Review: Meet Kevin Johnson

I think if I were to dig back into the Dharma Blog archives (and I’m talking pre-website…that’s right, kids: we used to send out ridiculously long emails…), I think you would find an entry or two where I went off on how frustrated I was with Michael. I’ll be honest: I don’t really like the guy. His character lied, cheated, stole, and killed to get what he wanted. While we were instructed to believe that it was all for the love of his son, I questioned his motives all too often and wondered if, in the end, he was really serving himself and not his son.

However, with the announcement of his return this season, I decided to open my mind up to the possibilities that maybe Michael has changed…maybe he wasn’t soo bad after all. Anticipating his return to the show during the last several months has been semi-exciting as everyone has tried to figure out how he was going to fit into the current storyline. As the rumor mill started to predict that Michael was, indeed, Ben’s spy-on-the-boat…well, I’ll admit I was pretty excited.

Tonight’s episode delivered a lot of answers. Although I still am not a huge Michael fan, I’ll give well-deserved props to Harold Perrineau. He delivered a believable performance as a weathered-and-battered man, haunted by his past, despised by his son, and clinging to the hope of redemption. Yet, as we have seen all too many times this season, redemption comes with a steep price tag.

Another Close Call
We started out tonight’s episode with another close call: a survivor of flight 815 attempting to take his own life, but failing. Jack tried to jump off the bridge during the season 3 finale, but was interrupted by a car accident (what we thought was an ironic twist of fate). Locke was seconds away from pulling the trigger as he laid in the Dharma mass grave in the season 3 finale, but was interrupted by “Taller Walt” (another supposed ironic twist of fate).

Well, turns out it wasn’t irony. It wasn’t luck. It was the island. Turns out the island won’t let our characters die.

I know what you’re thinking: “Come on, Maggie. It’s an island. How does that make any sense?” Duly noted, friends. And I don’t quite know the answer. However, there is a phrase we keep hearing during these close calls: “You have work to do.”

Where does that leave us? At the crossroads of fate vs. free will. Through their desire to end their lives prematurely, these suicidal characters are trying to change their fate and their destiny. I think the island represents predestination – there is a path each of these characters is supposed to take. Suicide would not allow them to complete the “work they have to do.” In order to assure that their paths are taken correctly and completely, the island interferes and Locke, Jack and Michael all live.

It is clear that the ramifications of this inability to take your own life have not been fully realized. Sure, we’ve seen three case studies – but as you recall, there are several other survivors of 815 (Oceanic 6, anyone?) who survive and, assuming they are psychologically tormented as these guys, are going to really struggle in their post-island lives. Whether or not the island steps in to save their lives is yet to be seen.

It is worth noting, however, that the island we initially felt was threatening the lives of our characters is now saving them…

Ghosts of the Past
Rewatching that scene from the Swan Station when Michael kills Ana Lucia and Libby was pretty interesting. In the initial viewing, I was more taken with the reality that both characters had just died in a matter of seconds…not so much thinking about Michael and his reaction. At the time, I was under the impression that he was a cold-blooded killer, pure and simple. Libby was on her way to a date with Hurley, for crying out loud! I was shocked by that scene the first time it aired – and just as shocked this time…

…but this time, my shock was for a different reason. Look at Michael’s face. He looks terrified…absolutely terrified…that he killed Libby.



Michael was told by Bea Klugh to bring back Ben from the Swan Prison. Once Ben was safe with the Others, and Jack-Kate-Sawyer were successfully captured, Michael and Walt would be able to leave. As Ben so calmly told Michael over the Freighter telephone, “No one told [you] him to kill Ana Lucia and Libby. [You] He did that [yourself] himself.” I think it is safe to assume that Michael didn’t plan on killing both Ana Lucia and Libby. Maybe Ana Lulu did have to die in order for Ben to successfully escape (she has some pretty crazy moves – I point out Goodwin’s death scene, for example)…Libby’s unexpected return to the Swan, however, was not part of Michael’s plan. And when he pulled the trigger and saw the blood begin to pour out of Libby’s body, the terror set in.


Therein is where Michael’s haunted past began.

We found out that even his love of Walt couldn’t save him from the reality of what happened. After leaving the island, Michael told Walt that he had killed Ana Lucia and Libby. We can only assume this confession to his son was entirely selfish – it was an opportunity to rectify in himself the truth and move on. However, Walt’s reaction was, I must say, predictable. If you were to do some research on this, I have a feeling that most 10 year-olds would be terrified out of their minds to find out that their father had killed someone…and not just 1 someone…2 someones!!

Upon their return to New York, we find out that Michael and Walt head to Grandma’s house for refuge, claiming new names and not offering any explanation for where they’ve been and what happened during the last 2 months. Walt separates himself from Michael, haunted by the ghosts of the women he killed just as much as his father. Grandma is torn between the love of her son and the love of her grandson, unable to reconcile what has happened, but stepping into the caregiver role in Walt’s life.

Michael responds by attempting to kill himself in a high-speed collision. But the island saves him.

A Familiar Face
Following his recovery and subsequent denial from his mother to see his son, Michael is again at the end of his rope. After pawning the watch from Sun’s father that caused so much confusion and heart ache during season 1, Michael takes the gun he traded it for and frantically attempts to load the weapon in an alley. Pulling the barrel to his temple, Michael once again attempts to kill himself. This time, the island saves him through the presence of our old friend, Mr. Friendly.

It is now time for a short commercial break.

Since I know someone is going to ask me why I didn’t mention it, I’ll take this opportunity to confirm that, yes, Mr. Friendly (Tom) is gay. When he told Kate that she was “not his type,” this indeed meant that he was gay. Can we move on now?

