Lost Season 6

[Platinum50]

new ep drop? nice

breaking bad, lost and the pacific

[Fearless-Guy]

that was f*ckin amazing, lost just schooled every other thing on tv

MR HUME >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[manuel]

f*ck*ng sick episode.

[Mythy Collins]

gemma where ya de de?

[Heero Yuy]

that was f*ckin amazing, lost just schooled every other thing on tv

MR HUME >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lost>>>

best there is , was, and ever will be on tv

the show is too f*cked, too, too, tooooooooo f*cked. Just did not want the episode to end, kept looking on the time bar hoping for a extra 5 like ferguson

[gemma]

good recap but i expected a better one

Like most fans, I've always looked forward to Desmond-centric episodes. He's given us action, sorrow, loss, laughter, heartbreak, triumph, and probably the most popular love story in all of LOST. But in retrospect, Desmond's episodes have repeatedly given us something even more important: startling, game-changing revelations about the show.

Flashes Before Your Eyes, The Constant, Jughead - these episodes changed the very way we viewed things, and each of them sent our story spiraling in all new directions. And now, with Happily Ever After, Desmond's last episode does a lot more than just answer a few questions. It maps out a detailed blueprint as to what's going to happen in LOST's home stretch, as well as stopping to hint at subtle things that might've been staring us right in the face all along.

For six years we've wanted answers. Ready or not, here they come. Things I Noticed:

LOST Island... Headwound Capital of the Universe

As cool as Widmore's been these last few days, it was good to see Desmond deliver a nice, old-fashioned skull-crushing beating. He deserves no less for dragging Des back to the island, even if it was to save the known universe from imploding. He took his lumps, but he also reminded us of his own sacrifice, which looking back now seems fairly substantial. The only difference is that Charles Widmore chose to sacrifice these things for the good of the island, whereas Desmond did not. Not yet, anyway.

Widmore's overall attitude has definitely changed since he arrived on the island. In the past we've seen him manipulating anyone and everyone in order to make his way back. Now that he's here, Widmore seems to have adopted an open and honest approach to solving the last few pieces of the puzzle. Even if he's not giving Desmond or Jin all the answers at once, it doesn't seem as if he's hiding very much either. It also doesn't seem that he's lying - and after watching nearly six seasons of LOST, we can all pretty much consider ourselves experts on that subject.

Someone Get Me a MidiChlorian Count, STAT!

With the introduction of Zoe and Seamus, things have taken a markedly scientific turn on LOST. Monsters and mystical daggers have given way to laptops, gauges, dials, generators, and a giant pair of solenoids that must've been strapped to the sub's roofrack. Charles Widmore is cranking up more than his timetable as he jacks the gauss controls from his reluctant henchman. Seamus' hestitation to throttle up the generator was pretty funny when compared to the switch-happy co-worker who fried poor Simmons.

Electromagnetism has always been a part of LOST, and that's okay. I just hope it gets used sparingly, and not as an excuse to strip away the awesome mythology and mystique they've taken six whole seasons to build. I have no problem with introducing some science to counteract all of the recent faith... but if they start going all Lamp Post calculation and Valenzetti Equation on us, I for one will be sorely disappointed.

Although Widmore used Simmons' death-chamber as a test for Desmond, it's not too big of a stretch to say he's looking for a way to kill or stop the smoke monster. Whether he'll try to lure him in there like General Zod or just blast some giant electromagnetic pulse across the island, I guess the end result is still the same. Superman or Matrix, choose your poison.

Let Me Offer You My Driver, Mother!

The Desmond/Claire scene established a few things, the first of them being that I was wrong in my assumption about LA X. Turns out Desmond was on Oceanic Flight 815, and apparently he didn't know Jack at all. Here we see him vaguely begin remembering something as he stares at the arrival/departure board, but as always he's pulled back to reality before anything substantial can happen - this time by Hurley.

If Desmond's offer to Claire seemed overly friendly, maybe it's because he vaguely remembered her too. Being around each other seems to serve as a catalyst for remembering things when it comes to characters who've shared time on the island. Jack remembered Desmond on the plane, Ben cocked his head in recognition at Alex, Kate stared pointedly at Jack... all through season six these little flashes of acknowledgment have been happening. Later on this episode Charlie would cause Desmond to not only remember, but even to flash back temporarily to his pre-LAX life. This would eventually prompt Desmond to ask Minkowski for the flight manifest , as he somehow realizes getting everyone together for a Flight 815 reunion will help to further enlighten them all - Desmond included.

It was cool to see Minkowski again, too. Initially he seems overeager to help, but in a sleazy limo-driver-who-gets-kickbacks kind of way. By the end of the episode however, my opinion of him totally changed. George Minkowski, like Abaddon, is more than just Driving Ms. Daisy here. Minkowski is in the loop. Minkowski is like Charlie, like Keamy, like Charlotte... like many of LOST's other characters who've died in the island's timeline, and who are now a more 'knowledgeable' part of the LAX universe. His offer to help Desmond "with anything he might need" seemed a little loaded to me.

