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It's Michael Giacchino's world. We just live in it. Seriously. I've been reliving this episode for the past few hours, and his soundtrack has been playing in my mind -- the entire time. And I've been crying -- the entire time. For that, I blame Hurley, but I shouldn't get all timey-wimey in a recaplet, so let's get to the straight dope. You ready? Okay.
Sideways: Dr. Jack Shephard successfully repairs John Locke's dural sac. When he talks to his new patient after, Jack tells him that he's a candidate for a new procedure that might restore his ability to walk. Locke wants no part of it and refuses to tell Jack why, so Jack digs through hospital records and finds out that a Dr. Bernard Nadler, DDS did oral surgery on Locke three years ago. Jack goes to see Bernard (!!!), who isn't eager to betray Locke's confidence, but once these two healers realize that they were on Oceanic 815 with Locke, Bernard is struck by the "coincidence" and softens some. He gives Jack a name on a slip of paper: Anthony Cooper. The paper is magic paper, so it automatically transports Jack to the nursing home where Cooper lives.
Before Jack can approach the dirty, rotten scoundrel, he's confronted by Helen, who tells him he shouldn't have come. She asks Jack why he can't just leave things alone and, my right hand to God, my 11-year-old says, "Because Jack has a compulsive need to fix things." I think she's after my job, bless her. Thank goodness she's too young to legally enter into a contract. Anyhow, there's no fixing Anthony Cooper. In addition to being in a wheelchair, he's clearly brain damaged -- and not in the talking is difficult way. Anthony's lights are on, but nobody's home, and really, I think saying that his "lights are on" may be an extreme overstatement. Back at St. Sebastian's, Claire Littleton comes to see her newfound brother, Dr. Jack Shephard. She shows him a beautiful wooden music box their lawyer gave her and asks if he knows anything about it. Jack laughs. He didn't even know anything about her. They open the music box which -- of course -- plays "Catch a Falling Star." There's a mirror inside, and this week, we get a reflection of Jack and Claire, together. Then it happens. Jack reaches out to his poor (although probably not financially poor, now that she's in on Christian's will) pregnant bastard sister. He tells her to leave her motel and come stay with him. Claire is surprised: They're strangers. Jack corrects her: They're family. Hooray! Between that and this week's use of the reflection motif, I figure this has to bode well for these siblings' island counterparts. And then I watch the rest of the episode and try to do myself in. Oh crap, I'm getting timey-wimey again.
Anyhow, Jack catches up with Locke as he's leaving the hospital. Brother recovered awfully quickly from fricking spinal surgery, don't you think? Locke finally relents and tells Jack about the accident that left him in the wheelchair. He'd just gotten his pilot's license and talked his father into being his very first passenger. Locke still can't figure out what happened. He can't remember doing anything wrong, but the plane crashed, leaving Anthony in his present condition, so it must be his fault. HOORAY! I mean, um. Um. Locke's too wracked with guilt to accept a chance at a complete recovery, so Jack reminds him of their conversation back at the Oceanic Lost Baggage Office, and tells Locke that his father, too, is gone. Locke has to let go. Locke says it's hard. Jack totally knows where he's coming from. It's hard for him, too, so he's hoping Locke will go first. Hee. As they talk in the hallway, Jin Soo Kwon carries a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses to his wife's room, and right now, I'm holding onto that with all my might. You know what I mean.
Islandways: We pick up where we left off last week. The Widmorons round up the Losties, intent on sticking them in the Hydra cages. Sawyer and Kate don't find it nearly so sexy this time, though. Sawyer does disarm Baby Face, but then old Chuckles himself appears, grabs Kate, and threatens to kill her. Sawyer tries to call his bluff, but Charles Widmore is bluffless. He has a list, by Jove, and Kate's name isn't on it. Kate could not care less, and tells Sawyer not to worry about her, but Sawyer knows all about lists, names, candidates and recruits, so he lays down his weapon. Baby Face rifles Sawyer in the gut, and into the cages our fair Losties go. But it's okay. Well, sort of. If you're reading this recaplet in lieu of watching the episode, what the Hell's wrong with you? Skedaddle. Go watch the episode and come back later. Those of you who have already seen "The Candidate" know. You know nothing is all right, right now. Sure, Jack comes to and finds himself with Sayid and Faucke on another part of Hydra Island. That part's all right, if it's all right to be in Satan's clutches. Ugh. They got there via outrigger. Those Fauckers who didn't get blown up have scattered into the jungle so we don't have to pretend to care about them. I just hope Cindy and the kids are safe. Faucke has a plan to free the Losties and enlists Jack and Sayid to help. And that's what they do. But nothing, nothing is all right right now, and I have a feeling that will remain par for the course until the finale on May 23. I hate you, Darlton. I hate your freaking sadistic guts.
Anyhow, Faucke turns to smoke off-camera and flits and flies through the Hydra jungle. The Widmorons haven't finished setting up the pylons around the cages yet, so they're essentially defenseless. Faucke kills this one, that one, and everyone who isn't someone we care about. When Baby Face falls dead right in front of the cage, Kate sticks her short, bony arm through the bars and tries to reach his keys. Sawyer and everyone else who has longer arms stand and watch her like they're Sideways Anthony Cooper. Just as Kate's hand comes within reach, someone else grabs the keys. Oh no! Wait. It's Jack. Oh, yes. Kate looks at him like he's a long, tall drink of water and she's been wandering the desert for 40 years. The Losties can't believe Jack's there. Jack nods at Smokey, who is still flitting about, and says the funniest line he's ever said in the history of the show: "I'm with him." Awesome. I mean, it's not awesome that he's with Smokey, but getting to say that line right then and there is almost worth aligning oneself with that Thing.
After Jack frees the caged Losties, Sayid tells the gang that Faucke will be waiting for them at the Ajira plane, so we're off. We get there when Faucke does -- before the Losties arrive. The poor Widmorons guarding the plane shoot and shoot at Faucke, but he's the new Man of Steel and walks right through those bullets. He breaks one guard's neck like he's fricking Angel, then shoots the other one, and, curiously enough, grabs his digital watch. Inside the plane, he finds wires rigged up to something hidden in one of the overhead baggage compartments. That can't be good. When the Losties arrive at the plane, Faucke admits to killing the Widmoron guards and explains Charles thought they were expendable, because this is all a trap. He opens his backpack and shows them what he found on the plane -- a brick of C4. He has a new plan. Let's take Widmore's sub. Sawyer's all haven't I been saying that for like EVER? It's off to the sub they go. Sawyer falls back and talks to Jack, with a modicum of respect, even. He knows Jack doesn't want to leave the island with them, but he needs a solid. He does not want Faucke getting on that sub. Jack points out that Faucke isn't exactly an easy opponent to beat, or even fight, since he can turn into smoke and all. Sawyer tells Jack to just get Faucke in the water, and then he'll do the rest.
