"He's Our You" episode review

Wow. To be honest, I'm sort of surprised that I churned this review out, given the crazy amount of work that's going on right now for me school-wise. But I did manage; however, I cannot promise anything too amazing with this review. Pretty general stuff by way of looking back on the episode (partly because I only had time to watch it once, whereas I usually watch each episode twice and the second time generally notice a lot more about the episode aesthetically when I watch it through a second time...)

I can promise you this: I will post what I consider to be a very solid theory as a post in and of itself sometime before this season finale surrounding the idea of The Swan station and the implosion of said station ("The Hatch") as well as "The Incident" and the difference in time between the outside world and the Island, as noted by Daniel Faraday in Season 4. Trust me, you'll see. It'll all (hopefully) make sense. I feel like it's pretty legit.
But as I said before, I am SUPER busy right now with classes, but I promise you I will find the time to type it all out before the season finale airs. I'm thinking this season's finale may address a lot of the content which I'm going to hopefully explain, or at least try to, in this elaborate theory of mine.

Beyond that, here's a bit of LOST news. First though, I'll say that it has to do with casting for a future episode, or episodes, so if you try to stay away from "spoilers" such as those 100%, you may want to quit reading and just skip down to the recap. Here goes...

(I garnered this information from EW.com)
Actor Mark Pellegrino, formerly on the show Dexter, will appear in LOST, playing a pivotal role. He will appear in the season finale. Furthermore, rumor has it that he will portray Jacob!! Holy cow, would it be sick to finally see some real, tangible form of Jacob (beyond the like, fourth of a second shot in that one Season 3 episode where Locke first goes to the cabin and upsets Jacob with the flashlight). It's apparently also being speculated that his appearance will be in some sort of an off-Island scene alongside some familiar characters. Michael Ausiello said one of the characters with whom he may appear is *a****. I don't know about you, but I'm TOTALLY thinking Daniel. We'll see, though...


Anyway! Onto a brief episode recap!

• The episode opens with a flashback of young Sayid with his family in Tikrit, Iraq. The scene's function is to highlight Sayid's killing nature, a theme brought up time and time again throughout the episode. That's right: This episode is a Sayid episode, and we're all the better for it. (look for a 5 in the "BAMF moments" section of the review. ;) haha)
• First, let's cover all the past events surrounding Sayid that we saw in this episode. We finally found out how Sayid went from being Ben's own, personal headhunter to fervently opposed against him: Ben's list of targets had simply run out. After Sayid had ruthlessly owned some guy in Moscow, he went to meet Ben, who told him quite simply that it was over. He had killed all of the individuals who posed a threat to his friends. It was painfully apparent that Sayid, unable to accept the fact that his vengeful rage had nowhere to continue and unsure how he would or even could start a new life (or continue his old one), was floored by Ben's statement and upset with him for intending to simply leave him to live his life, no strings attached, seemingly with no intention of ever having another conversation with him ever again. "You're free, Sayid," Ben said... "Free to do WHAT?!?" Sayid undoubtedly must have been thinking.
• Next, we see Sayid working in the Dominican Republic, where Locke had come to talk to him before and tried and failed to convince him to come back with him to the Island. Ben comes to Sayid and tells him that Locke's dead. Ben tells Sayid that Locke was killed by one of Widmore's men, that it was an act of retaliation for Ben's actions, notably Sayid's numerous "hits." Ben warns Sayid that Widmore will most likely be sending men after him, as well, and even tells him that there's already one of Widmore's men outside of the mental institution where Hurley is staying. Ben tells Sayid that he's a killer and that it's essentially a gift of his; Sayid tells Ben that he receives no joy in killing.
• Finally, after leaving the dock and warning Ben that if he ever saw him again, it would be very "unpleasant" for them both, Sayid headed to a bar and got a drink. He bought a drink for a very attractive woman, who we know to be Ilana, and took her back to (presumably) his hotel room, where she apprehended him. She informed Sayid that she was hired by the family of Peter Avellino, one of the men who Sayid killed for Ben (we saw Sayid shoot him on a confined golf course in the Season 4 episode, "The Economist"), to bring him to Guam.
  
• At the airport, preparing to board Ajira Airways Flight 316, Sayid requests, after noticing Kate and some of the other Losties, that they take another flight. Ilana refuses. On the flight, Sayid sees Ben and accuses of Ilana for working for him. She seems to not know who Ben is, and Sayid reveals that he had worked for the genocidal murderer.
• Now! Back to current LOST happenings. We left off with Sayid having his first conversation with young Ben. Ben comes to bring the Hostile prisoner Sayid another meal. He asks Sayid if Richard sent him and tells him that he'll help him. Later, Sayid is interrogated by Horace Goodspeed and Radzinsky but refuses to tell them anything. Sawyer later talks with him one-on-one and tries to convince Sayid to admit to being a defector from The Hostiles but Sayid refuses. Later, Sayid is again visited by Ben, but his father Roger Linus, the janitor, comes into the room and physically reprimands Ben for his actions and befriendment of the Hostile.
• It is decided that Sayid must be taken to Oldham, a creepy Dharma member who lives outside of the Dharma Initiative's traditional barracks (for obvious reasons -- he's a nut). Oldham is built up to be some kind of sick torturer; "He's our you," Sawyer warned Sayid. All Oldham does, though, is give Sayid a truth serum. Sayid begins delriously telling the people there all about stuff he shouldn't know but he is eventually discredited after he says that he is from the future.
  
