LOST: Season 6 Episode 14 - The Candidate

Hello LOSTIES!  And welcome to one bittersweet day in the waning hours of LOST.  I am totally flabbergasted and unable to formulate sentences right now with any sort of significance!  3!!!  I mean....3?  In one episode?  (okay...2 and a half)   But WOW!  Dear sweet Jacob in Ghostland WOW!  The LOST writers just did something very bold.  Why did they do it?  Glad you asked.  Entertainment Weekly's own Jeff "Doc" Jensen had a chance to sit down with Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to discuss this event of huge emotional proportions.  They explain exactly why they did it.   Based on the way we always discuss our recaps here, I'll refrain from discussing until we get there.  But, let's just say this.  The producers have been telling us that this season boils down to a battle of Good and Evil, and well, they delivered the EVIL!   Did I mention that I loved the episode?  Probably not, because I just finally got the guts to say it.  Good news folks, I found my voice again and we're ready to get into the recap!

In case you didn't tune in last week (during the rerun), I did happen to post my revisiting to the 23 Mysteries I jotted down before the season.  Check it out if you're still looking for more after this recap!

The Candidate - We supposedly had 6 remaining "candidates" for the protector of the Island.  But, by the end of this episode, we supposedly have our "Chosen One."  I'm not sure anyone will go out on a limb and say it yet.  But there are 2 things leading in that direction.  Sayid tells Jack "It's going to be you" and the the Sideways story was yet another almost entirely Jack-centric (he was in every scene).  Pretty crazy that Jack could be the Last Recruit and the Candidate in back to back episodes, right?   Well, come on, we always knew he was the main character!   Anyway, our sideways story follows Jack as he tries to uncover what happened to Locke to get him in his wheelchair in sideways land.  He ends up uncovering a lot about Oceanic Flight 815.  It can't all be coincidental and it was quite intriguing if you ask me!   On the Island, Sawyer has gotten all of the LOSTIES captured by Widmore and his science goons and Flocke recruits Jack to help them break them free.  Hmmm, maybe we should reconsider this!  Too late!   Let's dive in.

Flash Sideways - Jack Shephard

Recovery

When we last left Jack and Locke they were just going into surgery and Jack recognized Locke.  We rejoin them after the surgery. 

• When Locke wakes up he recognizes Jack.  We think he is going to to recognize him from the Island timeline, but no such luck.  Jack quickly reminds him that they were on Oceanic Flight 815 together. Jack, at this point, has run into Desmond, Charlie and Locke again and recognized them all from the flight.  He also ran into Claire, but didn't see her yet.  Anyway, he certainly must be putting this all together that there is some kind of twisted fate that he's running into them all right?

• Jack explains to Locke what happened and that he is going to be okay.  But Jack also said that he investigated the initial injury that is causing his paralysis and said there is some low risk experimental treatments where he could regain feeling to his legs and possibly even walk again.  I fact, the exact word Jack uses is that he thinks John is a "candidate".   Now, I think they just threw this in there as a play on words and maybe as a double meaning for the sideways storyline.  I don't think they're trying to tell us that John Locke is the chosen CANDIDATE to replace Jacob.  But hey, who knows? Stranger things have happened right? 

• Locke firmly says no to Jack.  This is the 2nd time he has turned down the opportunity for Jack to possibly fix him.  (Jack does use those words "I can fix you" as he always loved to do in the Island timeline)  If you recall in "The Substitute" he tells Helen he is content the way he is.  In this Sideways story, we dig more into WHY he is content (or not content as it turns out).  
• Helen arrives and is very thankful to Jack for saving John's life.  Always nice to see Helen, but there's not much else to say about it! 

Jack keeps Digging

Jack cannot understand why Locke would not want to be fixed and he seems determined to figure it out. Why?  Well, I can't put my finger on it either.  But it would seem that Jack must feel that these encounters with his fellow 815 passengers are not happening by chance.  Is he possibly taking on a man of faith perspective here?   Does he feel it is his DESTINY to fix Locke? 

• So, Jack starts diving into Locke's medical records which leads him to a DENTIST!   Apparently, Locke needed an emergency oral surgery after a different accident about 3 years ago.  The Dentist?  Well of course it's Bernard Nadler folks!  