The Losties hide in the brush and stake out the sub. Sawyer's calling the shots. Oh, for Faucke's sake, why are these people not running things past Hurley? Faucke kneels down with his recruits and slips his backpack off, and places it way behind him. When it's time to rush the sub, he then grabs his pack and another. He hands one to Jack. Oh Faucke me. Sawyer, Jin, Sun, Hurley and Frank get in the sub and take it over. Jack shoves Locke in the water. When Kate is making her way to the sub, she's shot in the shoulder. Jack and Sayid get her inside, while Claire fires back at the Widmorons. I think she's now the best shot on the island. Sawyer tries to get Claire in the sub, but there's too much confusion, and when he sees Faucke climb out of the water, he must close the hatch. Claire is devasted that they're leaving without her. Again. Faucke holds her back from jumping in the water, and says she doesn't want to be on that sub, anyhow. Inside, Jack's assessing Kate's wound. He grabs his backpack to find something to staunch the bleeding. The trouble is, he doesn't have his backpack. The trouble is -- a brick of C4 isn't nearly as handy as cloth for sopping up blood. The digital watch that Faucke ripped off the dead Widmoron is rigged to the C4, as a timer. There are only 3+ minutes before the sucker explodes. Sayid explains that if they pull out two wires at exactly the same time, it should disarm the timer. Jack tells Sawyer not to do anything. He explains that Faucke said he could kill them all. And yet, he didn't kill them all. So clearly, he wants them all dead so he can get off the island, but in order for the magic to work, Faucke can't be the one to do the killing. He's manipulated this whole thing so that they kill each other. If Sawyer rips out the wires, he'll be playing right into Faucke's hands. Sawyer doesn't say it, but you can see the memory of Jack's involvement in Juliet's death flash before his eyes. He's all screw you and your screwy ideas, Doc and pulls out the wires. At first, it looks like he's made the right decision. The timer stops. The Losties all take a deep breath, and man, they're going to need it, because the timer not only starts up again, it speeds up. Jin calls down to the control room and tells Frank to bring the sub to the surface. That's going to take five minutes. They don't have five minutes. Sayid knows what he has to do. He grabs the C4, tells Jack that Desmond is in the well, and that he must be necessary because Faucke wants him dead. He tells Jack this, because Jack is the one. And then, poor re-ensouled Sayid grabs that brick of C4 and runs as fast as he can to the other end of the sub. KABOOM. Bye bye, Sayid. See you on the other side... ways. I'm glad you went out on a redemptive note.
The sub's taking on water fast. Jack tries to get everyone out. When he realizes Sun is trapped, he stays behind to help Sawyer and Jin free her, but first he hands Kate and a mini air tank to Hurley, and tells him to exit through the giant hole in the sub, buddy-breathe on the tank, and get Kate to safety. At some point in there, Sawyer is disabled. Jack has to save him. He swims out and up with his best friend, his enemy. Jin stays behind, still trying to free Sun. Ji Yeon is on both their minds and Sun begs Jin to save himself, but you can see in her eyes that she can't bear to be parted from him again, even in death. Jin does consider leaving, but how can he leave the great love of his life, now that he's finally found her, again? He refuses -- promising to never leave her again, and in the most painful scene I can recall watching on TV, they die, together.
Kate, Hurley, Jack and Sawyer make it back to the Island (it's the main island, I think, but I'm not sure). A tearful Kate is overjoyed to see Jack, who lays a still unconscious Sawyer on the beach. It's then that he has to tell Kate and Hurley that Sun and Jin didn't make it. Kate sobs. Hurley sobs. Jack walks away from them down to the waterline, stares out at the ocean, and? He FINALLY cries, lovely, lovely Jears.
In a quick cut to the now water-logged sub, we see that it's only after the life has left the Kwon's bodies that their hands slip apart. Oh my word. I can't stop crying. It's been hours and I can't stop crying. That's probably a good thing, because I have so much (more) to say, but I don't want to shoot (anymore of) my entire wad in the recaplet. It will have to keep until the recap. My heart is broken. I can only hope that, the island is done with Jin and Sun in a good way, and that their Sideways counterparts will now possess all the knowledge of their Original Recipes. That's gotta be it? Right? Right? God. Right?
I'm starting the full recap now, so until then, please join us in the forums, where we've stocked up on tissues and mood elevators.
Want more? The full recap starts right below! Sideways; Day: Instead of zooming in on one open eye, as we so often have, we pan over to a pair of eyes -- closed eyes. That's...off. It's backwards. We're in the Sideways reality, so in this season of Smoke and Mirrors, I can't help but think of mirror images. They're backwards, right? You need (at least) two mirrors angled just so, if you want to see the reflection of your reflection -- what others see as your true self. With the aid of two mirrors or one of those department store 3-way mirrors, I know what the reflection of my reflection looks like (what I look like to others), but it looks off to me. We don't truly own the reality of our own faces. My most prominent memory of my face comes from looking in a single mirror each day, multiple times a day. I promise I'm going somewhere with this. Please bear with me.Sideways Dr. Jack Shephard wakes Sideways John Locke. Locke is confused at first -- not because he doesn't know who Jack is, but because he does -- he knows who Jack really is, and this is all backwards. But then the second mirror slips out of place. Jack's too perfect explanation/reminder that they met in the Oceanic baggage claim office makes too much sense -- way more sense than a mystical island with Smoke Monsters, hatches, numbers, and miracle cures. The mirror slips out of place because Locke pushes it. He accepts this reflection of his life.
In the course of conversation, Locke learns his dural sac ruptured, but Jack repaired it. During the operation Jack got a look at Locke's original injury and wants to know how it happened. Locke says, "Why?" Jack: "Because I think you're a candidate." (!!!) Jack doesn't know he's moving mirrors around, but he's sliding the second one back into place, just the same. During the pregnant pause, Locke cocks his head to the right. "A candidate for what?" There's light in his eyes, now. Jack tells Locke there's a new, easy, low-risk surgical procedure that may repair the initial injury that landed him in his wheelchair. "If you give me a shot, Mr. Locke, I think that -- I could fix you." That gives me chills. Locke pushes mirror #2 away. John Locke -- who elsewhere and elsewhen chose to stay on an island and mingle with monsters for a miracle -- he refuses. He refuses to even hear the good doctor out. That's backwards, right?
