I hope you guys appreciate the fact that I’ve dragged my reluctant self out of my bed this morning to demonstrate my commitment to all things Lost – that and the fact that I needed to tell the world that Charlie Sheen may or may not be leaving ‘Two and A Half Men’ and you’re wan that plays Chelsea on ‘Eastenders’ is quitting the show. Vital information lads!!
A strange opening to my Lost blog you might think but perhaps that’s down to the fact that I am not really too sure what to say about last night’s episode.
We learned several things – Desmond is the package, Sun and Jin are not married in LA and seem unlikely to be reunited on the island until the final showdown (if indeed then) and Widmore is there with one purpose - to stop Smokie/MIB/Locke from leaving the island.
It seems he will try to do this by using the twin ‘weapons’ of Desmond (why else would he bring him?) and the electromagnetic pockets on the island. Jin has been head hunted by Widmore not because he may or may not be a candidate but because of his Dharma experience (I bet he never thought that entry on his CV would get him a gig). Presumably then geophysicist Zoe’s presence is required to work some magic on them. Why else would he bring her to the island as she certainly wasn’t hired for her kidnapping skills!
Fake Locke demonstrated several weaknesses in his armour last night. He sought out Sun and chased her down not as a smoke monster but as a man. Why? Then when she was knocked out he didn’t bring her back to his camp – he simply walked away leaving her to be found later by Ben. Does he know that Jin is really the Kwon who is the candidate and if so why bother to pursue her at all? She was rendered unable to speak English but could understand it. Was that genuinely caused by the blow to the head or did Locke do it to her to keep her quiet? If so badly executed MIB as Jack overcame that impediment immediately via the revolutionary idea of using a notebook and pen.
Locke also exposed another weakness when he revealed to Sawyer that he could not transform into Smokie in order to get to Hydra Island. Apparently being a Smoke monster comes with a long list of restrictions. Locke’s camp is ill at ease – let’s face it who really wants to be there? Jin was planning to do a runner before Widmore’s team intervened, Sawyer and Kate are biding their time and even Claire is asking questions.
Sayid is probably his most dangerous weapon on paper but has been rendered practically useless by his apparent lack of a soul. Locke doesn’t seem too worried saying “it will probably help you get through what’s coming”. Last night the normally ‘coiled like a spring’ Sayid failed to anticipate the attack from Widmore’s people. How embarrassing for Saddam Hussein’s finest to be taken down by a soccer mom? On their current performance this could be a fairly one-sided war when it comes.
The episodic nature of this final season has several drawbacks – one of which was demonstrated last night. Both Sun and Jin have been happily biding their time in their respective camps until last night’s show when both threw diva strops almost simultaneously. “It’s all about us this week - okay.” Grand so all eyes on Sun and Jin but the fact is it has been so long since there was a focus on their relationship that it’s hard to get too excited about it.
In LA we saw versions of these two characters that bear little resemblance to their island selves – indeed little resemblance to their pre-island selves. I found it hard to really care about their LA story. Sun seemed silly and naïve while Jin just struck me as out of his dept – still a goon for Sun’s father but not a very good one. Keamy and the absent Mr Paik were many steps ahead of them but it was good to see Mikhail’s flashsideways story. Apparently ocular issues follow the man and a patch was definitely in his future after Jin shot him in the eye.
Sayid seemed to have morphed into a mirror of his soulless island self in LA choosing not to intervene in Jin’s predicament too much. The LA story left Sun’s life and that of her unborn child hanging in the balance. Paging Dr Shepherd! Dr Shepherd to the OR please!
Back on the island hero Jack flies to the rescue again with a notebook and a promise to find Jin! Stubborn tomato in hand – no doubt representing Sun’s stubborn resolve of finding her husband – Jack soothed the waters and that no doubt is the last we’ll see of stroppy Sun until the big showdown.
So whose chance it is to throw a strop next week?
Last night we saw Miles and Frank playing cards – are you finding the going a little boring lads? Two great under-used actors on the show – Frank is simply there to fly a plane at some point and you sense Miles may already have had his moment in the sun in Sawyer’s episode. That is of course unless he falls into the category of expendable.
Sawyer told Kate last night “I feel this is almost over” while Locke told Widmore that war “just got here”. We get the message lads the big showdown is coming. I currently feel the same sense of anticipation I did watching one of my all time favourite series – Buffy – coming to its grand conclusion.
I just hope that the coming episodes before the grand finale deliver more than this one did.
Bree Treacy
So how was it for you?