The Scales of Justice... Balanced with Backgammon Chips

Here, in an overly-gushing scene where I thought they might actually give each other a handy, Charles Widmore is singing Desmond's praises to a shot of 60-year old MacCutcheon's whisky. This isn't just a clap on the back for a job well-done... it's pure, unadulterated, unfiltered appeasement, designed to keep Desmond pacified and questionless in the LAX timeline. Yet whoever manufactured or created this reality to keep Desmond happy doesn't know him very well, because when it comes to what makes Des tick they forgot one all-important thing: LOVE.

As much as original Desmond desired Charles Widmore's blessing, the purpose for wanting such approval was always Penny. That purpose is absent here, in the LAX timeline. Desmond's new gig keeps him happy only up until Charlie points out how purposeless and meaningless his existence really is. It's Charlie who shows Desmond what he's really missing - a life with Penny and his newborn son - and it's Charlie who oversteps cosmic boundaries to get this message across. That "violation" Ms. Hawking mentions later on? It's all on Charlie, and it's probably going on his permanent record.

Look at the way Widmore speaks to Desmond in this scene. He talks about being blessed to "have him in his employ" (almost as if he has him in his pocket), and speaks about how "indispensable" Desmond is. He even goes above and beyond normal praise, making sure to reinforce how happy Desmond should be to be free from commitments and attachments.

Widmore is pulling the wool over LAX_Desmond's eyes, here. He needs him to not question things, and to not dig too deeply into any emotions that might remind him of his prior life with Penny. This gets reiterated by Ms. Hawking later on during their own conversation together, but in this scene it's important to note how adamant Charles gets about Desmond flying solo - and staying that way. LAX Widmore and Hawking remain on the team that wants to keep things status quo. They want things to happen they way they're "supposed to", possibly just to keep the loop going.

School's In... and Charlie's Teaching the First Lesson Underwater

Desmond's arrival at the police station cues up the requisite mirror scene, in which he sees a reflection of himself. From this point forward things change, and truths resurface. More specifically, Charlie brings about these changes in Desmond... from the moment he walks untouched through busy traffic - without a care in the world - to the second he jerks the wheel of Des's car into the depths of that marina.

At the bar, the first thing Charlie does is ask Desmond if he's happy. It's like he's testing the extent to which Charles Widmore and the new timeline has brainwashed him. Charlie corrects Desmond by telling him he doesn't even remotely know what happiness is, and then goes on to tell of the life-altering experience he had while slipping into unconsciousness. He also tells Desmond he's seen "something real", and goes on to tell him exactly what it is: the TRUTH.

All of these are elements we've talked about - in both my recaps and your comments - over the past several weeks. The mirrors reflecting back the truth... the water acting as a catalyst... the flashes of remembrance between the LAX and island timelines, brought about whenever these people run into each other. Charlie solidifies it all here, finally laying it out as undeniable fact. He calls Desmond out as a glorified babysitter, laughs at his 'perks', and hints toward his entire LAX 'life' being nothing but a pipe dream.

In talking about Claire, Charlie gets taken away to another place. "I know her. We're together. It's like we've always been, and always will be". Charlie's being totally candid here, and we all know it. Desmond however, still needs more convincing. This is where Charlie offers Desmond a choice, while driving along to DriveShaft. But it's also where Charlie violates the rules... taking that choice away from Desmond only seconds after giving it to him.

The underwater car scene, with Desmond's chilling revelation, was absolutely incredible. I think what made it a hundred times better was the absolute cessation of sound or music as Desmond saw NOT PENNY'S BOAT scrawled on Charlie's hand. Desmond's face was worth a thousand words, and I felt like a huge piece of the puzzle just locked into place, for both him and for us.

Charlie knew. He stepped beyond the scope of the rules to show Desmond. He didn't allow Des the choice to see things for himself, he flat out took control of the situation and gave him the answer.

This is a FIRST. It's also huge moment for LOST. It verifies that people outside of the 'game' - people who've died or gone over to the other side - are somehow in the know about things. Up until now, we've only seen these people permitted to push or nudge things in the right direction, the way Charlie did to Hurley during The Shape of Things To Come. Here however, Charlie wipes his ass with the rulebook. His flagrant foul gets called later on by Hawking, but at this point I'm not so sure Charlie even cares. He sits back in his seat, satisfied that he conveyed his message, expecting to die as he knows he's supposed to. And for one last time, Desmond saves him.

Get Me Out Of Here Before I Smother, Brotha!

As much as water acted as a catalyst for Desmond's cross-universe visions, so does electromagnetism. The MRI he receives at the hospital triggers even further memories of his life with Penny. LAX_Desmond is almost fully converted... he's gone from a non-believer to someone desperate to hook up with the woman he somehow knows he loves, all in the span of just a few hours.

