Episode 403 - Sayid Targets "The Economist"

Another Oceanic Sixer confirmed! The Island's physics cause much head-scratching!! Sawyer and Kate play house!!! and of Lost's best WTF endings, ever!!!! But before recapping "The Economist," some housekeeping...

The Final Word On Post-Strike Lost

Earlier this week, I posted some tentative news about Lost's post-strike production slate. The final final word was given by Damon Lindelof to E! online's Kristin Dos Santos, who reported, "'we are going to execute our full story plan for season four,' D.L. says. 'This simply requires a shift from high-octane storytelling to superhigh-octane storytelling. It requires no cramming, only a slightly heavier foot on the gas pedal...so, hold on to your hats. Those of you waiting for the long-anticipated Jin and Hurley Ping-Pong tournament, however, will be very disappointed." Kristin went on to report that the breakdown will be as follows: first, ABC will air the first seven (not eight) episodes on back-to-back weeks (i.e., another four weeks of new episodes going forward). After a 4-6 week hiatus, an additional 6 will air, on consecutive weeks, in the Thursday at 10 p.m. timeslot (following new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy"). As many of you no doubt have noticed, this move effectively cuts off the last episode filmed before the strike began, and moves it weeks later. The reasoning given by ABC and Lindelof is that episode seven provides a better leaving-off point before the brief hiatus. Now, on to the show...

Foreword

You will notice, I think, that this week's recap is a little less detail-focused than last. This is for two reasons: 1) "The Economist" relied more on broad plot strokes and less on detailed mythological expansion than "Confirmed Dead", lending itself more to summary, and 2) my wife fell asleep in the crook of my arm just before Lost started last night, leaving me with only one hand with which to type my notes. Now, one note of caution: do not read this post until you've seen the episode!!!

Flash-Forward - Sayid Jarrah

We learn that Sayid is one of the Oceanic 6 in his first flash-forward sequence, in which he was golfing in a secluded resort in the Seychelles. Another obscenely wealthy golfer, a Mr. Abilene (please chime in if you heard it differently) made a "my club is better than yours" bet with Sayid but then seemed oddly fearful when Sayid revealed himself to be one of the O6. Seconds later, Sayid gunned the man down.

Later, in a cafe in Berlin, Sayid met cute with a personal shopper named Elsa who claimed to work for an economist (a shadowy figure never revealed on screen for whom the episode is titled." They later had a dinner and ultimately started a fling. For some reason, Elsa's boss never paged her during this relationship (a supposed break from routine), and before long it became apparent (to us, anyway) that Sayid was tailing Elsa for access to this Economist.

Then one morning, Elsa's beeper went off, signaling that her boss was back in town. Sayid, ever the hopeless romantic, had by then fallen for Elsa, and warned her to leave berlin. Elsa feigned being upset that Sayid used her, but he explained that her employer is not an economist, that his name was on a list...and then Elsa freakin' shot him in the shoulder! As noted by Jeff Jensen, holy Casino Royale!!! Elsa made a call to her boss and noted she should kill Sayid since he would not reveal his own employer. But our clever Mr. Jarrah lured her out of the back room by breaking a mirror, then proceeded to shot Elsa twice in the chest, killing her. As he loomed over her body, he took exceptional note of her bracelet, one very similar to another we saw earlier in the episode (but more on that later).

Sayid then went to a veterinary clinic to get patched up, apparently by his mysterious boss, who asked, "Is she dead?" Sayid confirmed she was, only to be asked, "why didn't she kill you?" He matter-of-factly explained she wanted to learn his boss's identity. "Of course she did," responded the boss, as if noting that by now, we all really want to know who he is, too. Obligingly, the boss turned around revealing himself to be....Benjamin Linus???? In typical Ben style, he then continued, "why are you crying, because it hurts, or because you were stupid enough to care for her? These people don't deserve your sympathies. Need I remind you what they did the last time you thought with your heart instead of your gun?" Sayid responded, "you used her to recruit me into killing for you." Ben's response - "Do you want to protect your friends, or not, Sayid? I have another name for you." Sayid, concerned, responded. "but they'll know I'm after them now." Ben ended the episode with one word - "Good."

So let's take a moment to unpack this sequence...For starters, whatever led to Sayid's becoming Ben's assassin began with the death of another woman. Could this ultimately be the fate of Nadia, for whom Sayid has pined since before he boarded flight 815? Also, Ben's suggestion that these killings in some way help Sayid's friends. Assuming this means the rest of the O6, or those still on the island, what could possibly lead Sayid to believe this (particularly given his statement in island time in this episode that the day he began to trust Ben would be the day he lost his soul)? Back when Tom couldn't fathom why Ben would leave Sayid alive on the beach, was Ben thinking this many moves ahead?? And we never figured out what qualified somebody to be on Jacob's "good" list, so what makes these international bigwigs members of the "bad" list? There are other questions, but we'll get to those as they tie into island time...