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Since this is one of his supposedly few trips to the mainland, we find Mr. Friendly living lavishly (and eating lavishly) in a Penthouse suite somewhere in Manhattan. Turning to Mr. Friendly as a last resort and wanting some answers, Michael shows up and demands to know what the hell is going on. Mr. Friendly not only gives us answers – but he also confirms many of the theories that have been swirling around the show (and the internet) on that blasted plane at the bottom of the Sundra Trench.

Through purchase orders, receipts, and morbid photographs of a cemetery that has been completed emptied of all bodies, Mr. Friendly confirms for us that Charles Widmore is behind the staged Oceanic 815 crash. In Mr. Friendly’s words, he needed to plant this plane so that no one would try to find out where the plane actually crashed. Penny once said “With enough money, you can find anyone,” and it appears she may have learned this lesson from her Dad. The freighter is funded by Charles Widmore and charged with the mission to find the island. Through the Black Rock Diaries that Widmore bought, to the boat race he sent Desmond on, to the hot-air balloon race he sponsored that took the life of Henry Gale, to the current efforts (read: large freighter with machine guns) he has undertaken to find where 815 landed…it sure seems like Widmore is, indeed, looking for the island.

Mr. Friendly offers Michael a deal: get to this freighter, work for us, and save the rest of the 815 survivors…otherwise, they are all going to die and their deaths will hang over Michael’s life forever, just like Libby and Ana Lulu are now. Broken and torn, Michael accepted the offer and made his way to Fiji.

Now, sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…a tale of a fateful trip.
Under the new identity “Kevin Johnson”, Michael headed to Fiji as an employee of Ben. His standing orders are initially to kill everyone on board. However, during his third suicide attempt of the night, Michael discovers that Ben may (or may not) have a heart. In Ben’s words, there are some people on the boat who are not bad…who do not know what is the mission of this freighter. Ben claims these innocent bystanders do not deserve today, which is an interesting twist on the demeanor he had during the Purge.

So how do we know who is good and who is bad? Through a list, of course. In a strange way, Ben takes on the role of Jacob and has Michael compile a list of everyone on board. We know he completed at least part of this task because Ben knew a whole boatload about Charlotte, Daniel and Miles just a few episodes ago.

Posing as a deckhand, Michael lays low and tries to blend in…as much as a ticking time bomb can blend in. Conversations with Miles take place (“Everyone on this boat is lying about something”), conversations with Frank Lapidus take place (“The reason I’m on this boat is that the financier believes that Oceanic 815 didn’t crash at the bottom of the ocean.”), and conversations with Ben take place (“I need you to do this for me, Michael. Do you think you can do it?).

And when Sayid and Desmond come on board, Michael is once again nearly ready to end it all. His mission of repentance has gone completely awry. The one man who stole his innocence (and Walt’s innocence) is in control of his life. He has essentially discovered that it was a huge mistake to come work for Ben. He just wants to go home.

But Sayid has another idea.

Sayid tattles.
I was disappointed in the scene when Sayid took Michael into the captain’s quarters for a number of reasons. The main one, however, is this: what the hell has happened to Sayid? The tattle-telling was absolutely ridiculous. Sayid still has no idea what is going on aboard this freighter. Sure, he has some pent-up anger/frustration towards Michael (most of our 815’ers do), but to waltz in all high and mighty to tell on Michael? It was extremely unbelievable. The Sayid I know would have taken care of things himself. No, I’m not saying he would have killed Michael...but he would have figured out a plan and maintained control of the situation, not thrown the information to another stranger. If this is simply a new character arc for Sayid, fine. But it seemed rushed, abrupt, and not entirely believable.

The Temple
Meanwhile, back on the island, Ben sends Danielle, Alex, and Karl to the Temple for safety. I was pretty thrilled at this idea – a new station! Awesome!

Then I looked at the clock (9:51PM).

Then I remembered the previews (Someone…will…die…).

Then I started to freak out.

I think it is safe to say “Rest in peace, Karl.” I’m sorry you died. Not really really sorry, but it sure sucks for you. And no one wants to die from darts. Now, I’m not convinced Danielle is dead (she had fewer venom-arrows thrown at her…and this is Lost), but I will say “Feel better, Danielle.”

In a moment of sheer panic, we hear Alex yell out “Stop! Don’t shoot! I’m Benjamin Linus’s daughter!” Ohhhhhh shit. No you di-dn’t, Alex! And with that one sentence, we both went backwards on the storyline (Alex disowned Ben earlier in the season) and went forward on the storyline (looks like Alex just went from C-list Lost character to A-list Lost character). The implications of this scene are huge…Ben didn’t want Alex to be used to get to him, but it looks like Alex just chose that path. What does it mean? Who knows…but I loved it.

And, to be completely honest with you, faithful readers, I was pleasantly surprised and relieved that the character death was just Karl. Any death sucks, but I had a Paolo/Nikki reaction to his bloody torso. I don’t know what that means about my morality, but it is what it is.

Now what?
Well, it is time to take a breather and a step back. We’ve got ourselves a little hiatus so our producers and cast can catch up. Mark April 24 on your calendar with a large red circle, for this date will start our final build-up to the season 4 finale. We have 5 episodes left, which will be quite a treat!

So what do you think? Were you impressed by the episode? Did you feel like it was a cliff hangar at the end, as it had been promoted? Did you cry when Karl died (be honest, Charlie…)? One…two…three…comment!

Stuckey Rating: 6.9
Stephan Rating: 7.8

Namaste,
Maggie