LOST: Season 4 Episode 9 - The Shape of Things to Come

Good Morning LOSTIES! Seems like ages since we last talked!! Well, that is, unless you were part of the 175 Comment debate on "Meet Kevin Johnson" and/or Time Bubbles! (wha???) A LOST hiatus can drive even the most sane people mad! Lots of Post Writers Strike drama if you hadn't been keeping up! We're getting a 3 hour finale now (for starters)! Part one airs May 14th, May 22nd there will be no LOST episode. But May 29th you can treat yourself to part 1 again followed by the 2 hour PART II to give a fitting end to season 4! Lots of pondering to the "MYSTERY SCENE" dubbed the "Frozen Donkey Wheel" by the producers. What will be our "FLASH FORWARD" -like game changer this season? Rumor has it that they're going to blow our minds again! But hey, who needs to wait until May 29th for some Mind Blowing action? I think we had more than enough in the grand post-strike returning Ben-centric episode "The Shape of Things to Come!" Lots of gunfire, globe-trotting, Smoke-Train devouring, Sawyer nicknaming, Stomach cramping, shoulder revealing, "red-shirt" dying, more dramatic dying to keep everyone on their toes the whole episode. Not to mention the mini-game changing end scene. Kids, hope you were buckled in Thursday night because this ain't your Old Man's LOST anymore! If the first 8 episodes were kicked into overdrive, I don't know how we can explain the "shape" of the 5 that are to come! All I can say is hold on for dear life because here.......come........the.........WOWs!!!!!!!!!

So where to begin? Well, we kick things off pretty much where we left off. There was an imminent threat on the island that attacked Alex, Rousseau and Karl. (I guess we need to assume for now that Rousseau and Karl kicked the bucket, but I don't recall any confirmation in this episode. Did anyone else catch anything?). This sets Camp Lockeness in motion. Meanwhile, Jack and crew are still left hopeless waiting for word from the freighter (thank God that story looks like it's finally going somewhere!) And while all of this is going on, we see quite another side of Benjamen Linus in what seemed like a TREK to the future but justified by Ben as a flash forward. That crazy Ben may even lie to the audience too! Yikes! And drama ensues as always....let's dig in!

Camp Shephard and the Stomach Pains (better band name than Driveshaft?)

We begin our tale on a shot of a calm ocean. Kate is rolling her shirt down to show off her shoulders to Jack. Yeah Jaters get excited! Jack smiles but then reveals he's taking some antibiotics to kill a stomach bug he's been having. Well, I was starting to think if the Time-hopping wasn't the "SICKNESS" that Rousseau's crew had, then maybe Jack was getting it. However, previews for next week suggest otherwise. (Have I mentioned how I cannot resist previews but sometimes hate them???) But just when you think Kate is going to make Jack some chicken soup and they're going to fall in loooooooove, naturally a dead body comes ashore!

• Who is it? Why it's the DOC from the freighter with a slit throat! Daniel makes another reference to time being a factor but then Charlotte quickly stops him again.
• Daniel decides to be all Sayid-like and fix the SAT phone to be able to transmit messages to the freighter a la Morse Code. To make a long story short, Daniel fixes the phone and transmits a message "What happened to the doc?" he receives a very long message back and pretty much just said the "helicopters" are bringing your friends back. Well, at least Bernard decided to make yet another Rose-less appearance this week to reveal to us he knows Morse Code! Because what the message really said was "What are you talking about? The Doc is fine!!" Okay, here's 2 questions....who on the freighter knows Morse Code now that their communications guy is dead? And WHAT???? Doc is soooo dead on the island but alive on the freighter? Is someone pulling our chain or is there definite Time-differentials going on here? This would seem to imply that the BODY (not just the mind) can appear in different times too. And it kinda makes me like the theory going around that when the Oceanic 6 make their return, they will come to the island possibly in the PAST and be the people hiding in the Temple, and the ones Whispering in the jungle the past 4 seasons, AND might just be the ones that bring 10 year old Walt to the island and allow him to grow and become a teenager in a few months time! But of course, this is all speculation, and it is based on lots of our 175 comments the past 5 weeks and EW's Doc Jensen's ramblings. But with dead Doc showing up on island but being alive and well on the freighter, just seems to make this BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE/ Harry Potter 3 scenario possible!
• Okay but besides all of that, how about WHINY JACK returning??? When it's in small doses, I kinda dig it! But season 3? A little too much whiny jack! But he went off on Daniel this week and asked if they were ever planning on rescuing the 815 survivors? The answer? No man, Locke and Ben were totally right. You are so going to grow a beard in a few years and try to jump off a bridge! And then enter the stomach pains getting worse and worse. Looks like Jack is going down for the count, and in case you didn't watch the preview I won't spoil why (for now).
  
  

Camp Lockeness and the Smokey Brigade

We open this storyline with Alex's captors taking her to the Sonic Fence and asking her to enter the code. This triggers the Bat Phone in Ben's house which Locke answers. "Code 14J.......CODE 14J!!!!" They ponder for 5 minutes then go ask Ben what it is....then we start our roller coaster ride of a thriller! Ben cries "They're here!!!" and yours truly realizes how dumb he was at the end of episode 8 "Meet Kevin Johnson."

• In my defense, I am taking notes an entire episode and then waking up at 6am to get to work on these things! So sometimes not putting together the most obvious things is where I look to our fabulous readers to help me out! I am sorry for steering everyone wrong suggesting that Alex/Rousseau/Karl's attackers may have been the "STEALTHY OTHERS" that have seemed to all but disappear (I still want to know what that was all about though!). No, it was way more obvious. We saw Keamy in Michael's flashback shooting at Clay pigeons with a machine gun and quite enjoying himself. We also see Keamy and Frank getting ready for a mission to the island. And then we start seeing people getting sniped on the island after Ben suggested they were coming to kill everyone. How I did not put together that Keamy was Alex's captor is beyond me! But I was quickly corrected in the comments of episode 8's blog. So thanks for keeping me on my toes readers!
• Anyway, Ben gets in defensive mode and tries to get Hurley, Sawyer, Aaron and Locke to join him in his house and to barricade it. But Sawyer isn't going without Claire! The all get their GUNS ON and get moving.
• So you gotta love the random survivors (which we'll refer to as RED-SHIRTS, just like Boone did while referring to Star Trek in season 1) that went with Locke's crew that just show up and get these one-liners in right before they get shot by Team Keamy!
• You also have to laugh at how Sawyer was only concerned with getting Claire when there when these red-shirts seemingly have been on the island just as long as all the other survivors. But alas, they all get left behind! Unless we're to assume there were only 2 other people and they both were killed!
• Oh, I have to interrupt my own story here...how about Locke, Sawyer and Hurley playing Risk at the beginning of the episode? While it was totally predictable that this is what they were doing should we be looking into Hurley's comment "Australia is key to the whole game" (naturally, I'm paraphrasing)?
• Back to the story! There's guns ablazin everywhere, Sawyer is shooting back. Thankfully, Keamy's crew has the aim of your average Storm Trooper. But they do blow up a House and somehow avoid killing Claire. Sawyer rescues her. Have to love how unconscious Claire mentioned Charlie. Our first Post-Strike episode indicating that the writers acknowledge Claire seemingly getting over Charlie so quickly. This was a nice touch.
• And after Hurley finishes his make-shift crib for Aaron out of a pillow and laundry basket (awwwww) he finds time to break a window against Ben's orders to get Sawyer and Claire inside.
• And of course Miles rings the doorbell and they just let him in. He's got a walkie talkie, announces they have Alex...and the negotiations begin.
• Ben and Keamy have a standoff, Ben mentions everything he knows about Keamy. His name is Martin, he's an ex-marine but joined some mercenary forces and he is clear to mention an infamous stint in Uganda. Hmmm perhaps a flashback coming up in that category?
• Keamy has a gun to Alex's head but Ben tries to call his bluff and starts ranting off how Alex means nothing to him, a bargaining chip at best. He kidnapped her from a crazy lady when she was an infant. yada yada yada......BANG. Alex falls to the ground. "He changed the rules!! TO THE BAT CAVE ROBIN!" (RIP Alex by the way, totally did not see that coming)
• Ben runs to his secret room but then reveals another secret. There is some ancient cave behind another wall with some hieroglyphics on it. Analyze to your delight!
• My initial thought was he went on a time traveling adventure (that we see in his flash) but then I realized I was just being silly. He wasn't wearing a DHARMA Parka from the Orchid station, duh!! (more on that in a bit). It turns out he wasn't being completely honest when he told Locke that he didn't know anything about the smoke monster. Apparently, he has the ability to summon it and possibly to command it! I wonder if he was ALWAYS behind Smokey's appearances? Probably not as he makes reference to Jacob later (who has all the answers).
• Anyway, Smokey arrives in grand fashion plowing through OTHERSVILLE (newly dubbed Camp Lockeness!) and taking care of the Freighter Mercenaries (well most of them, as we see in the previews yet again, someone made it out of there). But the producers promised every time we see smokey, we'll see a new aspect of it. Well the train-like motion that it entered with was pretty crazy as well as the flashing lights all throughout the smoke. While it took on a different shape, I believe Ben summoning it is the big reveal this time. Whatever it was, it was totally cool. This is the first time, Smokey also was used to HELP our survivors rather than be used against them. Check out below and analyze to your delight!
  
  
• We see Ben say goodbye to Alex. Pretty touching stuff. Crazy kidnapping Ben actually shows emotion!
• Okay so next move for the Locke/Ben brain trust? They need to seek out Jacob and need Hurley to find him (because he saw the shack in the season premiere).
• Sawyer has finally had enough and he wants to take Claire, Aaron and Chicken Little (had to get the new Hurley nickname in at some point!) back to the beach. SKATERS get excited! Jaters beware!
• Revision: WHOOPS! Miles goes with Sawyer's crew too
• Locke and Sawyer get in a stand-off over Hurley. Not wanting to cause trouble (and possibly intrigued by Jacob), Hurley decides to stay with Ben and Locke. And thus, Team Locke is disbanded and any remaining Red-Shirts that were with them are totally unaccounted for! (I guess they're only there when it's convenient for the show!)
• We're off to see the Wizard...the wonderful wizard of.... Stay Tuned!
  

The Linus Time Continuum

Okay, so this was one crazy FLASH of something for Ben! We open up with him in the middle of the Sahara Desert decked out in a Dharma Parka. From Ben's behavior, it seems that he was just placed there, kinda like transported!