The men are interrupted by Helen who rushes to Locke's side. "It's the first time they've let me see you." Is this one of the rules, too? Did Locke have to choose to remain in his chair in order to keep Helen? No, that can't be right. We already know the choice that cost Locke Helen's love. That choice was Anthony Cooper. Anyhow, Locke caresses her face like you do after a nightmare of a loved one's death -- when the monsters are back in the closet for the day, and all you can see is your love's beautiful face. When Helen finds out that Jack is John's doctor, she greets him with a big hug, kiss and then most notably: "Thank you for saving him." At that, Jack laughs uncomfortably, and the look he shares with Locke breaks my heart. The romantic in me doesn't want this part to be backwards. Just...reflective. I mean, my reflection doesn't let me know exactly how I appear to others, but it's good enough to tell me if I've got lipstick on my teeth. Don't let Helen's fate be the lipstick on Locke's teeth, Show. Or do. Whatever the hell I'm talking about, you know what I mean.
Islandways: Jack wakes -- dazed, and on my first viewing I was too busy wondering if he died during the last episode to pay attention. After multiple viewings, the confusion on his face makes me think that while he slept, he dreamt of (or woke to) life in the Sideways, where he had set about to fix John Locke. That's going to be a meaner feat here than in the Sideways. Islandways -- John Locke is all Faucked up. He's way, way backwards. Can you "fix" him, Jack? Can you "save" him? Should you? When Jack pulls himself up to sitting position we can see that he's in a beached outrigger. Sayid kneels in the sand nearby, keeping watch and cleaning weapons. "Welcome to Hydra Island." You were expecting Mr. Roarke? When Jack sighs and looks around, Sayid adds, "At least you didn't have to paddle." Oh, he's definitely not the Shell of Sayid. He's actual Sayid, again. Hooray!
Elsewhere on Hydra, the Widmorons are moving their porta-pylons around when Baby Face marches Hurley and the rest of our Losties to the cages. Once they're there, Baby Face presses his rifle against Sawyer's back. "Get in." Sawyer's not in the mood for a fish biscuit, but Baby Face doesn't care. "I've got the gun." Sawyer disarms him easily. "Not anymore, Dough Boy." Hee. And awww. How many more nicknames will he bestow before the end?
Just then, Widmore appears out of nowhere, fires his handgun into the air, grabs Kate by the scruff of her neck and barks at Sawyer. "Put the gun down, or I'll kill her." Yeah, yeah, I know half the fandom is hoping for just that, but I like Kate, so I'm not playing along. Sawyer's not worried. "You ain't gonna kill anybody, otherwise you wouldn't be throwing us in a cage." Chuckles has a list of names: Ford, Reyes and the Kwons are on it. "Kate Austen? She's not. It doesn't matter to me whether she lives or dies." The Khaters go wild! Kate doesn't care. She tells Sawyer not to listen, but Sawyer learned all about lists, names, candidates, and recruits on Faucke's field trip to the cave, so he hands over his weapon. Baby Face rifles Sawyer in the gut, and into the cages our fair Losties go. Chuckles: "You may not believe it, but I'm doing this for your own good." Sawyer: "You're right. I don't believe it." Widmore looks surprised by that, doesn't he? I don't know your angle, Chuckles. I don't know where you're getting your list. I don't know if you're following Eloise's plan, Jacob's or one of your own. Heck, there's speculation in the forum that you're actually in league with Faucke. Whatever it is, I can't trust you until I see what you have in store for Des, but the main point is: you're delusional if you expect Sawyer to trust you after you made a deal with him and then weaseled out of it.
Widmore turns to his men and asks if the fence is live, yet. When one guy tells him it'll take about an hour, Charles screams that they haven't got an hour. They must work faster. "He's coming." Sawyer turns to Kate, who looks at him like I am so not having sex with you in front of all these people. Maybe he'll give Frank a whirl. Title card.
Theme Song(s)! (At least go read the lyrics to the first one, because...dudes, seriously.)
Sideways: In order to learn more about Locke's accident, Jack dug through hospital records and found out that Locke had emergency oral surgery, three years ago. And so...Jack goes to see Bernard! He wants to find out how Locke was paralyzed. Bernard asks Jack why he's so interested in Mr. Locke. Jack: "He and I met about a week ago. We were on the same flight back from Australia." Bernard: "Oceanic 815." Jack turns his head and looks at Bernard as though he's an unexplained appendectomy scar. Bernard smiles like he's got the benefit of a second mirror. "I sat across the aisle from you. If memory serves, you were um...flirting with my wife, Rose, while I was in the bathroom." Hee. "It's pretty weird, huh?" Jack is reeling. "Yeah." Bernard nods, rises and says, "Well then, maybe you're onto something here, hmm?" Jack follows him to the other side of the office. Bernard won't breach patient confidentiality, but he will reveal there was another man in the same accident, with John. Jack says, "That was three years ago. You just...remember that?" Bernard looks Jack right in the eyes. "Of course I do, Jack." He says his name just like he knows him, scribbles something on a piece of paper, tears it off the pad and hands it to Jack, who reads: "Anthony Cooper." And then, Bernard smiles again. "Good luck, Doc." GOOSEBUMPS! "I hope you find what you're looking for."
Sidebar 1 of 3: Okay, is Bernard more tuned into reality (both realities), since he and his Eve (hey, a Rose by any other name) are living like a natural man and woman in the Islandways, and not sweating the small (or even the big) stuff in the Sideways? Or is it something else? Cast your mind back to "LA X Part I": Bernard's in the lav when Sideways flight 815 hits a rough patch. Rose and Jack ride it out, together. When Bernard returns to his seat, he grumbles about how he almost died in the turbulence. Did he have a Charlie/Desmondesque near-death experience then? He knows something, right? He at least knows when coincidence isn't just coincidence. He knows when to have faith.
Sidebar 2 of 3: Did you notice the camera work, angles and blocking in this scene? When Jack first shows up at Bernard's office, we get a long shot of the space. Jack and Bernard are over on the righthand side. There's a divider running up the middle and nobody's over on the left. Many languages are read from left to right. Left is older. Right is newer. To get from left to right, and vice versa, you have to move Sideways. After the good Sideways doctors discuss how weird it is that they were on the same flight with John Locke, Bernard rises, walks to the end of the dividers, and passes back to the lefthand side, first. Jack follows him. I don't know. It just struck me. Shut up. I have no mind left. I'm doing this with just a brain stem.
