Episode Report Card LuluBates: B+ | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Footprints
By LuluBates | Season 3 | Episode 21 | Aired on 05.15.2007
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Jack is back, and he has a big big plan to put a stop to the Others' reign of tyranny. And how does he spell Other-squashing success? T-N-T. Yes, he is going to blow them away! He and Juliet have been working in cahoots with Rousseau to collect dynamite from the Black Rock. They are going to rig the tents, and when the Others come to take the fornicatin' ladies, they are going to get a big surprise. Yee-haw! The brilliant plan is shot all to hell when Carl shows up and announces that Ben (evidently still tippling on the enticing cocktail of testosterone and adrenaline hard-won in his duel with Locke) has moved up the attack to that very night. Since the exploding-tent stunt isn't quite ready for its stage debut, Jack decides that their best bet at survival is to divide and conquer; they will blow up a few tents while the rest of the Losties head to the radio tower in the hopes of signaling Naomi's ship. In order for the signal to get through, though, someone will have to dive into the deep, flip a switch in the sunken Looking Glass station, and kill the Others' signal-jamming doohickey. And who is that someone? Oh, why not the guy who has been avidly avoiding and outwitting death for the entire season? Yes, I'm talking about Charlie. Desmond has foreseen Charlie's death. Again. This time, though, if Charlie fails to perish, the rest of the Losties will be stuck on the Island forever. It is time for him to *ahem* cowboy up and make the ultimate sacrifice. He says his goodbyes, kisses Claire (!), hugs Hurley (!!), and batters Desmond into unconsciousness (finally!!!) before taking a big deep breath and diving to his destiny. Destiny, however, has been tuned to a different channel than Desmond. When Charlie reaches the underwater station, he still has his breath, only to have it taken away by the foxy gun-toting babes living in the station.
And just for you doubters and conspiracy theorists out there -- Rose, Bernard, and Vincent are alive, argumentative, and ready for their walks. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Desmond has a flashback about Charlie. Again. Then, a lone boy hurriedly pulls at a pile of branches and palm fronds revealing an outrigger hidden below. He pulls the canoe out of its hiding place, tugs it into the water, and jumps in. He begins to paddle furiously.
Jack and Juliet are leading all the Losties on a nature walk through the jungle and out into the meadows in the center of the Island. Charlie brings up the end of the group and, in true back-of-the-bus rapscallion style, starts smartassing. He wants to lay bets on what Jack is going to show them out in the middle of nowhere. Hurley opines that it is "Stuff. Probably secret stuff." Secret Stuff that they mailed away for once they had all five box tops from their Dharma Initiative Brand Oat Rings? Charlie wants to know why everything has to be a secret. Can't they try some openness for a change? Hurley scoffs and notes that they kept the parachute lady secret. Charlie claims it's different. Claire laughs, "How?" And Charlie tries to explain that it's different because they were out there playing football or something but no one is listening and they all walk off except Desmond who has a queer look on his face. Charlie asks him what's up, but Desmond denies anything. Charlie knows that look, though. He knows that Desmond had another flash about him. Desmond denies it and walks off, and Charlie stares after him in disbelief. Further discussion is cut off when Jack announces that they are there. He gathers the troops around and begins his entry in the Art of Communication competition. He explains that a few days ago Juliet came to him and told him what Ben was making her do. That she had been planted there to find out which of "our women" were pregnant. At the phrase "our women," Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Shulamith Firestone tear out of the jungle, tackle Jack, and drag him off into the woods. He returns a moment later with a swollen mouth, torn shirt, and a whole new outlook on the role of women in society. Kate turns on Juliet and demands to know if she was testing them. Juliet says no, but she was supposed to be testing them. How exactly do you surreptitiously test someone for pregnancy? Do you just ask them to pee on a stick like it ain't no thing? Or do you sneak up behind them while they are mid-stream so to speak, whistle "Oh don't mind me," and just go for it? Well, we will never know because Juliet was not fulfilling Ben's request. Instead she was leaving him tapes and reporting on Sun. She confirms what they already know: Ben and the Others are planning on coming tomorrow to collect the pregnant women. Juliet turns to Sun and apologizes for deceiving her. Sun stares at her coolly, but says nothing.