Exceptional Podcast Details

In the podcast recapping "D.O.C." and previewing "The Brig," the Powers that Be, Damon and Carlton, gave some good tidbits I thought I'd share with you. If you are spoiler-averse, you may want to skip this post, but I don't think any of this is truly a "spoiler."

First - the mysterious parachutist's full name will be revealed as "Naomi Doritt." Anyone who can come with a hidden meaning or anagram for that name, come forth and let me know.

They also tackled the two biggest questions from "D.O.C."

1. What's up with Naomi's "no survivors" reveal at the end of the episode?

First of all, they reiterated: our characters are not in purgatory. They said this leaves few possibilities:

1. Naomi’s lying. After all, why trust the delirious ramblings of a random stranger?
   
2. The conspiracy theory – somebody put the wreckage in a place where it could be found(who could do that? they ask)
   
3. (That’s all they would say at this point; see my recap, the prior post below, for my opinions).
   
   

2. The second big mystery: Mikhail – why (and how) is he not dead? Again, there are two main possibilities:

1. The fence was not turned up too high.
2. He died, and was brought back to life.
   
   

Damon and Carlton say that Mikhail will throw us a hint in a week or two.

They went on to tease this week's episode, "The Brig," and moving forward. Things to watch for:

• What happened to John between the time he saw Anthony Cooper tied up, and the time he talked to Kate, with a bandaged hand, and said he was leaving with the Others?
• Why and how was Cooper in a room on the island? He will tell us.
• They referred to the idea that the island is “outside the space-time continuum” as a “tutti-fruity” theory.
• We will nothing in Lost (sci-fi-wise) that you would not read in a Michael Crichton novel (which leaves open aliens, talking gorillas, dinosaurs, AI nanotech, the ability to warp reality, and time travel to the middle ages).
• Claire's psychic's predictions and Walt’s abilities will come back in the future (no idea when this will happen).
• The Others' obsession with children will turn out to have more behind it than their inability to bear children.
• The Others are interested in children with “special abilities” (e.g. Walt)

I'm looking forward to the rest of the season!

Episode 318 - "D.O.C." ends with "W.T.F?"

The apparently-dead apparently lived! The clearly alive are apparently dead!! And the almost dead will heal really fast!!! All this, plus the biggest head-scratching ending in Lost History, in the Jin-Sun Centric "D.O.C."

Flashback - Sun (guest-starring Jin)
Like all episodes featuring Mr. or Mrs. Kwon, D.O.C. spent some time with both. But make no mistake about it - this episode belonged to Sun.

Jin did not begin his married life as a thug for Lost's Korean Tony Soprano (Mr. Paik), but rather he began his married life with a modest but respectable job in Paik automotive as a factory foreman. We also learned the reasons he became a thug and would-be murderer for his father-in-law. Jin was ashamed to rely on Mr. Paik's charity, and insisted on providing for his own wife (who we clearly saw he deeply loves). But the desire for self-sufficiency was only part of the story. As it Turns out, Sun provided the push that sent her husband into a life of organized crime.

This push began with a simple trip to a Seoul park. Sun was greeted by a strange woman who pointed out Sun and Jin's wedding announcement in the Society Page. The conversation quickly turned sinister when the woman threatened to reveal Jin's scandalous parentage (his father? Not so much "dead" as "poor fisherman," and his mother? Whore). The stranger blackmailed Sun, demanding $100,000.00 to keep Jin's secrects from going public. As an aside, why would the blackmailer demand such a round amount in American currency, since they were in Korea?

Sun attempted the get Jin to reveal what he knew. While unpacking in their new apartment, she focused on pictures of her family, and asked Jin if he had any pictures with his parents. Jin maintained the story that his mother died in childbirth and his father died when he was younger. Unfortunately, Sun spotted the lie when Jin changed the story - he previously said his father died when he was 16, but now said he died while Jin was in the army.

Wanting the truth, Sun apparently hired a private investigator (the fastest one in Korea) to find Jin's father. When papa Kwon realized who this woman was, he immediately invited her in to his modest bachelor pad. He explained Jin lied about his death to avoid shame. When Sun asked about the story that Jin's mother was a prostitute, friendly tea turned to nervous sake. Mr. Kwon confirmed that Jin's mother had been with "many men" and that she abandoned Jin to him when he was a baby. The kicker of this conversation - Mr. Kwon was never certain that Jin was his child (given the theme of the episode, this was both thematically resonant and potentially a big reveal). He begged Sun not to tell Jin they had spoken (the shame would be too much), and confirmed the lie about Jin's mother was one he told Jin to protect him. Mr. Kwon asked Sun not to tell Jin that his mother was alive.

Not wanting to shame her husband, Sun knew she had to pay the blackmail. But where is a mob heiress to go for $100,000? Oh, yeah, to daddy! (Quick question - does anyone else find some sort of meaning in the design of the Paik Heavy Industries logo?) Sun refused to explain the need for the money, but Old Man Paik realized it was to protect Jin from something. She tried to pry the money with the Meadow Soprano tactic ("let's stop pretending I don't know what you really do") when daughterly love didn't work. But dad was all too clear - if she took this money to protect Jin, Jin would be in her father's debt, and he would work it off. Acknolwedging that she was condemning her husband to a life of thuggery in order to prevent his embarassment, Sun took the money.

After Jin discovered the money, and Sun lied again (daddy's gift so we can buy some nice furniture and go on a honeymoon), it became clear that in his deep-seeded desire to earn his keep and not accept charity, he would soon walk head-long into the servitude to which Sun had just condemned him.

Finally, Sun confronted her blackmailer. It was, indeed, Jin's mother, coldly saying she may have given birth to him, but that did not maker her his mother. Sun showed some of the strength we've come to know her for - she threatened her mother-in-law that any future attempt to contact either her or Jin would be met with a swift response from her "powerful family."

In sum, the story provided some color to the Jin/Sun story, and really helped to hit home the extent to which Sun loves her husband. It's interesting that the producers told this story, and not the story of the affair with Jae Lee, this time around, though, given the main storyline of the week...

Real Time Part 1 - The Beach (Sun)

Jack (in his only scene) joins Sun in her garden. After the obligatory small talk , Jack begins to "play doctor," essentially interrogating Sun about her pregnancy symptoms. Sun, who continues to lead the charge in the "are we sure we should trust Jack after he spent a week alone with the Others" camp, asks Kate what she thought or heard about Jack's separate captivity. She is unsatisfied with Kate's response, particularly since Jack brought Juliet to the beach. Kate explains that Juliet helped save Claire, and her role as Other fertility specialist, and Sun's suspicion that the Others will want to abduct her the same as they did Claire (or worse, take her child) overcomes her. She charges over to where Juliet is working on something on the beach, and demands to know - "what happens to pregnant women on this island?" Juliet, realizing Sun must fit into that category, matter-of-factly explains, "they die. They all die."

After a moment of existential angst watching Claire and Aaron coo in their tent (they can't all die, since Claire's still around, right?) Sun is "greeted" in the middle of the night by Juliet, who does her best impression of Michael Biehn in The Terminator - "Come with me if you want to live."

Together, the two women march through the jungle by torchlight. Juliet tells Sun there is an ultrasound machine in the medical station. She also explains her theory - off-island conception is safe, but on-island conception is deadly, so it's essential to determine the titular "D.O.C.," that is, "Date Of Conception." The implication to Sun is clear - either she conceived a baby from an aduterous romp with Jae, or she's carrying Jin's baby, and will die. Not surprisingly, Sun is initially reluctant to discuss the details of her sex life with Jin...