• Lots to discuss here. For instance, why a PARKA? Was he in a cold location prior to his relocation? Is it related to our friends in the arctic at the end of season 2?
• How about that Logo? Is it the logo of the long-discussed ORCHID STATION? (if you haven't seen the Orchid Video teaser for season 4 yet, you better do some brushing up! Click here)
• I forgot to mention the parka reveals the name Hallowax, referring to Dr. Edgard Hallowax, another alias for Dr. Marvin Candle of DHARMA Video fame. It is the name he uses in said Orchid Video, further tying it all together.
  
• The Orchid Station is rumored to play a key role in the events leading to the finale. And it also seems to play a key role in time travel, displayed by the Bunny appearing out of nowhere. Hmmm kinda like Ben appeared in the Sahara Desert (which we later realize he's near Tunisia). Hmmm kinda like a DHARMA Polar Bear was found in the middle of the desert and seemed to have been there for many many many many years to decay the way it did. Hmmm and Polar Bears come from cold climates too, just like Ben appeared to have come from with his Parka! Are we all making the connection here yet folks? Are you starting to believe my rants that there might be some TIME PORTAL into Tunisia off the island? And if this is true, is there one close to Nigeria and one in the Indian Ocean too?
• Ben gets captured by some members of Al Qaeda (well I don't know who they really were but they didn't look friendly!) And he shows that he is not just Island-lying Ben. He's BENJAMEN "Jason" BOURNE! He showed those crazy gun wielding crazies who was boss and totally took control of the situation. Who IS this guy??? Ben takes the horse and rides into the sunset.
• He gets to Tozeur, Tunisia revealing that he has been there before (long before). But then he interestingly asks the year. October 24th, 2005 (one year, 1 month and 2 days after the 815 crash). So the question is, has it really been that long for Ben? It would seem from later events that the death of Alex is very fresh in his head during this "venture." Perhaps when the Oceanic 6 are getting off of the island, we'll see Ben venturing to this Orchid station and finding his way off the island as well to prepare for the LOST End Game. All speculation naturally!
• While he is in Tunisia, he sees Sayid on TV (due to his Oceanic 6 fame) whose wife has just died. Well we got our answer to Sayid finding Nadia kids. He sure does and they lived in Los Angeles for a little while before one of Widmore's goons killed Nadia.
• Naturally, this leads to a meeting in Iraq for Ben and Sayid for the Nadia funeral. Sayid runs after Ben and rants about people spying on him! (probably a reference to whoever is sponsoring this Oceanic 6 campaign) Once realizing it is Ben he asks how Ben gets off the island (further going to my theory that Ben was going to Orchid station in parallel to the Oceanic 6 getting off the island. This confirms Ben did not hitch a ride with the Oceanic 6)
• Ben gives the story that he used Desmond's sailboat following a bearing to Fiji. Very plausible since he was very persistent on getting Desmond's boat in season 3, except for the whole snowglobe thing with Desmond trying to leave the island. It would seem that bearing 305 is the only way off (but we still didn't see HOW Michael and Walt found rescue). I dunno, Ben lies all the time and this would seem to be another case. What does he gain by lying to Sayid? No clue.
• Anyway, long story short Ben tracks down Nadia's killer who is a Widmore goon. He wanted to deliver a message to Widmore but Sayid ended up unloading his gun onto the assassin. Sayid complains about his 8 year search for Nadia, finding her marrying her and then her getting killed. His life is over and now wants to go for Widmore too. Thus, we get our Sayid/Ben connection. And Ben gets Sayid a hair straightener. He says he'll be in touch, which we must assume leads to Sayid's eventual flashforward. Of course, in that flash it seemed like he is feeling pressured by Ben to complete these tasks. I can only assume it took its toll on Sayid because he developed feelings for his target.
• We then follow Ben to London where he keys his way into Charles Widmore's penthouse and see the 1st meeting of the minds (well, for the audience. it would seem these 2 have known each other for quite some time).
• Charles seemed to be expecting Ben. He said that he started sleeping with Scotch by the bed (McCutcheon' again). He responded "When the Nightmares started." Immediately I made the connection. Charles has been to the island before! And then I started to think more. Wait, Jack started drinking after the island, his father was an alcoholic. Could they be suffering from similar nightmares? Is this further proof that Christian Shephard was also an island dweller previously? This also seems to indicate that Charles knew Desmond was island bound when he went on the sailing race and that he knew what was going on with Desmond at the auction. Perhaps he wanted to keep Desmond and Penny in touch because he knew Desmond was the only chance at keeping Penny alive? (hmm more on that in a few)
• Charles claims that the island was HIS before it was Ben's. It seems like these two used to be acquaintances. Maybe Charles Widmore is the backer of DHARMA (as previously pondered) and is pretty P.O.'d at Ben for participating in the PURGE of the DHARMA folk. It would explain them knowing about the Tempest Station and wanting to dismantle it. But would Widmore claim ownership of the island over the island natives?
• Basically Ben's visit to Charles came down to one thing, he accuses Charles of killing Alex. Charles insists Ben did it to himself. Ben references the RULE CHANGING again. What rules??? Ben has become determined to find Penny Widmore and kill her so that Charles can share in the pain. Charles claims Ben will never find Penny. Ben claims Charles will never find the island. THE HUNT IS ON!

BOOM! LOST!!!!!!

Okay, well let me be the first to say, while I love the character of Ben, they better not go near actually killing Penny! I'm a realist, the chance of LOST having a happy ending for everyone is slim to none. But come on! DEZ and Penny MUST have a happy ending! All of the viewers are invested in their eventual reunion! I wouldn't be too upset if these events set up the eventual Desmond/Ben stand-off. Of course, Jack/Ben standoffs are a good time too! Who knows what's gonna go down on this crazy show? We have 39 more hours to go!

COFFIN WATCH

I'm going to skip the Coffin Watch for this week, but I'm going to suggest that it's NOT Ben at this point. It could be due to possible time differences between him working with Sayid and Bearded Suicidal Jack going to the funeral. But I just don't see Ben being dead before the Oceanic 6 head back to the Island. Of course Ben possibly being dead in one time period, doesn't mean he couldn't still be alive in another, case in point...FREIGHTER DOC! I still am leaning towards Michael. But we shall see! I guess I didn't skip the Coffin Watch!

That's it LOSTIES! Hope you enjoyed my ramblings as much as I enjoyed writing them! Please comment away with your thoughts. I won't be around much today, but will try to catch up tomorrow! See you next week!

LOST: Season 4 Episode 8 - Meet Kevin Johnson

Good Morning Losties!! Well, there's definitely plenty for us to debate for 5 weeks! And I'm glad that we got this episode before the break instead of having "Ji Yeon" as our "LOGICAL BREAK" episode. They did say that the 8th and final pre-strike episode DID end with a sort of cliff-hanger but yeah it was not one that we'd want to sit on until Season 5! I've been told that I have been dishing out the WOWs too often these days for episodes and that the last 2 weeks were stinkers compared to "THE CONSTANT." Come on guys! I'm in a no win situation! Some people read this blog just to read that WOW! I mean the episode really really has to be bad to not get a WOW (you know like Jack hanging out with Bai Ling and getting tattoos bad!). But the EMPHASIS of the WOW is where we must now focus our energy! If you recall, the CONSTANT got 3 plus many exclamations! Now, while we DID get our questions answered in "Meet Kevin Johnson" and found out exactly where Michael (and Walt to some extent) have been since they left the island, I do not feel that the episode earned a TRIPLE WOW rating (which, must now be the standard which all LOST episodes must be compared!). However, there are always moments in each episode where LOST earns its stripes and gives me that WOW feeling! And that came to me in the final seconds of the episode. Michael was never the most interesting character on the show, but his absence is what has made people intrigued. And I actually got excited when the "PREVIOUSLY ON LOST" captured one of our early experiences of him yelling "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALT!" A hint of things to come! Anyway, "Meet Kevin Johnson" had enough reveals and suspense to grant it the WOW! rating! Let's discuss!


So there were really 2 storylines in tonight's episode and they all had to do with learning more about the Freighter crew and the imminent war between Ben and Charles Widmore. On the freighter we had a continously whiny Sayid doing what he does best and interrogating Michael so that we get his backstory (poor Desmond may have said 2 words if that). And at CAMP LOCKENESS (ooh i like that!) Ben was explaining to his new friends why he is no longer a prisoner and attempting to get his "DAUGHTER" to safety. The majority of the episode was filling in the blanks of where Michael has been since he took that bearing of 325 off the island. Let's break it down!

Meeting Kevin Johnson

Current Day

• As I stated before, Sayid must be still upset with his Lima Bean meals because he is one cranky Iraqi! There was a fight up on deck and the Captain was beating everyone to a pulp stating that he was doing it for everyone's safety. We see freighter crew trying to jump ship and take the smaller boat to the island. There are some crazy ISLAND effects happening on that Boat! Nothing new there. Anyway, Sayid starts stalking Michael (errr Kevin) until he finds him down in the Engine Room and turns into PSEUDO TORTURE SAYID! "YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN SINCE YOU LEFT THIS EYEEEELAND!!!!"
• "MAAAAN this ain't the time for that! I gotta DIE man!!!"
• "NO YOU WILLLL TELL ME!!!!! I NEED A GOOD MEAL AND A ROOM WITH NO RATS! I LIVED IN IRAQ FOR A MAJORITY OF MY LIFE AND ON A SCARY ISLAND FOR 100 DAYS! I AM ANGRY SAYID! GIVE ME ANSWERS!"
• "Well why didn't you just say so maaaaan? Let me tell you about everything I am doing for my boy WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALT!!!!!"
• Ok in all seriousness Sayid is just angry that Michael killed Ana Lucia and Libby and then left the island and is now reporting to Ben and he wants answers! Michael flashes back to fill us in on what's been going on and yes it's all to keep his boy WAAAAALT safe!
• woooooooooosh And we FLASH

FLASHBACK

• We flash to an off-island Michael writing a letter which we find out to be a suicide note to his son.
• Michael gets in his 70's car (trying to throw us off to when this flash was taking place maybe?) and on the radio he hear's Mama Cass's "It's Getting Better." If you recall, Desmond was listening to Mama Cass's "Make Your Own Kind of Music" in the hatch. Damon Lindelof has mentioned a couple times that the music he uses on the show is music that he grew up listening to with his mother. But there could be an ISLAND linkage here too.
• Anyway, Michael takes his car, says "I'm sorry", pins the suicide note to himself and drives straight into a dumpster. Yet, when it appears he should have died, he finds himself in the hospital...DUM DUM DUMMMMMMM
• And while he's in the hospital he gets an off-island vision of LIBBY! Libby returns to LOST, not the way we intended her to though. We thought we'd see her in other people's flashbacks but in the flesh! Anyway, if you notice in this vision Libby is carrying blankets and that's exactly how she looked when Michael shot her. She's doing one crazy haunting job on Michael.
  