• This Bernard seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder though.  He didn't understand why Jack was so interested.  Jack explains that they met a week ago on the same flight back from Australia.  Cue the creepy music...Bernard remembers Oceanic 815 as well as he sat right across from Jack.   Now, Jack is really starting to think this is strange! 
• Of course Bernard remembers the history a little differently than Jack as he suggested Jack was flirting with Rose when he was in the bathroom!  Ahhh good times.   Jack definitely acknowledges the fact that running into Bernard, Desmond, Charlie and Locke after this accident is VERY weird. 
• Things get weirder when Bernard remembers there was another patient that was in the accident with Locke that he had to treat.   Anthony Cooper!  Now, anyone that has watched LOST from season 1 knows that Anthony Cooper is John Locke's biological father.  Anyone, that is just starting to watch from season 6 might recall that Sawyer is looking for an Anthony Cooper  to kill for being a conman that caused Sawyer's father to kill his mother and then himself (And, well he was looking to do so in the Island timeline as well and succeeded on the Island with Locke's help).  
• But Jack doesn't know all of this about Anthony Cooper, he is just wondering how Bernard remembers this without looking up any files.  The surgeries were 3 years ago.  All Bernard creepily says is "Of course I do, Jack."   He also didn't seem too surprised about them being on the same flight either.  Come to think of it, did Rose seem to be in on something on the LA X flight when she told Jack "Looks like we made it."?    Aren't there other people that seem to have some knowledge of what's going on?  Eloise Hawking, Daniel Faraday, Desmond Hume, Charlie Pace. Interesting...Maybe Desmond already got to Bernard after the flight?   Big maybe...  There definitely seems to be something going on here that we can't just pass by.  But, I'm going to just point it out for now.  I'm sure more will come later. 
• Also, the Anthony Cooper connection.  Do we think this might connect Sawyer, Kate, Jack and Locke somehow?   And, we've already discussed this but it would seem Anthony Cooper was still a conman in this sideways timeline so why would he and Locke still be in communication?  Was it because of the accident?   I'm getting ahead of myself. 
• Bernard tells Jack "Good Luck" and that he hopes he finds what he's looking for.  And we can't seem but wonder if Bernard meant more than finding out the cause of Locke's injury. 

Anthony Cooper

Jack does end up finding out that Anthony Cooper is a nursing home.  And he runs into Helen while he's there. 

• Jack tells Helen he's here to see Anthony Cooper to talk to him about the accident he was in with Locke.  Helen tells Jack just to go and that John does NOT want the surgery.  Saving his life should be enough.  All Jack wants to do is help Locke and saving his life is not enough.  
• Helen seems to understand Jack is not giving up and introduces him to Anthony Cooper.  Yep, that's him alright except a couple differences.  He is in a wheelchair too and he's a vegetable!   And we all say out loud "KARMA IS A FICKLE B**C*!"  After all, Locke's Dad did push John out an 8 story window causing his paralysis in the Island Timeline (well, might have caused his death and possibly resurrected into paralysis by Jacob)  

• But that's kind of crazy, right?  Is this karma with a sense of humor?  Anthony was a bad man in the other timeline and an accident causes him to become like this in the Sideways timeline?  Eh who knows?  But we learn more in a little bit. 

Back at the Hospital

• Jack is in Locke's room and is asking if he could hear him.   Locke seems to be unconscious but he is ranting off some quotes from his Island self!!  "Push the Button!" (ahh Hatch memories) "I wish you had believed me" (ahh memories of Locke's suicide letter to Jack)  
• Once again we have a connection of Island and Sideways.  Locke is sleeping here and connected to the other timeline.  What does it all mean?  Seems like they're going to make us wait until the very end to find out! 
• Meanwhile, Claire just happens to walk by outside of Locke's room and Jack sees her.   She was looking for Jack and wanted to talk to him.  (Is it important that Ilana told her where he worked?  Well, I guess any lawyer working for Jack would know that.  But this lawyer happens to be friends with Desmond too so who knows?)
• Jack gets an Apollo bar out of the vending machine.  Yes, my friends, Apollo bars exist in Sideways land too! 

• After the small talk and apologies subside, Claire gets down to business.  We learn that she never met Christian Shephard.  Interesting, of course, I guess the only reason she and Christian met in the Island timeline is because Claire's mother was in a coma.  But Christian did see her as a baby and I believe used to sing "Catch a Falling Star " to her (in the Island timeline).
• Anyway, Ilana gave Claire one of things that Christian ESPECIALLY wanted her to have.   It sure looked like a music box.  (I almost thought it would be the same music box Rousseau had with her on the Island but I knew the song it would play when it opened!)   Jack didn't seem to recognize it. 

