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As a young boy, Daniel Faraday is not only academically inclined, he's also a gifted musician. His mother, Eloise Hawking, being a beast from Hell, makes him give up music to concentrate solely on his "gifts," because she knows sod-all about child development or the effect of music on the mathematical area of the brain. And as a young man, when Dan graduates Oxford, his mother, Eloise Hawking, being a beast from Hell, expects him to give up women and concentrate solely on his "gifts," because although lovely, she has a shriveled-up prune for a heart. Of course, his current squeeze is Theresa, his lab assistant whose brain he'll eventually break, so maybe Ma Faraday has a point. As an adult, after Daniel breaks his own brain (the first time), Charles Widmore, who funded the Theresa-breaking research at Oxford, recruits him for his expedition to Craphole. He promises the young man, who is weeping over the tragedy of Oceanic Flight 815, that going to the island will heal him. Daniel's mother, being a beast from Hell, later encourages her son to take the trip.
During Daniel's first time on the island, before he lost his love Charlotte to the magical hemorrhagic jetlag that seems to kill those who return to Craphole, he tracked down Desmond Hume and told him to find his mother, the beast from Hell, and enlist her help. And then Dan got stuck in 1977. And then he left the island on the sub, but came back, still to 1977, which is now. He gets everyone's knickers in a twist -- particularly Jack's -- when he tells him that Eloise was wrong, and Jack et al were never supposed to be there. Oh, and he freaks out Miles when he tells Dr. Chang that Miles is his son and that there's going to be an "incident" at the Swan. Chang, unsurprisingly, doesn't believe him, since he changed the kid's diapers, just that morning.
Juliet and Sawyer, who have Phil tied up in their closet, tell the Lost-aways and Freighter Folk that they've all either got to commandeer the submarine and get out of Dodge, or they've got to take off for the jungle. Jin won't leave the island if there's a chance of Sun. I guess he's a tanorexic. Hurley agrees. Daniel explains that today is "incident" day. He wants to find his mother Eloise Hawking (young Ellie, from "Jughead"), because although she is a beast from Hell, she's the only person on the island who can get them back to where they belong, and by "where," I believe he also means "when." Jack and Kate decide to go with Faraday. Juliet breathes a sigh of relief that they're splitting into separate groups, because Sawyer calls Kate Freckles in front of her, like a big old dummy. Miles, Hurley, Jin, Sawyer and Juliet decide to stick together and take off for the jungle and eventually their beach.
On their way out of Dharmaville, Daniel talks to wee Charlotte on the swing and says all the things he swore he wouldn't, and cries at her, too. Then he, Jack and Kate take guns and a car from the motor pool, arousing the suspicions of Radzinsky, who tends to shoot first and ask questions later. There's a shootout, but our trio escapes with only a graze to Daniel's neck. They make it out to the pylons and, using the code Juliet gave them after Sawyer aroused her ire, they cross over to the Other side. Meanwhile, Radzinsky and crew go to Sawyer's, find Phil in the closet and there's a little fighting there, too.
On their trek through the jungle, Daniel explains that although whatever happened, happened, now is their present, so anything can happen. He was always concentrating on "the constant" and forgot about "the variable" until he read this week's episode title. All the people from 2007? They're the variables -- humans with free will. You know how that goes. Daniel wants to detonate the Jughead, blow up the Swan and release/destroy the magical magnetism or whatever over there, thereby preventing Ocean 815 from crashing in the first place. By the look on Kate's face, I reckon she remembers she was bound for prison back then, and is kind of happy that she didn't end up behind bars other than those of the polar bear cage on Hydra Island back in 2004. Jack's still not thinking, so to him, it sounds sorta keen.
Meanwhile, in 2007, it turns out Ben actually did shoot Desmond. While Penny and little Charlie wait out his surgery at the hospital, they're visited by current-day Eloise Hawking, who tells Penny it may be her son's fault Des was shot. After the "OMIGOD UR BEN LINUS'S MOTHER?!"/"OH HELLS NO, I'M DANIEL FARADAY'S MOTHER!" exchange you'd expect, Eloise apologizes that Des has become a casualty in a conflict bigger than any of them. When Penny asks if Des will be okay, Eloise says that for the first time in a long time, she has no idea what will happen .
Outside the hospital, Eloise meets up with Charles Widmore and gives him Des's status (which is stable, yay). She encourages him to go see his daughter, but Widmore whines that he had to sacrifice their relationship. Eloise jumps all over the word sacrifice. "I had to send my son back to the island, knowing full well that..." Charles interrupts her. "He's my son too, Eloise." So? She bitch slaps him.