After cornering Charlie for more answers, Desmond gets clued in a bit further. "This doesn't matter", Charlie tells him, gesturing to the new, foreign life that's been thrust upon them both. "None of this matters. All that matters is that we felt it."

Does this mean the LAX timeline doesn't matter? Not at all. Charlie's telling Desmond that he's barking up the wrong tree. He advises Desmond to stop worrying about rock concerts, Widmore's errands, and inconsequential bullshit. This is exactly the same as when Rose and Bernard told Sawyer, Kate, and Juliet to stop worrying about bombs, guns, and time travel. Penny is what matters. Love is what matters. Realizing that you have everything that you ever really wanted right there in front of you? That's what matters.

Let Me Course-Correct This Butter Knife's Place in the Universe, and I'll Be Right With You...

Desmond's latest encounter with Ms. Hawking is immediately dripping with hint-laden dialogue, and her initial face betrays how shocked and totally unhappy she is to see him. Like Widmore, she's doing everything to keep Desmond from remembering stuff. She jams "It's a travesty we haven't met before" down his throat rather quickly, in hopes he doesn't recall their meeting at the ring shop.

Truth be told, Hawking could care less whether Drive Shaft rocks her charity ball. What she's most concerned about is keeping Desmond away from Penny, and possibly away from her son Daniel as well. She's relieved to hear Desmond's only crisis involves not signing Charlie up for the gig, and she dismisses quickly him with a nice "What happened, happened". Unfortunately for her though (and thanks to Charlie) Desmond now recognizes Penny's name when he hears it.

Hawking's entire demeanor changes as she pulls Desmond aside, knowing that the jig is up. She tells him to 'stop' but remains obscure; she can't even tell him exactly what it is he must stop doing. Hawking is beyond pissed, and not at Des. She makes it known that someone's "changed the way" Desmond sees things, and that doing so was a violation. We know Charlie is the responsible party here, and that by helping Des remember he just tossed a huge wrench into Hawking's works.

Eloise continues with something even more revealing: that Desmond should be happy because he has a "perfect life", and the one thing he always wanted: her husband's approval. The idea that she would know this seems to span both timelines, because it's within the island-based universe that Desmond sought Charles Widmore's blessing. It also shows a serious error in judgement in thinking this was the one thing Desmond wanted "most of all". That honor goes to Penny, but these chumps haven't figured that out yet.

So let's deconstruct this for a moment. The fact that Desmond's pre-LAX needs have been taken into consideration seems to indicate we're seeing a manufactured reality. Someone or something has constructed the LAX universe based upon what it thought Desmond - and possibly every other character - would want.

Just take a look at Daniel, now a musician. Certainly his mother would remember her young son's only desire was to play the piano, and now we see him placated by having grown into a talented pianist. The only problem is that Daniel is not happy or placated, because running into Charlotte has reminded him of his past life. This causes him to go physics-happy all over a perfectly good notebook, prompting an investigation of his own.

So who created this new universe? We've always assumed it was Juliet, setting off Jughead with that rock. Yet someone has definitely stacked the deck here. Someone with intimate knowledge (or scanning?) of our main characters has tried, in a very Matrix-like way, to create the perfect utopia for each and every one of our heroes.

In a careful, calculated manner, someone has been trying to give our LAX characters exactly what it thinks they want, but at the same time, keep them completely in the dark about what happened in their previous, island-based lives. They're using happiness to suppress past memories, but love is the one thing that wasn't counted on. Is is so often the case, Love overrides everything else, spoiling the plan.

Daniel (Widmore) Faraday... Because Someone Still Needs to Represent the Skinny Tie

As if two mega-important conversations weren't enough for Desmond this episode, he goes and has a third with Daniel. Here's where our minds get even more blown away, because Dan starts talking about nuclear bombs and alternate timelines without ever having knowledge of such things. Being a musician and not a physicst hasn't slowed him down a single bit.

Many people have speculated that the LAX timeline is the correct one - the timeline that should've always been. Faraday squashes this theory, telling Desmond that the LAX timeline is actually the aberration. Much as the Oceanic Six timeline was described to be, their current timeline is still NOT right.

In Dan's opinion, they once had another life... but something happened to change things. He describes something catastrophic in the original timeline that needed to be avoided, with the avoidance of this event spinning off a whole new universe. Dan and Desmond now exist in a timeline that shouldn't really be, yet a timeline that was created out of necessity. Somehow, Daniel even knows that he's already set off the bomb.

Now, this isn't to say the LAX timeline still won't end up as the final timeline of the show. In fact, Desmond moving to correct not knowing Penny seems to indicate that it certainly might. Our LAX characters have fixed a hell of a lot of major problems in each of their centric episodes, and they may already be off the island to boot. Sticking around and finishing out their lives here might not be such a bad thing... if only they can slip out from under the thumb of those forces still manipulating them.