• Claire asked how Christian died.   Sounds like we get confirmation that it's the same way he died in the Island timeline.  So much for my "Murder-Conspiracy Theory" that would be uncovered in the final season!   Christian died of drinking himself to death and was found in an alley in Australia.  Are we to assume that he went back there for the same reason?  To see his daughter?  Are we to assume that Jack still caused Christian to return to drinking and kill a patient while operating under the influence like he did in the Island timeline?  Are we to assume that Sawyer and Christian still met in this timeline in that bar in Sydney?   Lots of questions that will probably never have answers.  But what we do know is that Christian died the same way. 
• Jack explains that he flew in from Sydney to bring his body back but the airline lost it.  And then Claire mentions she flew in a few days ago too.  Jack asks her if it was Oceanic 815.   And sure enough, it was!  And now Jack is beside himself with all of these coincidences.  He now wants to look in the music box.
• And when it opens, there is yet ANOTHER Mirror in there which Claire and Jack both look into. Another Oceanic connection and another glance into the reflection.  And the music playing?  "Catch a Falling Star".   The song that Christian sang to Claire as a child and the one that she wanted sung to Aaron when she gave him up for adoption and the song that Kate sang to Aaron when she was raising him off Island in the other timeline.   Nice. 

• Jack had no idea why their father wanted her to have that music box, but I think we may have figured it out with the song.   Then again, maybe it was somehow to bring Jack and Claire together.  Maybe it was because Christian was aware of both timelines and why his body is absolutely missing in the sideways timeline.  Of course, now I'm just talking crazy talk.  But I always wanted Christian to be more involved in this whole Island Mystery!  Maybe there's still hope! 
• In the meantime, Jack makes an offer to Claire to stay with him instead of a motel since they are family.  awwwwwwww  Precious!  

Jack and Locke

We next follow Locke in his wheelchair as he is leaving the hospital.  He passes by Jin with flowers (for Sun) and seems to recognize him for a second.  Of course, seeing Jin here means a whole lot more to us in the chronology that we see this scene!   But we'll get to that later. 

• Locke is planning to get picked up by Helen but runs into Jack on the way out who wanted to say goodbye to him.   Locke thanks him again and says goodbye. 
• But Jack gets into the fact that he went to see John's father.  John is taken aback by this.   Jack said he had to find out why he didn't want the surgery and maybe if he found out why John was in the wheelchair he could know why. 
• Ironically, we learn that Locke was in a plane crash.  He had a private pilot's license for a week and begged his father to be the first passenger.  Cooper was terrified of flying but Locke told him to "trust him."  They barely got off the ground and he doesn't even remember what he did wrong.  (Maybe he DIDN'T do anything wrong?  Maybe something caused that plan to crash?  Am I looking too far into it?  Probably)  
• But this was a very emotional scene and fantastically delivered by Terry O'Quinn.  He could never live with the fact that he could be healed when he caused his father to be the way that he was.   A father he loved more than anything in the world (sure doesn't sound like the conman that conned John out of a Kidney).  

• Jack brings up the first time that they met at the Airport when Locke told him that his father was gone.  It hurt Jack to hear that but he knew John was right.  Jack implies that Cooper is essentially gone too which Locke denies.  But Jack insists that John stop punishing himself.  And we get that infamous LOSTIAN phrase once again "What Happened Happened!"  Jack tells Locke to let it go.  Something Jack has a problem with too but his hoping John can lead the way.  
• Locke pretty much laughs Jack off and then says an emotional goodbye.  And Jack yells after him "I can help you John.  I wish you believed me."   Then John stops as if he just heard something very familiar.  Did he?  Did he remember saying it in his sleep?  Did Jack remember John saying it as well?   We don't know for sure, but something tells me this story isn't over yet.  

I can't help thinking, ESPECIALLY after this episode, that maybe this Sideways story IS where it's all supposed to end up.  I know I go back and forth.  But I'm remembering that discussion from season 5's finale "The Incident" between Jack and Sawyer.  Sawyer brought up the fact that Kate won't know Jack and she'll be a fugitive if they reset time and all of that crazy stuff.  And Jack says that he blew his chance with Kate on the Island.   He also makes a comment "If it's meant to be it's meant to be."   Like FATE will find a way.  Fate or SOMETHING seems to be drawing all of our LOSTIES together in the Sideways timeline, but things are certainly looking like there's a chance for a brighter future there than on the Island, right?  Of course, we know that LOST won't necessarily end on a happy note.  But what if Jack convinces Locke to go through with the surgery and he's healed?  Could John be happy in this life? Could he live with what he did to his father?  Will Jack and David have a happy life together or was there some dark foreshadowing ahead because the last time we saw them together was OVERLY HAPPY?  Jin and Sun seem to be in a good place now.  Kate's situation is still unknown.   We know that Sawyer and Juliet still have a coffee date coming up!   Is this where it's headed?   I just don't know.  Desmond is making sure all of these people get connected, but to what end?  So that they know the good things they had?  So they know what they all went through to GET to this Sideways life?  