• Back in his cell, Sayid once again visited by Ben, who promises Sayid that he will free him if he'll take him back with him to join his people. Ben is tired of being patient, as Richard asked him to be. Sayid agrees.
• That same night, there is a group meeting concerning what to do about Sayid. Everyone but Sawyer initially votes for execution, and Sawyer is pressured by Horace into voting for execution as well. Sawyer goes to let Sayid escape, staging it like he actually had overpowered Sawyer. Sayid refuses, telling Sawyer that he finally knows what his purpose is upon returning to the Island.
• Relationship-wise, Juliet expresses in scene with Sawyer that she's afraid that their relationship will end as a result of Kate's return. Sawyer fervently denies this. Kate also learns of Sawyer and Juliet's relationship in a scene with Hurley and Jack at lunch. Additionally, her and Juliet get a chance to talk about Sawyer, seeing as the two work together as mechanics; Juliet basically tells Kate to stay away, which Kate appears to be okay with...but I wouldn't count on it.
• Now we get a scene of Sawyer and Kate. Sawyer asks Kate why she came back to the Island but before she can respond a flaming Dharma Initiative van goes flying into one of the barracks buildings, creating a huge ruckus. Amidst all the chaos, Ben goes and frees Sayid, and the two run off into the jungle together. Suddenly, a Dharma van appears in the jungle. Sayid and Ben attempt to run off the path and hide, but it's too late. Jin jumps out of the van, and Sayid is forced to knock him out, grabbing Jin's gun. Then, with hardly a second's hesitation, Sayid shoots Ben straight in the chest and runs off into the jungle. LOST
  

Story/Narrative - First of all, while I felt like Sayid's childhood scene in Iraq was a bit forced, I loved the overall theme of this episode: Sayid's nature as a killer. Time and time again, this idea is reinforced and finally, at the end of the episode, Sayid has accepted it: "You were right about me. I am a killer," and BAM! he shoots Ben straight in the chest and then runs off like a madman into the jungle.
Win! Sayid has finally found his purpose on the Island (or so he thinks...). But I have to wonder: Does anyone else foresee a possible confrontation by ol' Smokey? Eko seemed to have been judged for his past, notably when he would not "confess" to the smoke-monster-manifestation-of-his-brother-Yemi. Here's to hoping that if something like this does reoccur, Sayid will take the confession route. He's just too bamf of a character to die!...at least, not anytime soon...

I thought it was interesting to see how Sayid came to be under Ilana's arrest, and my feeling that there's more to Ilana than she's letting on has only been reinforced. Yeah, right! She just happened to pick Ajira Airways Flight 316? Yeah. Okay... Plus, I find it hard to believe that she's really a bounty hunter.

Finally, I'm really digging Sayid being the main problem so far for so many of our beloved characters: Sawyer, Jin, Juliet, etc. Sawyer basically asks Sayid to live a lie in order to protect his happiness. "I’ve built a life here – and a pretty good one. I let you go, all that goes away." Wow. Douche move, Sawyer. I'm starting to like Jack more and more. Can't wait to see his involvement in and reaction to the events surounding Sayid's escape in the next episode. 5

LOST Theory/Mythology - Not much by way of mythological revelation here, but still, there is something of great importance, I think. Notice: At this point in time, in 1977, the Dharma Initiative does not seem to understand the practicality and reality of time travel in manipulating the Island's uniquely high concentration of exotic energy matter, but it would seem that they were aware of said energy. I'm making this assumption because otherwise they would've been even more interested in Sayid's story after his time traveling statement, rather than simply writing him off as too impaired by the serum. This factors into my theory which I mentioned at the beginning of the post (granted, in a small way, but still...).

Oh, also, was there more to Amy's outburst concerning the need to protect her and Horace's child? (Ethan). I couldn't help but getting the feeling that it was more than just maternal instinct. It seemed like this might have been a hint that even by this point in time in 1977, that The Hostiles were known to take children in raids...but who knows... Maybe I'm reaching... 3

BAMF moments - Wow. Beautiful. More scenes of Sayid epic owning Widmore's men under the hand of Ben. Also, Ilana kind of owned Sayid...and with sexual appeal, no less. This is very uncharacteristic of Sayid's generally rational, logical mindset and served to highlight his state of mental instability at that point, after killing countless targets for Ben, quitting, and going back to killing.

And, of course, there was the whole shooting Ben thing, which obviously raises huge questions regarding the whole issue of Fate vs. Free Will, a theme which has been brought up in LOST since Season 1 but is of particular importance and relevance this season. Honestly, I don't see a point in speculating, since I'm pretty sure we'll learn more about Ben's fate next episode. Here's a new flash: I'm gonna guess that he doesn't die. My guess? He'll be "rescued" inexplicably by Jacob, as Locke was in Season 3 by Jacob in the form of Walt. Or, maybe he'll just be found by the Dharma Initiative or The Hostiles and rushed back to their respective living areas and miraculously saved. What if Jack is asked to do surgery and save Ben's life? Wow... That'd be something. That'd be twice now for Jack. But would he do it? 5

Overall Score - (5 + 3 + 5)/(3) = 4.33

"Namaste" episode review

While "LaFleur" was, in my opinion, concerned with establishing the setting in which I believe the rest of Season 5 will take place, "Namaste" basically seems to set the wheels in motion for the events will unfold throughout the rest of this season.

Initially, I was disappointed with the seeming lack of blow-my-mind moments in this episode but the more I thought about it and after watching it for a second time, I began to like it more and more.

First, some news regarding LOST:

(could possibly be considered "Spoilers" depending on how rigid you are so read at your own risk...)

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

First, I understand that there will be two significant deaths before Season 5 is over. One will be a major-ish character (not exactly sure what that means, not gonna lie... lol) but the other has been confirmed to be a major character death.
Here are the facts regarding said death:

1. The character is much-loved by many fans.
2. This is a "real" death (aka, not a John Locke type death) with the character-to-be-killed permanently leaving the show; think a Shannon or a Charlie-type death.
3. It has been confirmed that the dying character will NOT be Evangeline Lilly's Kate Austen.

