(Jason and I would like to introduce you to Adam, and welcome him to Pop Critics. He’s going to help us out when he can and we are proud to have him here. He’s a big fan of pop culture, reading and good TV shows, mainly Lost and Battlestar Galactica, so I cannot wait to see what he has to say. I’ve been a huge fan of his Lost insights on his blog, and so I always look forward to reading his thoughts. Welcome Adam! – Mike)
First, I feel an introduction is in order: Hello, my name is Adam. I have a blog called the Principia Adamaca and somehow Mike and I found each other and, even stranger, somehow got to respecting each other’s work. Long story short, he invited me to contribute to this site from time to time, so here I am!
There wouldn’t be any point in me recapping an episode that’s already been wonderfully recapped, so I’ll just supplement what Mike has already said and point out some interesting things I caught, and of course offer up my speculation as best I can because, hey, that’s half the fun.
Last night’s episode, while not my favorite of the season, was still among one of the best hours of Lost so far. What made the story so interesting, I think, is we largely know how it turns out – Jack and Kate split up with Jack going all crazy later.
But Jack proposing to Kate! How cute was that?! (Though at first, I did think it was Juliet in the shower).
Of course Kate, who Jack gave the benefit of the doubt since season one when he decided to trust her even though she was apparently a convict, had to go a mess things up by sneaking around behind his back. The first hint was when she was on the phone, saying things like “I have an hour, Jack’s not supposed to be back yet,” and then playing it off as her friend from the playground. We all knew she was lying, but about what?
This whole sneaking around behind Jack’s back thing got me wondering about the “He’ll be wondering where I am” line from the end of last season. At this point we’re led to believe she was talking about Aaron, but what if she wasn’t?
Later, the truth late came out: Sawyer, of course. Something about a promise she made. My mind immediately started reeling, trying to remember if there was ever a conversation between Kate and Sawyer about a promise, because that all sounded very familiar. I went online and tried to look it up, but, alas, found nothing. That’s not to say it didn’t happen, though. Remember, too, that Kate had past dealings with one of Sawyer’s “associates” at one point in her life, Cassidy, whom Sawyer even had a baby with: Clementine.
Having someone you love go and sneak around on you when you’re not around would be enough to drive me crazy, too. So it was nice to see why Jack was the way he was at the end of the third season. And he’s totally justified in that one line he had that generated so much speculation, when he said something like “go get my dad and if he’s drunker than I am, you can fire me, too!”
There was speculation at that time that Jack had confirmed that his father was indeed alive after they got off the island. Some said it might have been because of some sort of resurrection force on the island. I think we got the confirmation last night that he wasn’t speaking in the literal sense, but I do believe that he really does see him. So when Jack said “go get my father and see if he’s drunker than I am” he was obviously in a delusional state and let that nugget slip out.
What’s even more interesting, however, is exactly why Jack was seeing his father. Or rather, how.
I think Charlie might be a clue. If you’ll remember back to the season four opener, Hurley’s friend at Santa Rosa saw Charlie, too. In other worlds, he wasn’t just a figment of Hurley’s imagination. They haven’t developed much on that yet, so I have to believe it was a story device to let the audience know: “yes, Charlie is more than just Hurley’s vision.”
But it can’t be Charlie, he’s dead! So who is it?
Cosmic forces initiating some sort of course correction? Methinkso.
There was something else in last night’s episode that made little sense unless taken as a storytelling device to let the audience know something: the smoke detector.
We’ve seen the smoke monster take human form before, in the form of Yemi’s brother. (Not to mention, thanks to ABC’s Lost podcasts, we’re able to cheat a little bit and get the producers confirmation on this). So, I think that somehow, when Jack bellows “We weren’t meant to leave!” it has something to do with course correction and the forces of the island (such as the smoke monster) are interfering with their lives.
But why does their have to be this “course correction” If Jack and Co. were never meant to leave the island, how could they leave in the first place? Why would the island allow it? I think, as we found out last week, “the rules have been changed,” so all bets are off. And I’d bet it all began with Desmond, saving Charlie that first time when Penny really was about to parachute down to the island, but it was Naomi instead. I could be way off, but maybe that one event sent ripples down the timeline that need to be corrected.
If that’s the case, things are sooooo messed up by now. Silly Dharma Initiative and their time travel experiments! It scares me a bit to think how messed up the timeline has gotten since the parachuting incident (if that indeed really was supposed to be Penny). Reminds me of a book I read once, “Millennium” by John Varley. Basically (spoiler alert for the book), the timeline gets so messed up and the universe has to correct itself so much that to survive, the main characters have to travel millions of years into the future until the ripples have settled, where they are revealed as essentially “Adam and Eve, Take 2.”
Whew! So, sometimes I get going a bit too far. I get ahead of myself.
But, like I said, that’s half the fun, so thanks for listening! Now it’s my turn. I know there is a discussion on Mike’s other post, so I don’t want to take away from that. But what do you think? Could the promise have something to do with Clementine? Is Jack’s father a form of course correction, setting him up on a different path? Is Rousseau really dead? Really?! Sure, that was her body, but… really?!?
