INTRODUCTION: HOMEWARD BOUND
A couple of weeks ago when I wrote about “Something Nice Back Home”, I likened it to the classic season-finale set-up episode. Well, little did I know that the first hour of the finale “There’s No Place Like Home” would be the actual set-up episode. So now I suppose the former would be the set-up to the set-up episode?
Honestly, I don’t think it was entirely necessary, especially during a season where due to the writer’s strike the storyline had to be condensed into a shorter length of time. The plot just seemed to eek itself forward in this installment, as about half of the time was spent off-island after the Oceanic 6 settle in. Nonetheless, this is LOST, and there is always some meaty pulp which can be strained from the juice.
MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION
As the airplane doors parted, for a brief second I saw the Swan Hatch opening, and wondered if we would see John Locke peering in with a lit torch. One begins to expect such things on a show such as LOST, but what I did not expect was to be reaching for the tissues so early in the episode.
The music and lack of dialogue made the reunion scene quite emotional, as Jack greeted his mother, Hurley greeted his parents, and Sun greeted her mother, while avoiding her father. As Sayid was then pulled aside by Hurley to also be welcomed by the folks, it got to me even more. But the final kick to the heart was when I saw Kate and Aaron all alone, looking around, wind-blown, both of them now without their true parents. It was a very poignant scene when we consider how the theme of parent issues permeates the show.
KEEP THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED
Although the Oceanic press conference was a bit unbelievable, it was also a bit revealing in the way that the O6 answered their questions. We all know they are given a large sum of money by Oceanic Airlines. We also know they are hiding something huge but still don’t know why. Was this their own idea, to fabricate a story to possibly protect the Island and their friends left behind? Did Oceanic actually bribe them to stay quiet with the settlements given out? Or did some representative of Widmore possibly orchestrate their rescue and subsequent cover-up? Who was that mysterious person on the plane that Karen Decker said hello to before she tells the O6 they are about to land?
I found it interesting that the name for the island the O6 first supposedly came to is named ‘Membata’. According to Lostpedia, it means ‘doubt’ in Indonesian, as in, “I doubt that’s what really happened!” In addition, I am wondering if they’re referencing the tsunami of December 2004 when Ms. Decker explains to the press that a typhoon had washed up a small Indonesian fishing boat to the island. It seems to me that we are close to the date in our timeline. I could be totally off with this, however, as time and dates on and off the Island are a bit difficult to pinpoint.
LOVES ME LIKE IRAQ
Sayid is an extremely passionate character, and to me his love story with Nadia is just as iconic as Desmond and Penny, or Sun and Jin. After searching for her for 7 years and returning from the Island, the two are finally reunited in another highly emotional scene.
One complaint that I have heard in my own circles is the frustration with knowing who gets off the Island and what happens in the flash-forwards, as some people believe that this has somewhat ruined the suspense for them. Sometimes I tend to agree, and sometimes, I disagree. I think what the writers are giving us is a very different way of telling a story that we are only beginning to learn the implications and complexity of.
For instance, if we did not know the events that lead up to Sayid being recruited by Ben, this scene would be just a very moving reunion of lovers. However, because we know that sometime not long in the future after they are married Nadia is murdered, another level is added to their meeting. Now the scene evokes emotions that are bittersweet and deeply heartbreaking, as we are already aware that their bliss will unfortunately be short-lived.
FATHER AND DAUGHTER
At this point, I can’t help but wonder if Sun happens to shop at ‘Black and White Maternity Dresses R Us’. But aside from her lack of color, she is certainly not for lack of fire.
Sun marches into her father’s office and does not hesitate to give him a verbal lashing that I doubt anyone saw coming. She defiantly accuses him of hating Jin and being one of the two people responsible for his “death”. In a final, grand act of revenge, she reveals that she used her Oceanic Airlines settlement to purchase a controlling stock in Paik Heavy Industries, her father’s own company.
I am not really concerned with the question of how she had enough money to buy such a large part of the company, even if there does seem to be a plot hole here. What does fascinate me is that the Island, and what happened when she left it, has really changed Sun. Having to part with her husband (whether alive or dead) has given her this edge that has allowed her to confront this hugely oppressive force in her life. It was honestly just plain fun to cheer Sun on and watch Mr. Paik squirm.
I also do not think this is the last we will be seeing of him, as if you remember from The Lost Experience his company is linked to Charles Widmore and most likely to the Island as well. Could this be another reason why Sun bought into Paik? It would be a nice turn of events if we later find out that Sun’s newly acquired resources do indeed come into play in the O6’s return back to the Island.