Sun asks the question we all are thinking - how there still be an ultrasound in the hatch, after Kate, Claire and Rousseau found the hatch to be cleared out? The answer? Kate didn't know where to look. Still suspicious of Juliet, Sun asks why should help. Juliet explains that she lost 9 patients in 3 years, and she wants to go back to her old life, when telling a woman she was pregnant was good news. Sun confesses her affair with Jae, which explains why "good news" is relative concept. Juliet pulls a lever hidden in a locker, and a secret door opens, revealing a back room where everything Claire reported but Kate and co. couldn't find was stashed. Sun asks why the room is hidden away. Juliet explains, this is "where we brought women to die."

As the women fire up the ultrasound, Sun explains the extent of the dilemma. Off-island, Jin was diagnosed as blank-shooter. Juliet explains that, for whatever reason, the sperm count of men on the island is 5 times greater than off-island. It seems men are primed to impregnate women, but the women then die. Sun sums up her dilemma as Juliet takes measurements - "I lose either way." Juliet takes the measurement, and we get the answer to one of Lost's major questions - Jin is the baby daddy. The little timebomb was conceived about a month after Jin and Sun arrived on the island (query - when was Jin on that raft...)

Sun's reaction to the news was Yunjin Kim's finest acting moment on the show. I frankly wept seeing her tell Juliet - "you gave me good news." Yes, as we learned in the flashback, indiscretion notwithstanding, she truly, deeply loves Jin. And so I fully believe she does prefer the apparent death sentence to the idea of carrying another man's baby. Sun asks Juliet how long she has. Juliet tells her the women she treated all made it to the middle of the second trimester, but none made it to the third. Juliet promises to do everything she can to help Sun. Given that it's taken three seasons to depict three months on the island, though, I somehow doubt Sun's demise is too terribly imminent on the show.

As they depart the hatch, Juliet says she wants to double-check some of the measurements they took, and reenters the hatch, alone. Because recent experience tells us Juliet's word is not to be trusted, I was thinking, "gee, it would be a great twist for Juliet, alone, to reveal somehow that the baby is Jae's..." But that is not what happens. Instead, Juliet recovers a tape recorder left for her in one of the lockers. She leaves a message for Ben - the baby is Jin's, and was conceived on-island. Her next revellation goes to something I noted a couple of weeks ago - she's checking "Austen and the other women" and will report again soon. Yup, there was more to the master plan for Kate and Sawyer - they were thrust together as an experiment to knock Kate up. Finally, after turning off the recording, Juliet still continues her message to Ben with the three words that keep her on our good side - "I hate you."

Random thought - maybe Jin (and Sawyer), as men who came to the island, might not have lethal sperm (unlike, say, men on the island). Random optimism...

Real Time Part 2 - the Jungle

(Think Superfriends announcer voice...)

Meanwhile, in the jungle, Desmond, Jin, Charlie and Hurley tend to the mysterious parachutist...

Desmond tells his camping crew that he's never seen Naomi (trust me, that's her name) before. It appears Naomi was impaled with a branch on her way down from the sky. Delirious, she alternately babbles in Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Portuguese...Yes folks, Naomi needs medical help. But they can't move her (it might get worse), and they can't go running willy-nilly through the dangerous jungle alone. As they argue over how best to bring Jack to save their potential rescuer, Hurley accidentally fires Naomi's flare gun. Desmond clarifies the creation of the photo Naomi has - it's apparently a color copy of his prized "marina" photo (still no explanation of how that other copy ended up on Penny's nightstand).

Just as Desmond is about to ignore Charlie's protestations and run for Jack, a familiar face emerges from the jungle. It is this week's first "WTF" moment, in the form of Mikhail Bakunin, who has apparently recovered from his massive cerebral hemmorhage!!!

Mikhail’s appearance does not appear to be by pure happenstance – it is as if he were running towards the flare. Given the interest Mikhail would have in not letting the Losties know he was still alive, I can’t believe he was exploring the flare out of idle curiosity. Rather, he must have thought of it as a signal. But signal for what? Anyway, as any good sniveling villain would do, Mikhail turns tail and runs.

Jin (who, as a guest star in the flashback, needed something to do in this episode), chases after him. The two get into a super-cool kung-fu fight, and Jin ultimately gets the best of Mikhail with a sleeper hold. Charlie instantly recognizes Mikhail from Sayid's story (note to producers - please don't kill Sayid: he's the only one who tells anybody everything he learns!) and says they should kill him, to which Mikhail snidely replies, "I have already died once this week." Mikhail identifies himself as a former medic in the Soviet Red Army, and offers to help Naomi in exchange for a free pass to leave. Hurley lets slip the existence of the sat phone, to Charlie's chagrin, realizes his mistake, and defiantly refuses to reveal whether or not the phone works (that oughtta learn him, Hugo). Mikhail vents Naomi's lung. She utters something in Portuguese, which Mikhail translates as "thanks," but which online postings have revealed was really "I'm not alone." Where this will go promises to be interesting, to say the least...

Mikail patches Naomi up, and says she should heal in a day or two because on the island, "the wounds are a bit different”).

Let's tally this up...on the island, crush injuries (Boone) are lethal, gunshots (Shannon, Ana Lucia, libby, Pickett and his wife, Ethan) are lethal, pregnancy is lethal, but having an inch-wide branch shoved through your lung, or having a sonic blast fry your brain, leads to nearly immediate recovery. As long as we know the rules....

Mikhail turns to leave. Jin thinks to check Naomi's pack and, sure enough, the phone is gone. He finds it on Mikhail (who I'm really digging), who smiles and asks, "how could you respect me if I didn't try?"

Charlie wants to hold on to Mikhail, but, to his chagrin, Desmond insists on letting him go because 1) they gave their word, 2) it will be hard to carry Naomi and bring a prisoner back to the beach, and 3) by his count, the beach camp has killed more Others than vice versa. Hurley plays with the phone while sitting next to Naomi, who awakens and asks, in what sounded like an Australian accent, who these strangers are. Hurley tells her they are survivors from Oceanic 815, when, in the biggest twist of the season, Naomi reveals that they found the wreckage of flight 815, and there were no survivors - everyone was dead!!!

Reader Zach Cohen (Zach, whoever you are, thanks for the shout-out) asks the big question on all our minds..."Is it possible that Jacob or Ben staged something so that the world would think flight 815 had no survivors so no one would keep looking for them? I doubt there is really some pergatory thing going [on]."

Here's my thoughts and observations on this piece of information. We saw the wreckage of the plane on the beach ("Pilot," "The Other 48 Days" (tail section), "Exposé") though it did promptly disappear (middle of season 1). Naomi said "no survivors," but it's unclear if that means someone positively identified all bodies. We also know the plane really did crash from the Super-Google search Mikhail ran to identify the island's new arrivals. So there are a few “possibilities” to consider.

1) Naomi is lying. After all, picture of Desmond notwithstanding, what reason do we have to trust her at this point?

2) Our Lostaways are in Purgatory (or some other state of existence that is not what we think of as “life”). This one has been disclaimed by the producers over and over again, so I doubt it.

3) The Others (or the island) did it. This one may have some potential. After all, if Ben and co are adamant about people not leaving the island, it would make sense to somehow ensure that nobody was looking for the plane that crashed. We know that Richard Alpert was still in the U.S. when the plane crashed, so there may have been other Others agents off-island to plant bodies, falsify DNA results, and place the wreckage where it was “found,” presumably someplace more on course. But, seriously, do the Others have the ability to sneak onto the beach and remove the wreckage themselves? Could it have been smokey? Are they in cahoots?

