead. Richard says that he doesn’t age because it is something Jacob has done for him. He adds that he figures Jacob has had something to do with Locke being alive again. Locke tells Richard that he wants to go see Jacob so he can thank him for bringing him back to life. Locke says that afterwards they will have to deal with the rest of the people that were on the Ajira flight. Richard asks what “deal with them”means. Locke says to Richard; "You know what I means." So we got a little part of the answer to the mystery of why Richard never ages; Jacob made him that way. It would seem that Richard is ageless on the island and he is there to guide the Others and help their leader. I guess he is supposed to greet the people that Jacob calls to the island as well. That might make Richard and his group untouchable because they are not strangers or "foreign" to the island, to Jacob, or the MIB for that matter. They are not held to the same rules as regular people are.

A TERRIFIC CANDIDATE

Ilanna and her group paddle ashore. She discusses some plans with Bram including what to do with Frank. They mention the question, say something about Frank being important, and if he is a good candidate or not. All very interesting points and something that will apparently have to wait until next season. Frank wants to know what he is a candidate for. They show Frank what is inside of the box; something he is not very happy to see. The way he says "Terrific", reminded me of Charlie from the first season when they heard the monster for the first time.

2 GIRLS 1 SUB (Google That!)

Juliette makes the decision that Sawyer, Kate, and she will return to the island. They make the captain turn the sub around and take them back to the island.

GOOD TIMING

Sayid gets the core of the bomb out of Jughead. Richard asks Jack what makes Locke “special” because he doesn’t see it in Locke after three visits to Locke on the mainland. Jack tells Richard that he knows Locke and that Richard shouldn’t give up on him. Nice idea Jack, anybody else see the pathetic irony in Jack saying that to Richard besides me? In actuality it would seem that Locke really wasn’t special after all. Locke was just one big pawn being played by the smoke monster that is played by the MIB in order to find the loophole that would allow him to kill Jacob.

PASSING THE BUCK

Locke asks Ben why he hasn’t told Richard about Locke’s plans to kill Jacob. Ben says that when he was being judged by the monster his dead daughter made him promise that he would do everything that Locke asked him to do. Locke smirks and says it will be easier than he thought to talk Ben into it. Ben asks what he has to talk Ben into and Locke tells Ben that it is him that is going to kill Jacob, not Locke.

LOOK FOR THE SOFT SPOT AND HIT IT WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER

Richard leads the mad bombers to a spot under the DI and smashes through a wall and into one of the DI houses. Richard hits Eloise over the head and tells Jack and Sayid that he is protecting his leader. He tells Jack and Sayid that they are now on their own. Inside the house Sayid suggests that they should hide in plain sight when he sees one of the DI jumpsuits. After putting on Horace’s jumpsuit, Jack and Sayid go outside and are spotted by Roger Linus. Roger recognizes Sayid as the hostile who shot his son. Roger gut shoots Sayid. The Dharma van shows up and inside is Jin who helps to get Jack and Sayid out of there. Notice that now it is Jack who seems bulletproof and is definitely getting some sort of protection from the island. Hurley drives them all out of the compound.

SON OF A BITCH PART 1

Juliette watches the sub leave and again she is heading back towards the island that she has tried to get off of before and even though she has been close a few times she knows that no matter what, she is not fated to leave. See the look on her face to get a little idea of how difficult is was for her to make this choice. She fought so hard for so long to get off of the island and when it would seem she is actually leaving, regardless of the circumstances, she still cannot be free and is once again being pulled back to it’s shores. The three arrive back on the beach and Kate thanks Juliette for having her back back on the sub. Vincent comes out of the jungle to greet them! Rose is there too! With Bernard (whoa, island life has been fattening the last three years)in tow! It didn’t seem they were very happy to see their three long lost Dharma friends as evidenced by Bernard’s “Son of a bitch!” greeting.

Part 2 of the recap will be posted tomorrow

Weekly Musical Interlude

This week we honour the passing of our favorite nerdy scientist Daniel Faraday. Some of the characters I think will be around longer than they end up sticking around for and others end up lasting way well after the shine has worn off of the apple. Dan was an example of the first type. I always thought there would be more of him and now he's done. TPTB have said his full time status with the show is done so does that mean he could still come back some how in the final season? Enjoy~

Sneak Peak at the Finale

Just 24 hours removed from last nights episode, ABC has already posted a clip for the season finale. This is a "BTS" feature as you can see set crew people in the backround. I like how the scene is raw with no music or sound effects. You can really see how much goes into post production. Eloise is pregnant!! Also note how the scene goes along pretty far and well until Sayid almost falls off the Jughead bomb. Good stuff!!