Island Time

As Sayid prays by the helicopter, Jack and Juliet discuss the revelation that Miles is hunting Ben. Jack asks if Ben ever mentioned people off the island, but we don't get a response. Sayid, out of respect, covers Naomi's body, but he takes note of her bracelet. Removing it, he reads, "N. I'll always be with you, R.C."

It is the design of this bracelet that Sayid would later recognize on Elsa's dead wrist. What is the connection? Is RC the "economist?" Given Ben's aversion to Naomi and her crew now, and his assigning Sayid to kill the economist (and others) later, are Sayid's future victims connected to our mysterious newcomers?

Sayid demands to be taken to the freighter on the next flight of the chopper, and "purchases" his seat with a promise to first retrieve Charlotte from team Locke. He then retrieves the picture of Desmond and Penny from Naomi's pack, and he and Jack dispatch Juliet to fetch Desmond to see if he can't get a few answers from these people.

Let me just say, I love when Sayid steps up and takes charge. His strategies don't always work out, but whereas Jack's "man of science" and Locke's "man of faith" personalities never seem to lead us, the audience, anywhere, Sayid's "man of action" personality introduced us to Rousseau, the power line running to the Looking Glass, the four-toed statue, and, coming soon, the freighter.

Meanwhile, Team Locke arrives at the familiar ring of ash, only to find there is no Casa de Jacob. Hurley is unsurprised (he told John it was the other way, though he doesn't say anything about it now), and Ben, of course, takes the opporunity to taunt Locke in front of his people, "John's looking for somebody to tell him what to do next." And really, isn't that Locke's biggest failing as a man of faith - his constant need to find the next burning bush?

Hurley tries in vain to persuade Locke to release Charlotte, since he didn't sign on for any hostage-taking. Locke gives him the "I'm the decider" speech, apparently silencing Hugo's dissent...

Back at the chopper, Sayid and Miles are about the leave, but Sayid won't take Jack, since the last time Jack and Locke met, Jack pulled the freakin' trigger!!! (still can't get over that). Kate playfully tells Jack now he knows what it's like to be left behind, and Jack equally playfully suggests he should make like Kate and wait 20 min and go anyway? Then Jack proceeds to, as Jeff Jensen puts it, begin the end of his future romantic possibilities with Kate, when he suggests she accompany Sayid and Miles, since Sawyer would keep her safe from Locke, thus giving Sayid more leverage. As Jensen wrote this morning, "it felt like classic Jack emotional dunderheadedness. You could tell Kate wasn't thrilled with Jack treating her like a pawn on a chessboard, and my hunch is that what we really saw in the moment was the beginning of her dawning realization that as much as she may dig Jack's cheese, he's got a lot more getting over himself to do before they can have a flash-forward future together, much less swap valentines and spit." And thus, the trio departs, with Miles kvetching that it's no fair he doesn't get a gun (as if!)

After their departure, Daniel sets up a mysterious experiment involving an antenna and some other devices. Frank tells Jack that, when Daniel explains what he actually does, "half of it goes way over my head, and the other half goes way way over." Daniel initiates a call to Regina on the freighter to get her to begin her part of the experiment, and Frank warns him to hang up immediately if Minkowski picks up. What's up with these strange freighter politics? How many separate agendas do these people have, anyway? Regina dispatches something and a countdown commences for its arrival at the antenna, but at the time it should have arrived, nothing happens...

Sayid's team finds the barracks apparently deserted, until they hear a noise from a closet. Inside it's Hurley, bound and gagged and claiming to have been left behind for his objection to keeping Charlotte as a hostage. He says Locke's group is scared the freighterites (the "F4" as they've come to be known online) is there to kill them, and he pointedly asks Miles if this is the case. Miles creepily responds, "not yet." Miles also gets in a quip calling Hurley "tubby" while demanding to know where Ben is, and Hurley responds, in classic fashion, "great, they sent us another Sawyer."

Back at the chopper, after Frank (a downhearted Yankee fan) confirms the Red Sox 2004 championship for Jack, the "payload" arrives in the form of a rocket. Daniel opens the rocket and retrieves a clock, but when he compares it to his own, he finds it is running 31 minutes behind!!! Finally, a TV show written by and for theoretical physicists! Huzah! But seriously, any thoughts on what this is all about? Please send them my way. Desmond arrives with Juliet and smiles when he sees the helicopter, as though it actually had Penny's face painted on it (perhaps Des shouldn't expect to see her too soon, given that actress Sonya Walger has been appearing on "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" as the eventual wife of the man Sarah Connor left following a marriage proposal...)

As Kate rifles through Ben's empty closet, Sayid inspects Ben's bookcase, where he pauses for a moment on Ben's copy of the Quran. Perhaps a tease to their future connection? Sayid discovers, behind the bookcase, a secret room, filled with suits, cases, and lots of international currency, as well as a number of passports. The Swiss passport Sayid inspects shows Ben's picture with the name, Dean Moriarty. Suddenly, Kate is greeted by Sawyer and Sayid is surprised by Locke. Hurley sheepishly avoids eye contact and says, "sorry, dude." Sayid is marched over to where team Locke is keeping Ben (the game room), and tells Hurley he doesn't have to fear him. Hurley's response (does he get all the best lines, or what?), was that he's seen Sayid do that "break dancing thing" with his legs, so he'll just hang back. Locked in with Ben, Sayid starts falling victim to the master manipulator's taunts. Ben says he bets Locke would not be stupid enough to fall for Hurley's ruse, and when Sayid suggests he's better off since he has actual friends, Ben points out there is no use having friends he can't trust.