Sidebar 3 of 3: It occurs to me that there are four ways in which people/groups react to the island. 1: There are those who want to escape/be rescued (nearly everyone at some point). 2: There are those who learn to accept it for what it is, and the more full their acceptance, the more bounties they reap (e.g. Rose and Bernard). 3: There are those who want to uncover its secrets (e.g. Locke). 4: There are those intent on exploiting it (e.g. Radzinsky, and arguably Widmore). Other than Rose, most of the more fully realized characters have had a few of these reactions. Original Recipe Locke floated between 2 and 3, for sure, and probably 4, as well. Chang, and Dharma in general, seem to waffle between 3 and 4. This week, I can't stop thinking of Bernard and Rose as Adam and Eve -- restored. Of course, I'm referring to the rape cave skeletons, but I mean something more, too. See Genesis 3:21-24 (KJV): "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." In this comparison, Jacob and "Esau" might be our cherubim. And in his Smokey form, "Esau" could be the flaming sword, as well. The island is Eden -- is paradise -- but only for those who, with childlike faith (a good thing in New Testament writings) accept that it is paradise will gain (or regain) admittance. So far, that's Bernard and Rose, although I imagine a time when Sawyer and Juliet were almost there. By the way, I'm not trying to say Darlton is reframing the Bible. I'm using the Bible as a frame of reference in which to examine Lost. I know that itches some people and excites others, so there's more on that here, if you're interested (or angry, or both).
Islandways; Night: Jack asks what happened. Sayid tells him about the mortar attack and adds, "Locke saved you." The rest of the Fauckers who weren't killed scattered into the jungle, so we don't have to pretend to care about them. Hooray. When Jack asks why they brought him to Hydra, Faucke appears. "Because your friends got themselves captured and now we're going to have to rescue them... Widmore has them in a cage about a half-mile inland." Jack: "Why would..." Faucke: "You know, I would ask him, except -- I don't think he's going to give me a straight answer." Hee. "But I can't imagine his intentions are good." He adds that if they move now, they can get Jack's people and be off the island before Widmore knows what hit them. Jack adjusts his backpack and gives Faucke a sideways (ooh) glance. "They're not my people." Interesting. Jack's still distancing himself from the leadership role. Remember when Locke made sure to call the Others his people? Probably not important, but I can't stop thinking about it, just the same. Jack tells Faucke, "I'm not leaving the island." Faucke hopes he changes his mind, but at any rate, the other Losties want to leave and since they just ran away from Faucke, he needs Jack's help in convincing them to trust him. Jack: "Why should I trust you?" Faucke: "Because I could kill you, Jack. Right here. Right now. And I could kill every single one of your friends -- and there's not a thing that you can to do stop me." No, but I bet Desmond could grab hold of an electro-magnetic gigamahoogey and shove it up your ass, tout de suite. Thankfully, Faucke can't hear me, so he takes a beat to let Jack ponder his points, then adds, "But instead of killing you, I saved your life, and now, I wanna save them, too. So will you help me?" Jack looks to Sayid, and back at Faucke, and before he answers we cut to...
Cages: Kate and Sawyer pace like the caged animals they are. Sawyer: "Feel like we're running in circles -- back in these cages?" Um yeah. And water's wet, and sugar's sweet. While they talk, he tells her that her name too was in the cave, but it was crossed out. "He doesn't need you, Kate." Meanwhile, Sun and Jin sit together and talk. In English. C'mon. Actually, I kind of appreciate it, because I don't speak Korean. It just seems unrealistic, unlike say magical magnets and dual realities. Jin tells Sun about see
ing pictures of Ji Yeon courtesy of the Widmorons (who grabbed Sun's camera off the Ajira flight). Sun smiles at that, but then changes the subject. She produces his wedding band -- the same ring he gave to Locke to convince Sun not to come back -- the same ring Ben took, after he killed Locke -- and used to convince Sun to come back. She slides Jin's ring back onto his finger and they have A Moment. I'm not crying.
Just then the power goes out all around the cages. The Losties know that can't be good. The Widmorons aren't too happy about it, either. As Baby Face dispatches a team to the generator, we hear Smokey's call in the distance. The wind starts up. -- the ticka ticka rattle clank. Hurley: "And? We're dead." Thump thump thump thump thump. Smokey blows into camp. The Widmorons shoot at it, which...seriously? Doesn't Charles know better than that? The Losties huddle together at the bars of their cage and watch in horror as their captors are slain. Smokey tosses baby face up against the cage, takes down pylons and generally wreaks havoc. Kate sticks her short, bony arm through the bars and tries to reach his keys. Sawyer and everyone else who has longer arms stand and watch her like they're Sideways Anthony Cooper (you'll see what I mean). Hurley: "Hurry. When that thing's done with them, he's coming for us." Frank approaches the cage door. "Well, I ain't waiting." He does his level best to kick it open, but no one helps him, either. Just as Kate's hand comes within reach of Seamus's belt, someone else grabs the keys. Oh no. Wait. It's Jack. Oh, yes! Kate looks at him like he's a long tall drink of water and she's been wandering the desert for forty years. The Losties can't believe Jack's there. Jack nods at Smokey who is still flitting about, and says the funniest line he's ever said in the history of the show. "I'm with him." Awesome. I mean, it's not awesome that he's with Smokey, but getting to say that line right then and there is almost worth aligning oneself with that Thing. Commercial.
Jungle; Day: Frank leads the Losties toward the Ajira plane. Kate hopes this means Jack is coming with them, now. It doesn't. "I'm sorry Kate, but I'm not meant to go." Sawyer, who has taken his lithium today, says: "Thanks for coming back for us, Doc. Appreciate it." Just then, the Losties are startled by someone coming through the jungle. When they see it's Sayid, they don't lower their guns until Jack tells them, "It's okay. Sayid's with us. He's the one that turned off the generators." Sayid tells them they need to go. Faucke is waiting.
Sideways; Sun Palms Nursing Home: The slip of paper Bernard gave Jack is magical, so it transports him right to Anthony Cooper's current residence. I hope he mails it to Detective James Ford, once he's done with it. Jack is at the desk asking to see Anthony when Helen arrives. He asks her, "Do you know him? Is that why you're here, too?" Helen blanches. "What do you want with Anthony?" Jack wants to talk to him about the accident he was in with "Mr. Locke." Helen pulls Jack aside and asks him to leave. She knows he just wants to help, but John doesn't want his help, so he should leave it alone. "You saved John's life. Why can't that be enough?" Jack: "Because it's not." Audience: "Get used to it, Helen. At least he's not crying."
She relents and leads Jack into the common room. We can see from behind that Anthony too is in a wheelchair. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Helen places the pot of tulips she brought on the table and turns Anthony around for Jack to see. "This is Anthony Cooper. He's John's father." He's a vegetable. Still couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Helen wipes the drool off his chin and I gag, but it's a gag of vengeful delight.
