LOST, like other shows on television, has good episodes and bad ones. We've seen teaser episodes, filler episodes, and of course the legendary Nikki/Paolo fiasco episodes. We all know what makes a great episode: fast paced, character driven, dirty jungle action. That was Jughead, and I couldn't care less what the off islanders were doing, so all the people that complained and whined about where the 06 and Ben were can chill out, you got a great episode without them.
Finally, An Excuse For Charlie To Be Wearing A Diaper
As if Desmond and Penny's story wasn’t touching enough, they go one step further and name their kid after Charlie. Charlie Hume brings uncharacteristic hope and happiness to LOST. While the rest of the characters are having a pretty dismal time, Desmond's life is going along good. Is this because he avoids the real world, his boat functioning as an island all its own? Or maybe because Desmond isn't one of the people who were not 'supposed' to leave the island, marking him with immunity from the weird crap Jack, Hurley, Kate and everyone else has gone through. Flash forward to a three year old Charlie, as Desmond is about to hit the mainland for perhaps the first time since he left the O6. His dream/memory from last episode was a few weeks ago at best, because he wouldn't have waited very long to sail to Oxford. Guilt will eventually bring Desmond back to the island, and Penny knows this all too well. By the time the episode is over, Widmore also knows. He and Ben both share a sneaky way of guiding people along while allowing them to think they're still making their own choices.
You've Got Some Red Shirt on You
Miles didn't exactly need his special powers to see the tripwire, but those red shirts met one of the most spectacular ends since Arzt played with dynamite (nothing will beat Arzt). In reference to the mines, Ellie's later claim of "We didn't put them here you did" marks her as one of the Others, and also solidifies the theory that WWII soldiers somehow made it to the island. The presence of American soldiers explains many things we've seen throughout all five seasons: the M1 Garand rifles, the pineapple grenade Locke puts in Miles' mouth, the various WWII-era pistols and even Goodwin's Army knife. Apparently the Others make use of the weapons that find their way onto the island, which is why they attack with bows and arrows alongside grenades and rifles. The one thing this does NOT explain is why the captain of flight 815 wears WWII pilot's wings. This alone could be chalked up to nostalgia, but then so do the flight attendants, and so does Cindy. These wings were issued to airmen only during the WWII era, and were changed just afterward. There's no logical reason for everyone on board to have a pair. Watch the pilot episode again, the camera even focuses specifically on the wings when Kate finds them in the jungle. It’s been speculated that this was the thing the producers said that 'everyone missed' in the pilot (if it wasn't that unknown black tube next to Jack, which I still think was a dark piece of bamboo).
We've seen more than our fair share of off island agents. These are people who are "in the loop", that can be taken in more ways than one, and have been helping to guide the main characters through the current string of time. Take the butcher woman from last week. Now take the librarian from this week, who happens to be the very same woman (Jenna?) who Hurley hugs right before he gets on flight 815. She actually uses the phone and checks with someone named Hunter before letting Hurley on the flight, telling him that it's his lucky day. Was Hurley supposed to make the flight? The woman at the other counter didn't seem to think so. But Jenna helps get him on the plane, even after the jet way closed. By now we can agree that sheer coincidence can be blown aside. These characters have been implanting themselves at various points throughout time, showing up at the right moment(s) to help the main characters accomplish certain necessary tasks. Maybe some are Team Ben/Hawking, maybe some are Team Widmore. Much the same way Richard showed up for the birth of Locke (and after this episode we know why). Maybe every member of 815's flight crew was in on this, from Cindy and the flight attendants all the way up to the captain who took Frank's place that day. The only hole in that theory is that the captain seemed as shocked as the rest of the crash survivors, up until the moment he was eaten. But hey, it was day one, and maybe the whole story wasn't worked out yet.
