The Penultimate Chapter of Season 5

Everyone together now: WHAT???

Other than a few ridiculously cheesy lines and sub-par special effects (seriously, what was with that submerging submarine scene towards the end?? Clearly, the economy has affected Lost’s CGI budget…), “Follow the Leader” was pretty awesome. We had drama and we had action. We had gunshots and bloodied faces. We had complicated romance and lost love. We had dropped-jaw moments and periods of crazy realization.

At the same time, it was all a little hectic for me. We were moving a lot of storylines and characters at the same time…and my head is still spinning.

But in the end, it appears that everything is in place for next week’s epic season finale, “The Incident.” I seriously cannot wait.

So let’s break down tonight by time and place…the only way I can think to keep this all straight. I apologize in advance (especially to Lincoln) that my subheadings aren’t as witty as Charlie’s.

1977 Others Camp
Sure enough, we were forced to rewatch the premature demise of Daniel Faraday, which hurt just as much to watch this week. Jeremy Davies is a fantastic actor who has brought SO much to this show. Seriously, season 5 of Lost would be a shell of itself without that guy. I’m really going to miss him.

But back to 1977. Jack and Kate were watching from the wings, arguing about whether or not Faraday was crazy, when they heard the gunshot ring out. No time to react, though, because here comes Fabio-haired Charles Widmore to knock them both out and bring them into Others Camp as prisoners. Eloise turned to Jack and Kate for an explanation when she saw her own handwriting in Daniel’s journal (sidenote: so much for my theory last week that Eloise left MORE than just her “Love, Mother” note in the journal…oh well). Jack’s answer? “You haven’t written it yet.”

Jack spent the next several minutes explaining to Eloise what was going on, how it was a mistake for her to shoot Daniel, but how she could SO get a ‘do over’ on that and fix everything. He hit a chord with her (a chord that is called “Mother”) and she was in. What do they need to do? Well, go to the Jughead of course.

Okay, seriously? Jack doesn’t know what he’s doing. He is completely consumed with a seasons 1-3 Locke-like mindset (which Kate pointed out) predicated on the belief that he has some grand destiny to fulfill on the island…and that faith is all it takes to make that happen. Sounds familiar, huh? Well, this mindset keeps showing itself in many situations on this show…and in many characters. And tonight, it was Jack’s turn to take the torch.

After Eloise insisted that Alpert go along, it was time to start the Pilgrimage to our favorite buried hydrogen bomb with Jack, Kate, Eloise, Richard, Other #1, and Other #2. You know, it sucks to be a character with a name like “Other #1” or “Other #2” on Lost…it totally means you’re going to die. And that’s what happened tonight. Kate tried to leave the Jughead gang…and Others #1 and #2 threatened to shoot…but got shot instead by the sharpshooting Iraqi who went rogue and has been living in the jungle, Sayid. (Sidenote: anyone else think for a moment that Kate was really shot? I totally fell for that one…) Eloise and Alpert didn’t seem too worked up about the developments, and the revised team (plus Sayid, minus Others #1 and #2) continued on the journey.

So…turns out Jughead is actually under the Dharma Initiative Barracks in the “tunnels,” not in the Temple. (I was totally wrong on that.) Yet, truth be told, this makes a lot of sense. Dharma Blog reader Jeff reminded me about Charlie’s theory from the episode “Jughead” where Charlie connected Dharma’s infertility back to a leaky hydrogen bomb. Jughead, covered only by a cheap looking fabric tarp, is housed directly underneath the Dharma living quarters. Yeah, that really can’t be good for anyone’s health…in fact, it just might cause the termination of pregnancies if they aren’t careful…

Okay, so back to the tunnels. Turns out to get into them, you have to make like the Little Mermaid and swim through a series of underwater coves until you reach the tunnel entrance. I was totally channeling “National Treasure” during this scene – anyone else expecting to see ancient artifacts of solid gold when they started lighting torches? Yeah….me either.

Anyways. So Alpert said to Jack that they were going to get Jughead out “the same way they got it in”. Uh, right. And how did that happen? Is there some ramp or something? Or a pulley system? Or a mine-shaft-like-elevator? Or will Smokey swoop in and push it out? (I’m kidding…I think…) How, exactly, is this going to work? It is safe to assume that the removal of Jughead from his underground chamber will make for a very interesting series of ‘transport’ scenes next week. Think about it: they are trying to manuever huge Jughead out of it’s hiding spot (without Dharma knowing) miles away to the Swan station.

Side note: how will the detonation of the bomb not kill EVERYONE?

Then again, in the end, they will not succeed…right? Even if they use the Jughead in the Swan Station, this is going to be what the “Incident” is, right? Or have I been completely blind to what is about to happen? Some think that a Jughead detonation will somehow lead to a huge ‘course correction’ that will send our survivors back to 2008. This could explain why Alpert said to Sun “I saw them die.” Perhaps they vanished before his eyes…and he equates this to death. However, he’s time traveled twice now (at least)…surely he is catching on to how this works.

I mean, even I (sorta) get it.