Sidebar 1 of 3: Over at his new digs on Hitfix, Alan Sepinwall puts forth the idea that in the Sideways reality, Anthony Cooper is a great father. He's also currently operating under the theory that this second reality is the "wrong" one. I disagree wholly on the first point and partially on the second. As to the first, I just think Sideways Locke and Anthony Cooper had their plane crash before Cooper could con John out of his kidney. Or maybe in the Sideways, Cooper didn't want a kidney, but something else, and just didn't get a chance to complete the con before the crash. We know Ford's folks were conned by an Anthony Cooper. I do not believe this guy is less than evil, just because Sideways Locke thinks he nifty. I believe Anthony got injured before he was found out. And I strongly believe that Sideways Ford will see him in his current state, and be able to let go of his quest for vengeance. And when Detective James Ford lets go of the past, it will be reflected in our Sawyer of the Island.
Sidebar 2 of 3: As to Sepinwall's assertion that the Sideways is wrong: remember all my earlier horse hockey about reflections? There used to be one reality. When you made your choice in that single reality, the consequences occurred there, too. Now there are two realities. They're mirror images of one another -- in a way. If you look at one, from the other, things are reversed. Helen's alive. Locke's alive. Nadia's alive. Dogen's alive. Ilana's alive. Arzt is alive. At the beginning of the season, Lindelof and Cuse were pretty insistent that the newer reality wasn't an alternate reality -- just a reality. So I don't think the newer one is the wrong one. It just is. I don't think the ultimate solution is going to wipe out either reality. I think the ultimate solution is going to merge the two. I think that because right now, what happens in one reality can change the other reality. Sideways Sayid swears off killing, but ends up wiping out Keamy, et al. Islandways Sayid loses his soul. Sideways Sayid is arrested. Islandways Sayid stops being a zombie. Somebody does something sooner than expected over in the Sideways, and it changes the timeline over in the Islandways and vice versa. Remember the time "discrepancies" between "Sundown" and "The Package"? I knew they weren't mistakes. If you cut your cheek, your reflection bleeds.
Sidebar 3 of 3: It seems significant to me that Ford is the one who arrested Sayid. I don't think any one Lostie can automatically serve as any other Lostie's constant. But I'm thinking that each time one Lostie encounters another -- makes a connection -- they get a little better look in that second mirror. During/since the flight, Sideways Jack and Sideways Locke have made a lot of connections. Jack has encountered Rose, Cindy, Charlie, Sayid, Dogen, Desmond, Ilana, Claire, Locke, Bernard, and Kate (eye contact when she was cab-jacking). Locke has encountered Boone, Frogurt, Hurley, Rose, Ben, Arzt, Desmond, Sun, Jin, Jack. Other than Desmond (and probably Bernard) Jack and Locke seem to be the ones most aware that something spectacularly weird is going on. They keep catching sight of themselves in that second mirror.
Islandways; Ajira 316 Landing Site: Faucke approaches the plane. Two Widmorons stand guard. The poor fools shoot at Faucke, but he's the new Man of Steel and walks right through those bullets. He breaks one guard's neck like he's fricking Angel, then shoots the other one, and, curiously enough, grabs his digital watch.
Inside the plane, Faucke finds wires rigged up to something hidden in one of the overhead baggage compartments. His face curls into a snarl as he removes the mysterious object.
Outside, the Losties arrive at the plane. Frank: "Alrighty, let's see what it will take to get this baby to fly." Everyone smiles, except Jack, and possibly Hurley. Then they stumble across the dead Widmoron guards. As Sawyer sonovabitches, Claire grabs the rifle from corpse #1. Sayid: "His neck's been broken." Faucke appears at the plane door. "That's becaus
e I broke it." Back on the ground Faucke says that Widmore knew those guards would be killed. "They were only guarding the plane for show. If Charles had really wanted to keep me from actually getting on board he wouldn't have moved his little fences." Hurley: "Wait? Now he wants us to leave the island?" Faucke says no, what Widmore wants is to get them all in a nice confined space they have no hope of getting out of, and then he wants to kill us. Sawyer says: "Kill us with what?" Faucke slides off his backpack and shows the gang the four bricks of C4. He tells them where he found them and says they were wired to the electrical systems of the plane. "If we would have turned it on -- BOOM."
Faucke declares the plane unsafe, saying that they can't be sure there aren't more explosives hidden on it. He has a new plan. Let's take Widmore's sub. Sawyer's all haven't I been saying that for like EVER? Hurley: "Dude, wait. He's not supposed to leave the island. I mean, Alpert said..." Sawyer: "Screw Alpert. He ain't here." Then how are we supposed to screw him, James? I ask only because I want to obey your directive. Instead of answering me, he turns to Faucke. "That's twice you've saved our asses. Guess I was wrong about you." Faucke thanks him, while I throw my slippers at Sawyer's thick, thick head. Faucke warns them that the sub will be heavily defended and says they'll need everyone. Jack gets his drift, nods and says he'll help them get on the sub, but he's not going with them." It's off to the sub they go. Claire hustles to catch up with Faucke and apologizes for going with the Losties. He pats her on the back and smiles. "That's all right, Claire. I understand why you went with them." Yeah, shampoo and a hair brush. Look into it, you bald bastard. Your minion has her needs. Meanwhile, Sawyer goes to talk with Jack, with a modicum of respect, even. He knows Jack doesn't want to leave the island with them, and he's cool with that, but he needs a solid. He does not want Faucke getting on that sub. Jack points out that Faucke isn't exactly an easy opponent to beat, or even fight, since he can turn into smoke and all. Sawyer tells Jack, "Just get it in the water. I'll take care of the rest."
Sidebar: I'm not sure Widmore put the C4 in the plane. Isn't that what Richard, Ben and Miles went back to New Otherton to retrieve? And I'm not sure Smokey doesn't know that. I'd imagine he can hear the whispers. I'm not sure Widmore wants to kill any of the Losties. I think he will kill the ones he doesn't need, if he has to, but I don't think that's his goal.
Sideways; St. Sebastian's: Jack watches over a sleeping Locke. The patient stirs, and then begins talking in his sleep. Jack: "Mr. Locke, are you awake." Sleeping-Locke: "Push the button." Jack: "Mr. Locke, can you hear me?" Sleeping-Locke: "I wish you had believed me." The glint from that second mirror is hitting Jack square in the eye, but he's distracted when he hears his brand new sister out in the hall, looking for him.