• The vision of Libby and the Christmas tree help to set the timeframe of this flash. Considering Michael was on the freighter on Christmas eve and he's seeing LIBBY this was definitely a flashback after he left the island and prior to his running into Sayid and Desmond on the freighter. So we're looking at either late November early December. Naturally, they did not show us exactly HOW Michael found rescue off of the island. This continues the trend of us not seeing anyone arrive or leave the island. The closest I think we've gotten is seeing the chopper leave the island and we know what that did to Desmond! And we see what's happening to the freighter crew! Something tells me they are still holding back that big reveal for awhile. But it also could've just been yet another way not to show us WALT again because the actor is 4 years older than he was when the show started. And yep, they keep telling us that they will address this on the show and that it started with them showing "TALLER GHOST WALT" to Locke in the season 3 finale. But they made it additionally confusing by apparently SHOWING Walt in this flashback in a window (and a bad acting DOUBLE at that!)
• If you notice in the Hospital, Michael is remaining anonymous. Libby calls him Mr. Dawson but the actual Nurse asks his name and he won't reveal. All she knows is WALT because of the note pinned to the chest.
• So yeah Michael visits his mother (I was trying to figure out if this was the same woman that we see in the Miles flashback where there was a death to a boy and a "ghost" haunting the house. I don't think it was though). His mother is one upset lady because she assumed Michael and Walt died in the Oceanic 815 crash. And Michael is living with the guilt of what he did to get off the island and never told his Mom or anyone what happened with the crash or anything. Mom is frustrated because she is not allowed to talk about the subject or answer anyone's questions. So did Michael tell her ANYTHING? He took another flight maybe? One thing we know is, there was a falling out with Michael and Walt and we eventually find out that it had to do with Michael telling Walt what he did to get him back (killed Ana Lucia/Libby, set up his friends in a trap).
  
• Next we see Michael trying to pawn Jin's Watch. If you recall Jin tried to kill Michael in season 1 when he saw Michael wearing it. But eventually after they became friends Jin gave the watch to Michael.
• Anyway, Michael pawns it for a gun and loads that puppy up. And just as I was about to make my prediction that he won't be able to kill himself, TOM shows up Off-Island!
• We confirm Michael is in New York. You'll have to tune into my COFFIN WATCH segment below for why I find this important!
• Michael and Tom get into a little scuffle. In short Tom is asking for help. We find out that Michael told Walt about Ana Lucia/Libby and can't live with the guilt. But the big reveal is that Michael cannot kill himself because the Island won't let him. (see? predicition right!) Well, this is interesting. Tom says Michael still has work to do. Just like "Taller Ghost Walt" told Locke he had work to do. Just like (in the missing pieces mobisode) Christian Shephard says that Jack "...has work to do." Then you start looking back at past episodes. Locke tries to shoot himself, Walt appears and tells him his work is not finished. Jack tries to kill himself in the future and he is distracted by a car accident where he needs to FIX something. Woaaaaaa kids! I think we stumbled upon something. Tie this into Michael's Libby visions and Hurley's Charlie visions and we know that the ISLAND really never left these people that left IT!
• Just for added effect, we see Michael TRY to pull the trigger and when he did the bullets would not come out. An old Game Show (important? I heard Kurt Vonnegut mentioned) is interrupted to bring news that the Oceanic Flight 815 wreckage was found.
• All of this inspires Michael to believe Tom and seek him out at the Penthouse at the Hotel Earl. When we get there we see Tom entertaining his BOY TOY. Yes my friends it has finally been confirmed after Tom telling Kate "you're not my type" that Tom is a bona fide gay man who likes to INDULGE when he's off of the island. Of course take this a step further with him wearing costume beards and makeup on island and he could be a GAY ACTOR. Well, it wouldn't be the first one! (not that there's anything wrong with that!)
• Michael asks Tom if "you people" can just leave the island whenever they want. Tom's response "SOME OF US" hmmmmm Maybe Tom is one of the natives? We have seen Tom, Ethan and Richard appear off island now. And of course we have seen Ben in the future. But do you recall when Ben told Tom (11/1/2009 oops, rewatched Man from Tallahassee...it was RICHARD he told)  to "get me the man from tallahassee" and they got him there within hours? How did this happen? Can Tom magically transport himself anywhere off island kind of like a DHARMA Polar Bear into Tunisia? Does this help us tie the Nigerian Drug Plane ending up on the island? Does it help us with the Black Rock ending up in the South Pacific when it was really in the Indian Ocean? Is it all connected? Well you would think they'd be able to come up with one answer to tie all of that together wouldn't you??? But in the meantime....what about all of this nonsense about the Sky Turning purple end distrupting their communications off island? Was Tom full of it? I mean, sure they can't talk to people off island but Tom can just freely leave the island?
• Oh and after Tom sends Michael on his mission (which we'll get to) do you think he stayed back and captured Walt and brought him BACK to the island causing this GROWTH ISSUE? We know Walt appeared to Shannon and Sayid too and he was on island at that point too. Hmmmmm. So many possibilities.
• So Tom explains that Charles Widmore is behind the PHONY FLIGHT 815 crash. He staged a fake crash so that only HE knew of the island's existence and what really happened to Oceanic 815. Michael wants proof. Tom shows Michael paperwork and photographs commissioning the job. Pictures of 324 empy grave sites in Thailand (speaking of Jack Tattoo episodes), paperwork commissioning the ordering of a 777 PLANE that was sent down to depths that would never cause a RECOVERY mission of the bodies. Only a man with incredible amounts of money and resources could pull this off. And we now have our two stories. Widmore is Behind it, Ben is behind it. Which do YOU believe? Sounds like we won't be finding out this season! Keep in mind that the news report said that they would be unable to retrieve the Black Box so the mystery of the crash will remain a mystery. Yet, we saw Captain Gault with this Black Box in last week's episode. hmmmm Does this clue us in a bit? I have no idea!
  
• Anyway, Tom recruits Michael's help to save his FRIENDS: The REAL Oceanic 815 crew. A freighter is leaving Fiji in a few days. They have reason to believe that Widmore finally has the coordinates to the island. Hmmm, perhaps due to an electro-magnetic EVENT that occurred a few weeks prior? Is Penny linked to this somehow by accident? She knows of the island, her people found the coordinates. Was Charles tapping into this information or are they working together? Does Penny think her father is trying to HELP her find Desmond when he really just wants the island? There's a whole story there that we're not seeing yet!
• But in the meatime, Tom tells Michael he's going to be on this boat under the identity of Kevin Johnson - Deckhand and will KILL everyone on the boat. This is Michael's chance to redeem himself to everyone on the island. You would think in Michael's head if he redeems himself then maybe his son will forgive him too. This is reemphasized by a comment that Pimp Daddy Tom makes.
  
• So next we see Kevin is reporting to duty in Fiji. He runs into all of our new friends Naomi, George Minkowski, Miles, Keamy. At first he thinks these are good people and starts to get cold feet. Tom is there via cellphone to remind him of some other names that would die if he didn't finish his task (Sun, Sawyer, Jack, Claire and her baby).
• Michael guesses that Naomi is from Manchester. Is that because he recognized a distinct British accent due to him knowing Charlie? Bizarre.
• Miles knows that Michael is "NOT Kevin Johnson" right away further making this one weird dude. Does he just get a read on people? Or did he recognize Mr. Johnson? He also mentioned that 80% of the people on the boat are lying about something. Kinda like Miles is lying about why he is there with the whole 3.2 Million dollar request from Ben.
• During the voyage we see a debate between Frank and Naomi about being the first to fly to the island. Naomi says she has "need to know" business to take care of on the island first and "you don't need to know" Well if everyone else was there to grab Ben, then what was Naomi doing there first? Confirming if there were survivors of Flight 815? Something else that she never got around to?
• Frank and Michael have a chat and Frank reveals that he thinks that the Flight 815 crash they are all aware of is a conspiracy and that he and the captain believe this too. And they also think they may run into survivors on this island. Hmmm where did they get this information???? We still don't quite know!
• Okay, I may be skipping a few scenes now (after my play by play by play!) but we eventually see Michael open his mystery crate and there is loads of C4 inside with an "execute button" (we sure love those!) Eventually Michael sees Keamy shooting his Machine Gun at some clay pigeons and starts to suspect that maybe these are bad people. He goes into the engine room and sets up the bomb and presses execute. A note pops up and says "Not Yet"
• Probably also worth mentioning that Michael sees another vision of Libby saying "don't do it Michael!!" What is it all about? Stay tuned to ALL VISION EXPLANATIONS in a future season!
• Michael gets a call from who he thinks is Walt. It turns out to be Ben talking through a radio in his secret closet. Ben said he wanted to prove to Michael what kind of a person he IS NOT. He is not a murderer. Well...he says he won't kill "INNOCENT" people and there are innocent people onboard. When Michael asks of Ana Lucia and Libby, Ben clarifies that "MICHAEL" killed them. Well well well how convenient? Ben tries to state one more time that he is one of the good guys. He tasks Michael with creating a list (Ben loves those lists!) of everyone onboard, and then to sabotage the communications room and when they go to investigate this, sabotage the engine room and ensure that the freighter would NEVER reach the island. Man, talk about being one step ahead of everyone else. Ben sure knows a lot! Cue all Time Traveling theories again! So we tie together all of the freighter mysteries that have been occuring over the last few episodes with one conversation from Ben. Michael apparently accepts this task because it all unfolded on the ship.

Return to Present Day

• Sayid confirms with Michael that he is indeed working for Ben. Michael says yes. Having already been informed by Captain Gault of the OTHER OCEANIC 815 story, Sayid is a quick believer and HATER of all things Ben! He brings Michael to the captain and reveals that he is NOT Kevin Johnson but the freighter's SABATEUR!
• And that's all we get from that storyline for 5 weeks folks!