FOLLOW THE LEADER

I’M SEEIN’ RED (SHIRTS?), DON’T THINK YOU’LL HAVE TO SEE MY FACE AGAIN

We pick up right where we left off last episode watching the last moments of Dan Faraday from the vantage point of Jack and Kate. Ha ha Matt Fox was in Vantage Point, but I digress. Kate was sure to point out that Dan was crazy and Jack says he is not so sure. Jack has almost made his transition to Man of Faith complete as he asks Kate, “What if this is why we are here?”. Jack is interrupted by a gunshot and a rifle butt to the face. Eloise looks at Dan’s journal and sees her message to Dan. She instructs to have Jack and Kate put in her tent. Widmore asks why the DI have declared war on them, an interesting way question, BTW. Eloise tells him that they are not from the DI.

DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME FOR SYMPATHY CUZ IT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME

Richard is putting together a ship (that looks a little like the Black Rock) in a bottle and suddenly gets word that “He’s here!”. Apparently they have been waiting for Locke to return but did Alpert think he was ever going to be back? Didn’t seem like it to me. John comes into the new Others camp with a boar thrown over his shoulder. John tells Richard they have an errand they have to do. Alpert notices something is different about John who answers that it is because he now has a purpose. Richard didn’t seem too thrilled to see Ben has returned. It almost seems that Richard sees Ben as a reminder of some past error and would rather have Ben away from him and off of the island. Ben tells Sun that Locke is the new leader of the Others and that Richard is a sort of advisor and he has been doing it for a very, very long time. Sun shows Richard the photo of her husband and their friends and asks if he knows what happened to them. Richard informs her that he remembers them because he watched them all die. Sun asks Locke if this is true and he tells her that he doesn’t think that they would be back there for no reason. Locke asks Richard for the compass back that Locke gave him during one of the time jumps and tells Ben that he is going with them as well. John leaves Sun with the reassuring thought that if there is a way to reunite them all that he will find it.

YOU FEELIN’ BLUE NOW, I THINK YOU BIT OFF MORE THAN YOU COULD CHEW

Jack tells Kate that if Faraday was right then he can fix everything and flight 815 will never have crashed on the island. Ah, some of the old Jack is still there but at least it seems to be leading him in the right way now. Kate asks him about “us” and Jack said that all of the misery that has happened to them will never have happened. Kate reminds him that not all of it was miserable. Jack gives Kate a little moment of pity as if to say “Aw, you still had hopes for us didn’t you?” but tells her that enough of it was misery. Kate’s fight or flee instinct rears it’s ugly head as she realizes when Jack says their plane will land in L.A. back in 2004 it would lead her right back into handcuffs with the Marshall heading to jail. She’s a fickle bitch and that is the flaw in her character that makes me and a lot of other people not like her as much as TPTB would like us to and I know I will take flack about this comment but it's not the first time and probably won't be the last either. Eloise asks Jack why Dan wanted to know where the bomb was. Watch as Jack slowly blows Eloise’s mind when he tells her that the inscription in Dan’s notebook she has not written yet. Jack explains more of the plan to Eloise and she asks Kate if Jack knows what he is talking about. Kate comments that Jack thinks he does. We find out along with Kate and Jack that the bomb is buried underneath the DI village.

NOW IT’S TIME TO MAKE A CHOICE AND ALL I WANNA HEAR IS YOUR VOICE

Sawyer is questioned and beaten by Stu which Horace tries to stop. Stu tells Horace that he doesn’t have the stomach to do what has to happen next. Stu tells Sawyer that if he doesn’t get information on Kate’s whereabouts, that he will kill them. We already know that Sawyer can take an ass whipping and this didn’t seem nearly as bad as the one Pickett gave him several seasons ago even if it has been three years since it was good to see the resident bad ass had not lost his edge. Juliette tries to stop Stu when she tells him that they are not there to hurt anyone and that she has known him for three years. Sawyer stops Juliette from saying anymore and tells her that more people will end up getting hurt. Sawyer doesn't want to give up Kate and Jack but he also knows it could get Jin, Hurley, and Miles in trouble as well. Phil takes his place on the “Asshole Of The Year” award when he starts to smack around Juliette. Sawyer tells him he will kill him for that. In comes a guy with the sub manifest and our concerns are quickly shifted towards the safety of Hurley. We see that Hugo is busy getting food (enough with the fat guy and food scenes already, how many do we need?!) Chang shows up and asks Miles if they really are from the future. Hurley says that is ridiculous. Funny how Hurley was questioned by Chang just like he said he was worried he would be back in the Namaste episode. When he gets to the president question (the exact question Hurley asked Sawyer about) Hurley caves and admits they are from the future. Chang asks if Miles really is his son and Miles tells him that he is. Chang goes on to ask Miles if Dan was right and Miles tells him that Dan has been right about everything else he has said. Miles says that he thinks Chang should evacuate the island like Dab suggested.