4) The universe “course corrected.” We know from “Flashes Before Your Eyes” the theory espoused my Ms. Hawking, that when something happens that is not “supposed to” happen, the universe will find some way to fix the “mistake.” It is this theory that makes Desmond’ s attempts to save Charlie’s life potentially futile, as it was for Ms. Hawking to try to save red shoe guy. Realistically, when a jumbo jet is ripped apart at cruising altitude over a small island in the middle of the ocean, 50 or so people are not supposed to survive. Maybe this course correction is so powerful, dead versions of our “survivors” were somehow manifest elsewhere. This theory requires something further, however, to work; namely, an explanation for who our characters are (and, indeed, Doc Jensen has recently teased that Charlie’s query after Sawyer shot the polar bear in the Pilot episode should have been, “guys, who are we?”) If the island can download memories, and manifest people and things who are not supposed to be there, could it be that our “survivors” are in fact remade versions of people who died in the crash? Could that explain why Locke and Rose (and other people brought to the island from the outside world) heal, or are fixed? On the other hand, why would the island create these phantoms and let them remain in mortal danger? I’m still working on this one…

I submit to you, loyal Lostophiles, that this option (or anything similar to it, such as “alternate realities” or “time travel”) bothers me, not because it’s impossible to tell such a story well, but because it would fundamentally alter the game on Lost. That said, Damon Lindelof and Cartlon Cuse have been clear that a moment would occur towards the end of the season that would fundamentally change the game, so to speak. I cringe, hopeful, that such a dramatic shift in story-telling, if it did indeed occur as we’ve been led to believe, can be pulled off without irretrievably damaging the narrative of Lost. Unfortunately, this is a real possibility. After all, the title “Lost” refers to the characters’ personalities, as well as their predicament. Their flashbacks, and the baggage they bring from their pre-island lives, are an integral part of understanding who these people are. If the survivors are indeed some form of copies or alternate versions of the people who died, must they actually be bound to the memories, the guilt, the emotional baggage of their past, or are they free to start over as entirely new people? And with that thought, I leave you for now, until next week, when the truth behind Anthony Cooper (and whether or not he’s the “real Sawyer”) will be at the forefront of “The Brig.”

O, Canada! I'll Be Late for "D.O.C."

Oh, no, Lostophiles! A major crisis!

On Wednesday, I fly to Montreal for a client meeting. I land at 8:45 pm local time. No problem, right?

WRONG!!! Apparently, our neighbors to the North get their Lost episodes two hours ahead of those of us watching stateside.

The upshot is, I won't have time to watch, much less recap "D.O.C." until at least a day late.

So here's what I'm asking: send me your thoughts, your questions, your theories, etc. Post them as comments to this post, or email me at lostquestions@gmail.com. After I watch the episode (and discover, as you'll already know, who Sun's Baby Daddy is), I'll incorporate your musings into my recap, and give you full credit for your contributions.

Can't wait for your thoughts!

Ep 317 - Rescuing Charlie is Desmond's "Catch-22."

Death averted! Future History Changed!! SKaters get a little sum'n sum'n!!! All this in more in "Catch-22"

FORETHOUGHTS
Ok, so normally my "big thought" observations come at the end of my recaps, or interspersed throughout. But the fun of a Desmond episode is its ability to mess with the order of things (or perhaps I should say, the "Order of Things"). So here are some preliminary observations:

New Writer
Check out my previous post on this blog for my gushing over first time (co-)writer Brian K. Vaughn. The script for "Catch-22" was solid, and it's always good to get some decent new blood.

Biblical References Abound
In a show that has already made overt references to biblical names like "Benjamin" and "Jacob," last night brought us "Ruth" and (though not so-named in the episode) "Naomi." And of course, the story of Abraham's binding of Isaac hung in both the foreground and the background. I'll say this for Lost's writers - they know their philsophers (Locke, Hume, Burke, Bakunin...), and they seem to know their Old Testament, as well.

Best "Easter Egg" Ever
A clever device used by Lost's producers frequently is the inclusion of little hints of things to come or hidden answers in the background of scenes. Some of these have included Hurley's Tricia Tanaka interview on a Korean TV in a Jin/Sun flashback, and video of Sayid being hauled off to detention playing in Sgt. Austen's office in a Kate flashback. As you'll see soon enough, a much more meaningful clue appeared in blink-and-miss-it fashion in "Catch-22."

More Questions than Answers
It stands to reason, that in the episode following "One of Us," Lost would again try to boggle the mind more than satisfy our curiosities. The few answers we got were to questions few of us thought too long and hard about. In short:

• Bernard (and presumably Rose)? Still around (and looking for his missing 80s music).


• Under what conditions Sawyer can move his relationship with Kate forward? Sloppy seconds.


• What was Desmond up to before he met Penny?


• How did Desmond meet Penny?


• Why does Desmond cals most men he meets "brother?" Because he was a monk!

So, with those thoughts in mind...

FLASHBACK- DESMOND

In 1995 (or shortly thereafter), Desmond joined a monastery. As he emerged from his vow of silence, he joined Brother Campbell's Order, making and bottling Moriah wine. This prompted a discussion of the biblical Mt. Moriah, where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, only to have God intervene at the last possible moment and call off the demanded sacrifice (anyone who wants more deep thoughts on this need only show up in a synagogue for the sermon on the second day of Rosh Hashannah in any given year). Desmond found the tale too depressing to name a wine after, but, as Brother Campbell pointed out, God spared Isaac...

It turns out that Desmond joined the Order when he received his "calling" in the form of Brother Campbell standing over him as Desmond awakened from a blackout in the street. (Aside - was this blackout a result of Desmond's frequent drinking binges, or a re-written history blackout like the ones he has been experiencing since turning the key in the Swan hatch? Second aside - the name, Brother Campbell, suggests Joseph Campbell, the late great professor of myth who wrote and lectured extensively on the monomyth, or the concept that all civilizations' myths are essentially the same, with certain recurring archetypes. Consider, in Desmond's example, the parallels between his own story and that of Odysseus, both questing to be worthy of returning to lost loves named Penelope...)

But what was Desmond doing before his calling? He was but one week away from marrying his six-year girlfriend, Ruth. Ruth's brother, Derek, tracked Desmond down to the monastery and clocked him in the nose. Repentant, Desmond sought out Ruth to apologize, but she was none too charitable. “Next time you want to break up with somebody, Des, don’t join a monastery. Just tell the bloody girl.” This prompted another drinking binge, in which Desmond downed about 200 Pounds Sterling worth of Moriah. Brother Campbell felt this showed that Desmond was not meant to be a monk, but rather, his contribution to the world would lie along another path. Hence, he "fired" formerly "Brother" Desmond, and set him on his way. “I have little doubt that God has different plans than you being a monk…you’ve just spent too much time running away to realize what you’ve been running towards.” Des asked for guidance, but was only told he was to do "whatever comes next."

Perhaps this send-off was more overt than Desmond realized. On his way out the door, Desmond was asked by Brother Campbell for one final favor - to help him load some cases of Moriah into the Range Rover driven by the daughter of one of the monastery's biggest supporters. That daughter, of course, turned out to be Penny Widmore, who flirtatiously requested that Desmond hop in and help her unload the crates back at her father's country estate...

And Now...The Easter Egg!!
In one quick shot during Desmond's final good-bye with Brother Campbell, we saw the Brother's desk, complete with a very intriguing photo. It seems Brother Campbell has some sort of connection with Ms. Hawking, the antiquities dealer who would later confront Desmond about his time-hopping and his destiny to turn that darn key. What larger implications does this photo have (for some suggestions, click the title of this post to see Ew.com's Doc Jensen's Cliff Notes style recap)? Was Desmond's path set this early in his life? Was he brought to the monastery just to meet Penny, to find the path that would lead him to turn the key in his quest to be worthy of Penny, both in his own eyes, and in her father's? Was Charles Widmore, whose links to the Hanso Foundation have been suggested many times over, trying to get Desmond on his ultimate path? More on Desmond's various moral dilemmas, and what it means to be "worthy" in his own eyes, in terms of abstract morality, and in the eyes of God, to follow...

