Minutes ago, when I got myself ready to start watching this episode, it dawned on me that this is the first part of the season finale. For some reason (Call it denial?) I was under the impression that the three hour season finale starts next week and that we’ll get 15 hours of Lost this season. But no, this is the first part and the final two hours will only air in two weeks. But lets not get ahead of ourselves; we still have this week’s offering to go through.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought we were back onboard Oceanic 815 for the beginning of this episode. But no, it’s a Hawaiian coast-guard aircraft. Transporting something dangerous.
Hey, Michelle Forbes! I loved her on Homicide. Hmm, here’s she’s an Oceanic employee.
WHOA WHOA WHOA. The cargo is the Oceanic Six (we still don’t know who the sixths is) and I guess that’s their rescue. Nice, so we already know that this episode is a flash forward and that we’re going to get some answers.
Okay, scratch one of my previous remarks. We see Jack, Hurly, Kate, Aaron, Sayid and Sun. Is Aaron really the sixth? Yes, Michelle Forbes just confirmed that. So just to get this once and for all, those are the Oceanic Six. They’re all getting their story together for the press, ready to hide whatever they choose.
As they get off the aircraft, Hurly is all smiles (I love Hurly) and he’s greeted by his mom and dad. Sun is still mourning Jin, I guess, and greeted by her parents. Kate holds Aaron tight and has a cold, but perhaps concerned, look on her face. Jack has a huge smile and his mother hugs him. Sayid is a somewhat a fish out of water, but Hurly pulls him in. Notice how Hurly and Jack, the two who would go bonkers later, seem the happiest right now.
On the island: The beach group are pondering what was the deal with the radio that fell from the helicopter. Here’s Rose, she and Bernard won’t make it home. Damn. Jack and Kate are about to head over the wherever the chopper’s heading, but they’re smart enough to take weapons.
Hmmm. Daniel knows what Martin’s secondary protocol is. Not even the ship’s captain (Or Charlotte, for that matter) knew about it. Was I right not to trust Daniel in the past?
Jack and Kate are on the chase. Jack’s bleeding. He did just have surgery.
Wait! Who’s there? Is it Sawyer catching up? Nope, Miles. I hate him. Here’s Sawyer! And Aaron. Sawyer tells them everything about the battle with Martin and his men, and delivers the worst news that Jack could ever receive – Locke was right about those people.
Okay, Am I the only one who thought that it’s kinda sexist to have Sawyer immediately give Aaron to Kate, and than for Jack to tell her to take care of the baby? Anyway, he decides to pursue the chopper alone and sends Kate back to the beach, but Sawyer joins him anyway.
Flash Forward: It’s the Oceanic Six press conference. Michelle Forbes is giving the official line, with a whole lot of names of islands and she says that the Six used a raft to travel off the island. Again, this is the official line, so don’t trust it. We can only believe the timeframe given – just over 100 days since the crash.
Jack’s already lying when answering the questions. There was not one true word in his answer; Hugo stays true to his old self, saying he doesn’t want any of his money because it was bad luck; Sun lies about Jin, saying he never survived the crash; Kate says the baby is hers, that it was scary to give birth on the island, lies about Aaron’s age and refusing to address her legal matters; Sayid says it’s impossible that there are any other survivors.
Nadia is there to see Sayid. All cynicism aside, their reunion was touching.
On the island: Sayid, on the zodiac, made it to the beach. Just after he warns the beach crew about Martin’s plans, he finds out Jack and Kate are on Martin’s trail.
Ben, Hurly and Locke are headed to the Orchid – the same Dharma station that Martin is going to. Ben finds some supplies that he’s hidden 15 years ago. He uses a mirror to communicate with the rest of The Others.
Dan’s playing Sayid into letting him go back to the boat with the first batch of Lostaways as Sayid goes after Jack. I knew not to trust Dan. Kate’s back and she joins Sayid after giving Aaron to Sun. So the Oceanic Six did not stay together before the evacuation. Hurly is with Locke and Ben, Sun and Aaron are going to the boat, Sayid Kate and Jack (I assume) are off to fight Martin.
So the first transport to the boat includes Dan, Jin, Sun and Aaron with a couple of redshirts. Dan even left Charlotte behind.
Flash Forward: And I have a Dynasty feeling as Sun used her settlement money to take over her father’s company! I still don’t particularly like her, but with moves like that it can change. She Confronts her father about his treatment of Jin and tells him that he’s one of the two people responsible for Jin’s death. I guess Charles Widmore is the second?
Okay, is Hurly already starting his decent into insanity? He just got home. He hears voices and sees a coconut. Oh, it’s only a Caribbean themed surprise party his parents throw him. Even Kate, Aaron, Sayid and Nadia are there, nice. His dad gives him the antique car as a birthday present – it’s the same car he’ll get arrested in the future (Which for us is actually past episodes).
DAMN!!!!!!! THE NUMBERS ARE BACK! It’s been so long since we last saw them. The total mileage meter reads 481516 and the second one read 2342. If I were hurly I’d freak out, and that’s exactly what he does, as he runs away.
On the island: Ben, Locke and Hurly made it to the Orchid. I love how Ben admits to not being entirely truthful in the past. Bad news – Martin and his men are already there.
On the Boat: The zodiac made it to the boat and Dan’s heading back to the beach after dropping the first batch of Lostaways. Sun and Jin are shocked to see Michael (No surprise). Anyway, he managed to get the engines working again, but now something on the boat is blocking the radio and prevents them from taking it to the island.
On the island: Jack and Sawyer find the chopper, with Martin handcuffed to it. Sawyer’s conscience comes into play as hears that Martin will kill Ben and whoever is with him. Like me, he doesn’t give a shit about Locke, but Hurly is there. I loved jack’s response to that setback – “son of a bitch”.
Flash Forward: It’s the memorial for Christian Shepherd. It’s a nice event, with the Six (minus Sun) there.
And Claire’s mother is there also. Nice. She talks to Jack privately. Jack still don’t know about his relation to Claire. She believes Claire died on impact and then she tells Jack her name. Talk about a shock. Turns out Kate was just there, listening all along, but she manages to keep up the act. Jack however, can’t.
On the Boat: Michael tells his story to Jin and Sun.
HOLY CRAP! Martin loaded the boat with C4 explosives! That makes Frank’s earlier comment about the boat being the safest place right now a bit ironic.
On the island: Kate and Sayid are lost (no pun intended). Richard! So good to see you! I take that back, as now they are surrounded by all The Others who are left. But I still like Martin, even after he disarms Sayid and Kate.
Ben sends Locke into the Orchid with some specific instructions that I can’t repeat. Ben promises to take care of the armed men, saying he has a plan. I believe Ben when he says that. History has tough me to. Apparently Ben’s plan is to walk directly towards them. Martin almost shoots him, but doesn’t.
CUT TO BLACK.
Okay, so much happened this week on so many levels that it’s impossible to summarize. Let’s just say that we got some answers, we learned a little bit about the rescue, had a whole lot of action and it really felt like a season finale, even if it’s only the first hour of it and we have to wait two weeks for the conclusion. Episodes like this one and the two-week wait might actually drive me back to smoking with their intensity. Thank god I have the podcast to keep me company until then. Don’t you dare miss the finale. I know I won’t.