CAMP LOCKENESS

• So there is a meeting at Locke (well Ben's) house with all of our favorites present: Claire, Aaron, Sawyer, Hurley, Rousseau, Alex, Karl and Ben. Locke brings captive Miles to everyone to unload some information. They want Ben (nothing new) but Ben confirms that their orders are to kill everyone on island once they have him. How do they know this?
• Ben reveals his spy on the boat is Michael much to Sawyer's disgust. I guess Ben had asked Locke to sit down in a previous episode because he had to tell him how he sent Tom off-island to get Michael? Or just the fact that Michael is still working for Ben would be considered a shock? I think the fact that we knew last summer that Michael was returning to the show took away from many of these "You better sit down" moments! So we'll just have to live with that!
• Miles makes a comment to Sawyer and Locke that Ben WILL find a way to get him his 3.2 million referencing how Ben had a Gun to his head a few days back and now he's eating poundcake. He's a man that gets what he wants. Well he sure is.
• He is able to convince Rousseau, Alex and Karl that Alex is in danger if Widmore's crew ever gets to the island. If they found out Alex was his daughter they'd be able to use her as leverage. Ben pulls out a map and makes reference FINALLY to the TEMPLE where the rest of the OTHERS are. It's a sanctuary for THEIR people (not the 815ers). Go ahead and compare and contrast the FREIGHTER FOLK's map to the tempest vs. the map to the Temple. Anyone else notice that the TEMPLE has a DHARMA logo too? hmmmm I just figured this would be OLDER ISLAND MYTHOLOGY.
  
• So anyway, Rousseau, Karl and Alex go on their quest to the temple. Karl whips out his Star Wars one liner "I Have a Bad Feeling about this" (used in all 6 movies, check it out yourself!) and then they encounter some kind of STEALTH SHOOTER. Karl gets shot and killed (Thanks EW.com's Doc Jensen for ruining this! I can't read that column anymore before an episode!) Alex is beside herself. Rousseau tries to get Alex in the now, tells her she loves her but they have to run. And then...BAM....Rousseau is shot too! woaaaaaa (totally didn't see that one coming!) Alex gets up and screams "I'm BEN'S DAUGHTER! Don't Shoot I'm his daughter!!!" or something like that and then BOOM......LOST!!!!!
  
  

Wow, well they weren't kidding that Episode 8 DID end with a bit of a shocker. Is Rousseau dead? She can't be right? We totally still need her backstory! I want to know how Montaun lost his arm! How her crew got sick! How their ship ended up on the island! I guess it could be an ALEX flashback if they really stretched it though. But what about the SHOOTER? Doesn't look like this picture is going to be animated like it is on Sledgeweb's site.
You can make out the back of someone sneaking through the jungle. This is back to some of those stealthy others that we saw in season 1 and 2 right? Perhaps this is not the same crew that went to that temple. But was this all to Ben's plan? Did he want Alex and Rousseau taken out of the picture? Are these more of the RICHARD-natives? Are we finally going to see why some OTHERS are sneaky, creepy and superhuman and mysterious as opposed to the White Collar others we met in season 3? Very good way to take us into a break! And I think after recapping this episode, I enjoyed it more than I thought I did! But we're not done yet folks!

Coffin Watch

Yep, I'm still thinking it is Michael now more than ever. The man is suicidal, but the island won't let him die. He's FROM New York and RETURNED to New York but was anonymous when he returned. I forget the name that we saw part of in the newspaper during that Season 3 finale but it did mention New York. I must stress again the Neighborhood that the funeral was in (in LA) and that Kate did NOT want to go to the funeral. Meanwhile also, suicidal Jack (but unable to kill himself) sympathized with Michael and went to the funeral. Of course, now the question would be well how would Michael get BACK? We know he's not one of the oceanic 6 so if he WAS off-island he would still be anonymous. Of course, WALT is anonymous too, but I'm thinking he's back on the island like I stated before. The whole aging thing needs to be explained. Unless Walt appeared to Locke FROM the future or Jacob manifested the image of an older Walt! But yeah, all signs point to Michael still for me!

Oceanic 6 have been confirmed by ABC so even though the producers are remaining mum on the subject our 6 are: Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Aaron, Sun. The promos suggest that we will learn in the remaining episodes HOW they get off the island. And that was also confirmed by the producers as the whole point of season 4. Well kids, pretty crazy episode. Do we have enough to discuss for 5 weeks? I don't think I'll be posting another blog until then unless we get some startling information. Please keep checking in and keeping up with the comments! We've had some pretty lively discussions all season. Thanks for reading as always and I'll see you in late APRIL!

LOST: Season 4 Episode 7 - Ji Yeon

Good morning LOSTIES! Everyone nice and confused after that crazy episode? Well the producers did definitely try to play some tricks on us with the Sun/Jin-centric episode "Ji Yeon." Of course, they did drop clues here and there for us to figure it out. As promised we also finally got to meet Ben's "Man on the Boat," we met the Captain of the freighter, and generally just learned of some more bizarre stuff occurring just off the island. The episode was very informative and for that deserves a "WOW" rating in my opinion! Lots of touching dramatic acting from Daniel Dae Kim too (hand him the emmy now!). Let's break down "Ji Yeon!"

Island Stuff

We finally spend some time with Sun and Jin on the island after 6 episodes of brief appearances by the Korean couple. Sun has become very distrusting of Dan and Charlotte (due to Kate saying they never discuss RESCUING of the Flight 815ers), and upon learning of Juliet's "LIE" to Jack of The TEMPEST station being a POWER STATION and not a POISON GAS station, Sun no longer believes she is in danger to DIE due to her pregnancy. Here are some key points from the storyline worth noting:

• Jin's learning of the English has improved dramatically. Kinda reminds me of HIRO on "Heroes" learning English so quickly. Then again, if you're listening to everyone speak English for 100 days and only one other person on the island can speak Korean, I guess it's semi-realistic. At least his comment that he can understand better than he can speak it. Very funny when he told Jack that SAWYER was helping him in addition to Sun (remember the episode where he taught Jin the 3 things every Woman wants to hear? ahh good times)
• Sun asks Dan flat out if they're on the island to "rescue" them. Dan says it's really not his call. Poor Dan, he does seem to have a soft spot for these guys. Well, except for his creepy "If anything goes wrong, DESMOND HUME will be my Constant" scribble in his notebook!
• Sun eventually makes up her mind that she and Jin should go to Locke's camp to get as far away as possible from Dan, Charlotte and even Juliet. Juliet will stop at nothing to convince Sun that while she's not always entirely honest she IS about the danger around her pregnancy. So yep, Juliet tells Jin about Sun's "AFFAIR" dum dum dummmmmmm Cue Jin and Bernard going fishing!
• How random? But a pretty cool scene with Bernard and Jin on the OTHERS boat trying to get some fish. Bernard notes that he and Jin are the only married people on the island. He pours his heart out to Jin talking about Rose's cancer and saying he was convinced Rose would want to go with Locke. But staying with Jack was the RIGHT THING TO DO. Based on Locke being a murderer. It's all about Karma.
• Meanwhile Sun is furious at Juliet but Juliet DOES finally convince her that she is in danger by detailing out the steps that would lead to her death.
• We learn that Sun is 2 months pregnant and that she has 3 weeks to get off of the island. This kinda helps set up the timeline of WHEN the Oceanic 6 get off the island and how far into the future Sun's flash forward was (oops I gave it away!).
• By the end of the episode, Jin forgives Sun saying that he now knows how difficult it was being married to him before coming to the island. Jin only wanted to know if the baby was his and emotionally Sun promises that it is.
• Oh right, Jin also suggests that if the baby is a girl that they should name her "Ji Yeon." Tried to look up a translation of the name, but of course all that comes up is LOST stuff! Anyone out there know if it's significant?

Freighter

We continue to follow Desmond and Sayid's venture on the Freighter. We learn a little more about how messed up the people on the freighter are, we meet the captain, and we meet Ben's man on the boat! (I think I'm repeating myself from above!) Let's dive in!

• Apparently, the Captain is not very pleased with them after their breaking out of sickbay and into the communications room. Sayid informs Frank that the door was left open and they didn't break out. They figured Frank was helping them out. Not so much!
• Frank gives Desmond and Sayid lima beans for some grub. Man, talk about being ungrateful, Sayid was not happy with the accomodations on the freighter. I guess he really got used to the DHARMA food on the island? Anyway, it is important to note that there was an "INCIDENT" in the kitchen. This is not the only sign of things going nuts on the freighter.
• There's also REGINA (whom we've heard on the sat phones talking to the "Freighter 4") who was reading a Jules Verne novel upside down and had to be informed by Frank that she was. "Just trying to help you out" What on Earth???? The book is "The Survivors of the Chancellor" - about the final voyage of a British Sailing vessel.


• There was the banging on the pipes that Sayid suggested was not mechanical and that someone was repeatedly banging on the pipes over and over again.
• Oh and you know there's Regina being tied up in heavy chains and throwing herself off the freighter! WHAAAAT???? It looked like she was coming out of the captain's quarters didn't it? (or at least where the Captain was)
• Keep in mind there ALSO was an "INCIDENT" in the communications room that Minkowski had talked about a couple episodes ago.
• While Sayid and Dez are being held captive, they receive a note (supposedly from Ben's man on the boat) it says "Do not trust the captain"
• Frank also suggests that they really do not want to meet the captain. And the doc suggests that the captain tells it like it is as long as you don't P#$# him off! (sorry, family blog!)
• Well, we got to meet the Captain. His name? Captain Gault. The Captain tells Sayid and Dez that some of the people on board have what you might consider a "heightened case of cabin fever" and that it has to deal with close proximity to the island. (yeah we probably could've guessed that..why? eh who knows???)
• The Captain suggests that they would've moved the freighter away from the island but there is a sabateur onboard that has messed with the engines (Ben's Man perhaps??) But once they get it fixed they have orders from Charles Widmore to move to safer shores....CUE DESMOND looking curious! "oh that's right...you know him!" Well, I guess The Captain knows Desmond too! Interesting stuff!
• The Captain takes them to his quarters and shows them the "Black Box" from the FAKE Oceanic 815. He talks about there being a huge cover-up and that it would take a ridiculous amount of resources and manpower to stage the recovery of Flight 815. And where did the 324 dead bodies come from? But the big thing that he reveals is that this is one of the MANY reasons they want Ben Linus!
• Woaaaa so did Ben stage the Flight 815 crash? Well, apparently the producers have said that by the end of the season we're going to have 2 stories of how this all went down and both will sound pretty believable but we won't have an answer. Alright then...I guess this is one! So if Ben was behind it, where did the dead bodies come from? I'd suggest the "PURGE" but he showed Locke the DHARMA grave at the end of last season. Plus that may have been too long before the flight 815 crash for the bodies to be intact enough. Very disturbing as Captain Gault mentions!
• Something else to note: The Chopper was gone when Sayid and Dez surfaced. Apparently Frank was "running an errand" and supposedly to the island. Hmmmm.
• So the Doc (i don't remember his name, sorry!) then proceeds to take Desmond and Sayid to their new quarters which is on the quiet end of the ship. Desmond suggests that the freighter isn't moving. And Doc says "if you say so." Are we supposed to be asking about this stuff? I mean, what does THAT mean?
• Also, did you notice the doc had a cut on his face? I checked "The Constant" episode. He didn't have it then. He must've been involved in one of these INCIDENTS.
• Speaking of incidents when they get to their new room. There are a bunch of spiders (cue Sayid being disgusted again...seriously dude...you were on a crazy island for 100 days!) and a nice blood stain on wall. Looks like someone blew their brains out. Hmmmm this freighter doesn't seem like the best place to be does it?
• Doc yells out to the janitor guy "JOHNSON" to come and mop the blood stain. As he gets closer we realize that we have known this man by another name. Yes folks, as suspected by many of the LOST ADDICTS BLOG readers as well as the general LOST fan base, MICHAEL is on the boat! Apparently we got a glimpse of him earlier when Regina jumped overboard. But there's no mistaking it. Michael is there and seems to recognize Sayid.