Miles’ lines are improving. He was always funny, but he's fast becoming the sarcastic wise ass we've needed since Sawyer went soft. Not to be outdone, I think Sawyer's feeling the heat. He's coming back with some nice lines this episode: "Hate to bust up the I'm an other you're an other reunion" And his "You told her?" line was great too. Note that Miles gets his vision of the four US soldiers when they walk over the 'fresh grave', meaning he can't just commune with the dead haphazardly. It seems he needs to be in proximity to the corpses, which explains why he asked to be led to Naomi's body. That doesn't explain him being able to contact the spirit of Mrs. Gardner's grandson in his flashback although Miles did specifically call for his spirit that time.
Others - Now With More Old School Than Before
Latin? Apparently all Others must learn the dead language in order to be able to communicate when the going gets tough (even though Patchy and Ms. Klugh yelled to each other in Russian during their standoff with the Lostaways in "Enter 77"). If we ever needed an indication as to how long the Others have been around, the fact they're speaking Latin is a good indication they've existed since the 4-toed statue. Props to Hastenfist, who last week pointed out the quick, innocent scene where Sawyer stepped on something in the jungle. Some infection, a toe amputation, and a couple of time skips later, Hastenfist theorized that maybe the statue itself would turn out to be a monument of Sawyer, built in tribute to him for something he does wayyyy in the past. Awesome idea, and I love it!
Not only is Richard's age a constant, his name is always the same too. Years, decades, even centuries pass, but Richard is always Richard. This is the Ying to the multiple names Yang (Dr. Candle for example) we've seen throughout LOST. And... somewhere... in the jungle... someone... air dropped... a whole crate... of mascara. 
Desmond arrives back at Oxford to find that the only thing standing between him and Faraday's laboratory is a fumigation sign and a very shitty lock. Pretty weak, unless he was meant to find that room. Funny how that guy shows up at exactly the right time, too. Dressed like the guy who mugged Nadia, he doesn't seem at all pissed off about Desmond being there. One informative and helpful conversation later he leaves Desmond to continue his quest to find Faraday's mom. Was this guy sent by Widmore, or was he an agent of Ben? You make the call because he certainly wasn't the janitor. 
Teresa Spencer has a bad case of the Minkowskis. The recycled librarian would have Desmond believe this was Faraday's fault, but it has to have something to do with Charles Widmore. Faraday's experiments would have been limited only to his rats especially if Teresa was the girl in the photo and he was romantically involved with her (the guy must have a thing for redheads). But no, somehow something went accidentally wrong or Widmore, desperate to find the island again, pushed Daniel's research too quickly. This resulted in Teresa's sickness, which is one of the reasons why Widmore is financially supporting her. The other reason is to keep that avenue open, hoping that Daniel (or Desmond) comes back to see her. He can't be supporting her too heavily though, because her sister still works at The Quick Mart. This is why Daniel is so adamant about NOT letting the sickness happen to Charlotte. He knows what she's going through and knows the end result. Pack on the guilt for what happened to Teresa, and the burden on Daniel's shoulders seems heavier than ever. Maybe that's why he pauses three seconds before every sentence. 
This was an ultra cool fade in to Locke overlooking the Others camp. Let's think about Locke for a minute, as he slowly gathers returning memories/knowledge this season, Locke seems to know the shortest paths, he shows up at crucial moments to toss knives with expert precision and rescue people. Locke's "coming into" his role more and more with each passing episode. "He's one of my people", did Locke have a memory flash there, or is he acting on the assumption that since Jones (Widmore) was an Other, he must one day be led by Locke? Locke self-touting himself as Jacob's chosen one has a nagging echo of falsehood to it. When he said those words to Richard, it’s almost as if such a conclusion were too obvious for LOST. Remember how disappointed Richard was when young Locke couldn't pick all the correct items that belonged to him. Locke should have known the compass was his because Richard had given it to him, time and time again, in past loops. Locke failed Alpert's test, and from that moment on Richard knew Locke wasn't destined to be their future leader. Richard still needs Locke though, because Locke must leave the island to bring back the O6. Unfortunately for John Locke, perhaps his only destiny is to be a sacrificial character. It’s just theory folks, go easy. 