It's About Time Sayid Snapped Someone's Neck Again... That Hiatus Has Been Way Too Long

Not much else to say. It was interesting that he spared Zoe, but I guess someone needs to let Widmore know what happened.

Are The Stadiums Open 24/7 In Los Angeles? Because in NY They'd Toss You Out On Your Ass

The number of cool, touching scenes between Desmond and Penny are unfairly balancing the rest of the show's love interests. Watching his future-wife run her Tour De Stad, LAX_Desmond is fully and wholly converted, finishing the job that Charlie started.

Desmond faints, and his mind transitions unconsciously into the island timeline. Hopefully by now this shouldn't surprise anyone. What is surprising however, is that Desmond takes his memories with him.

Maybe it's his exposure to electromagnetic radiation - in both timelines - that allows this to happen. Maybe it's because he and Daniel act as each other's constants. Maybe it's just a plot point necessary to the last few episodes of the show. In the end, none of that matters. The only thing that's important is that island Desmond now seems to retain some or all of LAX_Desmond's knowledge. He's doing Widmore's bidding because he believes his assertion that everyone and everything will cease to exist should they fail. Yet at the same time, Desmond's smile betrays a whole lot of hope. The way he was grinning, it was almost as if he knew everything would be alright - whether it be in this life or the next.

Happily ever after, right? Sure. Except there's one thing that should still bother us: the sacrifice Widmore mentions Desmond must make. I've got a sinking feeling that sacrifice might just be his son, Charlie. If Des and Penny walk off into the LAX sunset, baby Charlie doesn't exist. Just like Widmore and Hawking, Desmond and Penny would have sacrificed a child to the island. Let's hope the writers and producers love Des as much as we do, so this doesn't have to happen.

[A Bit Better]

BUMP.

Gonna read this later.

[Dubby]

dropped

[Dubby]

10 mins in...

RAH

-

TID

[Dubby]

lolz, okay

so... the island is purgatory? cool

so with Desmond, you think 'cause he was around the electromagnetic ish all that time, he himself is charged by all that, and therefore has all these special abilities... one of them being immune to the black smoke monster (who also is of some electromagnetic basis), hence the fact that he didn't get murked by Flocke, just thrown down the well, so I'm assuming those pillars that kept the black smoke monster emitted some electromagnetic frequency that kept him out, dust has an electric charge and thats what stops him from being able to cross it.... yeah.... science

/random theories

lol @ running over a man in the wheelchair, the way man did it like he felt no way about it

good episode anyway

[Francis Coquelin]

swear libby was never this peng

wife

[Hank Moody]

when i saw that reminded me of dont be a menace

"they say i'll never walk again"

wtf u couldnt walk anyway GTFO

[gemma]

the island is NOT purgatory. the creators have said this a thousand times

[Heero Yuy]

Good epsiode, enjoyed seeing michael back, still wondering who the yute is, but im starting to get the feeling that the yute is the manifestation of the island itself. So i take it if desmond can kill LAX locke it also murks off leng locke

/

lol @ the dynamite still reaping

and lmao @ the way flocke didn't even go super saiyin on desmond just standardly dashed him down the well

@ the way desmond cooly hit down locke

[gemma]

i don't think desmond is trying to kill alternate locke, maybe wants him to have a near death experience so he can see his island life

or maybe he knew he gets pushed down a well, so thought f*ck it, let me run this cripple over

[Drift]

/ilana

[Fearless-Guy]

so glad shes duppied, fed up of seeing her sombre face

/

ALT locke to remember his on island persona and cause destruction like jammer, THE ISLAND AINT DONE WITH HIM YET IM TELLIN YA

[UN.Muzik]

so glad shes duppied, fed up of seeing her sombre face

/

ALT locke to remember his on island persona and cause destruction like jammer, THE ISLAND AINT DONE WITH HIM YET IM TELLIN YA

What I thought aswell, and the way ATL Locke was looking at the end he was probably getting a flood of memories himself

Flocke might turn into Revolver Ocelot in MGS 2 all conflicted and changing personas back and forth between himself and Liquid, obviously this instance it would be Real Locke/MIB

Desmond >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Also Gemma is there a recap for this ep yet?

[Fearless-Guy]

so glad shes duppied, fed up of seeing her sombre face

/

ALT locke to remember his on island persona and cause destruction like jammer, THE ISLAND AINT DONE WITH HIM YET IM TELLIN YA

Flocke might turn into Revolver Ocelot in MGS 2 all conflicted and changing personas back and forth between himself and Liquid, obviously this instance it would be Real Locke/MIB

THIS. would actually be amazing, and combine two of my favourite things, lost and mgs.

[A Bit Better]

The way Jack and Flocke looked at each other was sick. Suttin big's gonna happen there.