Eh, I dunno.  I still have reservations because we have followed their Island lives for 6 seasons.  Those are the characters we are really invested in.   Maybe everyone who was theorizing on a choice between these lives are right.  Maybe in the end they're going to have to make some big choices.  CHOICE has been a big theme of this final season as well as at the end of last season when Jacob gave Ben a choice.  But I think it has to be all or nothing.  One timeline must prevail in the end, right?   I guess we'll see.   But I'm sure I just rambled on about nothing for a long time.   Time to get to that Island timeline! 

Island Timeline  

Last we left our LOSTIES, the majority were captured by Charles Widmore.   And Jack had jumped ship seeking a greater purpose on the Island.  He felt he was meant to stop Flocke from leaving the Island.  When he arrived back on the beach Widmore sent some mortars towards Smokey to try and kill him and caught Jack in the crossfire.  Flocke had claimed that Jack was with him now.  We continue here!

The Captured Losties

• Not sure if anyone else called this one, but I had a feeling we would have to see these Polar Bear cages one more time!  Sawyer, Kate, Jin, Sun, Hurley, Claire and Frank were being escorted to these cages as other science goons were trying to get the pylons up and running in a new location.

 

• Mr. Intimidator Science Guy tries to force Sawyer into the cage.  Gotta love his resistance to go back into that place after 6 slow hours in season 3 of cage time!   Intimidator guy says that he's the one with the gun and Sawyer quickly turns the table on him and snatches the gun!  LOVED IT!   Also loved the nickname "Doughboy" too!  So I'm done with calling him intimidator! 

• Of course, Widmore ruins the party by firing his pistol in the air and grabbing Kate and threatening to shoot her.   Sawyer tries to call a bluff and says that he won't shoot her.   
• Widmore says he has a list of names (hmmm) "Ford, Reyes and The Kwons (both?)"   He mentions that Kate is NOT on the list.  I must remind people that Kate IS on the Lighthouse dial as #51 and was not crossed off.  We learn tonight for sure that she WAS on the cave wall but crossed off.  Darlton have stated in a podcast that perhaps the CAVE was a diversion for Man in Black and that the Lighthouse is the ACTUAL list of candidates.  Does it really matter in the end since we think we have our winner?  Maybe not.  

• What does matter is that Sawyer saw that Cave wall and knew Widmore was serious about shooting Kate.   So he drops the gun. 
• Here's a question: does this mean Widmore is working for Jacob?  How did he get the list?  Did he get it from Jacob himself?   So maybe his deal with Sawyer was off for their protection?  I'm sure we'll find out eventually. 
• Gotta love also that Doughboy got a shot in on Sawyer when he handed the gun over.  And of course, they all are put into the cages. 
• Widmore says that he is doing this for their own good.  He also asks about if the fence is live.  They say it'll be live in about an hour.  Widmore knows they don't have that kind of time since Smokey is on his way!
• Later on in the cages Sawyer is reminiscing about the last time he and Kate were in the cages.  Seems like their repeating things except this time the gun was to Kate's head instead of his.  (I know people didn't like those first 6 episodes of season 3.  I argue that they're not bad on a rewatch and those last moments of episode 6 "I Do" were pretty darn intense!).  Sawyer explains to Kate about the cave and how her name was crossed off.  Widmore definitely would have killed her if he had to. 
• Meanwhile, Jin and Sun are catching up in their end of one of the cages.  We find out that Ji Yeon is with Sun's mother right now.   Jin explains to Sun how he saw pictures of Ji Yeon on her camera that was found on the plane.  He talks about about beautiful she is.  How weird was it to watch them carry on a conversation in English?  Then Sun gave Jin his ring back (the one Jin gave to Locke to give to Sun and tell her that he died on the Island.  The one that Ben took from Locke after he killed him and used to convince Sun to come back to the Island).   She put the ring back on Jin's hand and everything was happy for a moment.   In hindsight, this scene was pretty essential in reminding us that Jin still did learn of Ji Yeon and we learned that she might be okay, even if it's not an ideal situation.   Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself but it's hard not to point these things out you know! 

