Sorry, I just wanted to mess with Memaw a little bit. Obviously none of that happened. Just wanted to put you all on your toes. For this is LOST. The show always wants you to question where and when you are. Like in tonight’s episode. We got a bunch of Asian people playing poker while Desmond in an awesome quasi-shirt is asking for some guy with a silly name. The name is Efren Salonga, as you all recognize was a secondary character in Shakespeare’s Richard III. He spoke the immortal line “We were never supposed to leave that island. We have to go back Kate!” It’s amazing how everything ties in so well on this show. Anywho, Desmond finds this guy and asks him if he’s the Doctor. Instead of asking “Doctor Who?” he just says yes and runs with Desmond to a boat. The music changes from danger to one of it’s nicest themes. For Penny is pregnant. It’s amazing this is the third significant birth scene on the show, (Claire and Aaron; Sun and Ji Yeon) but I was still smiling. For it was always about the characters. We care about Desmond and Penny. This wasn’t some stunt for ratings.
So back in 2008, Desmond is taking to his son and decides to mess with the audience with a little monologue about a very special island called Great Britain. Penny’s all upset though because of the reasonable thing of her father is looking for them and they just coasted up to his front door. Yet Desmond knows not to question Faraday. Faraday told him four or five years ago to go to Oxford to find his mother and that’s what he’s going to do gosh darnit! Obviously Penny’s concerned. Their son doesn’t seem to care too much. Oh what’s the kid’s name? Charlie. That got an “awwwww” out of many people in the audience. It also lead to some stupid theories. (He will grow up to be Charles Widmore! He will grow up to be Charlie Pace!) Yes we’re dealing with time travel, but Genetics 101 still applies.
Meanwhile back in who the hell knows when, Faraday is leading some people through the jungle. Charlotte’s headache is pretty bad and Faraday is worried. Probably because she’s doomed to die just like all of the other time travel nose bleeding people. Yet no time for that now. They got to the creek where they said to meet up with the other survivors. Yet what’s that? A trip wire? Attached to bombs? BOOM GOES THE NAMELESS CAST! They weren’t wearing red shirts this time, but they’re still toast. But wait! It’s the flaming archers! One of them has a gun and asks who their leader is. Miles the Ghostbuster points accurately to Faraday and she says “You couldn’t stay away.” Sweet line that actually makes sense later in this episode. I promise.
Meanwhile back in 2008, Penny is still annoyed. Desmond thinks that he will be done with this complicated storyline if he finds Faraday’s mother. That proves that Desmond is an idiot. I like how they are a bit confused about why he remembered the memory so randomly. I hope they try to explain that, but if they don’t I won’t complain. Penny asks Desmond to promise to never go back to the island. Desmond shrugs it off by saying “Why would I ever go back there?” Ladies, note. He never said I promise.
Anywho, back on the island, Robin Hood and her flaming archers are asking questions that no one will answer. She says that our people put the landmines there. Cut over to Locke who is using his mighty powers of staring at people to figure out things. He examines one of their guns and starts listing off its model, year and other facts. (For all of you playing at home: Locke can identity guns but not compasses.) Sawyer asks where the hell has Locke been and Locke responds, “Maybe the more appropriate question is when the hell have I been?” No. That’s stupid. Where is a more reasonable question right now, Locke. Don’t be silly. Yet there’s no time to be silly because their two archer prisoners just spoke Latin to each other. Then Juliet spoke Latin to them! In their defense this was a really popular language, like 2000 years ago. Locke asks a much better question wondering why does everyone know Latin. Juliet responds because they are Others.
Back to Faraday and Friends, Miles the Ghostbuster decided to spin in circles. He says they just walked over a fresh grave. Four dead U.S. soldiers. Three were shot and one died of radiation poisoning. No time to wonder what that’s about for they arrived at their lame looking camp, but it’s Richard Albert again! He may even look younger. I don’t know how that’s possible. Richard assumes that Faraday has came back for his bomb. Faraday looks concerned.
Back in the good ole 2008, Desmond proves that he can wear something beyond a broken shirt. Oxford denies that there have ever been a Faraday at their college. That annoys Desmond. Maybe this won’t be so easy! Anyone could have told you that. Yet Desmond has read a few detective novels in his day and decides to snoop around. He busts down a door in the Physics department and finds Faraday’s old room. This is where he talked to him in “The Constant” last year. With the mouse maze and everything. The whole place is a mess and there’s this broken frame of Faraday and this blonde girl. Desmond has a headache. Then a janitor walks in! He looks like Matt Damon and says he can solve that math problem on the chalk board. No, I kid. It’s just some boring janitor saying to get the hell out. The janitor says that Desmond isn’t the only one poking around here. Instead of being a good detective, Desmond decides to ignore that interesting fact. The janitor also hints at Faraday doing some tragic to some young girl. Instead of asking what, Desmond asks who.