1977: Dharmaville
In yet another shout out to seasons past, we had to watch our favorite con man, Sawyer, being tortured (a la “Confidence Man”, when Sayid and the gang were convinced Sawyer had stolen Shannon’s asthma inhaler…gosh, that seems like SO long ago). Only this time, he wasn’t facing a former Iraqi interrogator; he had dumb Phil, annoying Radzinsky, and flabbergasted Horace. They wanted to know where Kate was, and wouldn’t you know: Sawyer wasn’t sharing anything. As the Dharma members began to put the pieces together (you’d think for such a high-brow, science-smart organization, someone would have caught onto some of this con sooner…), it became clear that Sawyer and Juliet’s Dharma life was on the verge of destruction.

Just outside the camp, Jin, Miles, and Hurley were gathering together with supplies (courtesy of Hurley’s chef-access to the Dharma pantry) to head to the beach. They were interrupted by Pierre Chang, who wanted to know what was going on with this guy Faraday. Clearly, Daniel’s fatalistic vision of the future of the island hit a chord with Chang…a chord entitled “Father”. Chang was ready to find out the truth about these time-traveling jokers. In what was one of the funniest scenes in quite awhile, Hurle claimed that (A) he was 46 years old and (B) there was no such thing as the Korean War (sigh)…well, the game was up. A quick acknowledgment of his adult son, Miles (anticlimactic, didn’t you think?), and Chang was off to follow Faraday’s orders and evacuate the island.

Chang’s first stop was down in the Sawyer Torture Room. As he entered, Phil took things to the next level and hit Juliet. Chang objected and told them his plan to evacuate. The strike against Juliet meant Sawyer was ready to talk…as long as the two of them were allowed to get on one of Chang’s get-away subs. A few scenes later, we were at the sub dock watching Dharma Initiative women and children board the submarine. We saw Charlotte and her previously-unseen mother (didn’t look familiar to me; anyone else?) head to the sub. We saw Mrs. Chang (and adorable Baby Miles) in a semi-heated discussion with Pierre about their urgent departure…but the most powerful part of the scene of adult Miles’ realization that Pierre WAS a good father and didn’t abandon them. Almost brought a tear to my eye.

Once Sawyer and Juliet are on the sub (loved Sawyer’s “Good riddance” line…good riddance, indeed), we witnessed a pretty powerful scene where Sawyer told Juliet that he loved her. I LOVED THAT SCENE. Honestly, I was not at all pleased (I believe a guffawed…) when Kate descended into the belly of the submarine to join them…go figure Kate would ruin that moment. Awk-ward. Juliet’s face was hauntingly priceless and I really felt for her. Sawyer’s face of desperation was tragic and unsettling. I have a feeling that won’t be a pleasant submarine ride back to the ‘real world.’

But hold up, kids. I don’t know about you, but it sure looked like Juliet, Kate, and Sawyer were in the preview for next week’s episode, interacting with people still on the island (read: Jack). How the heck is that going to happen?

I think the sub really is supposed to leave with all the women and the children. However, having Kate, Sawyer and Juliet onboard changed that. After hearing Kate’s plea, perhaps Sawyer and Juliet agree to help her hijack the darn thing and go back to the island to save everyone from Jack’s seemingly illogical and insane plan. So what would this mean for Mrs. Chang and Miles? And for Charlotte? Will Sawyer, Kate and Juliet just get off the sub and send it on its merry way? Or will everyone return to the island and be exposed to whatever is going to happen?

Oh, well…that’s for me to ponder in the preview next week.

2008 Others Camp
I’m going to cut to the chase here: Locke wants to kill Jacob? Say WHAT? Isn’t that like saying you want to kill God???

So, when Jacob whispered “Help me” to Locke back in season 2 (“The Man Behind the Curtain”), what he actually meant was “please put me out of my misery and free me from this island”? Or did the island tell Locke to kill Jacob? And can we agree that there is a possibility that Jacob and the island are not ‘on the same team’, as it were?

Did Lost just totally pull a fast one on us…and change it from a Widmore v. Ben battle to Jacob v. island battle?

Oh, my head hurts.

…and now we return to our regularly scheduled program.

Things were pretty crazy in 2008. As Richard attempted to manipulate a ship in a bottle (a representation of the Black Rock, perhaps? Man, I hope we get a Black Rock/Richard flashback before this show is over…), a random Other informs him that “He is here.” Locke, that is, accompanied by Sun and Ben. Once Sun discovers that Richard has been around for quite awhile, she pulls out her folded 1977 Dharma Initiative Recruits photo and asks if he remembers Hurley, Kate, or Jack. Richard says he does…because he “watched them all die.” I hope you’re not disappointed to find out that I’m not even going to TRY to explain this loaded statement this late in the evening. It is just way too much. But please leave a comment with what you think is going on…

Locke’s newfound purpose in life clearly has a rigid schedule because he has no time to catch up…he has an errand to run and he wants Richard and Ben to come along (sorry, Sun). What was the errand?

OHH MAN! No he DID-N’T! That DIDN’T just happened!!