Claire Littleton has come there just to find him and asks if they can talk. Jack says, "Yes, yes," and takes her to the lounge. Once they're there, he buys an Apollo bar from the candy machine. This time, it doesn't need a little push, neither does Jack. He offers the candy to Claire, who refuses politely. Watching your waistline, Claire? Jack apologizes for running out of the will reading the other day. "I did have an emergency." Claire says, "No worries." She acknowledges this meeting is awkward for both of them and adds that she never met "this man." She then shows him a beautiful inlaid wooden music box their lawyer gave her. Her father especially wanted her to have it. When she asks Jack if he knows anything about it, he laughs. "I have no idea, but then -- I didn't know about you, either." Claire smiles, but then grows serious and asks how Christian died. Jack: "He was found in an alley, outside a bar in Sydney. He drank himself to death. "I flew down to bring his body back, but then the airline lost it." Claire: "I just flew in from Sydney a few days ago." Jack's eyes grow wide. "When?" Claire: "Last Wednesday." Jack blinks and shakes his head. "Oceanic Flight 815?" Claire: "Uh, yeah." They connect the rest of the dots silently, then Jack asks to take a look at the music box. He sits to her and they open it. It plays "Catch a Falling Star." There's a mirror inside, and this week, we get a reflection of Jack and Claire, together. Then it happens. Jack reaches out to his poor (although probably not financially poor, now that she's in on Christian's will) pregnant bastard sister. He tells her to leave her motel and come stay with him. Claire is surprised: They're strangers. Jack corrects her: They're family. Yay!
Islandways: The Losties hide in the brush and stake out the sub. Sawyer's calling the shots. Oh for Faucke's sake, why are these people not running things past Hurley? Faucke kneels down with his recruits, slips his backpack off, and places it way behind him. No guards are visible, but they know they're there somewhere, so Sawyer says they're going in hard. "Lapidus, Hugo, Jin, Sun -- you're with me. The rest of you -- wait 30 seconds, head down the dock behind us." Then he turns to Jack and Faucke: "Think you two can get our backs?" Jack nods and answers Sawyer with a look, as well as his words. "Absolutely." Sawyer: "All right, let's go home."
Sawyer, Jin, Sun, Hurley and Frank head down first. They get to the sub without problems. Sawyer boards first; Frank is . They make their way to the engine room, knock out one crew member, then James addresses the captain. "Okay, Hoss. How 'bout you get ready to fire this thing up?" Frank keeps an eye and gun on the captain while James goes back for the others.
Outside, Kate nods to Claire and Sayid and they head off. Faucke reaches back and grabs two backpacks. He hands one to Jack, who slips it on without question. Oh Faucke me. They head down to the sub. As they reach the dock, Faucke asks Jack to reconsider remaining behind. "Whoever told you that you needed to stay had no idea what they were talking about." Jack turns to face him, then. "John Locke told me I needed to stay." BOOM. He shoves Faucke right in the water, backpack and all. Kate runs toward the scene. "What happened?" Before she gets an answer, she's shot in the shoulder. Claire takes cover and returns fire on the Widmorons hiding on the shore. Jack fires too, until he's out of ammo, then he makes a beeline for Kate, and scoops her up. Sayid provides cover and tries to encourage Claire to get in the sub, but she doesn't seem to hear him. She's picking off Widmorons left and right.
Down in the sub, Sawyer hears the shots and rushes back toward the exit.
Up above, Jack is handing Kate to Sayid, who brings her down below. Meanwhile, Faucke starts climbing out of the water. He's mad as hell, but he doesn't go after Jack. Immune to their speeding bullets, Faucke moves in on the Widmorons, knocking them off.
Down below, Sawyer finds Sayid and Jack with Kate. Jack explains what happened and asks Hurley to find him a first aid kit. When Sayid tells Sawyer that Claire is still up there, he goes to get her. He pokes his head out of the hatch and calls her name. She turns, but is quickly distracted by the firefight. Faucke turns and yells, "JAMES." A Widmoron rushes him. Faucke shoots him and then turns and runs toward James and the hatch. Without thinking twice, Sawyer slams it shut and calls down to the engine room, telling Frank to make the captain dive. He's leaving behind not just Faucke, but Claire. The poor little thing goes running after the submerging vessel screaming, "Wait. Wait." Before she throws herself into the water, Faucke holds her back.
Down below Jack finds Sawyer. "What the hell are you doing?" Sawyer: "What we came here to do. Leavin'."
On deck, poor Claire is crying, "No. No. They're leaving us." Faucke, who has never, ever looked more like Mr. Clean, holds her tight. "Trust me. You don't want to be on that sub." Faucke waits and smiles. Expectantly.
The worst CGI Sub Ever submerges and then we watch it under water for a tick, but it still looks just as bad. Inside, Kate is suffering and bleeding, but when her boyfriends enter her quarters she tries to sit up. Kate, you don't have to try with either of these idiots and really, they'd both prefer you lying down, shot or not. As Jack tries to examine her wound, Kate reminds them of Claire. "We can't leave without her." Hurley returns sans first aid kit, so Jack turns to Jin. "My pack. There might be a shirt I can use for pressure." Oh Jack, wouldn't it be quicker if you just took off the one you're wearing? He comforts Kate as Jin retrieves the backpack. "Here. Can you help her?" As he unzips the backpack, Jack says he thinks the bullet went straight through. But then he stops cold. Everyone notices, but it takes Sawyer to snarl, "What?" In answer, Jack removes the four bricks of C4, now with bonus digital watch jury-rigged timer. Eek! There's 3:54 left. Now 3:53. 3:52. Kate pants and lays her head back. Hurley: "Dude, where'd that come from?" Jack shakes his head, and then nods. "Locke.... We did exactly what he wanted." Dun. Commercial.
More bad CGI sub. More digital watch jury rigged timer. 3:45. 3:44. 3:43. Jack: "We have to get to the surface... NOW!" Jin calls Frank and tells him to take them up. Frank: "We're diving." Jin: "Just do it." Frank grabs the captain. "You heard him. Up." 3:23. 3:22. 3:21. As Sayid examines the explosives, Hurley asks how it got on the sub. Jack: "Locke put it in my pack." Worse Jack, he swapped packs and you never saw it coming. Jin can't figure it out. Locke wanted to come with them. Sawyer agrees. "Damn right he did, that's why I shut his ass out." Jack turns and yells. "He wanted you to shut him out." 3:10. 3:09. 3:08. "Any idea how that things works? Can we turn it off?" Sayid tells Jack the particulars. According to him there's a wire rigged to the watch battery, which will detonate the explosives. James grabs the phone. "How much time 'til we're up, Frank." Frank: "At least five minutes." Sawyer hangs up on him. "We ain't got five minutes." Maybe you could have told Frank and the captain that, Jimbo?
