Hell freezing over. Pigs flying. Republicans and Democrats actually working together. Three things that I was sure would happen before something that did happen last night: I loved an episode of Lost that featured Kate’s flashbacks. Now, I’m not going to go join the Kate and Jack 4Eva Fan Club, but last night went a long way toward me understanding and sympathizing with Kate.
There are three major things I want to write about, but I’ll go through my quick notes first…
- Any doubt that Sawyer whispered to Kate about Clementine was ruined by “previouslys.” Not that I really had any doubt what he said to her, anyway, but still…the previouslys are almost as bad as the previews.
- Evangeline Lilly had a great reaction to Roger Linus. (More on her later)
- Episode overall was very tense. I kept waiting for the shit to hit the fan and was literally on the edge of my seat for most of the show.
- Quote of the night: Hurley: “I’m checking to see if I’m disappearing.” (More on this later)
- Jack is a douche. I had some sympathy for him off-Island, but since he’s been back, I hate him all over again. Though, I suppose I should be thanking him for not saving young Ben. Not that he could have, because whatever happened, happened, but if Jack had been willing to save Ben, and he did, he actually would have changed everything. That is really hysterical to me and I hope that Jack realizes it one day.
- Jack: “Maybe I was just getting in the way.” Why can’t he just find a happy medium between his two extremes? Why does he have to be Super Proactive-Aggressive Man or Douchey Bump-on-a-Log Guy?
- Something else surprising about this ep: the scenes between Jack and Juliet and Kate and Sawyer were all pretty decent, especially the Kate/Sawyer scenes. They reflected on the history without being too cheesy, cloying and annoying. They didn’t move into the love quadrangle that I had feared they would at the end of “LaFleur.” You know, the one that dominated much of the end of season 3 and season 4. Sawyer does what he did last night for Juliet. He acknowledges he is different now and is happy with that.
- I’m not sure how we’re supposed to read Juliet’s expression when she suggested that they bring young Ben to the Others.
- I’ve always thought that the actress who plays Claire’s mum looks like a Caucasian Gina Torres. Don’t know that I’ve ever written it down though.
So my three big discussion topics:
#1: Hurley and Miles: I loved, loved, loved the discussions between Hurley and Miles. Just brilliant, funny, entertaining and perfectly placed. When the writers do stuff like this it shows me that they really know what they are doing, and it renews my faith. It’s not that I truly ever doubt them, but sometimes I’m afraid that they don’t know what they are doing or where they are going. This discussion addressed almost every possible question related to all this time travel that’s been going on. From the Back to the Future comment to Hurley’s question about Ben not knowing Sayid in 2004, it all bolstered my faith in the show. And that question about Sayid in 2004 (and Hurley’s triumphant crossed arms) - it was exactly the right question to ask. How often does that happen on this show?
#2: The implications of the scene with Richard. Does the smoke monster cure Ben? If Ben is truly reborn on the Island, maybe that’s why he has said that he was born here. Maybe he actually believes it. I wonder if his memories will just be missing Sayid shooting him. I also wonder if he knows that the Island saved him and that adds to his shock upon discovery of the tumor in 2004. Also, this goes a long way in explaining why the Others/Hostiles hold Ben in such him esteem.
And what of Richard’s comments about Ellie and Charles? Of course, this looks like it will lead to their ousters from the Island – maybe they feel like they were deserving of whatever is going to happen to young Ben.
But is this the mistake that sets everything into motion? Was Ben never supposed to be Island leader? Was he never supposed to be saved? Such questions are almost pointless if whatever happened, happened, but they are questions I have nonetheless.
Did Richard act so impetuously because he needed the DI gone so badly? Were they truly doing that much harm to the Island? Did he see an ally in young Ben and save him because he thought it was his best chance to rid the Island of Dharma? Did he think that would save the Island and that’s why he didn’t consult Ellie or Charles? If Ben will no longer be innocent, is the Island they taking from him or giving to him? Could he not be innocent any longer because he will learn all the Island’s secrets? Perhaps even his future? (Maybe that’s why he was so shocked when Widmore killed Alex – because the Island told him that it would never happen.)
But I think I’m getting ahead of myself (again) and by next week all of these questions could be answered or proven inconsequential. On to discussion topic #3…
#3: Evangeline Lilly! Never have I been so impressed with Lilly’s acting. Never have I been so pleased with Kate’s actions. I’m still not really over how much I enjoyed the episode and how great she was in it.
Two flashback scenes stand out in particular: The flashback discussion between Cassidy and Kate about losing Aaron in the market – on the nose and perfect. Nicely explains Kate’s state of mind and decisions she made in a logical and acceptable fashion. Thank you, Cassidy. (Or really, thanks Darlton!)
My problem with Kate has always been that I just never really “got” her. There are other characters that have made decisions that I wouldn’t have (I’m looking at you Mr. Locke) but they don’t bother me as much, because I understand where those decisions come from. It seems like we’ve always been asked to accept Kate and her directions because she’s pretty and has Daddy issues. (But really, who on this show doesn’t?) But finally, we get some character growth and dimensionality for this character.
Oh, and it certainly was intentional that the woman in the market looked like Claire from behind. For a second I really thought that it would be her and got some major goosebumps.
The other scene that stood out was my favorite scene of the night: Kate’s with Claire’s mother and her goodbye to Aaron (forever?). These two scenes were certainly the best work that Evangeline Lilly has ever done of the show. I nearly cheered when she said she was going back for Claire and my heart broke with hers when she said “Bye Bye Baby.”
And her on-Island actions also illustrated a very different Kate. Kate as the hero. Kate as the voice of reason. What is the world coming to?
It’s so interesting that the birth of Benjamin Linus (presumably as we know him) and his reign of manipulation over the Lostaways is now shown to be the “fault” of the Lostaways themselves. (At least that’s how I read it.) Obviously Sayid set it all in motion, then Jack’s refusal to save him (again) would have prevented them from taking him to the Hostiles and Juliet, Kate and Sawyer all had a hand in actually getting him to said Hostiles.
Of course, that is assuming that this is how it always happened, and there definitely is still room for that view to change. The show has gotten me many times before…
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