Welcome Adam! Nice to have you officially here. And your insights are great, especially the smoke monster/smoke detector thing. I completely think that it is Clementine that Kate is checking in on. She is the only thing that Sawyer really cares about (besides himself).
Also, I know a bunch of people are saying they didn’t like this episode as much, but I thought it was great. It was so character driven, which is really what makes Lost unique – being able to unravel the mysteries and suspense while still peeling back the layers to each character.
Thanks, Jina! It’s nice to be here! And I agree, I think a lot of times people (myself included) get too caught up in the overall story and mystery and neglect paying attention to the characters, which is ultimately the most rewarding. It was definately one of the best character stories in the series.
Welcome aboard, Adam!
I really enjoyed this episode too. I didn’t catch the smoke detector connection when I watched it but it makes sense now that you mention it.
I’m not sure about the cosmic forces making a course correction thing. I think there might be a better explanation for it at some point, but it’s better than nothing now I guess.
@ Adam – Welcome! Great insight to last night’s show. I am with Jina re Kate and the favor to Sawyer. I think the favor has something to do with Clementine.
Yeah, some people don’t like the shows that have more character development as opposed to action/smoke monsters, but I dig them all just the same.
Good stuff, I forget about things like Clementine…
BTW, now I want to read Millenium, even though it’s all spoiled for me now
Awesome write-up, Adam. Great catch about the smoke detector. I am confused about one thing, how were we led to believe that Penny ‘may’ have been the one parachuting down to the island?
I forgot how, but I know we all thought it was going to be Penny in the parachute…
I know that he had convinced himself because of his flashes that it was Penny, but I’m not sure how accurate that could have been.
Maybe that was it…we figured it was her because of Desmond’s flashes.
Didn’t Kate say “He’ll” be wondering where I am, so it can’t be Clementine. Jack has to know who he is as well and there has to be some animosity for there meeting is covert. Ben is not one of the Six, he has to be some form of conduit between the island and the world. Good point about the smoke detector.
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Thanks for the welcome, all!
Really, I’d have to go back and watch that particular episode, but I remember thinking he knew it would be Penny. Naomi even had the picture of Penny and Desmond. I remember thinking that when they flipped open her helmet and it was revealed to be *not* Penny, that it must be because something in the time line changed.
But as always, I may be way off. Like I said, I’d have to re-watch that one.
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Hey, Adam! Great recap.
1. I’m currently re-watching season 2, so I’ll double check soon, but I wonder if the person Kate was talking to was the woman that had Sawyer’s daughter Clementine. She’s met Kate before and I can’t remember what her name is though I JUST watched the episode in which we first saw her (The Long Con.) That would be something that I could see Sawyer asking Kate to do: go check on his daughter.
2. I knew it was Kate in the shower when Jack went downstairs to the kitchen… my nerdy butt recognized the house from the episode of her trial.
3. I think when it comes to Hurley seeing Charlie outside and his fellow patient seeing him too is people assuming that is correct. What if that man telling Hurley about the guy staring at him was TOO a part of his hallucination? Just a theory.
Ok, I was commenting as I read so now I see that you did mention Clementine at the end. I think Kate was totally talking to Clementine’s Mom. Also, I think this last episode kinda confirmed my theory from early this season (Kate’s trial episode) that Jack couldn’t be around Aaron because somewhere along the line he learns that Aaron is his nephew and there’s some guilt there because Claire was left behind. I don’t think she’s dead. I don’t think Jin and Sawyer are either, by the way. But, I don’t think she’s dead because the key has always been that SHE has to raise that boy. That is why the psychic put her on the plane to begin with. I think that will play a part in them returning to the island… yes, I think before series’ end they will return. Anyway, when Jack yelled at Kate, “Your son?! You’re not even related to him!” I felt the unspoken, “… I AM!” was clear. At least to me anyway. Also, all of that being played out to us at the same time Claire sees Christian on the island is a little too coincidental.
Just my four cents.
Nina
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Adam, you’re right. That whole episode we were supposed to believe that was Penny who would be revealed when he pulled the helmet back.
Nina!!! Good catch about the house, I didn’t realize it was the same one. And also thats a good point about Hurley’s friend being a vision, too. Its entirely possible.
What Im wondering about now is the “Hurley Bird.” Remember that?? It has nothing to do with what were talking about, but in the first two season finales there was a green bird that flew over Hurley’s head and yelled his name. I want to know the significance to that, or if its just another one of his visions! And maybe they aren’t visions at all, but rather some kind of psychic phenomenon that gets labeled as “crazy” in the outside world but “special” on the island.
Yeah, I definitely think Jack knows that Aaron is his nephew, and I totally get why he would feel guilty about being around him… it might be a constant reminder of who they left behind. Though, it did seem clear that Sawyer, at least, stayed voluntarily.
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@ Nina – Some great insights! I did not give much attention to Jack’s comment to Kate: “Your son?! You’re not even related to him!â€Â? However, now that you brought it up, I agree with you. Jack’s comments certainly hint that he knows he is related to Aaron.
Welcome to the site Nina, going to be good having another Lost addict around
You guys are both right about those Jack comments…I never thought that he knew about Aaron being his nephew…until now.