I would guess that the probable possibilities for this major death are these characters (if you think of someone else, let me know!):
- Ben
- Sawyer
- Sayid
- Daniel
- Miles
- Jin
- Sun
- Juliet
(I would list Jack, but I feel like his role will be hugely prominent in the final season; plus, he's kind of been the main main character since the beginning of the show.)


Second, this piece of information just released on EW.com:
"An ABC insider confirms that LOST will begin filming a wedding ceremony later today that is slated to air during the show's two-hour finale on May 13. Who's getting hitched? Here are a pair of clues: Actors of Asian-American descent are being sought to play extras, and the wedding will take place on the mainland, not the island. That pretty much rules out Jack/Kate or Sawyer/Juliet. "One theory is that it's a flashback to Sun and Jin's wedding," whispers a Lost insider. "But the wild rumor is that Sun and Jin's daughter will marry Aaron in the future."
Nice... How awesome would it be if Aaron and Ji Yeon got married!...crazy... Speculate away!!


Anyway, on to the (hopefully brief) episode recap and then some commentary on specific aspects of the episode which I loved. :)

• First, let's cover what all went down in "Namaste" with the present-time Ajira Airways 316 group. The episode opens with a sequence portraying 316's crash-landing onto a sort of primitive runway on the Alcatraz island, a small island two miles offshore from the main Island which our Losties have become so acquainted with over the course of the show. In the aftermath of the crash, as the crash survivors are trying to determine what to do next and how they ought to best survive, Ben leaves the group in a rather inconspicuous manner, but Sun follows him and Frank follows both of them as well. Sun is under the impression that Jin is on the main Island, which is where Ben is headed, and leads Ben to believe that she's resorted to trusting him just long enough for him to reveal the location of an outrigger canoe which they can use to get over to the other Island, at which point she hits Ben over the head with an oar and knocks him out, leaving him to most likely be discovered and brought to the infirmary with the rest of the injured (where we saw him last in "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham").
• Frank and Sun take the outrigger across the two mile expanse of water and make their way to the main Island. It is now nighttime and dark. They land at athe same dock, I believe, which we've frequently seen before in past episodes. Some rustling in the trees proves to be a bit disconcerting but they press on and make their way into the Dharma Initiative barracks area. Waiting there for them is a very ominous Christian Shephard (more so than usual even) who takes them to the Dharma Initiative Processing Center and shows them a framed group picture of recruits into the Dharma Initiative from 1977. Jin, Kate, Jack, and Hurley are all pictured. Christian sums up what's to come for them: " I’m sorry but you’ve got a bit of a journey ahead of you."
• Back in 1977, we left off with Jack, Kate, and Hurley getting out of Jin's Dharma-style van and seeing Sawyer for the first time since on the chopper in Season 4, when Sawyer sacrificially opted to jump ship in order for the chopper to make it back to the Kahana for a re-fuel. After (some very awkward) greetings, Sawyer addresses Jack and co. on the situation regarding the Dharma Initiative and about the time flashes, etc. Jin is also informed that Sun was on a plane returning to the Island.
  
• Sawyer lets Juliet know what's going on and how Jack, Kate, and Hurley have returned. Juliet does her part by making some documentation adjustments -- finding out along the way that Amy and Horace's baby's name is Ethan (!!!) -- allowing the three to appear as new recruits into the Dharma Initiative. The three go through the initiation/registration process at the Processing Center with almost no difficulties.
• Meanwhile, Jin takes off to The Flame where Eric Radzinsky is posted -- yes, the same Radzinsky mentioned in Season 2 who originally worked in The Swan. Jin convinces Radzinsky to check for any plane activity over the Island. None is found, understandably, because the plane, unbeknownst to Jin, landed on the Island in current time (late 2007/early 2008ish, I believe).
• Radzinsky does receive a warning of a tripped motion sensor in the jungle, presumably a wandering Hostile, and Jin runs off ahead of Radzinsky to meet the perpetrator. It turns out to be Sayid, who Jin is forced to apprehend and treat as a Hostile in order to not blow his cover in front of Radzinsky. Sawyer, aka LaFleur, is summoned and he decides, against the wishes and warnings of Radzinsky who contends that they should execute the prisoner and be done with the matter, to move Sayid to a jail cell in one of the Dharma Initiative's barracks buildings.
• Later that night, Jack goes to pay a visit to James, err, Jim LaFleur at his home. Yikes. Jack finds out rather awkwardly that Juliet and Sawyer are apparently together and have been for quite some time. Jack questions what Sawyer's plan of action is, and some amount of conflict begins to resurface just a little. Sawyer is quick to put Jack in his place, however, noting his good now-three-year track record as a leader working under Dharma Initiative. Jack concedes that he's relieved to not have to worry about leading anymore and leaves without too much of a fuss. Outside his door, Sawyer catches a glimpse of Kate pacing back and forth on her patio/porch/doorstep-type deal. :P
• Back to Sayid, a boy comes to see him, delivering something to eat, a sandwich in a bag without mustard. Sayid accepts the offering and strikes up a conversation with the boy, telling him his name, only to realize that the boy's name is Ben. LOST
  

Story/Narrative - This episode is packed with beautiful narrative elements. Let's start with Jack's change. Now, we know that "316" marked the beginning to a new refreshed and revived Jack, one who has embraced his destiny with and on the Island, though he is unaware exactly what that means or will entail. I loved Jack's dialogue with Kate while waiting for Sawyer to figure out what to do with them. Whereas the old Jack would have stressed out about what course of action to take and how the situation ought to best be resolved, when Kate asks "So what are we supposed to do now?" Jack simply responds "I'm not sure yet." Wow. Old Jack would have never been so calm about such a situation. I have a feeling I'm going to like new Jack. :)

Another new Jack instance: While Sawyer might have come off as a bit abrasive in his ownage of Jack, pointing out his strengths in leadership and picking apart Jack's style, noting specifically that a lot of people died, Sawyer did have a point. But wow! Look how Jack responded. He didn't trade punches for long. Aside for the "I got us off the Island" line, Jack took it like a man and, respecting Sawyer's position and where he's coming from. He even went so far as to admit that it was a relief to not be responsible for making all the leadership decisions, though I'm admittedly not quite sure how sincere of a statement that was on Jack's part. Time will tell I suppose...