Jack, Sayid and Flocke on Hydra

• Jack wakes up in one of the outriggers.  I should note that when he does wake up it was right out of a flash sideways sequence where he was starting at Locke.  My first thought was that he was seeing this.  Of course, if he was he didn't mention it to anyone.  So, maybe not.  

• Anyway Sayid welcomes Jack to Hydra Island and even gets in a snarky comment about him having to do all of the paddling himself (well, maybe Flocke helped). 

• We find out that many Templetons (Others) died in the mortar attacks and the ones that didn't scattered into the jungle of the main Island.  It is just the 3 of them now and Sayid states that Flocke saved Jack.
• Jack wants to know whey he's on Hydra Island.  Flocke shows up out of nowhere and says that they need to rescue his friends who got captured.  Flocke tells him that Widmore won't give a straight answer of WHY he captured them.  His plan is to break them free, run for the plane (that last I checked is not operational) and break free before Widmore knows what hit him.  
• Jack isn't an easy sell.  He says that they're not his people and he has no intention of leaving the Island.  Flocke tells Jack that he still hopes he'll change his mind.   Flocke essentially asks Jack to help his friends and convince them that the can trust ol' Smokey.  Why?  Because he hasn't killed any of them when he has had the chance to and he wants to save them just like he saved Jack's life.   See, I knew right then that he was kind of lying.  Remember Ghost Boy told Flocke that he can't kill Sawyer?  He probably meant all of the candidates.  Anyway, regardless of why Jack did it he does help Flocke because he wants to help his friends. 

The Rescue
After the sweet moment with Jin and Sun, the power is turned down and the Hydra Station.   This includes the power to the pylons.  We get a classic line from Frank trying to redeem himself from last episode's "Looks like someone's got their voice back" in hit simple delivery of "Uh oh...".   Then we hear that oh so familiar sound announcing the arrival of Smokey!  Hurley: "And...we're dead!"

• Widmore's Science Tough Guys lined up with their guns to prepare for the arrival of something they possibly can't prepare for.  (Note: Absent from this scene are Widmore and Zoe.  Where are they?  Good question)
• Smokey comes out of the trees in all of his glory and Science Goons start shooting away at it to no success.  First Victim?  DOUGHBOY!  And the crowd cheers! 

• Smokey continues his rampage.  By the way, we can safely assume now that A.) Flocke/MIB can still become Smokey even though he has not in awhile.  B.) He can become Smokey on Hydra Island which we thought that maybe he couldn't.   Now, what would happen if he left the Island?  Well, we still don't know that. 
• Doughboy falls dead flat on his back in front of the cage housing Sawyer, Kate and crew.  Kate thinks she can reach the keys.   Frank decides that he isn't going to wait for Kate to get the keys.  He starts trying to kick down the door.  Are we meaning to say that this was possible back in season 3 and Sawyer never tried it?   Yes yes, I know Ben pretended to put a pacemaker in his heart and showed him that there was no escape since they were on another Island and all, but what about before that?  I guess he was too busy learning how to get a fish biscuit!  Or from Karl just unlocking cages for him!  And, of course, Frank never really got a chance to find out if his "kick down the door" routine actually would work. 
• Why not?  Because Jack showed up and grabbed the keys off of Doughboy!   Kate asks Jack what he's doing there.   You gotta love when Jack looks back at Smokey on his rampage and says "I'm with him."  After that they all break free and head out into the Hydra jungle. 

• Naturally, night suddenly turns to day, just like in last episode and the LOSTIES are on their way to the Ajira Plane.  I'm not even going to question this stuff unless they tell me I'm supposed to.  Maybe, again, the rescue scene was right before dawn and now it's daytime.  I dunno.   Maybe it was a long walk to the plane too I guess.  Because they all seemed out of breath and there was still a quarter mile to the plane.
• So, here we are!  All of our LOSTIES together again.  Kate seems excited by the prospect that Jack is coming with them.  He tells her that he's taking them to the plane but he isn't getting on it.   He says that he's not meant to go.  

• Sawyer then thanks Jack for coming back for them.  Well, he better after the way he kicked him off the boat.  And, well after this episode it sure looks like Jack has been right all of this time (gotta love that too!)