Back in 1977, Daniel barges into Camp Richard, gun drawn, and demands to see Ellie. He finally sees Richard, who says he can't reach Ellie right now. Daniel reminds Richard of how they met and says he wants the hydrogen bomb. He threatens to shoot Richard, but BOOM Dan is shot from behind! By his MOTHER! Beast from Hell. As he dies -- or "dies" -- he chastises her for knowing what was going to happen to him, but encouraging him to come to Craphole, anyhow. She sneers, "Who are you?" like beasts from Hell do. Daniel gasps for air. "I'm your son." Then the tiny light behind his eyes is extinguished. At least for now. DUN! Bad Robot.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!So we got our 100th episode of Lost on the 100th day of Barack Obama's presidency. Which of course means absolutely nothing, but to celebrate, I'd like to order 100 bottles of beer (from over there -- on that wall), please. I've got a toothache and a bunch of dentist appointments in the coming days. I want to be sedated. Can you believe it's been 100 episodes, though? Does it feel more like 200 or 50 to you? Lost and I have are always breaking up and then getting back together, so I can't decide We have been solid as a rock this year, though -- or at least as solid as the four toes that are left on the ruins of the statue. Oh, that brings me to my latest crackpot theory: what lies in the shadow of the statue? The fifth toe. Thank you. I'm here 'til Saturday. Enjoy the veal.
Previously on Lost: Daniel tells Desmond to find his mother at Oxford. At the church in L.A., Benjamin Linus asks Eloise Hawking what will happen if he can't get all the Escape-aways to return. Eloise says, "Then God help us all." From the Long Beach Marina, Ben calls Charles Widmore to inform him he's going to kill his daughter Penelope Widmore Hume. He shoots our Desmond. Penny cries out his name just like we do and now it's time for...
Currently on Lost; 2007, Mainland: Not to go all Sawyer on you, but son of a bitch! Ben Linus really did shoot Des, because Des is being rushed into the hospital and then into surgery, and it's touch and go as to whether he'll live. Right now? I'm so glad Sayid shot Ben -- even though he was dressed up as a wee Harry Potter at the time. I've decided that's just his oddly humanistic Horcrux. Penny carries little Charlie Hume on her hip as she asks the hospital staff for answers they can't yet give. So she comforts the tot who is screaming, "Daddy," by telling him Daddy will be okay. Oh my, Penny, I hope so. I truly do. Eloise Hawking approaches mother and son in the hospital waiting room and comments that the boy has his father's hair. Penny has no idea who this woman is, so Eloise introduces herself and then apologizes, saying she's afraid her son is at fault for Desmond's current condition. Penny's all -- get back evil beastie, you're Ben Linus's mother? And Eloise is all -- ew, take it back. Take it back. Good heavens, no. I'm Daniel Faraday's mother. They play the music of Cindy, This Is A Huge Revelation, but um, not really, Show -- not for anyone who's not Penny. [Yeah, couldn't they have hidden her face for a while? - Zach] The screen fades to black and then a title card appears which reads...
Thirty Years Earlier: Daniel gets out of the sub on Craphole and greets a surprised Miles with a "Long time no see." Miles knew Daniel went to Ann Arbor, and can't figure out why he'd come back. Our little California boy must never have endured a Michigan winter. Even us New Englanders are like, "No thank you, Mother Nature, Ma'am, Your Majesty, Ma'am." Daniel holds up that picture of the 1977 Dharma Recruits featuring Jack, Kate and Hurley. That thing gets around, doesn't it? He tells Miles: "This is what I'm doing here." When Miles tells him the Returnees got there a few days ago, Daniel demands to be taken to see Jack, right away. [I don't usually nit-pick this show, but he got a copy of that commemorative rec room photo (via 1977 technology, mind you) and requested a transfer to the island within the span of three days? Tell me more time travel was involved. - Zach] Now, it's pitch black when Miles and Daniel are at the dock, and Chang is blathering in the background about how he's sorry the people who've just arrived via sub can't get a good night's sleep. But when Dan and Miles get to Jack's, it's daylight. Granted, it looks like they woke Jack. He starts down his hallway wearing only his boxers, bless, and struggles to put on a T-shirt as he heads for the door, but when he opens it, it's daytime. No big. It just caught my attention. As soon as Jack opens the door, Daniel assaults him with 100 questions about how he got back to the island and 1977. Jack says, "We were on a plane, and then th..." Daniel asks who told him to get on a plane. Jack's still trying to wake up. "As a matter of fact, Dan, it was your mother." Daniel closes his eyes like he's flashing back to his days of adolescent angst and asks Jack how his mom convinced Jack to return. "Did she tell you it was your destiny?" Oh my word, Daniel's psychic. He, Hurley and Miles should go on the road together. Jack's less excited than I. "Yeah. That's exactly what she said." Daniel's the bearer of bad news. "You don't belong here at all. She was wrong."