"Real" Time - The Island
"Catch-22" gives the viewer an excellent sense of the visions Desmond has experienced since the hatch imploded.

To the viewer, the image of Penny in the jungle is the least apparent aspect of this disorganzied puzzle Desmond gets via flash-forward. But to Des, that's the whole point. He believes if the rest of his vision happens as he sees it, he will finally be reuinted with Pen...The problem is, in addition to flashes of Hurley and Jin holding up the cable on the beach (the one that led Sayid to Rousseau's bunker, and the one we now know connected the Flame station to the sonar beacon), and Hurly and Charlie debating whether the Flash or Superman could win a race, Desmond's vision very clearly depicted Charlie setting off one of Rousseau's booby traps, and getting a fatal arrow through the throat for his troubles.

Herein lies Desmond's "Catch-22", as well as the tie-in to the story of Abraham on Mt. Moriah. Desmond, both before he joined the monastery and ever since, has constantly tried to prove himself "worthy." He has been willing to sacrifice almost anything for this noble quest, including joining the perilous Widmore Cup solo sailing race, and even being willing to sacrifice himself when he turned the fail-safe key. Tellingly, his final act before the hatch imploded was to reaffirm his love for Penny, as though this act may finally make him worthy of her.

Ever since the implosion, Desmond has taken on the role of Charlie's guardian angel, saving his life three times already, despite his belief in the inherent futility of it all. And now, along comes a vision, one that tells him that, to finally reunite with Penny, he must allow Charlie to die. Is this the sacrifice Abraham was willing to make for God? On the other hand, if Des now allows Charlie to die for personal reward, is he worthy of Penny? Hence, the "Catch-22" (taken from the Joseph Heller book of the same title, in which the military would only discharge a non-wounded soldier if he were crazy, but any attempt to show craziness would be a sign of sufficient self-awareness to prove the soldier was not crazy). As Desmond's discussion with Brother Campbell years before reminded him, the story of Abraham and Isaac could also be looked at as the story of not sacrificing another's life, and thereby pleasing God. So what was Desmond to do?

Well, one thing is certain - Des has to set these events in motion so that he can even have such a choice. Ham-handedly, he recruits the cast of characters. Hurley, sensing this is a "future crap thing," warily assists, and recruits Jin and Charlie for a "camping trip," complete with whistling the march from Bridge on the River Kwai and, in a really cute sequence, Jin telling a familiar campfire ghost story...in Korean.

As Jin scares Hurley with his (to Hurley) incomprensible tale, other items from Desmond's vision start to occur - the sound of a helicopter (!?) on the horizon, the apparent crash of the copter in the ocean, a red beacon in the sky, and a parachute falling into the jungle. Jin thinks pilot, Hurley thinks food drop. Charlie points out you can’t eject from a helicopter. Charlie, keenly aware of his constantly impending doom, refuses to go into the jungle in the dead of night, and Desmond, aware that he can't see Penny unless Charlie at least approaches death, reluctantly agrees to wait for morning.

The party continues onward at first light, and finds a backpack stuck in a tree. Inside is, not surprisingly given the title of the episode, a copy of Catch-22, only it's in Portuguese. Of course, unbeknownst to Desmond (but knownst to us), the Arctic researchers working with Penny in the Season 2 finale spoke Portuguese. Connection?

Desmond also finds a satellite phone, the battery of which, of course, instantly dies. I don't pretend to know a lot about sat phones, but look at the display on this model. It very closely resembles the newly-released iPhone from Apple. Yet, on the island, it's still late Fall, 2004. Is this another time-hopping/bending clue about what's happening on the island, and how time passes, or just an over-exuberant prop hand thinking this model looks "cool?"

But it's within the book that Des finds the most startling discovery of all...a copy of his treasured photo with Penny. This of course begs the question, how on Earth is this possible? First of all, this suggests the crashed helicopter was piloted by somebody who knows who Desmond is, and was perhaps looking for him. But unlike flight 815, there is no particular reason (that we know of) to assume anyone would think to look for Des on this island. Moreover, as we saw in "Flashes Before Your Eyes," the photo was taken and handed to Desmond by a random photographer moments before he broke up with Penny. How could there be another copy of it (a question already posed, as we've seen it on Penny's nightstand, when the freezing Portuguese guys called her).

Charlie deduces that Desmond believes the parachutist is Penny. Desmond tells Charlie he didn’t tell them because he didn’t want anything to change. Then the rain starts, the rain that, to Desmond, signals Charlie’s death. The Flash/ Superman debate begins, and Desmond knows what to expect. Can he do it, can he let Charlie die for the chance to Penny? With the picture in his hand, is it too late now to make a difference, either way? Desmond sees the arrow, and makes his decision. He tackles Charlie, and the arrow misses! Cue Hurley: “Dude.”

They split up to search two separate directions. Charlie confronts Desmond about why he was brought along. Des thinks it’s pointless – he thinks this is a test, his continually saving Charlie. Jin shouts, and they find a parachute, and the jumper’s beacon flashing. She is unconscious and not moving. Des clearly blames himself, for not sacrificing Charlie. Desmond cuts down the chute, intercut with his first meeting scene with Penny. Can this be her? Desmond removes the helmet…and that is not Penny.

But it is someone who recognizes him – the stranger, in a daze, says, “Desmond," before fading into unconsciousness. (Press notes indicate this mysterious visitor is named "Naomi," the referenced alluded to above. Next week, she purportedly will awaken and will bring all sorts of shocking news to our Lostaways...)

So what is the lesson of Desmond's tale? Did he change the picture of the puzzle by preventing Charlie's death? Did Desmond prove himself worthy of Penny by saving Charlie's life, or did he fail the test Abraham passed, by being unwilling to go through the sacrifice demanded of him?

Real Real Time - Beach Group

The "C" story in "Catch-22" involves Kate, Jack and Sawyer trying to determine their respective relationships now that life is back to what passes for "normal."

Sawyer accidentally walks in on Kate getting dressed, and wants to know if Kate told Jack about their tryst (for bragging rights? to see if he should watch his back for an attack from Jilted Jack?) She says no, but he knows, because the Others had a camera on them. “Perverts.” Sawyer requests a little afternoon delight (Ew). Kate rolls her eyes, and Sawyer, mock-hurt, asks, “do you need me to make you a mix tape?”

But Kate is not so over Jack, yet. She doesn’t know what to do with herself while having a quiet evening chat with Jack. She’s trying to establish a connection. Jack borrows a spoon from her, ignoring her flirtatious licking of said spoon, then takes some eats over to Juliet. D’oh! "Look at them smiling and laughing together," Kate's expression seems to say. Enough’s enough – she goes to Sawyer’s tent and jumps him. He sees her crying, but she shuts him up and they enjoy some lovely sex on the beach. That oughtta show Jack.

In the morning, wanting to claim his victory, Sawyer swaggers on over to Jack. He asks what Jack and Juliet were up to, “arguing over your favorite Other?” Swayer challenges Jack to ping pong. In a cute exchange about the origin of the beach's table, Sawyer explains to Jack that it’s from the hatch, and if they don’t play every 108 minutes, the island will explode. As they discuss the previous night, Sawyer realizes what happened with Kate - he was just her sloppy seconds after she felt jilted. For a moment, Sawyer seems able to bounce back. He pulls off a mildly romantic gesture - a mix tape. Ok, so it’s the Best of Phil Collins, courtesy of Bernard. But then Sawyer, shmo that he is, asks Kate why she jumped him, and if it was because of Jack and Juliet? She denies it, but, ugh, that is no question to ask at the start of a relationship.