In one of my favorite scenes in the episode, Kate asks Sawyer again what he's doing with Locke. Sawyer's answer was the closest he's ever come to an actual sappy moment with Kate. He tells her he has nothing to look forward to off the island, but stops just short of overtly saying that she is what makes the island worth staying for. He reminds her she was heading to L.A. in handcuffs and asks why she wouldn't go straight to jail the minutes she got back (and really, after the first flash forward, haven't we all been wondering that?) She asks how long the two of them could play house in New Otheron, and Sawyer asks her back, "why not find out?" What made this scene so great for me was not just the just-shy-of-tender moment between these two, but the fact that, for all his claims last week that he wouldn't listen to Ben lest he be subject to manipulation, he basically quoted Ben's words while arguing that he and Kate should stay on the island and she should let goody-goody Jack leave without her.

Locke brings Sayid some iced tea (and ignores Ben's comment that he's thirsty, too). Sayid reveals his stance on the F4 - he tells Locke that he agrees the newcomers are liars and not really there to rescue them, but says in order to infiltrate their freighter, he needs to bring Charlotte back. He then assures John he never intended to take Charlotte from him without leaving something in exchange...

Back at the chopper, Desmond does not believe Frank when the pilot says he doesn't have any idea who Penny Widmore is. Des then insists he's flying back to the freighter on the first flight out. (Why on Earth Frank goes along with this so easily, I can't begin to imagine).

Sayid returns with Charlotte in tow. He tells Jack that Kate decided to stay (is he telling the truth, or did Jack really just lose Kate for good to Sawyer's "let's play house" overtures? Funny how offering a woman a happy, secure future gets you farther than using her as a pawn.... He also reveals he traded Charlotte for Miles. Frank decides this satisfies their arrangement, since he considered Miles a pain, anyway. Charlotte and Daniel decide not to take the last seat on the chopper. Daniel warns Frank to fly the same exact bearing. Since there are no other takers for the final seat (Jack seems aware that Sayid and Desmond are better equipped scouts than he is), Sayid insists they take Naomi's body "home." Finally, the chopper departs, with Frank at the stick, Desmond riding shotgun, and Sayid in back with Naomi's body.

Parting Thoughts

1. So the big reveal this episode was obviously Ben's off-island role as sayid's handler. The first thought that occurred to me when I saw this was, of all things, "OMG, that was Ben in the coffin at Hoffs/Drawler!!!!" Why make this connection? Here's my thinking. Ben was one of the names kicked around online after last season's finale. After all, he was someone both Jack and Kate knew but for whom Kate could not fathom why she would attend a funeral. He was neither friend nor family to Jack. Ultimately, I ruled Ben out because I did not believe he would ever leave the island, willingly or otherwise. Obviously, I was mistaken about that. Moreover, given the stack o' fake passports, the fact that the obit referred to Mr. Jonathan L___tham is as obviously explainable as the report that the deceased was from New York.

2. With only 43 episodes to go, I think the mysterious economist might very well be Matthew Abaddon. It appears Abaddon and Ben have been set up as the master movers on opposite ends of some big chess game. And if not Abaddon, then perhaps somebody working for or with him. I would bet that Mr. Widmore's name will end up being on Ben's hit list at some point, too.

3. I'm still trying to get around the 31-minute delay in the arrival of the Regina's rocket. Obviously, there are some quirky space/time things going on with the island, which is why it appears invisible to the outside world (usually - hello, where are those Arctic guys from Season 2???) and why only select bearings will let you escape (or get to) the island. The weird time shift may also explain why Walt has aged faster than the show's time line allows. But then, after three years, on the island, why was Desmond able to track his button pushing "oops" to the date Oceanic 815 crashed? Shouldn't time have been messing with him, too? Or was the Swan Hatch implosion the start of the whacky time effect?

4. As much as I admire Sayid for his "get 'er done" attitude, did he screw things up again with his Miles for Charlotte swap? Didn't he just somehow convince Locke to release somebody with nearly complete intel on the numbers and armaments to be found at New Otherton, or the fact that if you find John Locke, you find Ben Linus? For that matter, how dumb is Locke not to account for this? Perhaps New Otherton won't be a permanent home, after all...

5. Assuming Kate did in fact stay behind willingly, it's getting even murkier how she and Hurley will end up in the O6. Jack and Sayid are in the work-with-em (at least to figure out what they're up to) group, while Hurley and Kate are in the stay-away-from-them-at-all-costs group.

Well, that's it for this week, folks. See you back here next week for the intiguingly titled "Eggtown."