Late '80s/Early '90s -- Who Can Tell; Off Island: A metronome keeps time as a young boy plays Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu (right after the 1:08 mark [yeah, no, really] you'll hear the part played on the show). And before my old Music Appreciation prof. tears his rotator cuff patting himself on the back, I'll note I only knew the song because in it, I could hear the melody from "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" and then Google and Wikipedia did the rest. His mother walks in, looking disturbed. She might even be sweating, and she's English, yo. She's Eloise Hawking, and he's wee Daniel Faraday. Daniel, genius that he is, notices his mother's in a tizzy and asks if she didn't like his playing. She loved it, but she wants to quiz him on his vocabulary work instead, I guess, because she asks him the definition of destiny. Even though his teeth are already in braces, he claims he doesn't know what destiny means. She figures if he's lying, she can, too, and says, "Destiny means that if one has a special gift, then it must be nurtured." She stops the metronome and asks him how many beats it counted since he started playing. Daniel says, "864." The wee Daniel who lives on my bookshelves pops out and says, "I'm an excellent driver." His mother's face is smug as she talks about how his gift is his mind, which is meant for science and math, and there's no time for music. Did you hear him play "Fantastie-Impromptu," Mum? Those aren't his only gifts, and they're likely linked, anyhow. Young Daniel says he'll "make time" ~~doo doo doo doo~~ but his mother says, "If only you could," and we jump to...
1977; Island: Jack wants to know what Daniel meant about his mother being wrong, but he's off to the Orchid with Miles as his chauffer. So, Jack goes to see Sawyer and tells him Faraday's back. Sawyer says he's a little busy, but Jack notes that it's 6:00 AM. Juliet, who is standing there dressed -- and therefore is not what Sawyer was busy with -- says, "James, tell him." So Sawyer tells him about punching Phil's lights out after he showed up with the tape of Sawyer and Kate squirreling wee Ben Linus past the pylons and out to Camp Richard. Oh, and shows him Phil tied up in the closet.
The Orchid: Wide-eyed and wild-eyed, Daniel reads through his ever-present journal. Right after Miles asks if they're waiting for something, Dr. Pierre "Daddy Issues" Chang rides up in the passenger seat of a Dharma blue VW Bus. Daniel tells Miles he'll be back in 10 minutes and hurries after Chang. He flips through his journal as he rides the elevator down the shaft into the bowels of the Orchid, and then watches in real time a scene we first saw in "Because You Left." Still going on my theory that copying yourself isn't plagiarism, I (re)give you this:
The construction foreman asks Chang what he wants him to do. Chang orders him to do nothing, explaining that drilling even one centimeter further risks releasing all that energy. "If that were to happen -- God help us all." If the energy turns out to be glow-y and green, with shiny, shiny hair, I'm so calling it Dawn. Forewarned is forearmed.
Another worker reminds Daniel this is a hardhat site, so Daniel puts one on, and then picks up a tank. I sure hope it's not oxygen, because there are a lot of sparks down there. He makes his way toward the construction accident. Since Carlton and Damon don't shy away from it, I'll now copy myself, some more:
Chang storms off [from the foreman] and bumps into a worker whose face he doesn't see -- but we do; it's Daniel Faraday. He apologizes as Chang yells at him. With Chang gone, Daniel heads straight for the foreman. As the crew carries out the still unconscious bloody-nosed drill operator, the foreman says to Daniel, "Did you hear that? Time travel! How stupid does that guy think we are?" Daniel had better never play poker, because he tries for a, "Shahhhh, really, what a loon" face but ends up with a "My burrito disagrees with me; I hope I don't hurl on my shoes, stop looking at me STOP LOOKING AT ME" face, instead.
Daniel then runs after Chang, introduces himself, and reminds Chang they met three years ago, and that he just came in on the sub to work on the Swan. Daniel asks Chang to order the evacuation of everyone on the island. Chang's all "?!?!?!" so Daniel explains that the worker who was hurt while drilling "is on a stretcher as a consequence of the electro-magnetic energy that your drilling unleashed down here." As they enter the elevator again, Chang argues that it's now contained, but Daniel says it's only contained down there. The same thing is going to happen at the Swan site in six hours, but the energy is going to be about 30,000 times more powerful. "And the accident is going to be catastrophic." Chang says Daniel's prediction is absurd and asks what makes him qualified to make it, so Daniel does the dumbest thing possible. He tells the truth. "I'm... from the future." Commercial.
Back above ground, Daniel chases after Chang, who condescends to him, assuming Daniel's goofing because he heard Chang tell the foreman about time travel. Miles realizes what's going on and makes his way to his father and his crazy, crazy friend. Daniel begs Chang to look at his journal, noting that some of his equations won't be discovered for another 20 years. Do you discover equations? That sounds like they've just been laying somewhere in a tomb. Miles finally gets to the duo, tells Daniel to leave Chang alone and then apologizes to Chang. "I think he had too many drugs on the sub." Heh. Chang looks Daniel straight in the eye. Daniel never blinks as he says, "Miles is your son." I think I hear Smokey revving up, but it's just some construction equipment. Miles is frozen in his tracks, but Chang's not. "Excuse me?" Daniel says, "Think about it. A Chinese man..." oh yeah, because there are so few of those "...named Miles, the same name as your baby -- shows up with me, from the future. Do you really think this is all coincidence?" Miles can't look at his father, but Chang takes a long, hard look at him and says, "We all look alike!" KIDDING! He looks at Miles and says, "Is this true?" Miles finally meets his father's eyes. "No!" Poor Daniel looks so betrayed. Chang says, "Please, stay away from me." He opens the passenger side door of the bus while Daniel pleads with him to listen -- all to no avail.