So that's it for "Catch-22." With five episodes to go, I want to point out that my earlier-reported rest-of-season episode schedule appears to have been corrected. The last remaining episodes of Season 3 appear to be as follows:

Episode 318 - "D.O.C." (Jin/ Sun)
Episode 319 - "The Brig" (John Locke)
Episode 320 - "The Man Behind the Curtain" (Ben Linus (yay!))
Episode 321 - "The Truth About Lying / Greatest Hits" (Charlie (oh, no!))
Episodes 322-323 - "Through the Looking Glass" (Jack)

Welcome to Island, Mr. Vaughn

Tonight, Lost welcomes a new addition to its writing staff, Brian K. Vaughn, who co-wrote "Catch-22." Vaughn, who previously served as "executive story editor" on a number of episodes this season, is best known for his work in another medium - comic books.

The creator of some of the most memorable titles in modern comics, including "Y - The Last Man," Vaughn has more recently created and written one of the more inventive new titles I've read in years, Marvel Comics' "Runaways." The themes and concepts explored in Runaways make clear how perfect Vaughn is to join the Lost writing crew.

Runaways is about a group of Los Angeles-area adolescents who ban together when they learn that their parents are secretly a six-couple cabal of super-villains spanning every comic book cliche imaginable: underworld kingpins, aliens, sorcerors, mad scientists, time travelling thieves and mutants (all of which seem to offer at least a partial theory on what on earth is going on in Lost). In Volume 1 of the title (available at Amazon.com; click the title of this post for an order screen), the Runaways come together, learn the truth about their parents (and themselves), and struggle to bring their parents to justice. Volume 2, which has surpassed the first volume in length, deals mostly with the group's struggles to find their own identities and not have the sins of the fathers (and mothers) visited upon them. Given the eclectic nature of the group and its ensemble cast, and the fixation with parent issues, Runaways is an excellent springboard into Lost for Mr. Vaughn.

(Incidentally, Vaughn finally ceded the writing duties on Runaways this month to an even more established kingpin of pop culture, Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, and the writer on Marvel's latest mutant title, Astonishing X-Men).

This marks a welcome new trend, as comic writers and tv writers start to bleed across genres. In addition to Vaughn and Whedon, comics uber-scribe Geoff Loeb is one of the head writers on NBC's Heroes. Legendary comic writer and artist Frank Miller has had several of his books adapted into movies (most recently 300). And it seems every other blockbuster released by the studios began on newsprint in the 60s-80s (Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Batman, Superman, Men in Black, etc.)

Fanboys, unite! The imagination that has inhabited the world of comics for years has finally begun to reach a broader audience, as new effects technology and an emphasis on serialized episodic drama (perfected in comics) has made these creative minds hot commodities.

Episode 316 - Juliet Walks Among Us, but is She "One of Us"?

Wow. Freakin' wow! "One of Us" was easily one of the top 5 episodes of Lost ever. Densely plotted, full of actual answers, suggestive of many new questions and, above all, the best-acted episode of the series. The flashbacks were some of the most essential to date, so let's get started with...

Flashback - Juliet
The bulk of the flashback closed the gap between Juliet's last flashback and the crash of flight 815. Juliet, freshly recruited by Richard Alpert at the morgue (ew) showed up at Mittleos with her sister. Adding color to the opening scene of the season, the last song that played on the radio before she said good-bye to the "real" world was Petula Clark's “Downtown,” the song that made her so wistful and sad just before flight 815 went down. Ethan greeted Juliet at the gate and took her bags, and Richard introduced himself to Rachel. Juliet commented on not knowing there was an airport in the area. For security, Richard had to take her in the rest of the way. Juliet had a feeling that the job was a mistake, but Rachel gave her the pep talk she need to board Richard's creepy white van…

which took them to a private airfield, Herrarat Aviation ("Earhart Aviation?). Ethan took some vitals, and Richard, referring to Juliet's six-month project, said, “you’ll be amazed at how time flies.” In a stunning bit of frankness, Richard told Juliet the OJ he prepared for her was laced with some major tranquilizers which she would need for the trip. After Richard observed that deep down, she knew the place they were going was special, where she could do something special. He couldn’t tell her where, but she’d see things there she could never have imagined. As he tried to assure her, she metaphorically "ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge" and greedily gulped down the tranquilizer (yup, those writers are up on the bible)...

Before she knew it, Juliet awakened on the Others’ submarine, strapped to a bunk. Ethan pointed to the sub’s open hatch, and Juliet climbed out for her first glimpse of the island, from the dock, where she met Ben Linus for the first time.

Months later, on a Dharma operating table, a woman died. Goodwin(!) tried to console Juliet, who clearly failed in the task for which she was brought to the island, and he offered to talk to Ben. Juliet spent some alone time watching the tide. Ben joined her, and said the patient knew the risk of getting pregnant. That's right, it's time for...

Big Reveal #1 - Why the Others Seem Baby-Happy

It turns out the Others don't so much have a baby problem as a pregnancy problem. For some reason, every woman who becomes pregnant on the island contracts a strange ailment whereby her body turns against both the fetus at itself. Juliet, the miracle-worker who helped her sterile sister conceive, was to be the answer to their prayers, but her work on Others island was a failure...

Juliet theorized it happened at conception. She wanted to take a woman off the island to see if that made a difference, but Ben refused. She pleaded for Ben to let her go home, only to receive Michael Emerson's most evil look to date on the show. To dissuade her from wanting to leave (Ben really doesn't seem to like people leaving...)Ben told her that her sister would not be giving birth, that her cancer had returned and she would die within three months. He showed her tests, and said he got them from Mikhail. Ben told her she could join her sister for her final days or help the Others with their problem. The cruel news about Rachel's cancer was the stick, but the carrot Ben offered was a cure for her sister’s cancer. He told Juliet that Jacob would do it himself. Who in the name of Drive Shaft is Jacob already? As proof Jacob could do it, Ben pointed out the lack of cancer on the island.

Big Question # 1 - What's up with Jacob?

Each passing reference to "Jacob" is less subtle than the last. Who is this guy? Can he cure cancer? Does the reach of his influence extend beyond the island? Did he make the bus kill Edmund Burke? Has Juliet seen him, or is "Jacob" just a story Ben tells his fellow Others? Are Jacob's miracles really Ben conning his people?

Back to Juliet's story...

Juliet had an ice cream-laden affair with Goodwin. She realized she was about to hit the third anniversary of her time on the island. A knock on her door sent Goodwin scrambling for his clothes, and Juliet was given x-rays of Ben’s spine...and his cancer! The meaning was clear – Ben had lied about the cure for cancer. Or had he?

Ben was just finishing Carrie (the book club selection from the season-opening scene) when Juliet presented her diagnosis. In yet another great acting moment in the episode, the look of shear horror on Ben's face when he heard he had cancer was brilliant. It conveyed so much, but what did it really say? This was not the look of a man who just got caught in a massive lie. And it was not, to me, the kind of terrified look one would have when the "c" word is uttered. Instead, it seemed like a shock to Ben that Jacob, or the island, or whatever, had let him get cancer. Maybe I'm reading too much into it...Juliet demanded to talk to Rachel, for proof that her cancer was cured. Ben, fearing again that Juliet may try to leave (really, what's so bad about people leaving?) said that would not happen, but he gave his word that Rachel really was cured.