Lol at the way they're explaining EVERYTHING though. The way they revealed the whispers was frankly homo. "Oh so the whispers is you guys who are ghosts who can't leave the island?" Was cheesy.

[Colin Turnover]

Lol at the way they're explaining EVERYTHING though. The way they revealed the whispers was frankly homo. "Oh so the whispers is you guys who are ghosts who can't leave the island?" Was cheesy.

Was like the most contrived thing ever.

I know it wont happen, but I beg Walt makes an appearance. WAAAAAAAAAALT!!!

Oh yeah, Richard is any prick. Think him and Ben killed Ilana on purpose. Ilana would hold a Persian beat.

FIN.

[gemma]

THINGS I NOTICED - Everybody Loves Hugo

Everyone loves Hugo episodes. They always deliver a message, but they usually do it with an interesting mix of humor and sarcasm. This week, they even did it with darker and more shadowy overtones. Despite the increasing tension and imminent violence of the upcoming storyline, Hurley was still able to shine through. Things I Noticed:

Three... Is a Magic Number

LOST is playing out exactly as Locke predicted it would, way back in the Pilot episode. Two players, two sides, one dark and one light... things were a lot simpler back then, and ideas a lot more innocent. Perhaps this is why John neglected to take the additional force into account - the third grand master - the watchers, the whisperers, those who are apparently 'stuck' on the island through their deeds or misdeeds.

The bright red flower on Libby's grave this episode pointedly reflects the influence of a 3rd party. We've seen this all throughout the show - the use of the color red neatly implemented in some very key ways. Red has been used to make a point (by Eloise Hawking, showing Desmond the red-shoed man), and in scenes alongside the other two black and white forces (Locke's red WV bug alongside black and white sedans, the red hieroglyphics of the Swan's black-on-white countdown timer, etc...) - the list is pretty long.

Yet when it comes to people, red has been used mostly in conjunction with one key character on LOST: Michael. He's the guy wearing the red shirt as the raft launches in Exodus, standing next to Sawyer and Jin in their black and white ones. Mike's also the one who told us the season one joke: "What's black and white and re(a)d all over?"

Perhaps more than anyone else save John Locke, Michael's been the most manipulated pawn in LOST's whole game. You have only to watch the surprise on his face as Michael shoots Libby and Ana Lucia to know one thing: at that very moment, someone else had their finger on Mike's playing piece. He gets manipulated back to the island by forces beyond his control, and spectacularly disposed of once the island is done with him. As far as pawns go, Michael's unimaginative, single-sided approach to problem solving (i.e. bounding randomly into the jungle after Walt every ten minutes) probably made him an easy target. In essence, he was a good tool to use.

Michael is also the one 815'er who never really had a choice at all. From the moment we first see him, people like his ex-wife are making decisions for him. He's always been the victim, played the victim, and seen himself as a man taken advantage of. In that respect, it's only fitting that Michael would ultimately end up in an advisory role, trying to help Hugo make some very important decisions of his own.

Michael showing up in conjunction with the whispers, alongside Libby's red flower, really cements the theory of a third party on LOST. The watchers are the whisperers, and the whisperers are the ones who've been watching. When Mike steps up to Hurley here, it's not with vague hints or cryptic allusions. He flat out tells Hugo he's here to stop him from making a mistake, and then proceeds to tell him exactly what he must do. This is a much more direct influence than we've ever seen before, and it's probably because - one way or another - things are finally drawing down to a conclusion.

The whisperers aren't just watching anymore, they're getting involved. They have a stake in what happens, and they mean to protect it. Hurley's not exactly happy to see Michael, but he is happy to get some outside help. The insight Michael provides comes from outside the show's gameboard, and with some sort of advanced knowledge of what's going to happen. Hurley knows and understands this, and is smart enough not to question it. As he tells Miles later on: "Dead people are more reliable than the live people". At this point, it just makes sense.

I've Been Training My Whole Life For This!

Did you see Richard's face when he looked into Illana's satchel? That was some sweaty, nappy, nasty-looking dynamite! I should've realized what was going to happen here but I'm glad I didn't, because Illana's demise startled the hell out of me almost as bad as what happened to poor Arzt. Fool me once, shame on ABC. Fool me twice... I really should've seen that sh*t coming.

Sorry, but now that we've seen Illana's whole story arc I have to say that I'm less than impressed. She marched into LOST like she knew what she was doing, but backed it up with nothing but hard talk and a lot of rifle-pointing. She had a lame storyline, brought a very weak crew with her, and came to a totally useless ending. Ille qui nos omnes servabit my ass.

If Illana's only purpose was to tell our characters that they're candidates to replace Jacob, then maybe she should've just sent a telegram. I have a hard time believing Jacob would've taken someone he treated like a daughter and waste her in this way. Either Illana totally screwed up or Illana totally screwed up - as far as I'm concerned there's really no other possibility. If she were following the correct path and making the "right moves" (as Hurley questioned her earlier), there's no way she would've Arzt'd herself like that.