Along the same lines of Jack, did you notice the nod-of-the-head reference to Ben's father, "Roger WorkMan"? haha Beautiful... Could that have been intentional on Sawyer's part, I wonder? Assigning Jack a janitorial position? Perhaps... Either way, it was a very ironic, amusing little detail.

Throughout the episode, I was constantly creeped out by Phil, a new character introduced in "LaFleur," a Dharma Initiative member who seems to be on to the fact that everything is not quite right surrounding the events of Jack, Kate, and Hurley coming to the Island and apparently knowing Mr. LaFleur a little too well -- "He doesn't like being called James! It's Jim to you!" -- in light of how much time they've allegedly spent on the Island up until this point. I bet we'll see more of Phil later...

Finally, we come to the final scene. Now, while this was admittedly somewhat anti-climactic for an episode-closing scene -- I would have preferred the one with Christian telling Sun and Frank that they have a "bit of a journey" ahead of them -- I believe it's simply setting up next episode. If you watched the "next week on LOST" clip, Sayid's basically going to go crazy. Now. Here are two theories regarding Sayid and Ben's little conversation and what might come to pass as a result of it...
1. Sayid has already relinquished the fact that he would kill Ben the next time he saw him (which, actually, he didn't live up to; that would have been aboard Ajira Airways Flight 316, but whatever...give him a break; he was in handcuffs at the time). He's also very bitter about Ben's manipulating him into knocking off enemies after his wife's untimely death. My guess is that Sayid will escape his prison and attempt to kill Ben, young Ben, which leads me to my second theory...
2. How will Sayid escape? Consider this: By this point, Ben has already talked with Richard out in the jungle beyond the sonar fence and was told to be very patient, that there may, in fact, be an opportunity for him to join The Hostiles at some point in the future. Point being, Ben has, at this point in the game, adopted a partial mindset towards The Hostiles and has most likely mentally sided with them. It'd be crazy if that brown paper bag contained a gun and not a sandwich, but, granted, that's probably a long shot... I could still see Ben freeing Sayid, however, believing him to be a Hostile and trying to save one whom he considers to be a friend.

Let me know what you think regarding this! Who's Sayid gonna go crazy on??

Anyway, all in all, great narrative storytelling. What an episode in this regard! 5

LOST Theory/Mythology - First off, did you notice Sawyer's reference to Faraday? While riding in the van to the barracks, Jack asked "Did you say Faraday? He’s here?" to which Sawyer replied "Not any more." Hmm... I've got a guess about Faraday: I bet Daniel Faraday ahs gone off on his own solo mission to study the true nature and power of the Island in an attempt to "fix" things that have gone wrong, notably in an attempt to save Charlotte's life. This could explain why we saw him in the season premiere at the site of The Orchid as it was being constructed. He was probably trying to observe firsthand the exotic, negatively charged energy which exists in such relatively massive quantities at the site of The Orchid and just on the Island in general, apparently. Moving on, let's talk about Radzinsky. There are some interesting implications regarding him in light of what we saw in this episode. Let's start by saying this: Radzinsky apparently came up with the concept of The Swan or at least was in charge of designing it. He obviously regarded its location as of great importance as well. Consider this, though: How or why would Radzinsky, this man who constructed The Swan, have come to the point where he went crazy because of pushing the button, etc. and decided he had to end it all by blowing his face off with a shotgun? If Kelvin, Desmond's rescuer and initial partner in The Swan, was telling the truth, that's exactly what happened to Radzinsky. That'll be interesting to find out more about (in coming episodes, hopefully!)...

A couple quick side notes... First, Amy and Horace's baby was Ethan, which begs the question: Did Ethan survive The Purge or was he stolen beforehand from The Dharma Initiative or did he simply defect or what? How did Ethan come to be a part of The Others?

Also -- totally called it, btw! yes!! -- Frank did, in fact, land on the runway on the Alcatraz island which Kate and Sawyer were working on in Season 3 while they were prisoners of The Others, being held at The Hydra station. How did it become so complete considering so little work was done by Kate and Sawyer, you might ask? Well, remember this: We don't know how many other Others (<-- lol) were working on the runway as well. Beyond that, the Others could have been working on the runway and completed it in the three years between the Oceanic 6's leaving the Island and Ajira Airways Flight 316 returning to the Island. Who knows what they were up to.

Finally, to end the mythology section, let's take another look at the conversation in the Processing Center between Christian and Sun and Frank. Here's a picture, a close-up of Sun, showing a girl with seemingly reddish hair kneeling down in the shadows in the background of the shot. Check it out...

And here's a video now of the clip, with the linked screenshot above included in real-time. I know, you're gonna think "How did I not spot that when I watched the episode?!" Don't worry about it; I didn't either...
(watch at about 0:28)

Now, while I would say simply by appearance that it has to be Charlotte, it may very well be a hint to Claire's continued companionship with Christian. After all, Emilie de Ravin, the actress who plays Claire, is not being paid as a full cast member this season (they're saving her for Season 6) and therefore may simply have not been able to make a guest appearance, especially considering such small one. I guess we'll see... But either way, what an amazing detail! I hope you enjoyed it. 4

BAMF moments - By way of BAMF moments, again, not much happening. That's two weeks in a row now! Hopefully next week will contain some high-octane action. I will say, though, that Frank's landing of the plane was very bamf. What a stud. He truly is a beautiful pilot, and I can't wait till he grows back his bogusly grizzly beard. :P

Oh, also, the co-pilot got epic owned. That also helped in maintaining this score at an average of three... 3

Overall Score - (5 + 4 + 3)/(3) = 4

"LaFleur" episode review

"LaFleur" was, in my opinion, clearly a set-up for the remainder of LOST Season 5, and a damn good one at that. Consequently, I think that in order to truly evaluate/appreciate this episode, it's necessary to understand that, its nature.

