I enjoyed the episode quite a bit. Jen was less impressed. To be sure, the big Claire reveal is something that’s been suspected since Christian Shepherd and Ana Lucia went to Australia in “Two for the Road.” I thought it was handled as well as it could have been (without making Claire seem like a dunce), but Jen thought it was too painfully contrived. Add in the climb high over the fence (look, Kate in another tree!) that was obviously not that high, and emasculated Sawyer, and you’ve got a frustrated fan. Me? I accentuated the positive. At least the Claire-Jack link was out of the way halfway through the episode, and the pre-thud shocker was pretty well done (he’s running… for a touchdown!). And even though it was a Claire episode, all eyes are on Locke.
So, Locke redeemed, sort of. What happened to The Flame was not a mistake. Neither was Mikhail’s belated death. (Still, in true “LOST” fashion, someone else with answers dies.) But what is he up to? I’ll tell you what, I’ll take evil scheming Locke over bumbling Locke, any day. The question is, has he always been scheming? It’s hard to tell, Jen says. I’ll admit his character has not been handled consistently.
The bird capture subplot didn’t add much, except another Charlie rescue and a good opportunity for Claire and Sun to gripe about men. When Claire was tossing Charlie out of her life again, I couldn’t help but smirk. Their relationship went through a full cycle in 30 minutes. Methinks that’s basically how things are going to go for those two indefinitely… unless doomed Charlie is given one pivotal moment to break out of the loop. If you know what I mean.
I agree with Jen that the Desmond premonitions thing could get old quick. It either needs to be explored in detail, or conveniently resolved. Again, if you know what I mean.
Jen and I are also split on Claire’s note to the outside world. She felt “HELP!” would’ve sufficed. I liked the somewhat flowery essay. It kind of grounded the series again, taking a brief step back to remind us of the bigger picture.
“You’re not on the list because you are flawed,” Mikhail says in the episode’s meatiest bit of exposition. “You are angry, weak, and frightened.” The list returns, for more good and bad people differentiation. And he clarifies that Ben is not “Him.” Mikhail also makes it a point to show he knows about each of our survivors, including Locke.
Indeed, I like how they laid groundwork for upcoming episodes. He almost mentions John Locke’s paralysis, and Sun later mentions her family’s feelings about Jin.
“Rousseau is a liar, liar, pants on fire,” says Jen. Sorry, Jay.
Notes and Notions:
- “Goth Claire” was beautiful.
- Unresolved parent issues are coming to the forefront again. Hurley left his dad with the possibility of reconciliation upon his return. Claire left her mom on the threshold of understanding.
- Was I the only one that figured Christian Shepherd was going to off Carole (Claire’s mom) anyway? Would’ve been a nice link to Jack’s hand in Shannon’s dad’s death in Season 2.
- Jin’s English is improving slowly with each episode (even though he only counted to three, for the most part). By Season 4, he’ll be magically fluent (it’s that Island Power!) and Daniel Dae Kim will be one happy camper.
- Location Notes: Claire’s accident was at the Chevron gas station near Kahala Mall (corner of 21st Avenue and Waialae Ave.). You can see the viaduct overhead (the east end of H-1). They reversed the film to get right-hand drive. She and Christian Shepherd had coffee inside Kahala Mall. Claire was treated for her injuries at Kahuku Hospital. And her tattoo parlor was near Kemo’o Farms Pub on Wilikina Drive near Funston Road.
Links:
- “Par Avion” discussions at TheFuselage.com and Lost-Forum.com
OMG! FoKoF, You are right. In the very last take of the episode, when Jack does his touchdown, you can clearly see that there is some sort of new tattoo or nasty bruise on his left arm, near his elbow. I do not think, though, that it is a rose. but if someone is registered in Sledgeweb’s Lost website, please ask him to post a close-up picture in his investigations section. I did find a picture, but it is not very clear. check it out at: http://gallery.lost-media.com/displayimage-1262-714.html and also about these last images of the episode, I wonder why there are several characters in Otherville wearing backpacks, as if they were coming back from campus.
On another note, I feel flattered for all the responses mentioning my small theories. I am aware that there are flaws and holes in all of these ideas, but there were some things worth noting, such as the possibility that Danielle was somewhat invisible to Mikhail — but remember I said he also seems to be aware of when the Losties are interacting with her. Other holes in my theory have to do with why Danielle has expressed a few times that she has not been in certain places of the island before (i.e., the Flame station). it seems strange given that she has been there for sixteen years not to have extensively explored the island. How come she never came across with any of the Dharma stations or even the Dharma people? And she still has not taken anyone to the radio tower, maybe to update or change her transmission.