Before that can be answered, we’re back at the really old Others camp. Charlotte, Miles the Ghostbuter, and Faraday are put in a tent with ropes around their hands. This is the worst security ever. Faraday figured out that the Others Formally Known as the Flaming Archers must think they must be part of the American military. They say they should keep up that illusion. Richard Albert comes back and asks what’s up. He says the US started this fight on their island. Faraday proves to be the best at lying by pretending to be a scientist (Not a stretch) to recover a hydrogen bomb (Bigger stretch). Faraday says this bomb could destroy the island. Richard asks Faraday to prove that he’s not on a suicide mission. Faraday gives a great speech about how he loves her (yeah, yeah, yeah).
Meanwhile back with Locke and Friends (?), they are walking towards the creek. One of the Others says that the rest of their people are either captured or dead. (The correct answer was both). Locke questions how he knows that and Other #1 said Sawyer screamed “Meet at the creek!” Juliet gets her Latin on with Other #1. She begs him to take them to their camp so she can talk with Richard Albert. Locke starts listening for he’s BFFs with Richard. Other #1 thinks that’s actually really reasonable. So of course Other #2 snaps his neck. Sawyer yells at Locke to shoot Other #2 as he runs into the jungle. Locke doesn’t because “He’s one of my people today.” Locke is winning the award for the silliest things said this episode. Can someone explain to him the concepts of timelines? Seriously?
Back in 2008, Desmond finds the address of this mysterious girl from Faraday’s past, Teresa Spencer. Teresa’s sister answers and invites him in once she hears the name Daniel Faraday. Desmond Hume P.I. doesn’t notice the anger in her voice. He starts to catch on when he finds Teresa in a coma. It sounds Teresa is jumping through time mentally, just like Desmond did last season. It turns out Faraday abandoned her and went to the US mysteriously. Yet it gets more interesting. It turns out Charles Widmore is keeping Teresa alive and was the one who funded Faraday’s research. Hmmmmmm.
Meanwhile, Miles the Ghostbuster is asking what everyone is asking “A hydrogen bomb?” Faraday is also pretty good at history and informs us that the US tested the H-bombs in the South Pacific. Charlotte is actually allowed to smile as she and Faraday has a nice heart to heart. Yet Blonde Other (Actually named Elle) takes Faraday away from the tent. She takes him to Richard to says some interesting stuff. This camp that they are in right now was set up by the US military. (That explains the odd uniforms some of the Formally Flaming Archers were wearing). He says they gave them the opportunity to leave the island peacefully, but apparently that didn’t work out. Richard says his mysterious superior forced him. Other #2 comes running to the camp. He argues with Richard and is pretty much just being annoying.
Locke, Juliet and Sawyer get to the camp. Locke asks how old Richard is and Juliet says “old.” Helpful. Juliet asks why is Locke so interested in Richard and instead of confessing his crush on the man, Locke says it’s because they were in the middle of an interesting conversation about how to save the island. Locke wants to pick that conversation up again. No, John! Timelines! That conversation is in the future for Richard! Someone get this man a dry erase board. We need to sit down with him. Unfortunately that man can’t be Sawyer for he wants to go save Faraday. For two weeks in a row he gets the best line of the evening when he asked Juliet “How about you? Do you want to stay here in Crazy Town or do you want to rescue the geek?” She wisely chose the latter.
Cut over to Faraday and Elle. Faraday says that she looks like someone he used to know. Mysterious! Elle decides to ask some direct questions about who Faraday really is. (Forgive her, she’s new to the show.). I am glad that she noticed that it’s not too likely a British woman and a Chinese guy would be part of the US army. Faraday says he is the one who is their best chance to disarm this bomb. Speaking of, there is it! And it’s huge.
Faraday climbs up the tower and looks at this giant bomb which is easily over twice as tall as he is. The bomb is named “Jughead,” which is the title of this episode! Coincidence, I’m sure. Faraday notices that there is this big crack in the bomb and decide to get the heck out of there. He says it’s unsafe. Elle threatens to shoot him and Faraday doubts her logic to shoot bullets right next to an hydrogen bomb. Faraday wonders if the Others has any lead or concrete for that crack needs to be covered up and that bomb needs to be buried pronto. Faraday says if they do that he promises it won’t go off because the island is still in one piece 50 years later. That causes Elle to cock her gun. Yet here’s Sawyer to the rescue with his own gun. Then Juliet walks in with—Whoa is that a machete!? I think the machete caused Elle to put down her gun. Sawyer sees the bomb and once again says his catch phase “Son of a bitch.” That could get old, but honestly he’s been justified each time.