However, I do not mean to say by that that there was not any content of mythological significance in this episode -- on the contrary! More on the indigenous people living on the Island back in the Dharma days was revealed, plus other good stuff. This was a pretty bangin' episode.

Rather than write a huge episode synopsis like I did in my review of "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham," I'm going to write a smaller episode synopsis followed by some theories/speculation in light of what the show's told us up until this point and where I think it's going. Without further ado, here we go...

• The episode begins after the events of "This Place Is Death" -- I know, it was a long time ago. That was the episode where Charlotte died and Locke turned the wheel. We left off with Sawyer and Juliet and the rest of the people left by Locke at the well. There was a flash and the well disappeared. Now, finally, "LaFleur" provides us with some new info as to what they're up to. The time jump that occurred sending Locke falling into the icy chamber and hurting his leg and the well disappearing was to an unspecified time in the past. Sawyer and the gang see from a distance the back of a giant statue, towering over the canopy of the jungle facing the ocean, possibly the four-toed statue we saw in the Season 2 finale?...more on that later...
• The flash where Locke turned the wheel places Sawyer, Juliet, Jin, and the rest of them permanently into the Dharma hay-day year of 1974. The group decides to trek back to the beach and build a new camp -- what will be the first leader-esque decision that Sawyer makes for the group, one which will be followed by many others in the coming years. On the way, they come across two who-will-be-revealed-to-be Dharma Initiative members, one dead. The other, a woman, is crying. Two Hostiles place a bag over her head. Sawyer and Juliet intervene, even though Daniel tells them it's pointless. Sawyer and Juliet kill both men and free the woman. The woman tells them that her name is Amy and that the man who the Hostiles had killed was Paul, her husband -- the two had apparently gone outside the safe boundaries to have a picnic or something of that nature but were attacked. Sawyer makes up an alibi and so starts the lie: Sawyer crashed with his fellow shipmates and is looking for the rest of his missing crew members. Amy tells him that they have to help her bring back Paul's dead body to the Dharma Initiative barracks and bury the two dead Hostiles, a point about which she is very adamant. On the way back, Amy disables the sonic fence and tells Sawyer and the rest that it's okay to pass. She tricks them, however, and renders them unconscious: the ol' earplug trick apparently. I actually thought that part was a bit odd/cheesy but whatever...maybe that's just me...
• Sawyer wakes up in a room alone and is confronted by the mysterious Horace Goodspeed. He asks Sawyer what his story is, and Sawyer tells him that his names is James LaFleur and that he and his team were stranded on the Island, shipwrecked, and are looking for their fellow missing crew members. He says that they were tasked with looking for the remnants of the missing slave ship "The Black Rock." Horace says that's all fine and well but tells him that, with or without the rest of his crew, he has to leave the Island the following day on the Dharma Initiative's submarine.
• The rest of the group, waiting outside, is discussing whether or not they think Sawyer's story will work. Meanwhile, Daniel has since Charlotte's death adopted a very pessimistic, cynical mindset about pretty much everything in general. He's amazed, however, when he sees a little girl running through the Dharma Initiative barracks who he perceives to be Charlotte as a child. Finally, Sawyer comes back out to the group and explains the story he came up with. The party is short-lived however, when alarms start to ring throughout the camp. Sawyer and company are rushed into a home and watch to see what's going to happen...
• Richard strolls out of the jungle into the Dharma Initiative's camp. Horace goes out to talk to him. Richard has come to find out whether or not the "truce" between his people and the Dharma Initiative has been broken, aka, he wants to know where his two missing men are. Horace goes back into the house where Sawyer is and asks what exactly happened. Sawyer goes out to take to Richard himself alone, against Horace's wishes. Sawyer tells Richard that his beef isn't with the Dharma Initiative, that he is the one who killed Richard's two missing men. He explains how he perceived the situation and why he acted the way he did, further validating his position by relating to Richard a sequence of events which took place in 1954, events which we saw take place in the third episode of this season, entitled "Jughead": how Locke strolled into the Others' camp and talked to Richard and how they had a hydrogen bomb and didn't know what to do with it. Richard is satisfied with Sawyer's story but tells him that his people still need some sort of justice.
• Horace goes to Amy and asks her for her husband Paul's dead body, telling her that Richard has requested it. However, he lets her know that if she doesn't want to let them have it then that's fine and that they'll accept the consequences. Amy concedes, though, and Richard leaves. Threat neutralized. As a token of his appreciation, Horace grants Sawyer two weeks to search for the rest of his missing team before leaving the Island.
• Three years later in 1977, two Dharma Initiative security men and a girl who probably shouldn't be there spot Horace Goodspeed out by the sonar fence on a security camera, throwing sticks of dynamite around. They go to the head of security's house to ask what they should do in the middle of the night. Who is the Head of Security? James LaFleur. Win.
• Sawyer goes out with Miles to go get Horace, who is completely trashed, and bring him back to his home. This they do, and Sawyer brings Horace back to his home, where a very concerned Amy, who is pregnant with Horace's baby, is waiting. Apparently, the two had an argument, propelling Horace onto a drunken run. Classy. (<-- sarcasm)
  