• He introduces himself as Kevin Johnson to Sayid and Desmond. Keep in mind Desmond and Michael never met each other (as far as we know) so it will be interesting if the LOST brains uphold this in the show. But here's the bigger question....HOW did Michael get there? He took a bearing of 325 off of the island with Walt and the next we see is him on a freighter as KEVIN JOHNSON and apparently Ben's informant. Here's another question, did he look maybe a little OLDER? I'm only asking because we know Walt looks older and there has to be an explanation to that right? I think maybe the producers mentioned a possible "growth" issue when going to and/or leaving the island. But we can't rule out Time Travel right? What if Ben somehow sent Michael and Walt to the past with that bearing and then they arrived on the island years before when Ben could've had more time to influence Michael? Yeah crazy idea...and I can't really claim it as my own. Doc Jensen at ew.com is thinking that's the best way to explain Walt's growth. So Michael is suggesting not to "trust" the captain. Could that be because he's working for Ben? Judging by the previews, Sayid isn't too thrilled to see Michael. And why would he be? The Man murdered Libby and Ana Lucia all for WAAAAAAAAAAAALT!!! Next week's episode (the last of the pre-strike episodes) is entitled "Meet Kevin Johnson" so I'm guessing we might get some back story on what's been going on!
• REVISED SINCE POSTING: I forgot that Desmond and Michael were in the same place before. Right after Ana Lucia/Libby's funeral when the sailboat shows up (with Desmond)...Michael is still there impatiently waiting to go get his son WAAAAAALT!!!!!! (yep, that just doesn't get old!)

Flashes

Well, like I was saying before, the producers tried to confuse the hell out of us this week. What appeared to be Sun and Jin Flash forwards turned out to be a Sun Flash Forward and a Jin Flashback! I had a feeling in the beginning of the episode that this was what was going on, but by the end they tricked me too! What can I say? I'm gullible! Anyway, the cell phone should've been a dead give-away since it was almost as big as Zack Morris's phone on Saved By the Bell! Apparently, the other dead give-a-way was the DRAGON? I guess the YEAR of the Dragon was back in 2000 and won't be again until 2012. The store clerk says that it would bring good luck this year.

Anyway, Jin's entire flashback seemed to do nothing but throw us off the trail. Sun's flash forward was where the meat of the story was. Let's break it down!

• Okay real quick. Jin was looking for a PANDA stuffed animal. Lost one in a taxi and had to get another one. Turns out he had to deliver a message from Mr. Paik to some abassador who was having a grandchild. We find out this flashback took place 2 months after Sun and Jin got married.
• As for Sun...she went into labor in the future. Which means, she DID get off the island in time. It also means that as long as pregnant women (conceived on island) get OFF the island, they can have children. Sure they tried to make it look like Sun was going to slip into a coma, like Juliet suggested happens on the island. But she ends up giving birth to a girl and names her Ji Yeon...awwwwww
• So Sun is the last of the Oceanic 6 right? Well then who is the 5th???? We're supposed to have our full list now. Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Sun... and we've seen Ben and Aaron in the future. Apparently, the producers said they will provide a definitive list of the Oceanic 6 after this episode if there is still any confusion. It's not meant to be speculated. Well, I'm speculating!!!!
• Anyway, Hurley comes out to Korea to congratulate Sun. He also seemed very pleased that none of the other Oceanic crew were coming. Weird... Keep in mind, this flash forward probably takes place before Hurley goes crazy. If Sun needs to get off the island in 3 weeks and is 2 months pregnant. This must be 6 or 7 months after Island events. Hurley suggests that they go see "HIM" CUE THE WATERWORKS!
• Sun brings Hurley and Ji Yeon to the cemetery where we see Jin's tombstone! :-( I guess Jin will be another island casualty? Of course, there is no confirmation that he's actually dead. If you look at the tombstone, the date of death is September 22nd 2004 which was the date of the crash. When Sun is saying "I miss you" she could've been referring to him still being on the island. But, based on Sun's reaction, it sure seems like he's a goner. You gotta give me some credit though right? I thought SOMETHING would happen where only SUN would get off the island and not Jin! Now the question is WHAT happens to Jin? Do we think he goes out like Charlie sacrificing himself for his friends? Will it happen this season? I would guess it probably would since the end of this season will deal with the Oceanic 6 getting off of the island. BTW, anyone out there...can you translate Korean and let us know what the tombstone says???
  
• and for good measure...... BOOM LOST!!!!!

Well, yet another crazy episode. We're now officially past the halfway point of the shortened strike season. And it's been one crazy ride! We're getting one more episode before we go on hiatus for a month! And, while it will be rough having no LOST for 4 weeks, it will be nice to rest my fingers for the home stretch when we return! Anyway, hope you enjoyed my ramblings and look forward to hearing some of yours! See you next week when we will MEET KEVIN JOHNSON!

Disclaimer: Many thanks again to Sledgeweb (lost.cubit.net) for always having the ability to capture so many wonderful screen stills from the show! If I had the technology to do it myself, you bet I would! But since I don't, it's nice to know someone out there does!

LOST: Season 4 Episode 6 - The Other Woman

Hello LOSTIES! I'm sure most of us are still racking our brain from last week's fantastic DESMOND episode "The Constant." A record 72 COMMENTS on the last blog is proof enough for that! But here we are with a brand new episode to discuss. LOST usually does a pretty good job of letting our brains settle down the following week after a mind blowing episode in the previous week. That's why I was happy to see this Juliet-centric episode "The Other Woman (appropriately titled for 4 reasons that I have found)" follow a more advance plot, provide MEATY ANSWER, have FLASHBACK tie into all island story lines type of episode. As great as this season has been, they sure have been making it tough to recap with these flash forwards, 4 different character flashbacks, people traveling all over, etc... It's actually refreshing to get back to the standard format of a LOST episode as well as for the BLOG (for at least one week! I'll be ready for another brain twisting ride by next week!). Obviously, it's tough for "The Other Woman" to follow up "The Constant" and be as exciting. But I thought it did a good job and I shall award it with a WOW! rating (one WOW, one exclamation point...we'll have to determine what this all means in a spin-off blog!)

"The Other Woman" follows Juliet through more of her past and present and tells the tale of of a mischievous, jealous and brilliant OTHER deriving scenarios to get the upper hand and get what he wants. That Ben "always has a plan" doesn't he? Once again Michael Emerson AND Elizabeth Mitchell shine with their fantastic characters. Throw in a little Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Juliet rectangle suspense, yet another HATCH, a threat to kill all islanders, and those crazy "should we trust/not trust" freighter folk and you have yourself a solid show!

Juliet Flashback

We begin our episode with the LOST brains trying to pull a clever one on us. Juliet is meeting with therapist Harper Stanhope (Andrea Roth from Rescue Me) and complaining about being a celebrity. We immediately think "yep, flash forward Juliet is somehow one of the Oceanic 6!" Ahhh those crazy LOST folk! They did try to pull a similar stunt with Juliet's FIRST flashback in "Not in Portland." Turns out we are right on the island and in the barracks shortly after Juliet arrived on the island. This flashback is intended to provide more background on Juliet's relationship to Goodwin (which we saw a glimpse of last season), as well as show a bit more of Ben and Juliet's relationship. Let's dive into the important tidbits from this storyline!

• Most importantly, TOM is seen with a crazy mustache! I really wish I had a screenshot of that! It was fantastic!
• Harper and Goodwin were a married couple on the island and Juliet was the "OTHER WOMAN" (there's #1!)
• Juliet is an OTHER and a WOMAN! (There's #2!)
• We find out Ben had Goodwin working with some chemicals (showing burns on his arm) prior to the crash of flight 815. He stated that with the wrong flick of a switch he could be responsible for killing everyone on the island.
• We find out Ben has a obsessive crush on Juliet and EVERYONE knows about it. This further goes into Tom's "They have history" comment that he told Jack after Jack sliced open Ben's Kidney sack. As upset as Harper is for stalking and getting a peep show on Juliet and Goodwin she is more concerned for Goodwin's life as she thinks their will be consequences if Ben finds out.
• Alright theory time: Harper tells Juliet that it's obvious Ben likes her because "YOU LOOK JUST LIKE HER" Stay with me here, I think I'm about to uncover some juicy mythology! Who is HER? Well, my immediate thoughts go to Ben's only childhood friend Annie whom he still appears affectionate to in the present day (keeping the doll she gave him). We still don't know what happened to Annie. But do you remember the Season 3 episode where Ben tells Jack that Juliet bears the striking resemblance to his Ex-Wife Sarah? (granted, I did not agree with Ben at the time) Would they be throwing these 2 comments into the show and not intend us to tie them together? What if Annie IS Sarah? What would be the repercussions of that? There is still this whole mystery of how on earth Jack FIXED Sarah from that car accident. Last season Ben seemed to be surprised that a Spinal Surgeon fell out of the sky when he found out he had cancer. In this episode, he seemed to brush it aside to show Juliet something else as if he may have already known. We do know Ben is one crazy mastermind. COULD Ben be linked to the plane crashing intentionally? COULD Sarah, Juliet, Ben, Jack all be linked somehow? Or are we just supposed to think Juliet bears a striking resemblance to a lot of people???
• REVISED (forgot to include this): In either case, "You look just like her" refers to a woman important to Ben...making Juliet yet again "THE OTHER WOMAN" (#3!!!!)
• Okay so what else...right...apparently Ben did catch wind of Juliet and Goodwin and when Flight 815 crashes we now find out that Ben sent Goodwin to the tail section in hopes that he would most certainly be killed. They also superimposed Harper into the big OTHERS scene witnessing the crash.
• Then there was that creepy dinner that Ben made for Juliet where she thought it was a dinner party. Emerson played a fantastically pathetic man with a crush! He brings up the whole Ana Lucia thing where Goodwin was trying to make a case for her being an asset. This had been mentioned back in season 2 also I believe.
• To make a long story short Ben brings Juliet to Goodwin's body to show her what he is capable of. He creepily tells Juliet "YOU'RE MINE" and then complains about how much he has gone through to make sure she stays: Yeah, well he brought her flowers, gave her her own house, lied about her sister's cancer (said he would cure it when she probably already was cured), oh right...and had her lover sent to his death by the stick of Ana Lucia. Yeah, they sure have history!
• For all you "Pregnant Women Die on the Island" fans, we are told a little tidbit that apparently it is Immune System related and that it turns on the fetus in the 2nd trimester. But Juliet is uncertain why. It sounded like she was about to tell Ben that she is curious if these woman could carry a pregnancy if conceived OFF island. Which we found out is most certainly true (Claire).
• Juliet refers to watching over some of the tail section kids: Zack and Emma (probably the ones we met in "The other 48 Days" season 2 episode. Ben mentions they were on the LIST (Jacob's list I would guess) and who are they to argue with the list. Now that we're not sure Ben actually talks to Jacob, perhaps they're really on Ben's list?