They look to Sayid for answers: "These wires -- they're leads from the watch. If we disconnect them from the battery, technically speaking, the bomb should be inert. Sawyer: "Technically?" Sayid: "Yes, but you need to pull them out simultaneously, and I'm not sure..." Sawyer then INTERRUPTS SAYID. "Step aside." 2:47. 2:46. Yeah, because you have the steadiest hands in the group, James? Come on. There's a damned spinal surgeon to you. As if he hears me, Jack speaks up and tells them to wait. "Nothing's gonna happen... Don't pull those wires out. We're okay. Nothing's gonna happen." Sawyer: "If I don't pull these wires out, Locke's gonna blow us to kingdom come." Jack: "NO HE'S NOT. Locke can't kill us." Hurley: "Uh...what?" 2:28. 2:27. 2:26. "This is what he wanted. This is what he's been waiting for. Everything that he has done has been to get us here. He wanted to get us all in the same place at the same time. A nice, enclosed space, where we had no hopes of getting out of." Jin takes one for the fandom: "I don't understand." Jack: "Locke said that he can't leave the island without us. I think that he can't leave the island unless we're all dead. He told me that he could kill any one of us, whenever he wanted. So what if he hasn't because he's -- he's not allowed to? What if he's trying to get us to kill each other?" DING DING DING. Sawyer shakes his head. "Stay out of my way, Doc." 1:55. 1:54. Jack points out that Faucke didn't need to put a timer on the C4. He could have just thrown it down into the sub. I'm not sure how that works, but -- you know: Smoke Monster, Magic Magnets. Giant Walt Ghost. Bird that says "Hurley." Saywer doesn't care. Instead of explaining the dynamite and Richard or Hurley's visitations with Ghost-of-Jacob, Jack reiterates that nothing's gonna happen. Sawyer: "It's not your decision to make." Jack: "HE CAN'T KILL US." Sawyer: "I'M NOT GONNA STAND HERE AND DO NOTHING." Jack: "James, we are going to be okay. You just have to trust me." Oh Jack. Persuasion fail. 1:35. 1:34. 1:33. Juliet's life flashes before Sawyer's eyes -- as does her death. Sawyer shakes his head. "Sorry, Doc. I don't."
Sawyer yanks the wires. Everyone flinches. Sun gasps. The watch stops at 1:31. Jack tries to catch his breath as he stares at the stopped timer in disbelief. Sawyer looks. He looks again. It still reads 1:31. And then, it happens. It not only starts back up, through the magic of TV, it speeds up, as if to make up for lost time. 1:30, 1:29, 1:28, 1:27, 1:26, 1:25. Sawyer backs away, rocked by the weight of what he's done. Jack moves in. 1:12, 1:11, 1:10, 1:09, 1:08, 1:07, 1:06, 1:05. Sayid addresses him. "Listen carefully. There's a well on the main island half a mile south from the camp we just left. Desmond's inside it. Locke wants him dead, which means you're going to need him. Do you understand me?" Jack closes his eyes and shakes his head. "No. Why are you telling me this?" Sayid, all soulful eyes, says: "Because it's going to be you, Jack." And with that, Sayid scoops up the bomb and hi-tails it toward the other end of the craft. Hurley yells after him, but Sayid never looks back. He runs, runs, runs. Back to Essam. Back to Ami
ra. Back to the Templars. Back to everything and everyone he's ever hurt. Yes. Back to...the chicken. And then...KABOOM.
Sidebar: Oh Sayid, I find myself happy at your death -- not because I wanted you to die. You've long been one of my favorites. No. I'm happy because you died a hero. I'm happy for your redemption. Rather than taking the lives of others to achieve your own ends, you sacrificed your life for the greater good. May you find 72 virgins waiting for you. Although dude? I'm pretty sure Shannon will not be one of them.
I'm sorry. That last sidebar was a total stall. I don't want to cover this last part. I want to block it out and pretend it never happened. It can be our new and improved tag line: What never happened never happened. No? Fine. Meanies.
The explosion rocks the sub and its occupants. It's taking on water fast. Inside the engine room, Frank stands. He exits the room and climbs down a level, I guess to where the Losties are. I need a map. (And tissues, wine, and cheesecake.) Water's pouring into the sub. There's a creak behind him. Frank turns to see a door buckling due to the water pressure. He squints at it. "Aww, Hell." The door flies off its hinges, knocks Frank down, and the water rushes in and over him (or, probably, his corpse). Oh Frank, I thought you'd stay around at least until the plane done got blown up. Are you dead? You didn't die on screen, but I didn't see you get off the sub. I'll miss you and your Burt Reynold's film extra ways. You totally should have called in drunk to work.
Back in the room where the rest of our fair Losties are, the water is pouring in fast and furious. Jack finally gets to his feet and then leans over and feels around in the water, until he fishes Kate out. She's unconscious when he hauls her to her feet. Sawyer asks Hurley if he's okay. Jin's trying to stand. Sun screams. She's trapped behind an enormous cabinet. Jin (in a wet t-shirt thud) makes his way to her. He can't move the cabinet alone, so he calls upon Sawyer for help. Back in Jack's arms, Kate seems to be coming 'round. Jack yells for Hurley. Sawyer answers Jin's call. Jack hands Kate over to Hurley along with a mini air tank and instructions: exit through the giant hole in the sub, buddy breathe on the tank, and get Kate to safety. Hurley: "I have to go after Sayid." Jack: "There is no Sayid." When Hurley still hesitates, Jack encourages him. "Hurley, you can do this. Okay?" Hurley agrees and takes Kate out. Jack joins Jin and Sawyer's efforts to free Sun. Finally, working together, our three prettiest boys free Sun, but not. She's still trapped behind some metal pipe. WTF? Are you trying to kill me, Show? You're not allowed to kill me and I ain't taking your backpack.
The sub's sinking quickly now, and more things are dislodging, banging around and wounding our remaining Losties. At some point in there, Sawyer is disabled. Jack finds him and holds his head above water. Sun, when she realizes she's caught, tells Jin to go and save himself. Jin refuses. He's going to get her out of there. Jin tells Jack to go, and save Sawyer. Although he argues at first, Jack realizes Jin is right. He starts off, but then grabs another mini air tank and hands it to Jin. "Take this. I can get him out without it." Jin: "No. You can't, Jack." Poor Sun is struggling to get herself free, the whole time. Finally, Jack realizes he must save Sawyer and he must leave Jin and Sun alone in what will surely be their final moments.
As Michael Giacchino's score slays my soul, Jack swims out and up with his best friend, his enemy. Jin stays behind, still trying to free Sun. Ji Yeon is on both their minds, but her name never crosses their lips. Again, all their conversation is in English. Again, I both appreciate and resent that. Sun begs Jin to save himself, but you can see in her eyes that she can't bare to be parted from him again, even in death. Jin does consider leaving, but how can he leave the great love of his life, now that he's finally found her, again? He refuses, and finally, they return to their native Korean. He will never leave her again. They hold onto one another's faces, and then in English, Jin says, "I love you, Sun." Sun kisses him and cries, "I love you." They kiss and gaze into one another's eyes until we cut away, to another horribly ugly shot of the horribly ugly sub sinking into the horribly ugly ocean of the death of love and all things good. Cut back to the interior of the sub: it's completely full of water, now. We close in on their hands. Only once the life leaves their bodies do they let go. 'Til death do us part. Son of a bitch!