• As Sawyer is finishing his conversation with Amy, she begins to go into labor. Great timing, right? The doctor, who's actually an obstetrician, experiences difficulties throughout the night with delivering the baby. Sawyer goes and finds Juliet. He wants her to help deliver the baby. Juliet agrees to do so but reluctantly. When the doctor protests Juliet delivering the baby, Amy insists that it be her. Owned.
• Juliet comes out finally and lets an impatient Sawyer know that the delivery was a success! Everyone's okay. Win!
• Horace wakes up and Sawyer is waiting. He tells Horace that Amy is okay and so is his son but that he missed it. Horace tells Sawyer that he and Amy had had a fight and that that was why he had run off drunk. He found Paul's necklace in her sock drawer and wasn't sure that she was over him. He asks Sawyer if three years is long enough to get over someone and Sawyer assures him that yes, it is, referring to his relationship with Kate.
• Sawyer goes home toooo...Juliet! who he is apparently in love with now. She thanks Sawyer for believing in her. The next morning, Sawyer is awakened by a call from Jin: He's found them! Sawyer drives down away frr the barracks to meet them and is faced with seeing Kate again. LOST
  

Story/Narrative - I love the Sawyer Juliet dynamic and what that will undoubtedly mean and do for the immediate future of the show. I think it's incredibly interesting that the fact that children couldn't be born on the Island had had such an effect on Juliet that she had come to point where she personally felt responsible for the deaths of the children and considered herself to be the failing factor in the equation. With this in mind, it makes it all the more touching and real how important Sawyer's faith in her must be to Juliet. Awesome.

Beyond that, the show has definitely thrown a curve into the whole equation. Think about it: The Oceanic 6 and the others living of the Island have slowly lost their nerve over the course of three years, being tormented by their decision to leave the Island and afflicted with guilt about the rest of the people still on the Island and what's happened to them. Now, consider Sawyer and the gang. Assuming Daniel has, in fact, found Charlotte, I'd be willing to guess that he would not rather be ANYWHERE else. Sawyer has seemingly settled down with Juliet and is happy, finally. Furthermore, he's accepted his leadership role and blossomed! (hence, the episode title "LaFleur," which is French for "the flower" -- interesting...) All of that being said, I'm seeing a problem. The people coming back to the Island are under the impression that the people they left behind desperately need their help and are being persecuted but it would appear that the situation is in all reality exactly the opposite! Most if not all of the people left on the Island have settled into their situation and are seemingly, for the most part, content.

In addition, something obviously happened to make Sawyer and company go from staying on the Island for just two more weeks to being there for three freaking years! but what?... Sawyer is "Head of Security?" That's pretty crazy...

Let's not forget about Rose and Bernard, by the way. In the season premiere, they were separated from the rest of the group in the flaming arrow attack. Just like the Others in Season 4 who didn't appear for the entire season until the finale, the LOST co-producers WANT us to forget about Rose and Bernard! My guess, they made the different time jumps and since the jumps have stopped in 1974 were captured by the Hostiles. 5

LOST Theory/Mythology - The indigenous people of the Island had some "truce" with the Dharma Initiative. It seems fairly obvious to me that Richard and his people are in no way benefiting from the Dharma Initiative being on the Island and that they could basically deal with them whenever they might want, which leads to me question: Why are the Others (or whatever you want to call them) okay with the Dharma Initiative being on the Island in the first place? Are they getting something out of the deal? And what happens to make them not be okay with the Dharma Initiative being there? Obviously this dispute was eventually settled with the The Purge, in which apparently all members of the Dharma Initiative were killed except for Benjamin Linus.

Horace Goodspeed and Richard Alpert are both seemingly ageless and of the same element. Did you see the way Horace approached Richard? Very nonchalantly. They have some kind of mutual understanding and definitely understand between each other that the others involved are simply pawns and have no real understanding of what's really going on in relation to the Island and its importance, etc. Can't wait to find out more about this...

Also, if Widmore is the leader of the Others at this point, or so he said, why was he not the one to come into the Dharma Initiative's camp and talk to Horace and seek atonement for his two men's deaths?

Back to the Dharma Initiative, it seems like they recruit very unintelligent individuals to participate in their "work," the experiments and such. Horace tells Sawyer that he isn't "Dharma material." What exactly does that mean? There's definitely something more sinister to the Dharma Initiative and their true work than what we've been told thus far. I cannot wait to find out what that is.

Sawyer hinted in his conversation with Juliet that something will happen in the future, some event yet to occur, that will keep babies from being born on the Island and causing the women to die. My guess? The Island or Jacob or whatever ends up being the ruling entity/power (or perhaps they're one in the same!...) will punish the Others for committing The Purge and will not let new life be born on the Island.

Finally, the statue. Now, it appears that the statue was of Egyptian origin. Many people have speculated that it's either a statue of Anubis or one of Horus, both mythological Egyptian gods. I tend to favor the idea that it's Anubis. Just a little background: Anubis was the god primarily associated with the afterlife. He was tasked with protecting the dead and bringing them to the afterlife. There's more to the subject but you can research it yourself. As you read more if you choose to, I think you'll find that some of the aspects of the god Anubis are eerily relatable to the story of LOST and the recurring themes of the show. Nice...

To elaborate on the Egyptian influences on the Island, I have a theory: We know that the "exit" (whatever that means) of the Island is in Tunisia. If you research early Tunisian history, there was an Egyptian presence in the region. Perhaps at some point people could travel or simply found a way to travel from the "exit" to the Island.