One of the highlights of the episode was Locke's huge "You've got to be kidding" grin when he learned Jones' true identity. Now it makes even more sense why Locke didn't shoot Jones when he escaped in the jungle - he literally couldn't. The gods of time travel wouldn't let him. Now the fact that Charles Widmore was on the island is no big surprise, but to see a younger version of him in 1954 was. As that storyline plays out we should find out how and why he ends up leaving the island, which will probably be involuntary. The island is Disneyland compared to the normal, mundane world but young Widmore must obtain some sort of power or happiness on the island that he doesn't have on the mainland which is what makes him want to go back. Something that no amount of money or power could ever buy him. Older Widmore seems unconcerned with keeping or holding Desmond, but that's because he has an interest in Penny's well being. He knows that Desmond is with her and will always protect her. In a way, Desmond is a great insurance policy. He's the game changer, meaning there's no one better when it comes to keeping bad things from happening to his daughter. Widmore urges Desmond not to get involved. But then he says "Deliver your message". What message? How does he know Desmond has a message? Widmore slipped up there. He already knows what Desmond's doing, where he's going, and why. He must approve of it because instead of stopping him he actually helps out. It's obvious that Widmore is working to guide Desmond back to the island, probably, he hopes, without Penny. 
The Days Of Future Passed
If you are like me, you are psyched to see more time flashes! I want to see the distant past: the temple and the statue and the Others all speaking Latin with Juliet having to translate everything they say while Sawyer and Miles make sarcastic comments. I want to see the birth of the smoke monster, the origins of the Black Rock, Danielle and her lunatic crew. Even better, I want to see a flash of the future; maybe the horrible, terrible future of the island (and the world?) that Ben and Hawking are trying so desperately to avoid. LOST has been given the license to do unlimited cool stuff and these next weeks should absolutely rock.
We've seen more than our fair share of off island agents. These are people who are "in the loop", that can be taken in more ways than one, and have been helping to guide the main characters through the current string of time. Take the butcher woman from last week. Now take the librarian from this week, who happens to be the very same woman (Jenna?) who Hurley hugs right before he gets on flight 815. She actually uses the phone and checks with someone named Hunter before letting Hurley on the flight, telling him that it's his lucky day. Was Hurley supposed to make the flight? The woman at the other counter didn't seem to think so. But Jenna helps get him on the plane, even after the jet way closed. By now we can agree that sheer coincidence can be blown aside. These characters have been implanting themselves at various points throughout time, showing up at the right moment(s) to help the main characters accomplish certain necessary tasks. Maybe some are Team Ben/Hawking, maybe some are Team Widmore. Much the same way Richard showed up for the birth of Locke (and after this episode we know why). Maybe every member of 815's flight crew was in on this, from Cindy and the flight attendants all the way up to the captain who took Frank's place that day. The only hole in that theory is that the captain seemed as shocked as the rest of the crash survivors, up until the moment he was eaten. But hey, it was day one, and maybe the whole story wasn't worked out yet.
Miles - Stealing Sawyer's Thunder
Miles’ lines are improving. He was always funny, but he's fast becoming the sarcastic wise ass we've needed since Sawyer went soft. Not to be outdone, I think Sawyer's feeling the heat. He's coming back with some nice lines this episode: "Hate to bust up the I'm an other you're an other reunion" And his "You told her?" line was great too. Note that Miles gets his vision of the four US soldiers when they walk over the 'fresh grave', meaning he can't just commune with the dead haphazardly. It seems he needs to be in proximity to the corpses, which explains why he asked to be led to Naomi's body. That doesn't explain him being able to contact the spirit of Mrs. Gardner's grandson in his flashback although Miles did specifically call for his spirit that time.