Miles finally pushes Daniel away from the bus and asks him if he's out of his mind. "What are you doing?" Daniel says, "I'm just making sure that your father does what he's supposed to do." Miles wants to know what that is. Daniel says, "You'll see." Miles should punch him out. On the other hand, Daniel should have punched out Miles for lying. Oh, fight, you bastards. I can't stand peace. But no. We jump to...
Oxford; Dan's Commencement: Daniel and his girlfriend/research assistant Theresa Spencer meet up with Eloise Hawking after graduation. Dan's hair is bad here, man. I mean, it's not Jack's-beard-bad, but it's maybe Ben's-wig-bad. Shoot, I can't sell that, primarily because it's entirely possible that Jack's gawdawful beard maybe wasn't Ben's-wig-bad. And well, it doesn't take my breath away to see the youthful, 40ish Jeremy Davies get his Ph.D. or whatever, the way it did to see the 54-year-old Michael Emerson play a 24 year old killer/Boy Scout/Babynapper. Anyhow, none of that is the point, is it? The point is -- well, you know how cold ice is? Yeah. Eloise's treatment of Theresa makes ice feel like molten lava.
Kashmir Curry Restaurant; Oxford, England: Eloise finally gets Daniel alone at lunch and makes it clear to him that he has no more time for women than he had for the piano. What's he going to do with his fingers while his head's doing all of that math? Mum prophesizes that the women in her son's life will only be terribly hurt. Oh. I really hate Eloise in this episode -- and if you didn't watch it and don't yet know why, you will -- but she's got a point, there. Hmmm. Perhaps she's acting on insider information. Darn. I want to hate her, but what if she's just protecting her son (and any woman who might love him)?
Eloise says that Daniel's work must always come first. Daniel whines that she's always pushed and pushed him. Kid, you just graduated Oxford. You really don't have to do what Mummy tells you to do, anymore. Smarten up. Everyone's laughing at you. He goes on about how he's the youngest doctor ever to graduate Oxford and he just got a £1.5 million research grant. Eloise's ears perk up at that, and she asks who Daniel's benefactor is. He can't remember at first. Then says, "Some industrialist. Widmore, I think. Charles Widmore." Eloise blinks, shakes her head, opens her eyes and lowers her voice to a whisper. She doesn't want to fight with him. She just came to congratulate him. She hands him the blue-wrapped box and rises. "Good luck, Daniel. And I do hope you know that I mean that." She then swoops majestically from the restaurant, flying monkeys carrying her train. Daniel opens the box to find the journal. He reads the inscription:
Daniel,
No matter what, remember, I will always love you.
Mother
1977; Sawyer and Juliet's Love Shack: With Juliet and Jin present, Sawyer tells Kate, Jack and Hurley that the party is over. "I know y'all just showed up. The rest of us have been here for the past three years. This is our home." He and Juliet share a look, although her look seems to be saying Guess how many Valium I just downed? Sawyer continues: "The last thing I wanna do is leave, but we ain't got no choice." There's not much time before someone realizes Phil's missing. Their two choices are to commandeer the sub, or to head back in the jungle. Am I the only one who keeps forgetting Jin now has an awesome command of the English language? It delights me when he says, "I'm not getting on that sub if there's a chance that my wife is still on this island." Hurley agrees, not because Sun's his wife, obvo, but because if they decide to hightail it off Craphole, well then there wasn't much sense coming in the first place. As Sawyer tries to get the rest of the gang's input, there's a knock at the door. He grabs his gun. It's all very tense-like, but not actually tense, because we know darn well it's only going to be Daniel and Miles at the door. This time.
When Sawyer sees Daniel, he sighs as if he'd rather it had been the Dharma Goon Squad, which is just weird. I'd like to see him exasperated less often, so that it affects me when he's exasperated for a reason. Sawyer shows his newest guests some of that good old island hospitality. "Welcome to the meeting, Twitchy. Good to see you again. Pound cake's in the kitchen. Help yourself to the punch." I don't think there's any cake. Or punch. Mean. After Daniel walks past him, he asks Miles if Dan is still crazy. Miles says, "It's on a whole new level, man." Heh. Poor Daniel. This might be the most forthright and lucid he's been since got off the freighter in 2004, and everyone thinks he's nuts. Dan apologizes to Jack for having been rude before but then jumps right to his point. He wants to know if anyone knows where he can find the hostiles. Kate's the Kate-Who-Swallowed-The-Canary, so Juliet asks Dan why he needs to know. Dan says, "Because one of them is my mother, and she is the only person on this island who can get us back to where we belong." Commericial.