• Then Sayid comes to the party by surprise.  Jack clears Sayid saying that he is with them and turned off the generators, to which Sawyer just all of a sudden is okay with!  "The more the merrier."   Very bizarre how Sayid was acting in this episode.  By the end of it, he seemed almost like normal Sayid again, but in these earlier scenes he seemed a little like Zombie Sayid.  

• Sayid says that they need to go. "Locke is waiting."  And the LOSTIES pick up their pace towards the plane.  

The Ajira Plane

We join Flocke who is a little ahead of the group.   He is met with a hail of gunfire by 2 more Science Goons.  Naturally, nothing hits Smokey and he walks right up to them.   He quickly snaps on of their necks (did anyone else cringe?) and then grabs the gun and shoots the other one.  Problem solved!

• What seemed like a meaningless scene at first, Flocke grabs a watch off of one of the dead bodies.   Then he heads onto a newly constructed Bamboo Stairway to the plane.  Did Widmore's crew construct this?   I guess if we're meant to believe that Widmore was planning to blow up the LOSTIES and/or Flocke, maybe they did. 

• Flocke arrives on the plane and starts his investigation.  He sees some wiring in one of the overhead compartments and then discovers something that would turn out to be C4 planted on the plane.  It IS a bit ironic that we spent an episode trying to get explosives for the plane: blowing up Ilana and blowing up the Black Rock when there was already C4 planted on the plane anyway right?   I mean Ben, Richard and Miles went back to the Barracks to GET explosives or grenades or something to blow up that plane.  I'd suggest that maybe THEY put the C4 on there, but they don't seem to be anywhere in sight yet.  

• The LOSTIES show up to the plane and Frank finally says what we've been waiting to hear. "Alright, let's see what it will take to get this baby to fly!"  Because, last we checked, this plane was not in flying condition!  I mean, isn't the cockpit window busted with a tree branch sticking through a dead body?  Unless they already cleaned that up! 

• They stumble upon the 2 dead bodies near the plane and we get a classic "S.O.B." line from Sawyer.   Sayid detects that one of their necks had been broken.  Flocke exits the plane to announce that HE broke it!  And then he goes into his whole explanation of how this was Widmore's plan all along.  The guards were only for show and Widmore knew that Flocke would kill them.  He suggests that this is why he moved the fences too.  He wanted to get the LOSTIES into a confined space with MIB with no hope of getting out and then kill them all in one shot (I still argue if that is even a valid way to kill the Smoke monster).  Of course, we do find out the irony of this statement not too long from now.   Anyway, the C4 turned out to be wired to the electrical system of the plane.  If they would have turned the plane on.......BOOM! (nice call back to the season 4 finale with Desmond and Jin trading Booms while looking at the big mountain of C4 in front of them)

• Flocke then says that they cannot be sure there aren't more explosives on the plane, so he says they should take the sub.  Interesting, I thought for sure that Smokey wouldn't be able to leave the Island via Sub.  Of course, something tells me we will never find out if he could!  Anyway, Sawyer starts playing his "con" game again and says that he's been saying all along they should take the sub.   Hurley tries to chime in and say that Smokey isn't supposed to leave the Island and that Alpert said that.....  Sawyer cuts him off and says "Screw Alpert!"   Sawyer has no intention of letting Flocke on that sub but he plays the part and tells him that he saved their butts twice and he was wrong about him.  
• Flocke says that the sub will be heavily defended and they'll need as much help as they can get.  Jack said that he will help but he's not going with them.  Flocke kind of just nods in approval (like he already had a plan anyway).  

• Claire immediately runs up to Flocke and apologizes for leaving.  He forgives her and says he understands why she went.  Man, he really did a number on that girl! 

• Sawyer holds Jack up a bit to talk to him about the "REAL PLAN".  He doesn't trust Flocke at all and wants to make sure he doesn't get on that sub.  He asks Jack if he can stop him from getting on it.  Jack isn't sure how he's supposed to do that, but Sawyer tells him to just get Smokey in the water and he'll handle the rest.   Interesting, I thought for sure that this was going to show us Smokey's Kryptonite of water (which we've only speculated) somehow.   Since Sawyer knew that Smokey can't fly over the water in Smoke form, what would happen if he was submerged in water in "human" form?  Well, we found out.  But we'll get there in a second! 