Others - Now With More Old School Than Before
Latin? Apparently all Others must learn the dead language in order to be able to communicate when the going gets tough (even though Patchy and Ms. Klugh yelled to each other in Russian during their standoff with the Lostaways in "Enter 77"). If we ever needed an indication as to how long the Others have been around, the fact they're speaking Latin is a good indication they've existed since the 4-toed statue. Props to Hastenfist, who last week pointed out the quick, innocent scene where Sawyer stepped on something in the jungle. Some infection, a toe amputation, and a couple of time skips later, Hastenfist theorized that maybe the statue itself would turn out to be a monument of Sawyer, built in tribute to him for something he does wayyyy in the past. Awesome idea, and I love it!
Maybe it's Maybelline
Not only is Richard's age a constant, his name is always the same too. Years, decades, even centuries pass, but Richard is always Richard. This is the Ying to the multiple names Yang (Dr. Candle for example) we've seen throughout LOST. And... somewhere... in the jungle... someone... air dropped... a whole crate... of mascara.
Love, Romance, and a Razor-Thin 80's Tie
Ellie recognizes Daniel as someone who "couldn't stay away". I'm sure we'll see that scene eventually. Danielle professing his love for Charlotte was a very sweet moment, and he means it. What's not romantic is ogling your mom! Daniel knows this, which is why when Ellie accuses him of staring at her and calls him a Romeo, Daniel states "far from it". Ellie is destined to become Eloise Hawking, who many of us have already theorized is Daniel's mom. And if you want to go a step further and hook Ellie up with a young and dashing Charles Widmore, Penny becomes Daniel's sister (or at least half-sister). Desmond becomes Daniel's brother-in-law, and Daniel becomes uncle to little Charlie. We're going out on a limb to make these assumptions, but the LOST family tree grows in twisted directions. So maybe it's not much of a stretch.
Nadia's Mugger and the Case of the Flaming Rats
Desmond arrives back at Oxford to find that the only thing standing between him and Faraday's laboratory is a fumigation sign and a very shitty lock. Pretty weak, unless he was meant to find that room. Funny how that guy shows up at exactly the right time, too. Dressed like the guy who mugged Nadia, he doesn't seem at all pissed off about Desmond being there. One informative and helpful conversation later he leaves Desmond to continue his quest to find Faraday's mom. Was this guy sent by Widmore, or was he an agent of Ben? You make the call because he certainly wasn't the janitor.
Daniel Faraday... Making Girls Sick since the Mid-90's
Teresa Spencer has a bad case of the Minkowskis. The recycled librarian would have Desmond believe this was Faraday's fault, but it has to have something to do with Charles Widmore. Faraday's experiments would have been limited only to his rats especially if Teresa was the girl in the photo and he was romantically involved with her (the guy must have a thing for redheads). But no, somehow something went accidentally wrong or Widmore, desperate to find the island again, pushed Daniel's research too quickly. This resulted in Teresa's sickness, which is one of the reasons why Widmore is financially supporting her. The other reason is to keep that avenue open, hoping that Daniel (or Desmond) comes back to see her. He can't be supporting her too heavily though, because her sister still works at The Quick Mart. This is why Daniel is so adamant about NOT letting the sickness happen to Charlotte. He knows what she's going through and knows the end result. Pack on the guilt for what happened to Teresa, and the burden on Daniel's shoulders seems heavier than ever. Maybe that's why he pauses three seconds before every sentence.
You Think he Knows This Island Better Than I do?