You could maybe convince me that the dark man offed Illana herself. If you examine her last words, she did just call him a 'thing'. We already know how badly the MIB hates that term, and maybe she really pissed him off. But a more likely scenario, I think, is that the writers are just trimming the fat. As the show winds down, we'll need to see more of our bigger heroes and less of Johnny-come-latelys like Illana and Frank (as much as I love that guy).

The only important thing Illana may have done? Burned down Jacob's cabin. Maybe this is what traps the dark man in John Locke's body for good. After all, in reference to the cabin Bram did mention that "someone was using it."

Stood Up On The Fahita Field Trip

Yes, it was good to see Libby again. Her character's exit was abrupt and her story unfinished, and it's always nice to see loose ends getting tied up. She also had some great interaction with Hurley, both this week and in past episodes, and going all the way back to the tail section gives her tons more street-cred than, say, Illana or Zoe.

Like Charlie, Libby remembers. She's not even fully sure what she remembers, she just knows that she feels it. Her revelation didn't happen by touch or even proximity to Hurley - interestingly enough it happened via the television. This screams back to the first time we saw Daniel Faraday, sobbing as he watched footage of the crash of Flight 815. Daniel cried back then without even understanding where those emotions were coming from - just as Libby does here - and this is just one of LOST's many cool tie-ins to past seasons.

Join The Dark Side... We Have Arts & Crafts!

What's whiny, ungrateful, mutinous, and impatient? Flocke's entire encampment, of course. Sawyer's certainly not one for inaction, and we all know how Kate feels about sitting in one place for too long. Carving sticks Eko-style without a care in the world doesn't seem to help smokey's image, and the latest polls indicate popularity has gone way down.

Yet despite all this, the dark man holds his position. He knows he needs the remaining candidates, and more importantly he knows they must come to him on their own. To appease Sawyer and Kate, the MIB makes up some nonsense about 'needing them all together' in order to be able to leave the island. Keeping Ajira in mind, this is something he knows they can understand. Temporarily, it serves as a great excuse to quiet their grumblings, so he can hear the wood when it speaks to him.

Many viewers already suspect that Flocke wants the candidates dead, and I'm jumping on board with them on this idea. Gathering the candidates together is the best way to accomplish the MIB's end goal, because I'm also assuming he can't harm them directly. He'll therefore need someone else to do it, and putting everyone in one place would make destroying them a hell of a lot easier for whomever he picks to do the job.

It's also important to note how John Locke's mannerisms have been shining through the MIB lately. He seems to have adapted John's hobbies as well as his slogans. Maybe he can't keep his hold on John's body forever. Maybe he can't suppress certain aspects of John's persona from exhibiting themselves. This sort of happens to Sayid too, as he let Zoe go last episode rather than shoot her dead. The smoke monster seemed fairly pissed about this, but avoiding any unnecessary killing seems to be something associated with 'good' Sayid.

It's Like a WalkAbout In Your Mouth!

Four days later, Desmond has gotten his greedy little hands on Oceanic 815's flight manifest. From here he takes on a very Jacob-like role, making it his own personal mission to plant seeds of enlightenment everywhere he goes. It's almost like he's recruiting here - bringing his fellow castaways' memories back for some ultimate purpose that only he knows about. First stop: Hurley's chicken shack.

Directly in line with the rules of the island, Desmond doesn't tell Hugo anything outright. He merely gives him a push, and leads him in the right direction. The Desmond we see here is almost omniscient - he's got his LAX memories, but he also has memories of being on the island. More evidence of this exists as Desmond's number is called: 42. Hugo on the other hand, has customer number 38 - indicative of his story in the sideways timeline.

Hospitals, Marinas, Mental Hospitals, Rec-Rooms...

Just like dialogue, names, faces and scenarios, there are certain places throughout LOST that are repeated time and time again. Here at Santa Rosa, we're once again treated to the same familiar people, objects, scenery and decor. I'm thinking Hurley's big donation won't change that fact one bit.

According to Dr. Brooks, Libby has "issues with reality". Unknown to him, he couldn't have put it better. As her mind slips between two different worlds, Libby has very specific memories of her island life, the plane crash, and even knowing Hugo in Santa Rosa during their stay in the previous timeline. We see dialogue identical to both worlds (i.e. "you're doing fine") that seem to jog Hurley's memory for a split second, but he still hasn't had that one big revelation that Charlie or Desmond have shared.

The connect four game dumps cargo a split second after this scene starts, but if you're quick enough to pause it, you'll see that red beats black.

Dude, You've Got Some Black Rock On You...

Again, everything comes full circle. In Exodus, Hugo was running and waving his hands to prevent Locke from setting off dynamite. Here, Hurley is doing the same thing after setting off his own explosion. Hugo's even on the receiving end of another oft-repeated line: "Why did you do that?"

