Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B+ | 447 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT You Don't Know Jack
By Cindy McLennan | Season 6 | Episode 13 | Aired on 2010.04.20
Islandways; The Elizabeth: Jack sits at the far end of the boat, staring at the sea. The wee Jacob who lives in my ashtray says: "Jack is here because he has to do something. He can't be told what that is. He's gotta find it, himself. Sometimes, you can just hop in someone's ashtray, and tell them what they're supposed to do. Other times, you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while."
Sawyer's at the helm, talking to Frank and Kate. Frank would like to know Sawyer's plan. "My plan, Chesty, is to land on Hydra Island, get ourselves nice and cuddly with Widmore -- until we get a chance to jump on that sub. Then, I'm gonna put a gun in someone's face and make 'em take us home." Frank's all for that. Now that he's done setting up Sawyer's exposition, he has cats he needs to herd off-screen, so we can be alone with the three sides of our triangle. Frank mentions the canned food down in the galley, and the deck clears.
Sawyer hands Kate the wheel and goes to talk to Jack. He says he didn't think he'd show up. "Taking orders ain't your strong suit. Nice to see you finally came around." Oh Sawyer, don't tempt fate like that. This may be new, improved, self-aware Jack, but he's still Just Jack. And after staring at the sea, Just Jack has decided that this doesn't feel right. Sawyer's all WHAT?!?, so Jack explains that leaving the island feels wrong. "I remember how I felt last time I left -- like a part of me was missing." Sawyer snarks: "They got pills for that, Doc." Um, please don't go there, Sawyer. Jack tried pills for three years. That way lies madness, badness and a beard so fug that in comparison, it makes Feral Claire's hair look like she spent three year marooned with Vidal Sassoon.
Oh crap, it's too late. Jack: "We were brought here because we're supposed to do something, James. And if Locke -- that thing -- wants us to leave, maybe it's afraid of what happens if we stay." Sawyer minces no words. "Get off my damn boat." Jack: "???" Sawyer: "You got a decision to make and you make it now. Either you're with us -- you keep that damn crazy talk to yourself -- or you're going in the water." Ay, matey, y'shoulda told him you'd make him walk the plank. Jack, calling Sawyer "James" tells him this is all a mistake and that part of James must know that, too. "The island isn't done with us, yet." Yeah, well, Sawyer's way done with the island. "If you want to take a leap of faith, Jack, then take it. Get off my damn boat." Kate, at the other end of the craft, mustn't hear her boys, or she'd be between them, by now. Jack looks back at he, then tells Sawyer, "I'm sorry that I got Juliet killed." And then? Standing straight as a stick, he jumps into the water -- fully dressed in his shirt, jeans, and hiking boots. He's even got his backpack on. You're gonna die, brothah. Wee Jacob tells me not to worry. It only ends once everything else is just progress. As Jack swims off, Kate sees him in the water and starts to turn back to get him. Sawyer stops her and when she wants an explanation of what happened, he simply says, "He changed his mind. [...] He ain't coming with us." Because one of the things Kate does when running, is turning back to grab those over whom she has trampled, she insists on going back to get Jack. Sawyer, who has set the boat back on its Hydra-course tells her, "We're done going back, Kate."