Beyond that, there's definitely an Egyptian influence on the show as a whole and the writers have been pushing it. In "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham," when Locke went to visit Hurley he was painting a picture of the Egyptian Sphinx. Paul's necklace was that of an ankh, which was a symbol for eternal life in Egyptian culture. Hmm... 5

BAMF moments - Juliet showed no mercy in dropping what was sort of one of her "people" (but not really) and Sawyer followed suit. Bamf! Beyond that, not much happened though. A baby was born..?...I don't think that qualifies as "bamf" however... 3

Overall Score - (5 + 5 + 3)/(3) = 4.33

"The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" episode review

The opening scene to this episode was...odd, to say the least. And I can't deny that Caesar and Ilana's interaction didn't remind me of Nikki and Paulo. Here's to hoping that they're much more enjoyable characters and not total duds. Also along the lines of "odd opening scene," what was with Locke's Ajira-Airways-blanket hood? Is he suddenly a Jedi or something? If that was just for dramatic effect then it was pretty lame... I mean, c'mon: we all knew it was Locke anyway.

Beyond that, this episode was pretty sweet. Seeing Locke's interactions with all the people who had left the Island was pretty awesome.

I do not think that this was the last time we'll see Walt. I don't think the LOST co-producers can effectively explain his character's significance without actually bringing him back to the show. And if they do try to explain him without actually having him on the show, unless if they do it in a really cool way, I will be disappointed.

On to the episode synopsis:

• The episode begins with Caesar -- the strange Middle-Eastern man who was on Ajira Airways Flight 316 -- searching what will later be understood to be a Dharma Initiative Hydra station office on the Alcatraz island. He finds a sawed-off shotgun in the office and stuffs it into his bag. Ilana -- the marshal who was escorting Sayid in handcuffs onto said flight -- comes into the room and Caesar lies about what he found, tossing a flashlight to Ilana. Ilana gets to the point and says that they found a man in a suit who no one had seen on the plane. They go outside to the camp that they've set up since their landing/crash and ask the unknown man seated by a fire who he is; he replies that his name is John Locke.
  
• Presumably the next day, Ilana approaches to Locke and asks him about himself. Locke learns that the pilot of the plane and a woman took one of the boats that were on the beach in the middle of the night, leaving only two. Locke explains that he doesn't remember being on the plane, but that he can guess why he's dressed up so nice. He tells her that he remembers dying.
• Next we see the end of the episode "This Place Is Death," with Locke turning the wheel and Christian telling Locke to say hi to his son (Jack). There's a bright light and we see Locke essentially wake up in the middle of the Tunisian desert, much like Ben did. This time, however, there is a surveillance camera watching the exact spot where Locke appeared at. Locke yells at the camera repeatedly but nothing happens. That night, a pickup truck full of armed men pulls up and they stop and put Locke in the truck and drive away. Locke is taken to a medical tent of sorts where his leg is set. The whole time, Matthew Abaddon can be seen watching from a distance inside the tent. Locke notices him before he passes out.
• Locke wakes up to Charles Widmore, who is seated next to his bed. Widmore tells John that he was 17 when they first met on the Island and that that was over 50 years ago, remarking at how Locke looks no different than he did then. Locke tells Widmore that that happened only 4 days ago, by his account. Locke finds out that the camera in the desert is Widmore's and that Widmore knew to have it looking there because that's "the exit." Widmore tells Locke that he was the Others' leader before being exiled by Ben. Therefore, Locke should trust Widmore because they have common interests. Widmore assumes that Ben exiled Locke as well, but Locke tells him that he chose to leave. Widmore realizes that the reason he left was to bring everyone who had left the Island back. Locke denies it but Widmore continues, informing Locke that the people who left have been back for three years and that they haven't told the truth to anyone about what happened to them. Locke now confirms his mission, to bring them back to the Island. Widmore tells John that he'll help him in doing so. When Locke asks why he would help him, Widmore responds: "Because there's a war coming, John. And if you're not back on the Island when that happens, the wrong side is going to win."
• Widmore appropriates to Locke his new identity: Jeremy Bentham. He gives Locke a folder containing the whereabouts, etc. of all the people who left the Island and says that he's been watching them because he's "deeply invested in the future of the Island." He also tells Locke not to mention his name when trying to convince them to go back with him, because he figures Ben probably told them all sorts of stuff about him and how he's the real enemy. Locke isn't so sure that Widmore isn't the enemy, and backs up his uncertainty by asking about the Kahana and the mercenaries and their violent attack on the Island. Widmore explains that he simply needed Ben removed so that Locke could be in control of the Island, "so it could be [his] time." Widmore tells Locke that the Island needs him and that it has for a long time. He tells Locke that he's special. Locke tells Widmore that Richard Alpert told him that the only way he would bring everyone back to the Island is if he died. Widmore says he doesn't know why Richard would say that but tells Locke that he doesn't intend on letting that happen. Widmore introduces his man, Matthew Abaddon, to Locke -- yes, I was wrong; Matthew Abaddon is working for Widmore, darn it -- and tells him that he'll be taking him wherever he needs to go and protecting him from anyone who tries to harm him.
• Matthew Abaddon takes Locke to the airport and tries to talk on the way. Locke clearly expresses his lack of desire to make small talk, and the two make their first trip, to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. Here, Sayid is doing some work building a school for a charity organization. Sayid tells Locke that he spent the happiest 9 months of his life married to the woman he loved Nadia and that after she was killed, Sayid was tricked into "protecting" the rest of the Oceanic 6 by killing people for Ben. Sayid refuses Locke's request to return to the Island and tells Locke that if he ever wants to do some real good, he should come back to the Dominican Republic and help others like he's doing. 0-1
• In New York City, NY, Locke goes to see Walt. While waiting to talk to him once he gets out of school, Locke tells Abaddon to look up Helen Norwood, the woman who Locke loved but was rejected by because of his father-obsession. Walt comes outside, and Abaddon remarks at how big he's gotten. Locke talks to Walt, making small talk. Walt asks about his dad and Locke tells Walt that the last he knew, Michael was on a freighter off the coast of the Island. Finally, Walt asks Locke why he came to see him. Locke can't bring himself to ask Walt to come back with him and the conversation ends. When Locke gets back in the car, Abaddon says how he understands that Locke didn't ask him to come with them, that the "boy's been through enough." 0-2
  