2004; Essex, Massachusetts: Daniel Faraday watches in tears as his TV reports the discovery of the Oceanic Flight 815 wreckage. Caroline tries to talk about the discovery, but he's too upset. They're interrupted by a knock at the door. It's Charles Widmore. Caroline, haven't you ever heard you don't invite vampires in your home? Daniel weeps as he apologizes for not recognizing his visitor and explains that he has a condition that affects his memory. Widmore looks different... kindly, here. He tries to put Daniel at ease by explaining they've never met. When he introduces himself, Daniel remembers that Widmore was his research benefactor. When he says he meant to thank Widmore before he left Oxford, Widmore corrects him. "You mean -- before you were dismissed." Okay, scratch kindly. Daniel sobs that he tested it all on himself and wouldn't have ever hurt Theresa, except for you know, how he totally did. Widmore explains that he's there to offer Daniel a real opportunity. Daniel tries to beg off but he's too disturbed the by reports on Oceanic 815 to concentrate. Widmore decides to put Daniel at ease in his own special way. "Daniel, what if I told you they're not dead? What if I told you the plane was a fake? An elaborate, expensive fake." And how would Widmore know that? Because he put it there. Daniel says, "Well, why would you tell me that?" Widmore doesn't blink. "Because come tomorrow, you won't remember I did." Oooh, burn, but... these people are insane. Not poor, crazy Dan (although yes, him), but his mean, crazy parents. Clearly, you've caught on by now that Widmore is Daniel's father, right? I didn't want him to be. I thought he and Ellie came across more as siblings than lovers in "Jughead," so I wanted him to be an uncle or something, but nope. There's too much him and Ellie in this episode for it to be anything else. And this poor, broken boy is the result of these two Ring Wraiths and their unholy union. Widmore continues, because it's not like Dan will remember. "Daniel, the real Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on an island -- a special island with unique scientific properties. I want to send you to the island. It will further your research, show you things you'd never dream of, but more importantly it will heal you, Daniel -- your mind, your memory." Dan can't quite believe this, but Widmore nods, encouragingly. Finally, Daniel stammers out, "W-why are you doing all this for me?" Widmore says, Luke, I am your father. All right, no. He goes on about Daniel's tremendous gifts and yada yada. Daniel says Widmore sounds like his mother. Widmore smiles then laughs. "That's because we're old friends." Yeah, booty buddies. Daniel searches Widmore's face for answers to questions he can't remember, and we cut to...
Sawyer and Juliet's Love Shack; 1977: Sawyer looks at Dan. "Your mother is an Other?" My husband Scott cracks up at this and rewinds it, even though it wasn't really played for laughs. He makes me promise to use that line as the headline for the recap, so I do. And honey, three weeks from now when you get around to reading this? Please pick up milk on your way home. Dan informs the rest of the Strand-aways that they met Eloise in 1954 -- she was the Commando named Ellie. Hurley says, "You guys were in 1954 -- like, Fonzie times?" Everyone ignores him, but I laugh, because he's so cute. Daniel says he just has to talk to his mother but won't get into more detail, so Sawyer tells him what I've been dying to, ever since he confessed all to Chang. "I though you said we were supposed to lay low, 'whatever happened, happened'?" Yeah, Dan. I mean, don't freak out or anything, but really. Sawyer snaps that he won't tell Dan anything or let him go until he's a bit more forthcoming, so Jack jumps to Dan's defense. Oh, well, Dr. Jackass and Mr. Snide's polite exchanges were nice while they lasted. Jackass has a point though, whether they go into the jungle or on the sub, they don't belong where they are now. Snide snits, "Well, I belonged here just fine till you came back, Doc."
Ignoring Sawyer, Jack turns to Kate and asks her where the hostiles are. She plays dumb at first, but Jack tells her he knows that she and Sawyer snuck wee, dying Ben out to them. Sawyer tries to silence Kate but Jack points out that she can say whatever she wants to say. If I were Kate, I'd have walked out while everyone was discussing me as if I were their property. Finally, Jack says, "Kate, you made me promise to never ask what happened to Aaron, or why you came back here, but I know that reason isn't -- it isn't here. It's not now." Sawyer says, "Whatever her reason is, helping H.G. Wells here--" he gestures to Daniel who cringes, but I think that's a better name than Twitchy, Dan. Sorry, I interrupted: "Whatever her reason is, helping H.G. Wells here talk to his mommy ain't got nothing to do with it." Gah. That sentence sucks, even without my interrupting it. He looks at Kate long and hard, maybe hoping she will fix his syntax. "Come with us, Freckles." Juliet looks up at him, like, Oh hi, remember me while Kate looks up at him like I almost remember you calling me that. Juliet speaks first. "The code for the fence is 1-4-1-7-1-7." Her voice is measured, but her words burn like acid, just the same. Sawyer looks at her, wondering why she doesn't have his back this time. She just raises an eyebrow and continues talking to Jack and Kate. "You should take Daniel. It's over, here..." her voice breaks "...for us, anyway." Sawyer can't figure out how he went from having two girls to none, but that's usually how it works, Jimmy. Kate nods at Juliet. "Okay." She turns to Jack and says, "Let's go." Daniel's thrilled. He asks Miles to drive them, but Miles just silently tosses him the keys. It's not surprising that he's closer to Sawyer at this point, or more inclined to think Sawyer is sane (and therefore possibly right), but it's still interesting to see one of the Freighter Folk side with a Lost-away, just the same. As Daniel, Kate, and Jack leave, Sawyer tells them, "When you realize you've made a huge mistake, we'll be back at the beach, right where we started." Jack nods politely, and they're off.