FOOLISH LIES, WELL CAN’T YOU SEE I TRIED TO COMPROMISE

Eloise tells Widmore that she is taking Jack and Kate to the bomb. Notice Widmore putting his hand on Eloise’s belly; so can we assume she is already pregnant with Dan? Richard tells Jack that the man Eloise is talking to is Charles Widmore and adds that sometimes love can be complicated. Meanwhile, Richard is going on a trek with Locke and Ben thirty years later. Locke tells Richard that he is about to see where John went when he disappeared shortly after Ben turned the wheel three years ago. Afterwards, John adds, they are going to see Jacob. Ben tells Locke that that is not how it works. Richard admits that John is the leader. Did it seem that the acknowledgement didn’t seem to mean as much to Richard as it did to John? Almost like Richard said it just to placate John? Richard tells John he will take them to see Jacob. Locke says they have to get to the plane, now. Not sure if Richard ever knew about the drug plane (he should know about it wouldn’t you think?) but Ben certainly knows of it’s existence. It was right over the Pearl station after all, let’s not forget. Listen to what John says will happen: “a man” will come out of the jungle with a gunshot wound. He doesn’t say “I”. He does, however, tell Ben that the man is “me” when Ben asks who the man is. It all seemed a little odd to me. Something is definitely off with John Locke he’s acting more and more like creepy Christian every episode.

WHAT YOU SAID NOW, CAN’T STOP THE WORDS FROM RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD

We watch the scene of Richard taking the bullet from John’s leg again as Ben and Locke watch it happen. Ben asks if it feels like an out of body experience and John says it feels something like that. Ben asked John how he knew when they had to be at the plane and John tells him the island told him. Locke asks Ben if the island ever told him things and Ben said it didn’t. Locke then suggests that Ben never saw or heard anything from Jacob. By the look on Ben’s face John might be right about this. Never thought Locke disappearing would make such a loud thumping noise. Richard tells John that it went well and he thinks "past" Locke believed what he had to tell him. Richard comments that he is glad that the part about John dying didn’t happen. Watch Ben’s “Whoops, I’m snagged.” face as Locke tells Richard “Actually, I did.”.

WHAT YOU SAY AIN’T ALWAYS TRUE AND I CAN SEE THE TEARS IN YOUR EYES

Eloise asks Kate and Jack if they can swim but Kate says that she can’t continue on with them. She tells Jack she is going back to the DI. Jack and the red shirt Other try to stop her but she isn’t having any of it. So, who thought Kate was shot? Turns out it was the red shirt who got it when Sayid comes to the rescue. Richard asks Eloise what is going on and she tells him that if Jack does what he says he is going to do none of this will have happened. Jack tells Sayid that they can change things by getting to the bomb and detonating it. Sayid tells them he has already changed things because he killed Ben Linus but they are still there. Kate tells Sayid how they helped Ben and that he isn’t dead. Kate vents about what is right and wrong and tells Jack again that she cannot go with them. Jack uses the “D” word and he is now officially a Man Of Faith. Kate tells Jack that he sounds like Locke and that Jack always said that Locke was crazy. Jack says he knows he sounds like Locke. Kate leaves and heads back to the DI.

AND WHAT I DO TO GET THROUGH TO YOU BUT YOU’D ONLY DO IT AGAIN

Miles watches as Charlotte and her mother are taken to the sub. His mother and the infant version of himself is next. Miles watches what happens between his parents and he finally understands what really happened. His mother was wrong about what really happened but she thought she was right. The group watch as Juliette and Sawyer are taken to the sub next. Hurley says Sawyer always has a plan. Seems the only play Sawyer is working on is how to make a lot of money when they get off of the island and back into what they call the real world. He apologizes to Juliette for not letting her get on the sub three years ago. She tells him she is glad he talked her out of it. Sawyer bids the island “Good Riddance” as he goes into the sub. Notice he does give the island one last look back, almost as if he will miss it after all. Which he might seeing as how the last three years were possibly the most normal years of his life.

SO FOLLOW THE LEADER DOWN AND SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND DROWN

Jack dives under the water and goes to what Eloise calls the tunnels. Before he does he tells Sayid that if he decides not to go with him, he will understand. I kept thinking the swim that Matthew Fox had to do couldn’t have been easy for the nearly two pack a day smoker. Eloise joins Jack and Alpert on the other side as well as Sayid, who throws in with them to complete what I think is the oddest foursome of the show ever! Sayid tells Jack that one way or another it will all be over and this will be the end. He's so right.