This was an ultra cool fade in to Locke overlooking the Others camp. Let's think about Locke for a minute, as he slowly gathers returning memories/knowledge this season, Locke seems to know the shortest paths, he shows up at crucial moments to toss knives with expert precision and rescue people. Locke's "coming into" his role more and more with each passing episode. "He's one of my people", did Locke have a memory flash there, or is he acting on the assumption that since Jones (Widmore) was an Other, he must one day be led by Locke? Locke self-touting himself as Jacob's chosen one has a nagging echo of falsehood to it. When he said those words to Richard, it’s almost as if such a conclusion were too obvious for LOST. Remember how disappointed Richard was when young Locke couldn't pick all the correct items that belonged to him. Locke should have known the compass was his because Richard had given it to him, time and time again, in past loops. Locke failed Alpert's test, and from that moment on Richard knew Locke wasn't destined to be their future leader. Richard still needs Locke though, because Locke must leave the island to bring back the O6. Unfortunately for John Locke, perhaps his only destiny is to be a sacrificial character. It’s just theory folks, go easy.
You Dropped A Bomb On Me, Baby!
Back at the atomic warhead, Ellie is nagging (motherly?) and persistent enough to get answers out of Daniel. This is frustrating, considering he spent most of last season denying the 815'ers any kind of answers whatsoever. Even Sawyer was disappointed; "You told her?" Daniel's mention of concrete may have solved yet another old mystery as well: Jughead could very well be what's behind the concrete wall of the Swan hatch. Sayid said something about the wall being warm, and the instability of the radioactive material could explain why a button needs to be pushed every 108 minutes. This also reinforces why a Geiger counter would be in the Swan hatch. Would the timer counting down to zero or the turning of the fail safe key set Jughead off? Maybe. Or maybe 50 years later enough degradation had occurred to keep the bomb from exploding. Jughead certainly ends up somewhere fifty years from now, and the Swan hatch is as good a place as any.
Namaste, You Neck-Snapping Maniac!
One of the highlights of the episode was Locke's huge "You've got to be kidding" grin when he learned Jones' true identity. Now it makes even more sense why Locke didn't shoot Jones when he escaped in the jungle - he literally couldn't. The gods of time travel wouldn't let him. Now the fact that Charles Widmore was on the island is no big surprise, but to see a younger version of him in 1954 was. As that storyline plays out we should find out how and why he ends up leaving the island, which will probably be involuntary. The island is Disneyland compared to the normal, mundane world but young Widmore must obtain some sort of power or happiness on the island that he doesn't have on the mainland which is what makes him want to go back. Something that no amount of money or power could ever buy him. Older Widmore seems unconcerned with keeping or holding Desmond, but that's because he has an interest in Penny's well being. He knows that Desmond is with her and will always protect her. In a way, Desmond is a great insurance policy. He's the game changer, meaning there's no one better when it comes to keeping bad things from happening to his daughter. Widmore urges Desmond not to get involved. But then he says "Deliver your message". What message? How does he know Desmond has a message? Widmore slipped up there. He already knows what Desmond's doing, where he's going, and why. He must approve of it because instead of stopping him he actually helps out. It's obvious that Widmore is working to guide Desmond back to the island, probably, he hopes, without Penny.
Penny Has a Finely Tuned Bullshit Detector, and Desmond Just Buried the Needle
Desmond really sucks at lying. Yet Penny loves him anyway, and now they're going to LA, setting themselves up for a reunion with the O6. I just hope Penny stays away from Ben or there could be drama.
The Days Of Future Passed
If you are like me, you are psyched to see more time flashes! I want to see the distant past: the temple and the statue and the Others all speaking Latin with Juliet having to translate everything they say while Sawyer and Miles make sarcastic comments. I want to see the birth of the smoke monster, the origins of the Black Rock, Danielle and her lunatic crew. Even better, I want to see a flash of the future; maybe the horrible, terrible future of the island (and the world?) that Ben and Hawking are trying so desperately to avoid. LOST has been given the license to do unlimited cool stuff and these next weeks should absolutely rock.
2 comments:
Just a follow up to the actress who played the clerk at Oxford and the woman at the gate in the first season, they are both played by the same actress. Mary Ann Taheny. Does this mean something? Who knows.
i still cant believe some people are upset with the direction the show has taken!
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