Sawyer tells Juliet, Hurley, Jin and Miles to pack anything they can carry and meet back at the Love Shack in 20 minutes." He holds his bronzed hand out to Juliet. She considers it for a moment, then places her pale one in it. Softly, he tells her it's time to go. She fights back her tears, then rises.
As she heads toward the motor pool with Jack and Daniel, Kate explains that the hostiles aren't going to be happy to see them. They could get guns from the motor pool, but they're locked up. Jack reminds her he's a janitor now, with the keys. [To the gun cabinet? What, does he clean it? - Z] Daniel falls behind and when Kate calls to him to catch up, he says he needs a minute. He walks over to the swing set -- to wee Charlotte Staples Lewis. She says, "I'm not allowed to have chocolate before dinner." Dan fights back his tears as he promises he won't tell on her. She tells him her name and asks his. He says he's Daniel and that he's new. He crouches down in front of her and tells her that he hopes soon, Dr. Chang will tell a bunch of people to get on the submarine and leave the island. But he gets kind of weird, our poor broken scientist man. Dan, when your mother warned you off women, I don't think she expected you to become Mr. Molester at the Dharmaville playground. Dan's eyes are wet. "When he does, you and your Mommy, you're gonna have to leave, in case what I do doesn't work. You cannot be here. You have to leave." Um Dan, she's like six, or something. If Mommy's getting on the sub and leaving the island, she'll go. He's not listening to me. He's too in love with this mere slip of a girl who he's freaking out with every word and teardrop. Stranger danger! Stranger danger! "I tried to avoid telling you this. I didn't think I could change things. But maybe I can." The camera, bless it, pans out, so we don't have to watch any more of that creepy scene.
At the motor pool, Jack and Kate are grabbing first aid supplies, guns and whatever else they can get their hands on, except each other. Kate hands Daniel a rifle, but he asks if she has anything for beginners (heh) so she gives him a pistol, instead. Jack notices that a Dharma blue VW Bus is speeding toward the motor poor and says, "Let's go." Oh crap, it's that freaking Radzinsky. When do we get to see him make the brain stain on the Swan ceiling? I don't just want him to die. I want to see him die. He knows Dan should be at the Swan and demands to know what's going on. Dan tries some B.S. about Dr. Chang asking them to help with the accident at the Orchid, but unfortunately, he gestures with the hand that had previously been hidden behind his back -- the hand holding the pistol.
Radzinsky yells, "He's got a gun!" He and the Dharma Goon Squad cock their weapons and aim at Jack, Kate and Dan. Radzinky says, "I just left Dr. Chang. He's at home with his wife and baby. You're lying. NOW DROP THE GUNS AND GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" Daniel says that Radzinsky really has no idea what's going on here, but they have no time. They just have to leave. He starts backing away. There's a shot. I can't tell who fired it. At some point, Radzinsky shoots Dan in the neck and someone shoots Radzinsky in the hand. Not good enough, guys. Regardless, there's shooting all around, and none of it kills anyone (especially -- sadly -- Radzinsky). Kate checks on Daniel while Jack holds off the armed Dharma goons. He continues to cover as Kate and Daniel run for the Jeep. Jack then spots a fuel tank and shoots it, causing a big blast that gives him enough time to run to the Jeep, and hop in. As they speed off, Radzinsky shoots out their windshield. The shattered glass flies in Kate, Jack and Daniel's faces. Radzinsky hollers, "Sound the alarm." Commercial.
2004; Essex, Massachusetts: As Daniel struggles to play Chopin's "Fantasie-Impromptu," which he had mastered as a child, Eloise lets herself into his home. She starts to explain why she didn't call first, but her voice trails off. Daniel finishes for her. "I would have forgotten anyway." Mommy Dearest is there to tell Dan he must accept Mr. Widmore's offer. Daniel says he's not up to the task. "He needs someone who can do really, really complex space-time calibrations and calculate bearings, and I just -- I don't know how to do that anymore." She reminds him that the island may be able to heal him. "Why, then you could go on with your work. Just think of all you could accomplish." Gollum. Gollum. Dan says, "You really want me to go?" Because after all these years and all these broken brains, he's still trying to please mum. My word, I'm ready to drive up to Essex, scoop him up, and hide him out at my house. I could be there and back in an hour, maybe an hour and a half. We could get donuts on the way home, sit on the couch and watch a light comedy, or something. I'd let him play our piano, too. Sorry, I got carried away, there. Of course Eloise wants him to go to the island, because she just wants her one ring back. With a sob in his voice, Daniel asks, "Will it make you proud of me?" Oh, you poor baby. Eloise glows as she says, "Yes, Daniel. It will." He considers for a moment, sighs and says he'll do it. Eloise looks like she can't decide whether to laugh or cry.