  

The Arrival at the Sub
All of our favorite LOSTIES arrive at the sub.  Sawyer scouts the area and states that there probably are goons ON the sub even though they're not outside.  He splits the team in 2.  He says that Jin, Sun, Lapidus and Hugo are going with him.   Kate, Sayid, Jack and Flocke stay behind for the 2nd wave in 30 seconds.   Sawyer asked Jack if "You Two" can get their backs.  I can only imagine he means Flocke here as the other one (even though Kate and Sayid are right there too).  In any case, Jack is really confirming that he will help Sawyer in their previous sidebar discussion.  

• Wave 1 heads towards the sub.  One by one they head into the Sub.  This is where things start getting a little crazy (Big surprise!) 

• Sawyer and Frank move inside and come across one of the Widmore cronies inside the sub.  They neutralize the threat before he's even a threat.  Sawyer requests to see the Captain.  They move on towards the cockpit or whatever you call it on a submarine.  The Bridge?  (thinking Star Trek here)   Frank knocks out the first guy they met up with and says "Nothing Personal."  Good times!   And then Sawyer asks the Captain to fire up the sub.  (well, at least we know how he planned to pilot that sub now!)

• Frank stays in the room to make sure the Captain continues to follow orders and prepare the sub for departure.   Sawyer heads back out to assist the rest of the crew. 
• Wave #2 prepares to head towards the dock (Kate, Sayid, Claire).  Flocke and Jack stay behind a little longer.  Flocke grabs 2 backpacks, and upon re-watching you might notice it looks like he hands Jack a different one than his own.  Anyone keeping track of mirroring scenes might recall that when they drew straws in the season 1 finale to determine who would carry the dynamite Kate and Locke drew the short ones.  But Jack still switched up his and Kate's backpack so that he was carrying the dynamite.  There is an ironic twist this time around when Flocke does it to Jack! 

 

• Jack and Flocke start following behind Kate and crew.  Flocke asks if he'll reconsider going.   Whoever told him that he needed to stay had no idea what they were talking about.  And I did feel a little sense of pride in how far we have come when Jack responded with "John Locke told me to stay" (and I added in my head "And he's not a sucker!!!")  Jack pushed Flocke right into the water, GOOD TIMES! 

• Kate turns around and is totally confused about what happened and then a gunshot goes off and hits her right in the chest.  OH NO!!!  And of course it's Kate that gets shot because she's not on the list.  Now, do we find it curious that Kate wasn't shot until Flocke was pushed into the water?  Perhaps Widmore's crew IS helping Flocke?  I just can't imagine that is the case.  It would never explain the scene where Flocke and Widmore declared war at the Pylon meeting.  Maybe Widmore is really trying to prevent the LOSTIES from leaving on that sub.  In any case, Kate got shot and this drives Jack and crew into a panic!  And of course Claire looks like a lost puppy with her master in the water. 

• A gunfight breaks out between the LOSTIES and the Widmore-ites.  Jack runs out of ammo and runs for Kate.  Sayid and Claire cover them.  And how about Claire's impeccable aim?  Woa.  Sayid yells after Claire that they need to go, but she just keeps firing away.  

• Meanwhile, Flocke climbs out of the water, seemingly unaffected by being thrown into it.   Well, maybe a little affected as he is slow to get out.  I am going to guess that Widmore's crew does NOT have a deal with Flocke because he just picks them off with his pistol one by one.  

• On the sub, Sawyer gets updated on the situation as Jack and Sayid bring in a wounded Kate.  Jack asks Hurley for a first aid kit and pandemonium is at an all time high! 

• Sawyer heads back up outside of the sub to get Claire.  He yells for Claire but Flocke is out of the water and starts running towards him.  It's too late to get Claire and Sawyer closes up the sub.  Once again Claire gets left behind.  But this time, it's a good thing!  Sawyer shouts over an intercom to Lapidus that they need to begin diving.  

• The sub begins to move and Claire is running towards it.  Jack is annoyed because he's still ON the sub taking care of Kate but has no intention of leaving.   Outside Flocke stops Claire and tells her that she does not want to be on that sub.  Uh oh... And just as he says it, we remember what MIB said to Jacob all of those years ago when he said he would kill all of Jacob's replacements.  And then we realize that every single one of the candidates is on board that Sub.   Checkmate?  Black wins Backgammon?   Well, I'll tell you one thing.  Even if not, it's not good!

Inside the Sub
The sub begins its descent.  We still have an injured Kate, but that becomes the least of their worries as the real issue begins to unfold.