WHEN NUMBERS GET SERIOUS
I was very moved when Hurley’s father revealed to him the fully-restored Camaro that they had once worked on together when Hurley was just a boy. I almost cried again when Mr. Reyes told him that he felt as if Hurley was with him when he was restoring it. Unfortunately, however, the white rabbit’s foot on his keychain was of no service. As soon as Hurley gets into the car he immediately discovers the NUMBERS on his speedometer and subsequently freaks out. Heck, it even freaked me out, so I give my kudos to the writers for another great ‘whoa’ moment. It would seem that the Island wasted no time in its assault on Hurley’s heart and mind, as he is the first of the O6 to become terribly affected after leaving.
THAT WAS YOUR MOTHER
Although the funeral service for Christian Shepherd seemed a bit forced and untimely, it did serve the purpose of bringing Carole Littleton, Claire’s mother, into the storyline again. Apparently, Ms. Littleton had awakened from the comatose state that Claire had left her in before crashing on the Island. In a very “Star Wars” moment where I could almost hear Emperor Palpatine’s voice speaking over her, Carole reveals to Jack that he has a sister.
Finally, we now know for sure that Jack is aware that Aaron is his nephew. However this now makes his aversion to Aaron even stranger, as there must be some reason that Jack does not want to see this child later on in the future timeline. Even if it is somehow tied to his own manufactured guilt from his failed plan to get everyone off the Island, it seems harsh to me that he would not want to see his own nephew, or provide him with love in memory of the mother who cannot be with him.
There are many cases of character connection on the show, but rarely do the characters themselves actually find out. In a final moment of irony, Carole walks over to Kate and Aaron. She is not at all aware Aaron is actually Claire’s child, and she looks at him admiringly for a moment before telling Kate that he is beautiful. There must be some very big reason the O6 are keeping to their story if they cannot even allow a grieving grandmother to know her only grandson.
ONE TRICK PONY
Poor Jack. He really hasn’t been making the best decisions lately. Make that all season. His heart is in the right place, but his mind is still stuck in hero mode. So it is only fitting that he decides to go traipsing off into the jungle after helicopter pilot extraordinaire Frank Lapidus and the Agents of Doom he doesn’t know are flying with him. Perhaps if Juliette had done a better job of stitching him up, maybe we wouldn’t need to worry about his guts falling out. Kate doesn’t seem overly concerned, though. I think she takes any opportunity she can get to spend some alone time with the Doc, even if he is bleeding profusely from an open flesh wound. That’s just love juice, baby.
Enter one overly casual Miles and one overly distressed Sawyer with child. I give this scene entirely to Josh Holloway, as once again my heartstrings were totally tugged upon. He did a brilliant job of expressing extreme exhaustion, disbelief, sadness, and fear all within a few seconds and all without saying a word.
However, it doesn’t take long for him and Jack to begin arguing about their previous decisions and about what to do next. In a classic Sawyer and Jack game of verbal table-tennis, Sawyer calls Jack out on how he constantly feels like he has to get everyone off the Island saying, “You’re like a damn broken record!” Jack then spins right round and decides to continue the trek alone to Kate’s dismay. I can’t tell if the look of shock on her face is for fear of Jack’s life, or for fear of sudden motherhood.
Nonetheless, the scene is closed with another classic line as Sawyer begrudgingly stomps off after Jack yelling, “Hold up! You don’t get to die alone!” Sawyer is now in hero mode as well, and the two of them disappear into the greenery to more than likely join the party that’s about to go down at the Orchid Station.
SAVE THE LIFE OF MY CHILD
Meanwhile, back at the beach, Sayid arrives with the zodiac boat he borrowed from the freighter to further separate the survivors and make us have to speculate even harder about how the O6 actually get back together and escape the Island. Kate also returns and plays hot-potato with Aaron, passing him off to Sun with a quickness so that she can run back into the jungle after Jack.
And who would have thought that Daniel Faraday, the lying, time-traveling physicist with memory issues, would step up and actually participate in trying to save the Islanders? Somebody mentioned the Orchid and that freaked Danny boy the heck out. As Sayid and Kate run off into the jungle after Sawyer and Jack, Dan starts the first ferry of 6 back to the freighter. This first batch includes Jin, Sun, Aaron, and some redshirts to mix it up and make it seem more natural. When Dan starts to pull away, he turns back to Charlotte who is watching from the shoreline and gives her a look that I could only interpret as, “I sure hope I don’t die!” Charlotte also gives him a look in return that I interpreted as, “I’m sure glad Jin isn’t going to break your fingers now!”