Hurley's a terrible liar, and it was easy to see his initial stutter while faking his conversation with Jacob. Jack caught onto it quickly, and so did Richard. Hugo sticks to his original plan however, which now includes talking to Locke. It's not clear whether he came up with the plan himself or got additional help from Michael, but it's safe to say Mike's okay with it because he later points out Locke's encampment.

"You can either come with me, or you can keep trying to blow stuff up." Great line. What's awesome here is the way Jack steps up to stand behind his friend. There was a point several seasons back where Hurley should've trusted Jack and went with him, but chose not to. Here the roles are reversed, only this time, Jack chooses the correct path. He puts all of his trust in Hurley... and by doing this, Jack lets go.

This is a very big moment for Jack. In his own words, Jack realizes he can't ever fix what happened in the past. With some help from his father, his friends, mirror-smashing therapy, and even Jacob, he's finally stopped trying to put his hands in everything. Totally and completely, Jack is now a man of faith.

This leads to our heroes being divided for what might (thankfully) be the very last time. Richard takes Miles and Ben to form the doomsday demolition team, where we'll probably get a requisite farewell tour of the barracks. Jack, Sun, and Frank agree to follow Hurley into the lion's den. Blowing up that plane seemed like a shitty idea anyway, and the more Illana pushed it the worse it looked.

RIP Black Rock. We had some good times.

Is That Your Brotha, Brotha?

We haven't had a Desmond/Locke scene in a while, and we've never seen Desmond with the man in black. The paring of these two characters, combined with Desmond's recent flash of insight, made for one of the best scenes in the episode.

Flocke doesn't know why Widmore brought Desmond to the island, but he knows he must be important. The electromagnetism thing seemed to bother him slightly, as he asked Desmond to specifically verify what happened. Desmond's honest, straightforward answers seem almost a little suspect, but for some reason he's unable or unwilling to lie about anything here. Flocke's most important question however, comes at the end of their interview: "Do you know who I am?"

This is a question asked all throughout the show. Identity is a huge theme, and I predict it will play a tremendous part in how LOST ultimately ends. Desmond however, answers the question simply and innocently (or does he?) when he responds with: "Of course. You're John Locke".

This pleases the dark man. I think he half-expected Desmond to identify him here, but chalks him up as unknowledgeable from this point forward. This will make it easier, or so he thinks, to faceplant Desmond in that ancient well. Des actually takes smokey's hand as he gets up, which may have enabled this to happen.

Later on however, Desmond slyly exhibits knowledge above and beyond what the MIB originally pegged him for. "Do you know better?" he asks him. "There's nothing special about me brotha. If you ask me, this island has it in for all of us." Desmond is decrying being special here for a reason: he's downplaying his significance. Immediately after that exchange though, he exhibits yet another important power: the ability to see the young boy in the jungle.

The boy sure as hell looks (and smirks) like Jacob. He's older this time, indicating a progression. Once again it angers the MIB, but he walks away this time rather than lose control. Is Jacob really there? Probably not. But the boy's image is a not-so-subtle reminder that he's still present on the island. And that their game is NOT yet over.

The Whispers... Explained in 31 Seconds

Okay, so from completely out of nowhere we get... an ANSWER to the WHISPERS!?!?!?

I was totally blown away... amazed that they answered this question right here, right now, and in such a short, rushed scene. The whispers turn out to be what many people have suspected since day one: the voices of the dead. These are the sounds of those stuck on the island and forced to watch things unfold, due to the actions (or inactions) of their previous lives.

As much as I hate to even say it, Michael's definition of being "unable to move on" jives a hell of a lot with the definition of Purgatory. He's trapped there because of what he did, and for some reason is offering Hugo his help. There's nothing Hurley can do for Michael, other than "don't get yourself killed". The way it looks now, Michael's final redemption lies in seeing that Hugo and his friends succeed.

This simple, easy, cookie-cutter answer to one of LOST's oldest mysteries just seemed way out of place for me. It's not that I didn't like the answer (I did - and it was pretty close to my own view of things), it was the hurried, nonchalant way it was thrown at us. Hugo stumbled off with a sudden "Hey, I think I know what these things are", and a minute later we were back on the way to Locke's camp again. Six years' worth of buildup and anticipation had a very weak, lame release.

Still, I think we'll get a deeper explanation of the whispers than Michael's simple nod. Who's back there? Why haven't they stepped forward before? What's changed that Hugo can suddenly see and even call the whisperers out into the open, asking for their help?

It's also cool to start thinking back and identifying when we've seen the whisperers before. I've always thought Harper (Goodwin's wife) was one of them. Maybe even taller ghost Walt. Ben's mother? She never even made it to the island, but it would make sense if she were among them. People have already pointed out that she appeared within the boundaries of the sonic fence, so her appearance couldn't have been attributed to the MIB.