WHEN THERE’S NO PLACE LEFT TO GO MAYBE THAT’S WHEN YOU WILL KNOW

Locke and his group make it back to camp and he tells Richard that he wants to leave to go to see Jacob immediately. Locke addresses the group of Others and questions them about Jacob and his very existence. Sun asks if Jacob will tell them how to get Jin and the rest of their friends back. John tells her he will. John tells the group that all of them are going to go to see Jacob. Richard knows where to find Jacob and he will lead them to him. It seems the Others accept Locke as their new leader and agree that they should all go to see Jacob. It almost seemed that the Others were “laying hands” on their new leader as well. In a moment that reminded me of the scene where Jack told Kate that if blowing open the hatch worked they were going to have a Locke problem, Alpert tells Ben that be thinks Locke is going to become a problem. Ben comments that that was why he tried to kill him.

WELL I CONFESS, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE FROM ALL THIS MESS

Sawyer and Juliette are locked into the sub and he tells her that once they get back to the real world they will finally be free. Sawyer tells her that no matter what, he will always have her back. She says she loves him and he says he loves her back, cute scene. All of this happens right before we get a late addition to the party. Kate is ushered onto the sub and we have a very uncomfortable reunion between the three. Kate and Juliette are once again handcuffed together. The sub carrying Kate, Juliette, and Sawyer heads back to the main land. Now if you thought the CGI work of the freighter exploding at the end of last season was bad, well, the dive of the sub made that scene look like a Ray Harryhausen special effects masterpiece.

YOU FEELIN’ DOWN, I DON’T KNOW WHERE I’LL BE WHEN YOU COME AROUND

Sayid questions Jack’s faith in Eloise Hawkins and Jack says that he trusts her because she is the one who told them how to get back to the island in the first place. Eloise asks “Now what” as they get to the bomb and looks around at everyone. Anyone else find it funny that they all have this “Uh, IDK” look on their faces? What are they gonna do all grab hammers and start looking for the soft spot? In another scene that made me think of another scene, Locke and the group begin their trek to the radio tower, err, I mean to see Jacob. It looked like the radio tower scene to me, I think they might even have used the same music or at least a similar tune. Ben tells Locke that Richard is becoming worried about him and doesn‘t think he knows what he is doing. Locke thanks Ben for the information and Ben tells him that he will do whatever it takes for John to be able to reunite his people. Locke tells him he isn’t interested in seeing his people reunited. He tells Ben that what he told Sun was a lie. Ben asks what the real reason is that John wants to go to see Jacob. John tells him that it is so he can kill Jacob. Ben stops in his tracks and gives John a “Say wha?!?!” look as we are down to just the two hour season finale left for this year.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Some claim that this episode does is not a specific character centric, but I disagree as I believe this is as close to a Richard Alpert episode that we are going to get. Possibly forever, if not, at least until next season. Richard is shown to be the one “following the leader” as the episode claims. In the 70’s he is following Eloise who we can assume is sort of a co-leader of the Others with Widmore. Thirty years later he is now following the new leader of the Others, John Locke. In both time periods he is following the directions of the leaders but it actually is him that is doing the leading. To find Jacob and to find the bomb, respectively in the two time periods. The comments that Alpert makes saying that Locke is the leader isn’t necessarily what he says as it is how he says it. He is allowing Locke to believe he is the leader of the Others for as long as it is feasible and not a moment longer. Richard is more that just an advisor, as it turns out he may just be the islands constant. Anyone else catch Eloise saying; “all right, let’s get started” like she did at the Lamp Post Station to Ben, Jack, Sun, and Desmond? Richard tells Jack they can move the bomb out the same way they got it in there. Which is how exactly? Did Smokey have anything to do with getting the bomb to where it is? People are freaking out about Richards comments to Sun about the people in the Dharma picture she shows him. He says he saw them all die but it doesn’t really mean that much to me as I think he is just assuming since they were in the DI and he was in on the purge that they all died in the purge. Just who the hell is Radzinski anyway? He seems to be able to take control away from Horace a little too easily. He is adamant about the Swan station being built as scheduled, but why? What are his connections with Ann Arbor? Is he taking his orders from someone other than Horace is? I think Stu’s big payback comes later after he allows the Swan to be built and he sees exactly the devastation that is caused by the “incident” he will at least be partially responsible for allowing it to happen. Is this what happens to make him end up a stain of the ceiling of the Swan hatch? What better way for him to be paid back for what he does wrong than to be forced to be confronted with it on a daily basis. Make him man the button that will allow him to be reminded of his errors every 108 minutes. Anyone want to take bets on just where the map that Sawyer drew will take Radzinski and his men? I’m guessing it will take them someplace they are not expecting to go and quite possibly into a world of hurt!

See ya after the finale!