THE BOXER
Well it didn’t take long for Ben to be back to his old, cryptic self. I wonder if his moping around in “Cabin Fever” was indeed just an act in order to manipulate Locke. Once they learned they needed to move the Island, Ben seems to have sprung back into his ‘game-master’ role, and even makes a pit stop to uncover a conveniently placed BOX of supplies hidden under a rock. Even more convenient is the person perched on the mountainside already prepared to send messages to Ben via a signaling mirror. Who was Ben communicating with and what was he saying that he had to keep secret from Locke? Was he telling the Others, who had sought refuge at a place called the Temple, to now meet them at the Orchid? What does he know that made it so easy for him to turn himself over to Keamy and Co.? And why do I have that feeling again that somehow Ben has experienced all of these events before?
OLD FRIENDS
I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see the Others, and when Kate first mentions the tracks she found had doubled back behind them, I just knew we were going to have another reference to “The Hunting Party”. When Kate and Sayid wouldn’t put down the guns they had aimed at Richard, another “Light ‘em up” moment occurs and the sounds of guns being aimed at our two O6’ers can be heard as the Others pop out of the jungle from all directions.
After realizing they are totally surrounded, Kate and Sayid surrender and are marched along with the shabby-clothed company towards some unknown destination. If my previous thought that Ben was communicating with them earlier via the mirror is indeed correct, I have a feeling they may indeed also be heading to the Orchid.
THE BIG BRIGHT GREEN PLEASURE MACHINE
The Orchid Station has been one of my biggest curiosities and source for theories about the show since it was first shown to us in the form of an orientation film released last summer. In this film, Dr. Halliwax briefly mentions the purpose of the research being done there saying, “The unique properties of this Island created a kind of Casimir effect”, which is an actual force in quantum physics involving electromagnetic fields.
Exotic matter with negative energy density is required to stabilize a wormhole. Morris, Thorne and Yurtsever pointed out that the quantum mechanics of the Casimir effect can be used to produce a locally mass-negative region of space-time, and suggested that negative effect could be used to stabilize a wormhole to allow faster than light travel.
-- from Wikipedia
He also describes their studies as “highly volatile and potentially dangerous”. This seems to correlate with what Ben tells Hurley about moving the Island, as he says, “doing it is both dangerous and unpredictable. It's a measure of last resort.”
With everything that we have learned so far, I have a hunch that moving the island is going to involve creating another kind of purple-sky event like we witnessed during the Swan Hatch implosion. The best I can describe what I believe will happen is that entire “snow globe” around the island is going to be manipulated along with its naturally-occurring electromagnetic forces to basically create a wormhole around the entire Island, allowing it to slip slide away…
CONCLUSION: EVERYTHING PUT TOGETHER FALLS APART
Yet another level of duality can be discerned in this installment, as we have now seen both reunions and separations. As soon as I thought everyone was going to be meeting up in one place, the writers throw us a curveball of chaos, and our O6 become scattered even further apart than before. At least in the previous episode they were all on the Island. However, now we have some of our cast still on the beach and some of them at the Orchid. In addition, Kate and Sayid have now been captured by the Others, though I believe they too are headed to the former greenhouse station. Finally, we even have some of our O6 seeking refuge on the freighter which seems doomed to explode at any moment via that truckload of C4 that’s somehow connected to the device strapped around Martin Keamy’s arm.
The beginning of this episode is also the end product of the events that are about to take place. Sun didn’t even need to tell Jack that they were in shock, it was obvious. One can only guess that the group left in a hurry and under extremely extenuating circumstances. Whatever we are about to see the Orchid do, it is going to quite possibly make true a small, two-word mantra we first learned from that creepy brainwashing video in the notorious Room 23.
Everything changes.
a.N
*I write about LOST because I love the challenge of deciphering the clues and adding the pieces together. My thoughts are based solely on the show, the LOST Experience, and random research, as I try to avoid spoilers, promos, and even future episode titles. I love to guess what is going on, but I also like to do so in a way that leaves some of the conclusions still up to you. I do not know the answers and am often wrong. Whatever the truth turns out to be, it has been the journey that has meant the most to me.*
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