Sidebar: A lot of people think Jin and Sun were selfish. I understand that point of view on its face. They have a daughter back home and they've left her an orphan. But, I think there are mitigating circumstances. Sun and Jin, I believe, ended up on the island in the first place, to give them a chance to truly choose to be married -- to be one flesh. They'd left one another, in so many ways, on and off the island -- for so many years. This is the lesson they had to learn. This is the thing they had to fix -- had to overcome. Without them -- there is no Ji Yeon. Now I realize, there already *is* a Ji Yeon, and that's why people are objecting. I can't fully explain Lost, yet. I can't explain it to you, or even to myself. But I understand some of the rules -- not the whys and wherefores of those rules -- just the rules. If you make a promise, you must keep it. Live together; die alone. Okay, they just died together, but we know that Jin and Sun are alive in the Sideways. I don't know how all this is going to resolve, but I truly believe they did the right thing. I think they took an incredible leap of faith.
An orderly is wheeling Locke out of the hospital to meet Helen who'll pick him up. Locke tries to explain that she's probably stuck in traffic, but stammers when he sees Jin Soo Kwon striding down the hall to visit his pregnant girlfriend -- big bouquet of yellow roses in hand. Jin gives him pause only for a second. He then tells the orderly he can take it from there. "I'm pretty good with this." The orderly wishes him best of luck, and leaves. After you're done rewinding this scene to see Jin and his hopefully colored bouquet, rewind it one more time and watch the orderly's face. He's adorable. You know he's just thinking, "Hot damn, I'm wheeling Mother Faucking John Locke down the hallway, and OMG, look, there's Jin! Hi Jin. Please don't be dead. All right, that last part might be me talking, not the orderly.
As John makes his way alone, we hear Jack's "Mr. Locke." He was hoping to say goodbye, but also and mostly, Jack wants to confess that he went to see Locke's father to find out about the accident. Locke is understandably upset at this violation of privacy, but he's so upset that he blurts out the truth. "I was in a plane crash." Jack can't figure out where that second mirror came from, so Locke continues. He had just gotten his pilot's license (and whoa -- funhouse mirror time; we learned in the Pilot that Jack took flying lessons, but decided it wasn't for him) and talked his father into being his very first passenger. Locke still can't figure out what happened. He can't remember doing anything wrong, but the plane crashed, leaving Anthony in his present condition, so it must be his (John's) fault. HOORAY! I mean oh. Locke's too wracked with guilt to accept a chance at a complete recovery, so Jack reminds him of their conversation back at the Oceanic Lost Baggage Office. When Locke told Jack his father was gone it hurt, but it helped. "What happened, happened, and you can let it go." Locke (tearfully): "What makes you think letting go is so easy." Jack shakes his head. "It's not. In fact, I don't really know how to do it, mys
elf. And that's why I was hoping that maybe you could go first." The mind-blowing Terry O'Quinn's John Locke waits a beat and then laughs. When Jack is confused, his laughter dies. "Goodbye, Dr. Shephard." He wheels off toward the door. Jack turns and exhales. "I can help you, John." Locke slows his chair. Jack: "I wish you believed me." Locke comes to a full stop. He stares off for a moment and then departs. And we whooooooosh back...
Islandways; Night: Jack makes it back to the main island and drags Sawyer out of the water and up onto the sand. He's out, but he coughs, sputters and shows other signs of life. Just then, Hurley appears. He's holding up Kate, but they make pretty good time reaching her boyfriends. They collapse on the sand near Jack and James, and assume mermaid posture. Their long wet curls glisten and bounce. Was this supposed to be a sight gag, because I'm about to lose it, even though I'm still crying over the Kwons. What the hell, Show? Cheers to the people in the forums who pointed out just who we're looking at: Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley -- the fab four on Michael's list of Losties that he had to deliver to the Others, long ago and far away. Finally, Kate sobs out her lines. "Jack, I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you." Jack takes her in his arms, and we get another sight gag. Sawyer's lying prone on the beach. Kate and Jack are embracing above him. It's the triangle, personified. No really. Take a look. (Thanks to Sakura12 in the forum for that link.)
As if he smells the shenanigans, Sawyer coughs. Hurley asks if he's okay. Jack says he got conked on the head pretty hard, but he's breathing. And then it comes. Kate: "What about Jin and Sun?" Jack looks up at her and shakes his head. Michael Giacchino kills me softly with his song. Kate weeps. A single, perfect, manly tear rolls down Hugo's cheek, and then? He starts sobbing. I start sobbing. Jack, who hasn't let a single tear fall all season long shakes his hand and stands up. He wanders off to the waterline. You bastards will not break my no-crying streak. The sand coating the back of his clothes changes from shot to shot, but that's hardly here nor there. Once his feet are in the water, Jack looks up and sighs. I so will not. You will. You will. You can't beat it, honey. Jack knows I'm right. He tries to shake it off but he's too late. He lowers his head, struggles for breath and then finally, he cries, lovely, lovely Jears.
Hydra Island; Dock: Faucke and Claire are still there, after dark. Did Sideways events fast-forward the timetable again, or is this just dorky? Finally, Faucke breaks the silence. "It sunk." Claire: "The submarine? But they were all on it. Everyone. They're all dead?" Faucke: "Not all of them." He turns and walks away. Claire watches as he slips on his Jack's backpack. "W-w-wait. Where're you going?" Faucke keeps walking. "To finish what I started." Do do do do do do do do DUN! Title card. Bad robot!
Well, I'm sure I had more to say about mirrors and reflections and possibly tears, but my well has run dry. Hopefully, Desmond finds it cozier than that dank well of variable depth in which he was previously holed up. I'll see you Wednesday morning with my recaplet of "Across the Sea," in which things happen or don't. Who knows. I don't want those fandom ninjas killing me in my sleep. Until then, please join us in the forums, where we've stocked up on tissues and mood elevators.
Cindy McLennan recaps Lost, How I Met Your Mother and The Vampire Diaries. Got a comment, request or complaint? Please e-mail her at CynthiaMcLennan[at]gmail.com, or shout out to her on Twitter. Occasionally, she watches and tweets live TV from here.
Watch the full episode here, then read what Jin has to say about the finale and see what would have happened if the cast of Lost had never come to the show!
Find out what happened to Lost's top 25 guest stars.
Take a look at the 15 major questions that Lost has yet to answer this season.
Watch a video recap of this episode of Lost.
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