1977; Island; Pylons: Kate enters the security code Juliet spewed at her in a jealous fury, while Jack confirms that Daniel's neck is only grazed. When Dan guesses that he was lucky, Jack asks him what luck has to do with it. "I thought you said 'whatever happened, happened'." That phrase is getting as tedious as "It's different, he has a soul, now," got on Buffy. "You gotta understand, Jack, this is our present. When we met, did I have a scar on my neck?" Now Daniel, don't flirt. "No, 'cause I hadn't been shot yet. We can't be so naive as to think nothing can happen to us. Any one of us can die, Jack." Oh crap, Daniel. You're gonna die, brotha. Aren't you? Don't die. I like you, Daniel. (And Jeremy Davies has really gone above and beyond in the role tonight, don't you think?) Kate calls over to the guys that the fence is off. Do you notice how she and Jack let Daniel walk through first? Heh. She asks Jack, who she seems to be speaking to (today) if he thinks Daniel knows what he's doing. Jack says, "Sure hope so. There's no turning back now." And speaking of the point of no return, we cut to...
The Love Shack: Sawyer and Juliet pack up food and clothing, oblivious to Phil's muffled yowls from the closet o' kidnapping. Sawyer knows he screwed up big time, calling Kate "Freckles" in front of Juliet, so he's extra-solicitous now, telling her she called it when those "yahoos" showed up back on the island. Are those the yahoos that came back because they were listening to John Locke, who told them they had to go back to save your sorry hide, James? Yeah? I thought so. Thanks. He tells Juliet she ought to say I told you so. She's not stupid. She knows he's sucking up and she's in no mood. She says, "Maybe after we get to the beach," and turns from him. He puts his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, you still got my back?" She looks him straight in those lying eyes he can't hide and asks, "You still got mine?" He looks down, 'cause honey, you can't hide your lying eyes and seems to be struggling to find the right words to con his way out of this mess, when an alarm sounds. Outside, Hurley's got a backpack and the guitar case and... Jin. They see Radzinsky and the other dark-suited goons storming across the quad and know it's not good. Jin says something in Korean that sounds like honey chen chun. I may have no clue what he's saying, but I know exactly what he means.
Radzinsky and the Good Squad burst into the Love Shack. Radzinsky hollers for LaFleur and asks where the hell he's been. Sawyer tells him to "Take it easy, Stu," then asks what's going on. Radazinsky holds up his hand. "I just got shot by a physicist." I love the way he says that, as if getting shot by a physicist is worse than getting shot by, let's say a grocer or a lawyer. He also tells Sawyer the new recruits are helping the physicist. "We've been infiltrated!" Dirty. Sawyer tells him to calm down, but then Phil starts kicking up a ruckus from the closet. Radzinsky finds him in there all tied up, then turns his gun on Sawyer and Juliet, ordering them to get down on the ground, now. And we cut to...
The Jungle Road to Camp Richard: Jack, Kate, and Daniel stop for a drink at a creek along the way, and Jack notices Daniel take out his gun. He comments on him needing a gun to talk to his mother. You don't know his mother, Jack. Daniel says, "You don't know my mother." See? Jack cuts to the chase. He wants to know why Dan says Eloise was wrong to tell Jack to come back to Craphole. You need a reason other than that it's Craphole? Daniel sits, so Jack joins him, and Kate comes in closer, too. Where the boys are... The bit is all transcribed, because while doing so was a lot of typing, it required way less thinking than following Dan's line of reasoning.
Daniel says, "In about four hours, the Dharma folks at the Swan work site--they're gonna drill into the ground and accidentally tap into a massive pocket of energy." Like Hurley's Hot Pockets! "The result of the release of this energy would be catastrophic." Again, like Hot Pockets! "So in order to contain it, they're gonna have to cement the entire area in, like Chernobyl. And this containment -- the place they built over it, I believe you called it the hatch? The Swan Hatch? Because of this one accident, these people are gonna spend the 20 years keeping that energy at bay by pressing a button -- a button that your friend Desmond will one day fail to push, and that will cause your plane, Oceanic 815, to crash on this island. And because your plane crashed, a freighter will be sent to this island -- a freighter I was on and Charlotte was on and so forth. This entire chain of events... it's gonna start happening this afternoon. But... we can change that. I studied Relativistic Physics my entire life. One thing emerged over and over: can't change the past. Can't do it. Whatever happened, happened. All right?" All right, already, Daniel. "But then I finally realized I had been spending so much time focused on the constants; I forgot about the variables. Do you know what the variables in these equations are, Jack? [...] Us. We're the variables. People. We think. We reason. We make choices. We have free will. We can change our destiny. I think I can negate that energy under the Swan. I think I can destroy it. If I can, then that hatch will never be built, and your plane -- your plane will land, just like it's supposed to, in Los Angeles."
Kate doesn't look like she's so keen on that idea. She was on her way to prison in 2004. She asks Daniel how he plans to destroy the energy. Daniel says he's going to detonate a hydrogen bomb. Oh, wow. Since "Jughead," I've been wondering if that was how the series was going to end. I didn't expect it to come up again this season. Huh. Kate and Jack make oh, he's completely crazy faces at each other, and it's time for one last commercial break.