As to the Dharma Initiative vs the Others (or Hostiles), I do not know how much of The Lost Experience (TLE) material we should incorporate to the show’s storyline. I say this, because in TLE we learned how, when and why the Hanso Foundation sponsored the creation of the Dharma Initiative and the building of the stations on the island, and it was clearly in the mid to late 70’s. They never encountered a Hostile community. On the contrary, they used some of the “native people” for their experiments until almost wiping them out (by killing them in the experiments). These “natives” (I truly beleive) are the ones who originaly built the Four-Toed statue Sayed encountered at the end of Season 2, and I hope our Losties will face them eventually. I also want to think that they are the ones who The Others consider Bad Guys.
In any case, there is something else most of us have not paid much attention to (connected to the mystery of the Hatch implosion ). In enter 77, Sawyer is the only one wondering why and how the ping-pong table survived the implosion (explossion?) of the hatch, but his comment is ignored when Hurley replies to the effect of “I just found it in the jungle, and I don’t care how it came to be there”. I do not think the writers put that there just to fill in conversation. I think they are teasing us, and pointing out to us that the imposion was something weird in which the Swan station disappeared, but some items (and the four lucky ones) made it out somehow. this is, I believe, a way to let us know that there is much to know about it (and we actually kow nothing). Hopefully, they are also telling us ‘this will eventually be explained’.
Peace.
Tattos aren’t new:
http://losteastereggs.blogspot.com/2007/03/jacks-new-tattoo.html
damn…. in 3 season.. it was the first time I saw this tatoo… :S
First off, suggesting theories like Danielle was invisible to Mikhail are AWESOME! Really gets the mind flowing!
However, I’m afraid I’m going to have to shoot this one down. When Mikhail is listing the flaws “the John Locke I knew was para……” he was interrupted by Danielle when she spoke.
Locke is addicted to Island,
he will do anything to support his habit.
The Island has hold of him and he will gain support of Rose, Bernard, Maybe even Jack and the Irritating “Pablo and Nikicky” (couple) as well as Charlie, they are all junkies to an extent.
Brainwashed and helpless in the Islands.
Grip of Healing/Lying/MisRepresenting/Fantasy
Remember How Convinced Michael was ??
He Betrayed everyone for what the Island Promised…as long as he did as directed…
Heck, He Killed Two Obstuction/People, He even Shot Himself…
THAT is A Powerful ADDICTION!!!
The Island Heals/Lies and Destroys to continue.
Curiouser and Curiouser
Dear Montaukjimbo,
But why does Locke feels like he has to destroy any possibility of rescue?
He could just see everyone else being rescued and taken away “to the real world”, and he could very happily stay on the island with anybody else who wants to stay.
I am still upset at how Sayid reacted (or did not react) to any of Locke’s acts of odd behavior. It took Locke, for instance, 26 seconds to come out of the “computer room” after Mickhail started attacking Sayid and Kate in Enter 77. And Sayid never confronted Locke about that, or anything else.
Sayid needs to speak up and stop Locke before it is too late.
It is about maintaining to Status Quo
The Island Needs whom it Needs.
All these Characters act like they are drugged at times..
In a trance, Numbly going along,
and at times behaving in a non-logical manner.
Drunks and Impaired individuals are slow to react.
This Island has Snatched Many Peoples ,free will.
They are behaving oddly in Odd circumstances …
Alice in Wonderland Like, Acid Trip Like.
Rocky Horror Picture Show Like.
It is a nasty cycle that Everyone on or near the Island is sucked into
Look at Rouseau, she stumbles along like a Zombie at times and….. Then HyperActivates..shooting People..Torturing Sayid….
Actually I think that She Drugged and Programed Sayid way back when she got him at her place….then Rouseau wonders off and stares at the Block rock /Smoke and Zones Out..She’s Programed…. and Addicted to Island.
sayid is Strongest on Island He has been Trained & Totured by Best and worst, Been to War 2-5 times Iran/Kurds/USA/Kuwait/USA and may be only one remotely able to resist……But this is a Strong Addiction…..
I think NO One Is Immune