Bottom Line....the flashback shows us Ben will go to many lengths to ensure that Juliet remains HIS and it still affects Juliet in the present day.

Ben and regaining the Upper Hand

Back at the barracks, more mind games await Locke. The residents are getting worried that their fearless leader does NOT have a plan (told to us by Ben, but seen through Claire wanting to talk to Miles). We see Ben weasel his way out of the basement by supposedly giving Locke his "LAST" pieces of information further giving Locke direction and purpose (which he always needs!). Here's what was uncovered!

• No sense in delaying...Ben's big reveal is that Charles Widmore (yep Penny's Dad and head of the Widmore corporation) is the owner of the Freighter sitting offshore. So, we were right to keep assuming this was the case. And this would make sense since Penny knows about the island (probably researching behind her father's back). Widmore is probably also the man that Ben is hunting down in the future with Sayid. (Also, our previous guess). It's funny, sometimes it's more fun to speculate who the person is than actually getting the answer we were hoping for! But still, the dramatic way Michael Emerson delivered the news to us made it all worth it.
• Comparing Widmore wanting to get to the island to 5000 people flocking to MOLD in the shape of the Virgin Mary in Gainsville, Florida was perfect. John Locke (among others) survived a Plane Crash onto this special island. John Locke was crippled prior and now can walk. Rose was cured from Cancer. How many people would flock to the island to see Mr. Locke? Good question. But does Widmore know about John Locke? Perhaps through Ben's blindfolded man that he interrogated? We also notice Widmore sees the camera. So how did Ben get the tape?
  


• "Charles Widmore wants to exploit this island and he'll do everything in his power to possess it." Crazy crazy stuff.
• Ben claims he doesn't know how Widmore knows about island. Is it from the Black Rock journal? Or possibly before that? Why would Widmore be interested in the journal in the first place? Is Widmore behind planting the FAKE plane in the Indian Ocean? Or was he behind the expedition team that FOUND the plane while searching for the Black Rock? Many higher powers are at play here and still many many questions to be answered!
• In any case, Ben gives Locke the Widmore File saying it was his only bargaining chip he had left.
• Alas, Locke demands also for the name of his man on the boat. Ben's about to tell us! He tells us we may want to sit down! Here it comes!!!......... NOOOOOOOO Commercial! Conveniently they did not return to give us that answer! But I would guess Locke is now in the know. Would we really want to sit down if it's Michael? Is that really so shocking? Is this tied to the coming attractions for next week that we'll see a face that we thought we'd never see again??? Is that really true for ANY character on LOST? We always anticipate seeing people in some form or another! Well, we'll find out soon enough!
• In other random news - Safe Combo: 36-15-28 I really don't think it means anything but there they are!
• Locke with the 3.2 million comment and giving Ben the dollar was a good time. We still don't know what the 3.2 is about and if it was code from Miles to Ben.
• Locke served Ben Rabbit and Ben asked if it had a number on it before it was cooked. Remember the Bunny with the 8 on it? Remember Ben's Bunny as a child? And if you've seen the Orchid video, remember the possible Time Traveling Bunny? Was Ben concerned for a "concerned-experimental bunny" reason about this bunny? Or just due to sentimental attachments to HIS bunny?
• "If my people still wanted me they would've stormed the barracks" says Ben. Well apparently Ben still has communication with SOME if not ALL of his people. So apparently everything is going according to plan! But does this all somehow tie into what happened at the TEMPEST station? Was THAT according to Ben's plan? I'm a little confused why he'd want to kill everyone on the island! But of course...we're not there yet!
• Also worth noting that the Red Sox tape that Jack watched was taped over with the Widmore Security Camera feed. Significance? Well...I guess it depends how they're getting the videos from the mainland!

Journey to the Tempest

Speaking of unrest, it's happening on the beach too. The only 2 KNOWN uninvolved castaways (Jin and Sun) are still questioning Jack's leadership in regards to the Freighter folk. Jin spoke a little more English "YOU....SAID...THAT...THEY....WERE.....FRIENDS" And then we save the rest of their spotlight time for next week! The big news? Charlotte and Dan have disappeared! Jack becomes concerned. Juliet and Jack run after them guns blazin! And then the rain begins. Here's what went down:

• Juliet runs into HARPER (whom we just met in a flashback). Of course, at the time we suspected she might be a ghost of sorts. Harper delivers a message from Ben to Juliet (and eventually Jack) "Dan and Charlotte are on their way to the Tempest and there's a chance everyone will die. KILL THEM at all costs! Love - Ben"
• Harper also mentions that Ben is exactly where he wants to be. As I was saying before, it would seem Ben still has contact with some of the other OTHERS.
• Then the whispering begins again....They look around and Harper is gone! woaaa....was she not really there? Was this WALT-like magic of being 2 places at one time? Or was it the disappearing act that Locke and Cindy have done in the past? That is one crazy Island I'm telling you! But, I don't think that we should be too concerned over that mystery right now! I did wonder if there was a possibility that Harper was DEAD in present day and she was just a ghost-like thing...but Jack saw her and talked to her too. Not that this means anything! Okay okay...I'm rambling! Moving on!!
• We catch up with Dan and Charlotte and they have a map of the island! Where did they get it? Is it possibly from the Black Rock journal? I don't think we've actually seen the SHAPE of the island before have we? We saw the blacklight map in the Hatch but that was more the DHARMA station layout. Whose instructions are Dan/Charlotte following to go to the TEMPEST? Widmore's? Someone else's?
• If you look at the hand drawn map there are lots of Lots of "UNKNOWNS" marked but then letters and numbers to certain points of interest? Lots of scribbles i can't make out. But then there's the DHARMA logo at one place on the map! Does this tie to Charlotte's excitement at seeing the DHARMA logo in Tunisia on the Polar Bear
  


• Dan is concerned he won't be able to complete his task. Charlotte had faith in him.
• Enter Kate returning from the barracks! She gets suspicious. Charlotte knocks her out. DUM DUM DUUUMMMMM
• We return to Jack and Juliet in pursuit. Juliet asks Jack to trust him
• We find out the Tempest is an Electrical Station that powers the island. (yeah controls poisonous gas! I guess we found out how the DHARMA PURGE went down!)
• I liked the exchange between Juliet and Jack and how Juliet says they all have things in their past they'd rather not talk about. Jack retaliating with Juliet reading his report. Juliet stating "You don't want to read mine!" Ooooh damaged Juliet! Damaged Jack! Love is in the air!!
• But just as things are about to heat up....they find Kate! with a bloody head no less! Jack's attention momentarily leaves Juliet and goes to his one true love! And Juliet takes this opportunity to double time it to the tempest.
• Jack and Kate exchange information about what they've both been up to and then head after Juliet.
• By the way did you know Kate can not only track multiple trails but can tell at what TIME each person walked by? That's pretty impressive Kate! I couldn't help but laugh at the whole "Juliet is a half hour ahead of us" type of comment. (not even sure I got it right!)
• Okay, so Juliet shows up at the TEMPEST station. Pretty crazy place...check it out! 2nd picture has a shot of the logo if you click on it to enlarge. I mean...after the ORCHID, I think there will be plenty of stations on the island. We can stop adding them now guys!!
  



• So the tale that is told after some immense Charlotte/Juliet cat fighting is that Dan is trying to STOP the gas from killing everyone on the island. And at the last minute he sure does! Feel free to analyze what all of the monitors said!
  
• My question is...how did they know the gas was being deployed at that particular moment? Is it possible that they started the deployment process only to shut it down as they were getting caught. And possibly that this may have all been intentional to gain the trust of Jack and crew? They stated that they know Ben has used it before and who says he wasn't going to use it again? What exactly did Dan do? Did he stop the attempt to GAS the island for that one time? Or did he permanently stop it? As I said above...I just don't know why Ben would want to kill everyone on the island when HE is one of the people on it! If Juliet killed Dan and Charlotte, everyone would have died. So that just leads me to think that Dan and Charlotte initiated the Gassing in order to shut it down either to intentionally get caught in the act or for some kind of permanent shut down. Am I over thinking this? Did I miss something? Anyone out there...feel free to set me straight! The fact of the matter is, whether they initiated it or not Dan and Charlotte DID save everyone on the island.
• Jack and Kate eventually get there. Kate does not trust anyone. Jack sees Juliet is okay with the situation and since he trusts Juliet, he is calm. While Kate goes in to investigate. Juliet pours her heart out to Jack.
• Juliet says Ben is waging war against the freighter folk and that somehow he got to her to kill Dan And Charlotte. Based on her past experience with Goodwin and the fact that Ben feels Juliet is his Juliet fears for Jack and admits she has feelings for him, which Ben apparently knows also. (Well DUH...you kissed him in the season 3 finale!)
• Of course Jack did tell Kate he loved her in the season finale. But I guess Jack isn't going to wait around for Kate to tell him that she loves him too because he went ahead and kissed Juliet after her big reveal. He also pretty much told Ben to "BRING IT ON!" Jack sure loves those damaged women and trying to FIX situations! And thus, since we know the Jack/Kate saga is far from over we have our #4 shout out to Juliet being "THE OTHER WOMAN."