2007; Marina Medical Center, Long Beach: Penny's surprised to learn Eloise's son is Daniel Faraday, because Daniel's the one who sent Des to find Eloise in L.A. Eloise says she came to apologize to Penny. "Your husband has become a casualty in a conflict that's bigger than him, that's bigger than any of us." Casualty? CASUALTY? Penny's reaction is pretty much the same. She asks Eloise if Des will be okay. Eloise says, "I don't know. For the first time in a long time, I don't know what's going to happen ." Ooooh. Hmmm. Nice. Right then a nurse comes out to tell Pen that Des is out of surgery, in recovery and is doing fine. She tells Penny to come with her and the other nurse will watch her son. Oh GET OUT! She's going and she's leaving little Charlie with the nurse, while Eloise is there?! Does she want him to get stolen and taken to Craphole? Oh wait, Hawking's leaving, too. Frisk her before she gets out the door, folks.
Desmond's Recovery Room: Desmond's right arm is in a sling and he's pale, but he looks pretty good for a guy who just got shot in the milk bottle. Penny says hi with a smile, then her face grows serious. "I thought I'd lost you." Desmond shakes his head no. "I promised you, Penny. I promised you I'd never leave you again." Awww. A single tear rolls down Penny's cheek, and they kiss. Normally, I'd be all over this reunion, but I'm really worried about their baby, even if they're not.
Medical Center; Exterior; Night: As Eloise leaves the hospital, she's stopped by a familiar voice. "Is he all right?" It's Charles. While her back is to him, Eloise's expression is about what you'd expect if she was standing downwind of a sulfur spray, but she rights it before she turns to him and simply says, "Yes, Charles. He's fine." Charles appears genuinely pleased by that news as he says, "Good." Eloise encourages him to go in there and see his daughter. Charles says that his relationship with Penny is something he's had to sacrifice. Eloise scoffs. "Don't you talk to me about sacrifice, Charles. I had to send my son back to the island, knowing full well that..." Charles interrupts her. "He's my son too, Eloise." She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, then hauls off and slaps his face. She then gets into a cab, leaving Widmore alone in the night. And we jump to...
1977; Island: Kate thinks Daniel's plan is a mistake -- that it's crazy to talk about erasing everything about their lives since the crash. Jack says that since they poofed out of a plane and into 1977, he's getting used to the crazy. Daniel is just a little ahead of them when they hear the Others (talking, not whispering). Daniel looks down at Camp Richard, while Jack and Kate catch up. Before they can stop him, he tells them to wish him luck, and hustles down to the camp. Jack tries to call him back, but Kate tells him to let Dan go. When the first Other spots Daniel, Dan waves his gun and tries to get the guy to stay silent. He won't, though, probably because Dan doesn't look like he could hit the broadside of a barn. Mr. Other reaches for his rifle, so Daniel shoots at the ground twice and tells him to back up. He orders everyone not to move and says he only wants to speak to Eloise. He demands to see her a few times before Richard comes out of his tent and says that Eloise isn't "here right now." But please leave a message after the beep.
Dan knows Richard right away. It's less clear if Richard knows Dan, too, or if he just spots the recognition in Dan's eyes. Richard asks if they know each other, but Dan says it doesn't matter. "I need you to take me to Eloise." Richard repeats that she's not there, and starts to try to talk Dan into lowering his weapon. Dan closes in on him, though, and demands to know where the bomb is. "The hydrogen bomb I told your people to bury. Where is it?" Richard's eyes light up. He tells Dan to lower the gun and they'll talk. "Nobody has to get hurt." Oh man, that means someone's going to get hurt, and since I don't see Radzinsky anywhere nearby, I don't like my choices. Daniel tells Richard he's going to give him three seconds. "One, two..." A shot rings out. Daniel and Richard both jerk. And when Dan looks down, we can see he's the one who's been hit. Nooooooo! (Although I am glad it wasn't Richard.) He falls to the ground to reveal young (but not the youngest version of) Eloise standing behind him, holding a rifle.
Richard kneels down to tend to Dan while asking Eloise why she did that. She says, "He had a gun on you." Richard says he wasn't going to shoot him. Daniel looks up at the face of his mother -- the young mother who kept him from playing piano. His breathing is labored and shallow, his voice weak. "Eloise." A beat. "You knew. You always knew. You knew this was gonna happen, and you sent me here, anyway." Eloise sneers. "Who are you?" Daniel says, "I -- I'm your son." He gasps for air. Richard looks from him to Eloise. Eloise's eyes fill with horror, while the light behind Daniel's eyes is extinguished. DUN! Bad robot.
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Cindy can't believe they killed Daniel, but she's off to her second dentist appointment in as many days, so no extra commentary this week. What do you think about the new split between the Lost-aways? What do you think about Eloise? About Daniel's death? Email her at CynthiaMcLennan[at]gmail.com, or tweet to her on Twitter and let her know.