Yes, yes it did. We were back in episode 1 of season 5, “Because You Left.” Locke, Ben and Richard approached the fallen Beechcraft just moments before a recently-shot-by-Ethan man stumbled out of the darkness. Locke handed Richard a first aid kit and gave him instructions: remove the bullet from the man’s leg, give him a compass, tell him to bring everyone back in order to save the island, and tell him he is going to die. Who was the man? Locke, of course. And to use Ben’s words, “an out of body experience” indeed. (So much for our paradox theory that a person can’t exist in two forms in one time.)

So how did Locke explain this revelation and perfect timing? The island told him, he said. And, my oh my, the ramifications of that statement. Ben knew right away that the rules had, indeed, changed. Locke was channeling the island in a way that Ben never has…and it freaked him out. (Heck, it freaked ME out!)

Allow me to try to think this thing through. So the island told Locke that this particular 3 minute flash was going to happen at that very moment…but did the island also tell Locke to go there and give Richard those instructions? Or was it Locke’s decision to ‘be’ in that moment (again) and follow through with what flashing-Locke needed to hear? All very confusing if you ask me. Feel free to post your understanding of this revelation in the comments section so Charlie and I can pass your understandings off as our own for the next week. (We’re kidding…kinda.)

When they made it back to camp, Locke exercised his right to assembly and gathered the Others team together for a pep talk. It definitely felt like a political rally – Locke may be their new leader, but he is just one of them. He’s a regular guy! And he thinks it is pretty unfair that no one has met the Great and Powerful Jacob. So you know what? He’s going to go all leader-y and take them to meet Jacob!

Side note: anyone else really annoyed by Sun this ENTIRE episode? It could have been just really bad writing, but every line she spoke made me cringe. I actually said “Shut up, Sun” multiple times…and I’m a fairly nice person who doesn’t say ‘shut up’ a lot. So take it for what it’s worth.

Here’s a question for you: are Alpert and Ben working together? That look the two of them shared when discussing how Locke might be a ‘problem’ sent chills down my side. Honestly, up until now, I have been under the assumption that Alpert really was a good guy…an honest guy and an innocent guy; someone who really was looking after the island’s best interests. He hasn’t been scheming, manipulating, or killing anyone…he has been fairly harmless. I mean, he’s just doing what Jacob says, right?

It is this whole "pilgrimage to Jacob" that has me a bit suspicious of Richard. The look on Alpert’s face when Locke was pressing him about visiting Jacob was wrought with anxiety. Sure, it could anxiety about bringing the masses into the Others’ version of the ‘circle of trust’. Part of me wonders if it is anxiety because the game is up. Some have speculated that Alpert has been the one making the selection about who should lead the others based on the current situation…that he really has no spiritual connection at all with Jacob and is simply thinking practically. In other words, Alpert might be a sham…the master manipulator of everything. And after tonight, I could actually see this theory coming to fruition.

More Questions than Answers...
I am surprised at how much Richard doesn't seem to understand. I guess I always thought he understood the time travel. I know he always was surprised to see people skipping in time around him, but still...he seems to not really understand the dynamics of island time travel at all. Interesting for a guy who, in Ben’s words, has been the island advisor for “a very long time.”

On that note, even though we don’t really know what Richard is up to, what do you think Ben’s game is at this point? Is he really already disobeying the orders he got from Alex/Smokey in “Dead is Dead?” Is he setting up Richard...or working with Richard?

Eloise, not Charles, was the leader of the Others in 1977! Forget any notion of co-rule with Charles; nope, Eloise was Numero Uno. And I loved it.

Did anyone else catch when Charles expressed concern about Eloise’s “condition” right before they left for the Jughead? He said it as he placed his hand on her belly…I’m going to throw this out there: Eloise is pregnant. FOR REALS. So let’s flesh this out. If she is pregnant in 1977…is it Dan? That would make him pretty young on the freighter...27 at my count. Or is it someone else? Perhaps part of the fallout from the Incident will involve Eloise moving to the mainland to have and raise the son she now knows she is destined to kill.

The darn compass is back…and they took great care to point it out tonight multiple times, so I am even more convinced it represents a HUGE piece of the puzzle. We still have not been told where the compass originated from (Richard gets it in 1954 from Locke, who then gets it from Richard in 2007 to give back to Richard in 1954). Does the compass represent the reiteration of time on the island? Did it originate with the Black Rock?

So Locke’s instructions to bring back the O6 actually originated from Locke himself. Sure, some of it came from Ben and Eloise and Christian…but mostly, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, is that it? Or, rather, what does that mean for the bigger picture?

Next week…two hours of madness!
So what did you think of this penultimate episode? Has Jack gone crazy or reached clarity? Will Sawyer get over Kate (even I’m getting sick of this…)? Is Richard a good guy or a bad guy? Does “Jacob” really exist, or did Richard make it up?

Get ready for the two-hour episode “The Incident” next week! And watch for a Dharma VLOG coming soon to a Dharma Blog near you. Charlie and I are going to attempt to get you all ready for the finale with a vlog…provided we can be in the same place at the same time at some point during the next week. I don’t know where or when he is right now…or where or when I am…ahhhh! Bright. White. Light.

(end scene)

Comment away! Please!!

Namaste,
Maggie