• In Santa Rosa, CA, at the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute, Locke goes to visit Hurley. Hurley immediately assumes that Locke's dead and that he's just another dead person from the Island that's come to visit Hurley. Hurley realizes that Locke isn't dead, however, but is turned off towards Locke's request to go back to the Island when he sees Matthew Abaddon, who had spooked Hurley before during a visit in which he had posed as an Oceanic Airlines representative and asked about the rest of the people still on the Island. Abaddon and Locke get back in the car, and Locke tells Abaddon that he remembers where he's seen Abaddon before. He was the hospital orderly who told Locke to go on the walkabout after Locke's accident and subsequent paralysis. Locke asks Abaddon what he really does for Widmore, and Abaddon replies, "I help people get to where they need to get to, John. That's what I do for Mr. Widmore." 0-3
• Locke heads to Los Angeles, CA, next where he goes to see Kate. Kate refuses to go back to the Island, even though everyone on the Island is suffering. Kate tells Locke that she believes he wants to stay on the Island because he has never loved anyone. Locke tells her that's not true, and talks about Helen. Kate asks what happened and Locke tells her that it didn't work out. When Kate asks why not, Locke answers because he was angry and obsessed. Kate's response? "And look how far you've come." Ouch. 0-4
• Abaddon "found" Helen for Locke and he takes her to the cemetery where she's been buried. She died of a brain aneurysm. Locke is destitute. As Locke's waiting in the car for Abaddon, Abaddon is shot several times. Locke jumps in the driver's seat and takes off. Amidst the confusion, Locke gets into an accident.
• Locke wakes up in a hospital bed in a lot of pain. Jack barges into the room and asks Locke what he's doing there. Locke tells Jack that they have to go back and help the people they left on the Island. It's another typical Jack-Locke, Science-Faith conversation and ends with Jack yelling, "Have you ever stopped to think that these delusions that you're special aren't real? That maybe there's nothing important about you at all? Maybe you are just a lonely old man that crashed on an island. That's it. Good-bye, John." Locke, not satisfied with Jack getting the last word tells Jack that his father says hi. Locke tells Jack that this man, Christian, is the one who told him how to get everyone back to the Island. Jack, obviously upset, insists that he put his father's body in a coffin, that he died three years ago in Australia. Locke asks Jack again to help him bring everyone back. Jack tells Locke that it's over and tells him not to bother him or any of the rest of them again. 0-5
• Flash to Locke's hotel room. Locke writes his suicide note, addresses it to Jack, and puts it in his pocket. He ties a noose with some extension cord and is prepared to hang himself when suddenly, there's a knock at the door. Locke has no intention of answering the door but Ben breaks through anyway. Ben manages to convince John to come down and rethink his decision. He tells a very depressed Locke who doesn't feel like he can ever truly be a leader that he's important and special. He admits that he did, in fact, kill Matthew Abaddon because he was dangerous and worked for Widmore and would have killed Locke eventually anyway. Ben tells Locke that Widmore was using Locke to find a way back to the Island, that he was manipulating him. Ben tells Locke that Widmore is the reason he moved the Island: so that Widmore could never find it again and so that Locke could finally lead. Locke tells Ben that he failed at his mission, but Ben tells Locke that he didn't, that Jack booked a ticket from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia. Ben tells Locke that they have to get him back to the Island because he has work to do. He suggests that they start with talking to Sun because Locke hasn't gone to see her yet. Locke explains that Jin made him promise not to. Ben says that "a promise is a promise" and says that once they get everyone together, they'll figure out where to go from there. Locke says that he knows what they would have to do next: go and see a woman in Los Angeles named Eloise Hawking. Ben says that he knows this woman, and attacks Locke, strangling him to death. He then hangs Locke as if he had committed suicide and hung himself, telling Locke before he leaves "I'll miss you, John. I really will."
• Back at the Hydra station, Locke goes and talks to Caesar about himself and how he was on the Island before. Caesar asks Locke about the bright light that flashed while they were all on the plane and how some of the people on the flight disappeared. Locke says he might know how he came to be on the Island but he'd have to talk to his friends who were on the plane. Locke asks if Caesar has a passenger list. Caesar says that the pilot when he took off in the middle of the night took the passenger list with him. Caesar says that everyone seems to be accounted for and takes Locke to see some of the injured. Locke stops at Ben's cot. Caesar asks if he knows the man, and Lockes responds yes, saying, "Yeah. He's the man who killed me."

Story/Narrative - I loved the conversation between Jack and Locke. It's pretty amazing to think that this conversation between the two of them sparked Jack's change. 4

Lost Theory/Mythology - Matthew Abaddon was working for Widmore. Charles Widmore was the leader of the Others and successfully protected the Island for, what was it, over three decades? There's a specific "exit" from turning the wheel and leaving the Island. Also, I'm willing to bet that the runway on the Alcatraz Island was used by Frank Lapidus to bring Ajira Airways Flight 316 into a crash landing. Also, one can only guess that the final season, next season, will be all about this "war" that Widmore talked about; I can't wait. :) 5

BAMF moments - Abaddon was brutalized and that shot of him lying on the pavement, glazed eyes and all, was creepily eery. Also, Ben's murder of Locke was definitely one of the darkest scenes in LOST history -- wow. That was messed up. And Locke's lifeless body hanging by the neck was another amazing shot. Sick. 5

Overall Score - (4 + 5 + 5)/(3) = 4.67