End Scene

• Sawyer and Hurley found another game to keep them busy on the island. This time it is HORSESHOES! Nothing like watching Sawyer lose every game he plays against people on the island (poker, ping pong and now horseshoes!) Hurley mentions luck (has his bad luck turned around?). Sawyer and Hurley see Ben with folded clothes heading into a house. "SEE YOU GUYS AT DINNER!" BOOOM LOST!

Yep, Ben was all over this episode tonight. We saw all sides of him from being a jealous murderous stalker, a prisoner gaining freedom, and assigning Juliet to kill his enemies (still baffles me how he would have given a message to Harper. Maybe he never did??) I guess they should've just called this episode "THE MAN" instead!!

Okay, so that's it for this week. Next week we are going to discover a face that we never expected to see again? Who could it be? Well, I wouldn't put it past ABC to overhype the return of Michael even though everyone already knows about it (afterall, even if you didn't find out last summer, his name has been in the credits since the 1st episode this season!) We just don't know WHEN he is coming and HOW. According to the producers we will have our official Oceanic 6 by the end of next week's episode. If we're still uncertain, they will provide a definitive list! Judging by the previews, I think we can kinda render who will be at least ONE of them, and we've been guessing it since the first episode this season. But I'll refrain from saying just in case people would think THAT is a spoiler! (it's hard to figure out what people consider a Spoiler and what people don't these days isn't it? I have my own bizarre method of figuring it out!) Hope you all enjoyed my ramblings. I'm sure this episode won't generate 72 Comments worth of discussion but I'm excited to start discussing anyway! See you next week!

LOST: Season 4 Episode 5 - The Constant

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Chalk this one up to another Desmond-centric Episode that I absolutely loved! That brothaaa is one awesome character! And to think we went a whole season without him to kick off the show! Of course, probably like "Flashes Before Your Eyes," just because I absolutely loved the episode (penned by the executive producers themselves Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse), doesn't mean this recap will make one lick of sense! I am thoroughly confused! I'm sure we'll find our way once we start digging into it though. Wish me luck because here we go!

"The Constant" follows Desmond and Sayid on their journey to the freighter. Their tourguide and pilot, Frank tries to heed Dan's advice to stick to the bearing they came in on. However when they pass through a storm cloud (or as Sayid branded a "Thunderhead"), Desmond goes all haywire. As opposed to "Flashes Before Your Eyes" last season where Desmond's PRESENT mind traveled back to the past where he was living with Penny; here we see Desmond's PAST consciousness experiencing and living out moments in the future (or PRESENT island time) then returning to the past at an exponentially quicker rate. Depending on where Dez's mind was at a particular moment, the other time period's Desmond would lose consciousness. Of course, it is important to know that Dez's PRESENT consciousness is nowhere to be found and his prior self must find his way back through "THE CONSTANT" in order to survive and send Dez BACK TO THE FUTURE!.....errrr bring his present mind back (doesn't sound as cool!)? Bottom line: That hatch really screwed this guy up!

The Chopper Trip

• Sayid asks Frank why he's flying directly into this "thunderhead." I would assume this is because he was scared to sway from his course that Dan provided. 40 Miles N @ 305" 7 K East. Hmmm....Miles AND Kilometers? That's interesting! I guess the drawing isn't to scale either as the 7 Kilometers East looks like a longer trip than the 40 miles! Also, is it important to note that Frank's Gauge was reading 31??? If you recall, the difference between the Island and the Rocket fired from the freighter was 31 minutes. If only they could've punched in November 5th, 1955 we might have been able to stop Old Biff from giving Young Biff that Sports Almanac!
  


• As Desmond sits and waits and hopes to find answers on the freighter, we head towards the "thunderhead" and then Dez takes a trip back to 1996 when he was in the Scottish Army. Or really, Dez's past consciousness somehow took a trip to the future where he was on a helicopter! Thus we begin our crazy time tripping affair!

Life on the Freighter

You know, I was starting to think we may actually never see this crazy freighter! I thought they would do a bunch of hyping up of it, but never actually show us scenes on the freighter. Well, I can happily say, my fears were set aside! We met some new and interesting characters on the ship and I can easily say we're probably more confused than Desmond who has no idea where and when he is at this point!

• The name of the freighter is KAHANA. I've got nothing. The Sledgeweb folks tried to break down the Hawaiian translation, but I didn't see the relevance! But there it is folks...isnt' she a beaut?
  


• WE meet 2 new characters, Keemee (excuse the spelling, I have no idea what he said. I tried for a pronunciation!) from Las Vegas, and Omar from Florida.
• Keemee and Omar don't seem too thrilled with Frank from bringing Sayid and Desmond back to the freighter. Further showing that our Island Freighter folk are nowhere near the brains of this operation.
• They also mention they left port in Fiji so they know they are the Pacific Ocean somewhere. Hmmmm....seems like this island is sticking in one place for the time being. Flight 815 Pilot said they were headed towards Fiji or something after they were off course I think. Getting there from Florida and Nigeria (and apparently, Madagascar!)still To be Determined!
• These two NEW Freighter guys seem to know what is happening to Desmond (kinda) and they take him to the sick bay and lock him in there. This causes some Scottish screaming and rants and the almighty line from CLERKS "I'm not supposed to be here!!!"
• In the sickbay, is none other than our Radio buddy George Minkowski strapped to a bed. He reveals that his mind is traveling through time as well. Except, he is fully aware in the present of what has happened. So he must be tripping BACKWARDS in time as opposed to Desmond tripping forward? Speaking of which...this must be tied to Desmond's Flashes of the Future right? But we never got the impression that he was experiencing them as much as seeing them. He never passed out, just went into a bit of a daze while he watched images of events that led to a moment in the future where Charlie would ultimately die. (Don't worry...we'll get more into Dez's travels in a section below. There is no clean way to break this stuff up!)
• Then Creepy Doctor, Ray, arrives to inject George with some stuff. Dez's flipping out ensues! We didn't learn much about this doctor yet, but something tells me we haven't seen the last of him! It would seem that no one believes what is happening to George. He mentions that it's going to happen to everyone "ONCE THEY GO TO THAT ISLAND" I guess there are plans for everyone to go there? Ray tries to check Desmond's eyes with a light and then Dez trips back to the past. Connection? Oh I have no idea!
• Meanwhile, Sayid exchanges his gun for Frank's phone to call Jack and tell him what's going on. To Be Continued iin the sections below! ...

Meanwhile on the Island

Jack and Juliet are still waiting for a call from the freighter. Dan starts getting into differences in time, which Charlotte is aware of and not very fond of Dan's straight-forwardness.

• Dan says that Sayid and Desmond may not have been gone as long as they THINK they've been gone. There are potential Side-Effects with the flight. Hmmm Jack also mentions they've been gone a day before the communication but to the Chopper people, it seems like an hour or so later right? But they can still communicate in real time. Makes me think again back to that 1930's broadcast of the Glenn Miller song on the radio. I'm also confused with Jack saying it's been 100 days and it actually only being 92/93 days. It is noted later in the episode that it's Christmas Eve in the Freighter. I can only assume that Jack rounded up because it would make no sense (based on the past few episodes) that more days are passing on the island than off of the island!
• Anyway, they get the call from Sayid and he says Desmond is acting strange. Jack puts the phone on speaker. On the other end of the line Frank helps Sayid get to Desmond (well isn't he a nice guy??)...then the magic happens!
• By the way, it is revealed that the SAT Phones can only talk to each other, so they can't call anyone else for help.
• Desmond and Dan begin their connection through time. We find out that the Dez we're hanging out with is 1996 Desmond. Dan, in 1996, is working at Oxford University in the Queen's College Physics Department. Dan gives Dezzy instructions to GO TO HIM (Marty/Doc Brown style) for help!
• Dan finds his journal to find information from 1996 that would help 96 Dan believe Desmond about '04 Dan. The directions? Device must be set to 2.342 and must be oscillating at 11Hz. If the numbers don't convince him say "I know about Elloise" We didn't get to speculate about Eloise too long, for she is revealed to us in Desmond's travels.
• Dan also mentions that the splits are unpredictable, sometimes lasting for years, sometimes for hours. Jack is confused asking if this has happened before. Hmmm....Is Dan a TIME-MIND traveler as well? Or was he referring to his "Eloise" experiments? Based on our cliffhanger, I with think it might be the former.
• Dan also asks Jack if Desmond had any lengthy periods of exposure to Radiation or Electro-magnetism. We, of course, know that Desmond did when the Hatch blew. Does Jack even know that Desmond turned that key and the whole thing blew? We never saw it on camera...but I guess we have to assume he was filled in. But he never learned of his Flashes of the future did he? I don't think so. Anyway, apparently Desmond was more succeptable to this "SIDE EFFECT" based on his Electro-magnetic event. Well kids, this may be the only explanation we get for what happened to Desmond after the hatch imploded. I'm still hoping for more! But it was still intriguing regardless!

All Roads (and Times) Lead to Penny

So here we are, the part of the blog I've been avoiding, but the part I want to discuss the most! Desmond's Travels through time. We follow Desmond's 1996 consciousness back and forth from 1996 (the military era) and 2004 (the freighter/island era). In both eras, Desmond has a goal in mind and has objectives in both time periods to accomplish in order to FIX himself. 1955 Doc Brown (errr...1996 Dan Faraday) helps Desmond find his way.

1996

• Well first, let me say I'm happy that we got to spend sometime with Desmond during his military days. I remember saying at the end of season 3 that we couldn't entirely be done with flashbacks because we needed more Desmond backstory for why he's eventually in military prison and dishonorably discharged from military services. Well, we didn't quite see that yet. Instead we see Desmond and his unit being punished for him spacing out a couple times during the day. But eventually, through conversations he realizes that the only thing familiar to him in the future was Penny. He saw the picture of Penny in his hands so they must still have some sort of tie.
• Desmond calls Penny and it is revealed, just as we speculated, that Desmond broke up with Penny and joined the military (just as we saw beginning to happen in season 3's "Flashes Before Your Eyes"). Penny wanted nothing to do with Desmond and hung up on him. Keep in mind.
• By this point, Dez has talked to Dan in the future and has his mission to head to Oxford. He finds Dan there, sporting some kind of pseudo Mullett (love it!!) and unloads the information he was instructed to. As an aside, Jeremy Davies is a great addition to the LOST cast. He pulls off this nerdy, intelligent, creepy Scientist guy perfectly! He felt he was being put on by his colleagues but at the same time seemed to be anticipating this moment by all his meddling with the space-time continuum. Haven't you ever sat around wondering...."if we've invented time travel in the future, couldn't there be people from the future here right now???" Okay...maybe that was just dorky, teenage me!
• Dan takes Dez to his lab where he performs experiments that the university "frowns upon." Dan starts setting his equipment to Desmond's specifications. He also puts on a radiation vest (looks like one of those things you wear at the dentist when getting an x-ray!) There is a mention of why isn't Dan protecting his HEAD from long-term effects of the radiation.....perhaps that's why he has gone completely nuts?
• Anyway, it turns out Eloise is a RAT that Dan has been experimenting on. After the his equipment is set, he takes some type of Lightning device and ZAP...strikes Elloise with it. Eloise's consciousness slips into the future, then comes back and runs through a maze that she wasn't to learn until an hour from then.
• Dum dum dummmmmmm Time Paradox #1! So was future Dan the one to tell past Dan how to make the mind travel through time? How could this happen without causing some major ripple in TIME? Are the producers willing to explain this? Probably not....but they definitely knew they were opening this door with the Time Travel element of the show! I'm sure smarter brains than I can poke more holes in or support what they did here! Feel free to comment to make ME smarter!
• Oh, in case you want to look at Dan's scribbles on the chalkboard, here it goes. Best thing I can get out of it is the reference to Steven Hawking who wrote "A Brief History of Time" which also has been referenced on the show. Plus you get to see that fantastic Mullet!
  