The flashback then looped over and revisited the opening scene of the season, with Juliet listening to “downtown” while setting up for the book club, and the Others’ detection of the plane crash (they couldn’t blow that effects shot for only one use, could they?) Ben sent Ethan and Goodwin off, and realized Juliet had booted him out of the book club. Sadly, this was the last Juliet would see of Goodwin.

Random aside # 1

It's a shame Ana Lucia was killed off before Juliet ever met her. Juliet, transformed in her time on the island, can kick some serious tail, and her righteous anger for Ana's impaling one of the few good things Juliet knew on the island would have been awesome (and seeing Ana get beat up would have rocked!)...

Ben told Juliet they needed to talk, that it was important. He took her to the flame station and radioed Mikhail. Patchy didn’t answer, so Ben tried shouting. They entered, and we got...

Big Reveal # 2 - How the Others Know Stuff

It seems Mikhail "mushbrain" Bakunin was the operator for the Others appropriated ex-of-Dharma communications array. The Others had no fore-knowledge of who would be on that plane, but they were able to determine from news feeds that it was the missing Oceanic Flight 815. The rest was just a matter of using the tech-toys in the Flame to obtain lots and lots of quality intel (more on this later).

Big Reveal # 3 - What Mikhail Was Doing at the Flame

Apparently as a spoil of war, Mikhail wore that Dharma/ Flame jumpsuit since before 815 went down. The Flame station was his prison/ castle, and he was responsible for maintining communications with the outside world and Stateside Others like Richard and Ethan. No wonder he was bummed when the sky turned purple...

At the Flame, Ben had Mikhail switch his feed to Richard in Florida, who showed Juliet live video of sister Rachel and her three-year-old son, Julian. See? No cancer!!!

Big Question #2 - Was Rachel Cured, or Was She Ever Sick?

Occam's Razor suggests Rachel was never sick in the first place. All Juliet had to suggest she was was a set of sterile medical records (online screencaps reveal that the records clearly stated "Male - 197 pounds," which makes Juliet's ability to get Rachel pregnant that much more interesting...) The simplest explanation was that Ben lied about the cancer and, when he showed Juliet live video nearly three years later, the "cure" was all a lie. But if so, why the big surprise when Ben contracted his tumor? And isn't just a bit coincidental that a famous spinal surgeon arrived just days after the diagnosis? Is it the case that Jacob taketh away, only to then giveth back?

Ben summoned Richard back to the island (where we now know he is apparently stuck), and Juliet lost her precious feed. Ben thus proved he was not a liar (in Juliet's mind, anyway). Their revised deal was now that she would stay until her work was done, and, heck there may have even been a mother on the plane...

Real Time

The last remnants of Othersville, Sayid, Jack, Kate and Juliet, trek across an open field. Sayid picks a camp site. Jack and Kate go for firewood, leaving Sayid alone with Juliet. Jack and Kate seem ready to act out something with the way they forefully break firewood ("she broke my submarine!" "he dumped me for an Other!"). Jack explains why he got no answers in his time with the Others – he didn’t want to ask questions for fear of scuttling his release deal.

Juliet is conscious of Sayid’s eyeing her. He asks what the Others are up to, and who she is.

Random Aside # 2 - Thank Jacob for Sayid

At last! Somebody asks some questions!!! Please don't kill him off, Damon and Carlton...

“If I told you everything that I know, you’d kill me,” Juliet tells Sayid. “What do you think I’ll do if you don’t?" is his cold reply. But Jack, good ol' useless "leader" Jack, intercedes and declares Juliet is under his protection. Sayid is as incredulous as Kate is eyeball-rolling. His look of both astonishment at Jack's stance and acceptance that there'd be a down-and-dirty fight was yet another great acting moment, this time from under-used Naveen Andrews. Sayid ends up taking out his frustration on their march with a machete.

On the beach, Charlie hears Aaron crying. Claire was sleeping through the crying fit, feeling “a little bit off.” Charlie takes on babysitting duties to let Claire rest. Claire wanders out of bed and asks for aspirin, looking faint and dazed. As Sawyer goes to get the aspirin (newly emergent do-gooder Sawyer, how quickly he gets deposed), he sees Jack, and mutters, “son of a bitch.” Soon the whole camp sees the party, but all Sawyer cares about is seeing Kate safely returned. Not just to the beach, but to him, as it's clear somehow that, despite heading into danger for Jack, she is not with Jack. Josh Holloway got one of his finest acting moments on the show in with his touching welcome back hug for Kate. Hell, now that the triangle is a line (take that, Jaters!) Jack and Sawyer even give each other a friendly nod, a handshake and a hug. Sawyer clearly knows he has Kate back, when he spots Juliet and becomes the first of the beach crew to demand an explanation.

Juliet sits alone on the beach, and Hurley joins her. He asks some awkward questions, “you’re like one of them, huh?” He doesn’t remember her from the dock, and she mildly charms him (and makes Juliet fans swoon with the best line, hands down, of the season...) “I had the day off.” She deduces he’s been sent to keep an eye on her. In one of Jorge Garcia's finest moments on the show, Hurley tells her what happened with Ethan, the last Other to "join" the beach, and points to his grave on Boone hill.

At night, Sun leads the charge to not trusting Juliet (based on what we learned in Juliet's flashbacks, offhand I'd say Sun should start distrusting anything and everything on this island). Sayid says he will not torture her, much to Sawyer's chagrin. Desmond asks about Locke, and Jack tells the story. He starts to argue the benefits of his plan with Ben, when Claire collapses with a bad nose bleed. Juliet asks what is happening to her, and Sun, translating for Jin, says "what do you care?" Juliet tells Kate she can help Claire, that she knows what’s wrong with her, “because I did it to her.”

Kate relays the message to Jack. Sawyer and Sayid look on as Jack, Kate and Juliet confer. Juliet says Claire was reacting to the medication Juliet designed that was to keep her alive. On the island, pregnant women’s bodies reject fetuses and their own immune systems kill them. Ethan’s plan, though he went rougue…was to give Claire the injections of Juliet’s serum, until Hurley sniffed out the lie, and Ethan was forced to really go off the reservation and kidnap Claire. Claire, Juliet explains, was the first to survive a pregnancy on the island (guess she didn’t know about Daneille Rousseau, but then again, Ben has been telling people Alex's mother died…)

Juliet treks in search of Ethan’s secret stash of the vaccine, and finds it next a tree marked with the same symbol branded on her skin.

Big Question #3 - What is This Symbol?

I have no answers here (yes, I've seen the online chit chat about it being the symbol for some alien culture or some such mish mash, but the writers tend to be a little more subtle in their allusions). One thing's for sure - this is not one of the Dharma glyphs or symbols...

Sawyer and Sayid intercept, but they find that Juliet has found the case. They demand those answers. Juliet turns manipulative, saying how interesting it is that these two are now the moral police. Juliet announces each man’s crimes and demands they skip the righteous act and let her take the medicine to Claire. “The last thing that either of you need right now, is more blood on your hands.”

Big Question #4 - Just How Good was Mikhail's Version of Google?

Seriously, how did the Others know about James Ford killing fake-Sawyer hours before the plane took off? There were no witnesses (or were there)? And since the killing was a case of mistaken identity, what on Earth could Mikhail have pulled off his satelite feed that could give Juliet this information?

Jack convinces Charlie to let Juliet help with Claire. He tells her he won’t be able to protect her if the injection does not help Claire. But when Claire awakens, she's all better! Yay, Juliet!

Jack brings Juliet the basics of a beach tent – tarp, blanket, pillows, etc. Juliet is pleased, perhaps more than she is because her research seemed to work, finally, with Claire. She asks why Jack doesn’t need her answers or explanations like Sayid and Sawyer do. He says it's because they were standing together when the sub exploded. He saw it her eyes – how much she wants to leave. That makes her “one of us.” Juliet sets up her tent...