Meanwhile in 2008, Desmond decides to kick down the door the enemy. Metaphorically. Sorta. That’s right! He stepped into the office of Charles Widmore who we all know is evil or something. Widmore is a bit surprised to see him, which is understandable. Last time he saw Desmond he told him to never see his daughter again and that was getting near 10 years ago. (Fun fact. There are all sorts of crazy looking paintings on Widmore’s wall in his office. With polar bears and “Namaste” and such. Those were made by one of the show’s main directors Jack Bender. Are they clues? Probably not, but they are fun to see what’s on them.) Desmond starts off this awesome exchange of dialog with “I know you have questions for me. I’m not going to answer them.” (Another fun fact: That is the show’s tagline.) I adore scenes with fierce dialog where each character has a clear motivation. Widmore has spent most of his time running over Desmond. He has no respect for Desmond and has labeled him as a coward. Desmond is tried of all of that and just wants his answers so for the first time Desmond is in charge of the conversation. There’s this great moment when Widmore tries to take it away from him with saying “Just answer me this: Is Penny safe?” Desmond refuses to answer and for the first time you can tell that Widmore respects him and I liked that moment a lot. So Widmore pulls out his little black book out of what looked like a mini treasure chest. In that book he has Faraday’s mom’s address. (I want to know who else is in that mystery book.) Apparently she’s in L.A. Uh oh. I think we know what that means. What? We don’t? That means Ms. Hawking is pretty much definitely Faraday’s mom. Then the great dialog continues when Widmore tries to tell Desmond to make sure Penny doesn’t get hurt. For last season Ben vowed to kill Penny because he blames Widmore for his daughter’s death. There’s such fear and sadness amidst the coldness of Widmore at this moment. It’s powerful stuff.
Back on the island, Locke starts screaming for Richard. Other #2 is annoyed at that so he cocks his gun. Richard asks who Locke is and Locke is sorta confused (Timelines, John, timelines!) but then says the mysterious Jacob sent him. That wakes up Richard. Richard tells Other #2 to put his gun down and Other #2 complains some more. Richard walks over and says “Put the gun down, Widmore.” WHAT?!?!?!?! More on this at the end. We still got one more break.
Back in 2008, Desmond returns to Penny and Charlie. Desmond decides to lie to Penny and say that Faraday’s mom is dead. Penny could tell he’s lying. Desmond reveals that she is in L.A. Penny is annoyed. Desmond doesn’t want to do this anymore. He just wants to be happy with Penny and Charlie. Yet Penny knows that would stop the plot dead. So she agrees to go with him to L.A. Both look very sad and nervous.
Meanwhile back on the island, Richard is trying to make sense of this. It’s tricky, but he got his compass back. Richard won’t tell Locke how to get off the island. Locke said he is Richard’s leader. (Timelines, John!). Richard gets the second best line of the night when he said, “Well I don’t want to contradict myself.” Richard explains how they have a very specific way of deciding their leaders starting at a young age. (Ahhhh, that’s why they kept stealing kids throughout Season One and Two. They were looking for possible leaders.) So Locke says that he will be born in a few years. Come check him out. (Ahhhh, that’s how Richard knew to be there when Locke was born. Remember that flashback last year when Locke was born in the hospital and there was ageless Richard standing in the window?) So right when Richard is starting to believe him and possibly give Locke some more answers, the island says no and THE WHITE FLASH RETURNS! So everyone is standing in an empty field. Yet it’s a beautiful open field. I need to go to Hawaii. Also I’m so glad this show is never really on a soundstage and uses the outdoors as much as it does. Oh yeah and Charlotte starts bleeding out of the nose and passes out.
LOST
So back to the big thing at hand. Widmore was an Other. An annoying one at that. So what does that mean? Well I always assumed Widmore had a connection with Dharma. Yet now it’s very interesting. For he has said that it was his island so many times and yet in the brief interactions we’ve seen, he seems to be disagreeing with Richard a lot. I think it’s fair to say that you shouldn’t mess with Richard. So what made Widmore leave the island? Why isn’t he making a physical effort to get back? Why wouldn’t he be on the frieghtor? It’s all very interesting and I can’t wait to see how this all fits together.
Let’s just address one more thing before I sign off for today. For a mysterious secret island there’s been a lot of people on it. Let’s just make a list:
· The Others
· Dharma
· Rosseau and her people
· Henry Gale (Dude in the balloon)
· Desmond’s boat
· The US Military
· Oceanic 815
· Mr. Eko’s brother’s plane
· The freighter from last season.
· The Black Rock
This place just is starting to seem crowded.
So that’s this week. Next week I’m sure will be nuts and insane because we are now on a countdown. We only have 70 hours to get everyone back to the island or “God help us all.” It was weird looking at this show when taking a step back. This was the first episode in the whole show without Jack. In fact looking at this episode, there were only two characters who were there in Season One (Sawyer and Locke.). Everyone else came on the show in different years. (Desmond, Penny and Widmore were in Season Two. Richard and Juliet were in Three. Faraday, Miles and Charlotte were in Season Four.) That really speaks to how strong this show is that we don’t initially notice that or even get upset about it. Yeah, I missed Ben a little bit, but the story for this episode was so good and tight that there was no way he could have been in this episode.Once again, thanks for reading and nope, I didn’t top 4000 words. Maybe next week. (3182 words)
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