• Another potential paradox, but sounds like something they will explain on the show: Past Dan mentions that Future Dan referenced this particular meeting with Desmond. So does that mean Future Dan remembers the encounter? Desmond says "Actually no, maybe you just forgot?" Since the producers have mentioned we will only have one TIMELINE (no alternate time universes will be created by the time traveling...remember the BAD 1985 that Doc and Marty returned to in Back to the Future II?), how does this impact it? Does Dan eventually remember the encounter? Again, the cliffhanger at the end of the show seems to suggest he doesn't. Speaking of which. Does Present Day Desmond, remember his time travels? Based on his smile in the past at the end of the episode, it would seem he does! Crazy crazy crazy! My mind is tripping!!! (but I'm still in present day, don't worry!)
• Speaking of One Timeline, it is reinforced by Dan that "you cannot change the future" another reference to Course Correction that Mrs. Hawking (there's that name again!) referred to in "Flashes Before Your Eyes" hmmmm wait...maybe Mrs. Hawking was Mind Traveling too??? Hold the PHONE! Maybe the chalkboard is referring to Mrs. Hawking and NOT Steven Hawking! Is Dan related to Mrs. Hawking? woaaaaaaa And then...does Dan know Desmond's former Monk friend/boss? Ahhh crazy crazy crazy!
• Anyway, with the course correction comments, we are reinforcing PREDESTINATION on LOST. Anything that is changed in the past will ultimately be corrected to provide the same future. Remember Desmond trying to save Charlie? Yep, exactly.

2004

• Let's return to present day for a sec shall we? Keemee and Omar come in to interrupt Dez's conversation with Dan. Frank tries to explain to them what's going on. They are furious that Frank let Dez and Faraday talk "Faraday can't even help himself!" A reference is made to taking Frank to the Captain. Whom Sayid also wants to see. Hmmm something tells me this Captain is going to be a character we're going to need to know a little better. Do you think it might be someone we already know?
• George Minkowski gets wind of Desmond's name. He then provides us with some answers that we've been trying to piece together since that season 3 finale. He revealed he is the Communications Officer on the freighter. The freighter folk picked up Penny's various attempts to contact Desmond (which Charlie gets once the Rousseau's message is stopped at the radio tower). George was ordered never to pick up the call. But someone on the ship did their homework on Penelope Widmore. Just like they did their homework on the Flight 815 crew. Could this explain why Naomi was carrying a picture of Dez and Penny? It doesn't explain how they got that EXACT picture!
• George also talks about how he's been cursed with the Time travel bug. He and a fellow freighter, Brandon got bored out of their minds waiting for their next instructions and wanted to see the island. They took a boat from the freighter and started heading that way. But before they got there Brandon started acting strange. He ended up in a body bag. And George is heading that way too.

1996

• '96 Dan explains to Desmond, after Eloise died, that eventually the time shifts become exponentially shorter until you die. The only way to kill the shift is to find a constant. Something that is familiar to you in both eras. We already knew where this was going right? PENNY!!!
• Desmond leaves Oxford and heads to London to find Charles Widmore (ahhh finally! we're getting somewhere with Widmore!). We enter an Auction for paraphernalia from the BLACK ROCK!!! Woaaaa. In particular, the 1st Mate's Journal which contains information never revealed to the public. We get information that the Black Rock set sail March 22, 1845. The Journal was found in Madagascar 7 years later. Book has "Ledger" on the binding. (2/21/2019 - Edited thanks to comments!)  So Madagascar is in the Indian Ocean. Bali' is in the Indian Ocean. The expedition crew that found FAKE Flight 815 was in search of the Black Rock. But if they're in the Pacific Ocean...how did the Black Rock end up on the island? And why was the journal in Madagascar?
  
• Oh right, the former owner of the Journal? Tovard Hanso! A descendant of Alvar? Whomever it is...we finally have linked Charles Widmore to the Hanso Corporation which thus links to DHARMA! We will learn later this episode that Penny knows about the island through research. Through her father's research? Our speculations are TRUE! Widmore is involved! FREIGHTER level of Involvement?? Well...not quite sure about that yet.
• Charles and Dez have their meeting. Charles doesn't seem terribly disappointed to see Desmond. In fact he gives him Penny's address. He does make a few snide remarks that Penny has moved on and she will tell you herself. But he isn't at the point yet where he FORBIDS Desmond to see his daughter. (Season 2 finale - Our First Desmond flashback)

2004

• Desmond, back in 2004, realizes he must get in contact with Penny. Apparently, George tells usk, something happened on the freighter where the communications room was destroyed. Based on the Producer's comments of the strike abbrevited season, we might not find out WHY until season 5. Anyway, we all know Sayid can work magic with wires and electronics, so they head towards the door and realize it's open. George mentions that they "must have a friend on this boat" Hmmmm Walt? Michael? Frank? Frank was visiting the captain. So perhaps whoever Ben's contact is...is the one that opened the door?
• George eventually spaces out and it's too late for him...his time traveling causes his death. RIP George, we barely knew ya...even if we've heard of you since the end of season 3!
• They get to the control room and Sayid mentions he will have something up in running in a "few minutes." That's Sayid for you! Have I mentioned how patient and understanding Sayid was through this entire episode even though Desmond was acting completely nuts?
• As mentioned before, it is indicated that it is Christmas Eve. And apparently, the ENHANCED LOST episode that aired prior to "The Constant" indicated that 93 days have passed on the island. So Jack must've just estimated to 100 days. MERRY CHRISTMAS LOSTIES!!!
• Sayid mentions that he needs Desmond to remember a phone number to contact Penny. But he doesn't! CUE TIME TRAVEL!

1996

• Desmond heads to Penny's address 423 (the numbers yet again) Cheyne Walk. Just thought I'd point out that 4 and 23 are indeed 2 of our infamous numbers!
• Man what did we do prior to the Penny/Dezzy storyline? What did we have to look forward to? This is powerful stuff! Desmond explains to Penny how he knows it's over but he just needs her phone number so that he can call her in 8 years on December 24, 2004. As much as she tries to resist. She DOES give it to him. And Desmond keeps his promise not to contact Penny until that date. Even though we know Penny contacted him at the stadium where Desmond meets Jack.

1996/2004

• Desmond returns to 2004, nose bleeding and all, with a phone number. Sayid mentions the "perfect timing" which I couldn't help but laugh when he said it. That Iraqi dude just cracks me up!
• And then if you didn't cry during this scene (or almost cry) you're not human! Penny picks up the phone! Past Desmond leaves Penny's house realizing that everything is fixed. Present Desmond returns and realizes where he is and who Sayid is and tells Penny what's been going on. Penny tells Dez she knows about the island. She's been researching and looking for him for 3 years and when she talked to Charlie she knew she wasn't crazy. And that she won't give up her search. They express their love for each other. And then the battery dies. GREAT SCENE!
• Desmond finds his constant and now he's perfect. Does that mean his POST Hatch "SIDE EFFECTS" are now at an end? Sounds like it. For now at least.
• So, let's tie the PENNY events together shall we? Penny says she's been looking for Desmond for 3 years (which was our speculation after the season 2 finale when she said "with enough money and determination you can find anyone") .....she also says in the recent episode "i know about the island" so she must've done research on the electro-magnetic activity too, because that's what she was looking for. And then of course...once they detected this she had an idea of where she should be directing her lines of communication which at the end of season 3 we see reaches the eyes and ears of charlie. Yet, also apparently was reaching the freighter folk too. Enter Desmond/Penny's picture that Naomi had. So what on earth happened here? I think I'm repeating myself from up above, but I'm too lazy to check! Was Naomi really looking for Desmond? Was that her mission? Or was that her cover before she knew Flight 815 was there? But then again, she asked Abbaddon "What if there are survivors of flight 815?" So she must've known they crashed there. Yikes..

END SCENE

When all is said and done, we see Dan looking through his journal only to come to a page that said "If Anything Goes wrong, Desmond Hume will be my constant" BOOM LOST! Well, he sure looked surprise to see that note didn't he? More Paradoxes???? Yikes! I'm not even going to try to analyze it. Because it sounds like we have more time traveling for Dan ahead of us. If you want to look at some pages of the journal, feel free!

Closing Questions
(instead of Coffin watch this week)

Someone shared with me a very excellenet observation. You know how we saw Desmond, George, and heard about Brandon going nuts and getting SICK from the eyes of everyone else? Well, what if this is what Rousseau was referring to when her people got sick and she killed them? Woaaa....George did mention that it would happen to everyone that went to the island. But why hasn't it impacted all of our 815ers? Does it have to do with traveling to the island by Boat? That's how Desmond got there, how Rousseau's people got there, AND how George/Brandon were getting there. Ahhhh interesting. DISCUSS!
Quick note: we're back to getting 8 episodes prior to the break, so we have 3 more to look forward to before the end of April! That's it folks. Sorry for the novel. I'm sure you were all wondering how on earth I was going to recap this episode. By doing exactly what I did. Pretty much re-writing the script! Lots of crazy Time Travel elements to this one. And I look forward to seeing what you guys came up with. CUE CDSTEDMAN's Copy/Paste NOW! lol See you next week everyone!
Disclaimer: Many thanks again to Sledgeweb (lost.cubit.net) for always having the ability to capture so many wonderful screen stills from the show! If I had the technology to do it myself, you bet I would! But since I don't, it's nice to know someone out there does!