Bonus flashback - Ben and Juliet

But the episode wasn't over. In a final flashback, 80 days after the previous clip, Ben and Juliet review their plan.

Big Reveal #4 - Why Juliet was "Left Behind"

Juliet was a plant, and the lie to Kate in last week's episode was the way to the beach. Claire had an implant put in her that caused her illness, a manufactured crisis for Juliet to solve with the serum. Ben said he’d see her in a week, and left Juliet with a gas mask.

Remaining Questions...

What's coming in a week (for Ben and Juliet, and for us, the audience)? Why is it important to Ben that he place Juliet on the beach? What is he offering her in return, now that the sub is blown up amd they don't seem able to leave the island? How long have they been colluding - since their trip to the Pearl hatch (oh, Paulo, if only you'd said something!)? Was the "kill Ben" plot part of their plan? What about shooting Pickett to help Kate and Sawyer escape? Or branding Juliet with the tree symbol? Does Juliet blame Ben for Goodwin's death? Should Juliet trust Ben? And what on Earth did that serum do, since there were clearly some lies in the story Juliet told about Claire and Ethan...yet we know from the flashback that pregnancy on this island does kill! How was Ben born there? How did Alex and Danielle survive? Will Sun be so lucky? And what about Kate, who was quite condom-free when she and Sawyer christened the polar bear cage? Will Jack ever ask a meaningful question, or has he been subjected to room 23? As Doc Jensen cleverly pointed out this week, perhaps the pregnancy=death formula was the real reason he wanted Karl banished away from Alex (since we all know what happens when teens find love in a tropical paradise, right?)

All is can say in conclusion is...wow, guys. Really. So here's looking forward to more Desmond next week in "Catch 22..."

Spoilerific Doc Jensen Column

For the faint of heart spoiler-wise, you'd best avert your eyes now. For those who don't mind teases that ask the right questions but don't provide the actual answers, venture forth.

Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen has seen tonight's Juliet-centered episode of Lost, "One of Us," as well as the next few entries. His full column can be accessed by clicking on the title of this post.

Here's what he has to say about the short term:

"Yep, I've seen tonight's episode. What can I say? How about this: A couple years from now, when the series is done, I'm certain there will be a DVD product that will collect the 20 or so episodes that represent the Definitive Lost Saga, and this one will be on it. Tonight, you will learn how Juliet came to the Island, and why the Others so desperately needed her miracle-grow baby-making science. You will learn more about Ethan's infiltration of the castaway encampment in season 1. You will learn how the Others know so much about the castaways. And the ending... well, it's killer. The episode is filled with sharp writing, stunning cinematography, and great performances. It is a weird, wicked, wonderful hour of television. I loved it.

***

"Yes, folks: I have seen more than just tonight's episode. And they're good. REALLY good. And if you want a hint off what's to come, how about this:

Remember Charlie's question in the pilot — 'Guys... where are we?' Well, having seen the next couple episodes, I think a better question would be this: 'Guys... WHO are we?'"

Episode 315 - Juliet and Cassidy were "Left Behind"

After a lackluster outing last week, Lost came roaring back with "Left Behind." This one had Smokey! Chick fights in the jungle!! A defection!!! And one of the best cross-over flashbacks yet!!!!

Flashback – Kate
Some time after she murdered her father (who she still referred to as "stepfather,") Kate found herself in a dead car in Iowa, where she was on quest. She wanted to find her mother and ask why Diane had turned her in. Her car was towed to a service station where someone else was springing a con - it was none other that Sawyer's baby-mama, Cassidy. (Any question as to whether Cassidy was lying when she told Sawyer the baby was his was put to rest when she later described to Kate how Sawyer conned her out of her money and left her pregnant).

Realizing that Cassidy's botched attempt to pull the "expensive jewelry con" Sawyer had taught her would summon the police, fugitive Kate jumped in and offered to pay Cassidy full value for one of the chains. When they were clear, Cassidy returned the money and the two formed a kind of Thelma and Louise bond. Kate, calling herself Lucy (Cassidy sniffed out the lie but didn't press for her real name) related the story of why she wanted to see her mother, and Cassidy offered to help. Cassidy knocked on Diane's door in a Kate-esque wig, only to have our favorite (deceased) marshall and a whole cadre of cohorts decend upon her. Later, Cassidy "accidentally" spilled chili on Diane at a podunk diner so Diane would go to the restroom, where Kate confronted her. Rather than explain her actions to Kate, Diane demanded an apology from Kate for killing her (abusive) husband, angrily insisting that “what you did, you did for yourself.” Diane swore she would yell for help if she ever saw Kate again, and the encounter ended. Later, Kate asked Cassidy the name of the guy who ripped her off so Kate could help find him. Cassidy then told Kate she was pregnant with the con man's kid, and she couldn’t call the cops (or Kate) on Sawyer because he would never forgive her, just as Diane could not forgive Kate (another missed connection!). Finally, Kate told Cassidy her real name, and the two parted company.


As a final note on the flashback, I dig Cassidy (and the new Kate-Sawyer connection), but the shots of whiskey were probably a bad idea for a pregnant woman...

Real Time Part 1: The Beach

In a cute, if not throwaway plot, Hurley warns Sawyer the beach camp plans to vote to banish him for his selfish ways. Hurley suggests amends, but, as Sawyer snidely remarks, “I don’t do amends.” Sawyer goes fishing while Sun and Jin work their net. He smiles at Sun, who shoots him a nasty look. “I ain’t gonna get the Korean vote,” Sawyer mutters to himself, and reality of his situation starts to come to him. He then asks Hurley for help winning over the other castaways. Hurley gives Sawyer a blanket to offer Claire. The idea of Sawyer as father is again suggested with his awkward attempt to relate to the young mother: “your baby, he’s not as wrinkly as he was a couple of weeks ago.” He gives the blanket. The awkward exchange over, Hurley gives Sawyer a thumbs up.



Sawyer’s next good deed is helping Desmond on a boar hunt. Sawyer plays chef with the catch, preparing a luau for the camp. Sawyer tells Charlie he hopes they remember the feast he provided at the vote, and Charlie has no idea what he means. Sawyer confronts Hurley, who admits his plan – if Sawyer will be the beach’s leader, he needs to learn to play nice. With the big guns (Jack, Locke, Sayid, Kate) gone, the survivors will start to look to him. “What if I don’t want to be the leader?” Sawyer asks. Hurley's response: “I don’t think Jack wanted it etiher. Sucks for you, dude.” Sawyer surveys the good he has done, and finds it suits him. He even brings Claire some pineapple and offers to hold Aaron while she eats. He gives a Sun another smile, but she ain’t biting yet.



As an aside, I would have liked this plotline a lot more if not for the promos revealing that Jack, Sayid and Kate will return to the beach in next week's episode. How much of a leader will the castaways need Sawyer to be when that happens?


Real Time Part 2 - Othersville
But the real meat of the action in "Left Behind" took place where Kate was still being held captive by the Others in the Dharma barracks...

Kate, still cuffed in the Others' rec room swings a pool cue at Juliet, who was bringing her a sandwich. Dropping the sandwich on the floor, Juliet intercepts the cue and downs Kate in what, to me, was a hell of an impressive martial-arts move.

Later, John Locke, with a bandaged hand, comes to see Kate. (That bandage cannot bode well for Anthony Cooper, whose story will supposedly resume in three weeks...) He came to say good-bye, because the Others were leaving, and he was leaving with them. He tells her that Jack has to stay behind, too, and that he doesn’t want to go home. He tells Kate he tried to plead for her as a good person, until he found out what she’d done (presumably, the Others' Kate dossier includes that little patricide thing). "Forgiveness," Locke says, "is not one of their strong suits." He refuses to answer Kate’s other questions about Jack, Sayid, Rousseau, and apologizes as he leaves her behind.