There's a much bigger picture here, and I think Mike just gave us a small glimpse into it. I'm still holding out hope for a more thorough whispers reveal, so anyone who was unsatisfied like me shouldn't close that door just yet.

Everyone Loves Cheese

Hurley and Libby finally get their picnic, and if anyone deserved it, they did. Libby's memories get jogged even further here, to the point where both she and Hugo begin reciting more identical dialogue. The kiss happens, and that's the trigger... that's when Hurley's memory makes the (hopefully permanent) connection between the LAX and island timelines.

We're lead to believe that love is the bridge between these two worlds. In many ways, that's even true. But what's interesting to realize here is that Hugo didn't remember anything until he was placed into a situation familiar to the island timeline. Once he had the picnic, once he kissed Libby, that's when he remembered.

This is exactly what happened to Desmond last episode. His memory was triggered by an event that occurred in both timelines: seeing Charlie through a pane of glass, underwater. It's also what happened to jog Charlie's memory: doing drugs in the bathroom of Flight 815 was the connection for him, because it's something that happened in both the LAX and island worlds.

For Daniel Faraday, it was love at first sight. Maybe his connection happened because he fell in love with Charlotte immediately upon seeing her in both timelines. Love is important, but circumstances are important also, just as recreating the circumstances of Ajira 316 was crucial to getting back to the island.

Brothhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flocke may be lying his ass off to get what he wants, but there is one thing I agree with him on. When he tells Desmond "Charles Widmore isn't interested in answers, he's only interested in power", I think he's dead on stating the truth here.

In a very awesome scene, the dark man regards Desmond curiously and asks "Why aren't you afraid?" It really seems to bother him that Desmond is so cool and collected. Maybe it's because the MIB is so used to ruling through fear and show of force. If we're to believe the hieroglyphics, the smoke monster is also used to being fearfully worshipped by followers for what may have been thousands of years.

Yet here's someone who's not only unafraid, he's totally casual about it. Desmond scares the dark man on some very new levels. His enemy, Charles Widmore, went through a lot of trouble to bring Desmond to the island, for one. He's resistant to electromagnetism - something the monster himself can't stand. And if Desmond can see the boy in the jungle, does that make him a candidate? If so, does the "sacrifice" Widmore mentioned last episode involve him taking Jacob's place?

Tossing Desmond into that well was a no-brainer, and Des should've seen it coming. From the sounds of that torch hitting the bottom, it seemed like it probably ended in some water. I'm sure Desmond's okay, just as I'm sure there's a donkey wheel on ice down there. Maybe Flocke expects him to turn it, or expects Desmond to be dead. Either way, he should've double-tapped.

I Know Who You Are... I Know What You Are

Not much to say about Hurley brokering his friends' safe arrival at Locke's camp, other than the Jack/Locke staredown at the end. As these two iconic characters exchanged looks, it really did give me the chills. Watch it closely, and Flocke's head cocks curiously, almost as if he sees something within Jack. Perhaps he sees who Jack "truly is", the way Achara did, because right afterward, the MIB smirks.

The School District Looks Fine Enough, But Desmond's Not a Big Fan of The Faculty

Sometimes the ending of an episode distracts you just enough to flick you right in the balls. That totally happened to me here, as Desmond happily and brutally introduces John Locke to several key surfaces of his moving car.

We know from his brief conversation with Ben that LAX_Desmond has memories of his island life. After lying about looking for a school for his son, Ben tries to catch him in that lie by immediately asking his son's name. Without even so much as a second's hesitation, Desmond instantly answers him: "Charlie".

As far as I see it, there are two possibilies here. In one, Desmond remembers Locke as Flocke. He knows he's the bad guy, and is now trying to kill him. Perhaps he thinks killing John in the off-island world will have an impact on the MIB's ability to maintain his dopleganger-like control over John Locke's emotional spirit, and maybe John can "take back" some of that control again. We've already seen mannerisms of the old John Locke bleed through from time to time, and we've also seen deceased characters in the island timeline transcend some of their memories to their LAX counterparts after they've died.

In the second scenario, Desmond is merely trying to induce the same type of revelation that he, Charlie, Daniel, and Hurley have already had. Somehow, Desmond knows about John's 8-story fall in the previous timeline. He realizes he needs to recreate that same type of hellacious disaster, and runs John down to accomplish this. Far-fetched and gruesome, but hey, this is LOST.

In the end, it's going to be interesting to see what happens here - both in the LAX timeline and on the island. I'm sure Locke's "accident" will be the deciding factor as to whether Jack fixes his spine or not, because I'd bet my ass that Locke's going straight to Shephard hospital. On island, I'm betting there will also be some impact on the MIB's side of things. We'll just have to see.

[A Bit Better]

Argh I f*ck*ng love these things. Got up to the bit in red but need to do some work. Will read later.