Realizing her plight, Kate starts to eat the sandwich Juliet dropped on the floor the night before. She hears a commotion – the Others are packing up, putting on gas masks, grabbing guns, and going. One of them tosses a gas canister into the pool hall. Kate puts a towel over her face, but the door is locked, and she collapses. Kate awakens in open jungle…cuffed to the unconscious Juliet?? In Juliet’s pocket is a knife, which Kate tries to use to jimmy the cuffs (and did you see how Juliet shot to alertness and grabbed Kate’s wrist when the blade opened?) Kate asks what Juliet did to piss them off. Kate insists on going back to try to help Sayid and Rousseau. When Juliet looks dumbfounded that the Others departed without here, Kate says, “welcome to the wonderful world of not knowing what the hell is going on.”

Kate follows the trail left by the people that dragged them. She wonders aloud why they would handcuff them together. Juliet says, “Ben has a thing for mind games.” (And we later learn, Ben is not alone in this regard). Juliet plays the Jack card: she accuses Kate of ruining Jack’s chance to escape, and the two get into a real nasty catfight. Juliet goes for the controlled grace of a martial artist, while Kate goes for good old fashioned boxing and wrestling. Juliet cries in pain as her shoulder dislocates, and suddenly, the sound of Smokey's roar fills the air. Juliet screams, “what the hell is that?” Kate drags her to her feet and they run. She quiets Juliet down, as smokey comes a huntin’. It looms over them, produces a series of strange flashes, and leaves.

(Thoughts on the flashes? My take is something akin to the download Smokey seemed to do on Eko, though why this appeared different, I have no idea).


Juliet, wonders if they’re safe. Kate says, “you tell me,” before picking up on this having been Juliet's first Smokey encounter. “Are you serious, you’ve never seen that?” she demands?Juliet changes the subject to her shoulder. This is Juliet’s fourth dislocation, and she demands Kate’s help putting it back, before laying the boom on the reality of Kate's relationship with Jack. “He saw you and Sawyer. The reason he told you not to come back wasn’t because he didn’t want you not to get hurt. It was because you broke his heart.” Crushed, then angry, Kate all-too-happily pops Juliet’s shoulder back in place.


The next morning, Kate asks Juliet if Jack actually said she broke his heart. Kate accuses Juliet of knowing nothing about Jack, until Juliet relates every topic she does know about Jack’s past. Kate has little time to stew over this response when, suddenly, out in the open, they hear Smokey again. As they run, they trip and fall in some mud near the sonic fence. Kate refuses to follow Juliet through the posts when Juliet says the fence is off. Juliet pulls out a key(!) unlocks the cuffs, and runs through. Kate follows, and Juliet enters a familiar code (16-23) on the fence post, activating it, and when Smokey appears, it is repelled (for video of this really nifty Smokey encounter, click on the tile of this post).


Interstingly, Smokey appeared to be gunning for Juliet, not Kate. Could this be the result of the brand the Others placed on her, or something it detected during the flashes, or maybe just the closer target?

After Smokey retreats, Juliet, responding to the "yeah, right, you've never seen that thing before" look on Kate's face, says, "We don’t know what it is, but we know it doesn’t like our fences." That's not all Kate wants to know - like, Juliet had a freaking key the whole time? "I know you don’t care, but the people I spent the last three years of my life with, they just left me." Juliet explains she affixed the cuffs because, maybe, if she let Kate think they were in it together, she wouldn’t get left behind again by her new companion. Kate angrily takes the key, removes the remaining cuff, and storms off.

Back at Othersville, Kate finds Jack collapsed in the hall of his bungalow. She apologizes to Jack for not listening to him and ruining his chance for escape. Jack is incredulous that they would leave, especially Juliet, which clearly twists the knife in Kate's heart. (Incidentally, how awesome has Evangeline Lilly's acting been this season? I used tho think she was a poor man's Jennifer Garner, but the facial expressions she has silently delivered all season have been amazing). Jack wonders why the Others would leave Juliet, then tells Kate, “now we go back.” Outside, they are rejoined by Juliet and Sayid (I guess Rousseau was not capture, after all...)Jack and Juliet seem to have a moment while Kate looks on. Sayid confirms the people and their weapons are all gone. Jack says they should take what they can find and head out. Sayid protests that Juliet should not come with them. Jack insists otherwise, since they left her behind, too, but Sayid and Kate remain suspicious. The question looms large – why did they leave her behind?

Afterthought 1 - Analyzing Smokey
I really liked this blurb from Doc Jensen's recap about Smokey, and why he seemed intent on pursuing Juliet, but not Kate:

"More so than any previous episode, 'Left Behind' seemed to suggest a clear, cogent theory to explain Smokey's modus operandi. It seems to me that the Monster has a bug up its incorporeal butt about human pride. Think back to Mr. Eko. Think back to what he said to the manifestation of his beloved younger brother, Yemi, prior to getting pounded by Smokey. Falling to his knees, the reluctant warlord turned faux priest proclaimed (paraphrase), 'I have done nothing wrong!' Eko came to the belief that his sins and all their consequences were justified in the context of the sacrifice he made to save Yemi's life. Kate's story echoed Mr. Eko's, which would have made her Monster bait, if not for two things: 1. Fortunately, as the flashback revealed, her mother had already confronted her about her self-righteous narcissism, so the lessons had already been implanted. 2. The experience of being tethered to Juliet helped to activate those lessons and make them real. For during her dark night of the soul, Kate was made to understand, in a personal way, how her allegedly altruistic actions could be compromised by selfishness and have painful, destructive consequences. It was this epiphany that allowed her to apologize to Jack at the end of the episode for sabotaging his escape and denying him a chance at happiness."

What about Juliet's apparent admission that the Others knew about Smokey's existence, but not what it is? Another lie? Proof that Smokey is tied to Dharma, or predates the Others' presence on the island? Perhaps something natives like Ben never revealed to recruits?



Afterthought 2: Why Leave Juliet Behind?
Recall that we never saw Juliet get gassed. And she apparently was able to affix the handcuffs to Kate, suggesting she may never have been. Is Juliet's abandonment the Others' latest attempt to infiltrate the 815ers' beach? Perhaps she's going along with Ben's plan for another hope at escape? Or was her imminent departure too big a rift for Ben to allow her to accompany them?

For that matter, just where did the Others go? And how long after the beach reunion before Jack and co. lead the survivors to the barracks? I'm sure, unlike Locke, they'd all appreciate kitchens and toilets (even if Paulo is dead). Besides, in "real world time," the South Pacific tsunami is due to hit, so one imagines the beach will soon be rather inhospitable...


Final Afterthought - Upcoming Schedule
The recently released flashback schedule for the rest of the season offers lots of excitement:


Episode 3.16: One of Us (Juliet-centric)
Episode 3.17: Catch-22 (Desmond-centric)
Episode 3.18: D.O.C. (Jin/Sun-centric)
Episode 3.19: The Brig (Jack-centric)
Episode 3.20: The Man Behind the Curtain (Gerald and Karen De Groot!!)
Episode 3.21: Greatest Hits (Charlie-centric)
Episodes 3.22 and 3.23: Title unknown (Ben-centric, two-hour season finale)


Unfortunately, the pending Charlie-centered episode, coupled with the producers' claim that there will be another death this season, does not bode well for our favorite stranded hobbit. But who isn't psyched for four hours of flashbacks involving Others and Dharma people?