 

• Kate begins complaining that they cannot leave without Claire.  Jack tries to calm her down.  Hurley cannot find a first aid kit so Jack asks Jin to look in his backpack to see if there is a shirt they can use to apply pressure.  (Sidebar: You know we are very close to the end if the Female Lead is getting shot close to the heart!)   Jin hands Jack the pack.  Jack explains that he thinks the bullet went straight through so Kate should be okay.  Whew.... Granted, I'm sure a lot of Kate haters were hoping for the opposite! 

• Jack opens up his backpack and a whole new level of realization hits them.   Yep, Flocke pulled the ol' Switcheroo with the backpacks.  The 4 bricks of C4 are on the sub with them.  And even better?  That watch that Flocke stole is on there too as a timer.  Oh no!!

• Jack realizes that they did exactly what Flocke wanted the whole time.   They need to get to the surface PRONTO!   Jin phones Lapidus and tells him to take the Sub up.   (Did anyone notice there's a first aid kit in the room with Lapidus and the Captain?  Good times (no...it's not...no time for GOOD TIMES anymore!) 

• All of the candidates can do nothing except stare at each other and figure out what to do with that bomb.   Sayid tries to analyze the bomb just like in the good ol' days (like I said, we got Normal Sayid back for a brief stint).   The watch is rigged to the battery and the battery detonates the explosives.  (Sidenote: 5 minutes until they can get to the surface....not enough time)  Technically the bomb should be inert if they pull the wires from the battery simultaneously.  Sawyer pushes Sayid aside is about to pull the wires, since he's hesitating.   

• Then Jack begins to think clearly and remembers his stint in the Black Rock with Richard.  He tells them that nothing is going to happen.  He tells Sawyer not to pull the wires out.   He realizes that Flocke can't kill them.  Everything he has done is to get them all there.  He wanted them all in the same place at the same time in a confined space with no hope of an exit (see the irony now?).   Flocke told them he can't leave the Island without them, but Jack thinks that he can't leave the Island with them all alive!  There you go Jack!  Flocke told Jack that he could kill any one of them whenever he wanted, but what if he hasn't because he's not allowed to?   Ahhh, THE RULES anyone?   Ahhh the GHOST BOY anyone?   Jack finally suggests that maybe Flocke is trying to get them to kill each other!   I wasn't far off with my suggestion that Sayid would be Flocke's weapon to kill the LOSTIES.   Instead, they all were his weapons against each of them.  

 

• And in this case, it's Sawyer that escalates Flocke's plan.  He sees Jack talking all crazy again and tells him to steer clear.   Jack tries to explain that the very fact that there is a timer on it suggests that Flocke needs them to kill each other.  Flocke could have just thrown the C4 inside and killed them all.  Sawyer is tired of listening, he is not going to just sit there and do nothing.  Jack grabs him and tells him they're going to be okay and to trust him.  One might think Sawyer considered the "JUGHEAD" incident and how Juliet died before he decided but he tells the Doc that he does NOT trust him.  He pulls the wires out.  

• The timer stops and there is a brief pause of relief.  But it didn't last long as the timer started up again but moving faster!  Oh man, nice job Sawyer! 

• All hope seems to be lost.  Then Sayid jumps into action.  He tells Jack to listen carefully.  He tells Jack about a well on the Island half a mile south of the camp they just left.  He explains that Desmond is inside of it (I guess he didn't kill him!  But he didn't help him out of the well either).  Sayid says that Flocke wants Desmond dead which means they are going to need him.   Jack asks why Sayid is telling him this.  Then Sayid says "Because it's going to be you Jack."   We can only assume that he means that Jack is the chosen one, protector of the Island, replacement of Jacob, right?   Why would Sayid know this?  Well, maybe Desmond told him.  Maybe he realized that Jack's take charge attitude and the only one that believed in listening to Jacob until the very end made him THE CANDIDATE.  

• All I know for now is, we may never find out how Sayid rose from the dead, how he essentially turned out to be GOOD in the end.  But we did know that there would be some "sacrifices" made before the end of this show.  And I think we can all state that Sayid went out nobly helping his friends.  He grabbed the C4 and ran to the other end of the sub before the timer hit zero.  And then BOOM!!!    No more Sayid.  RIP Sayid (again).  What an awesome character for 6 years of LOST.  We are truly near the end.  This would have been enough to upset us, right?   Well keep reading! 

• Naturally, this explosion created a big hole in the sub, so the rest of them do not have much time to get out!   We see Frank leave the "pilot chamber" (still can't think of the darn name!)   He gets hit with a big steel door that got pushed in with the pressure of water coming in.  "AW HELL!"   And, actually, I'm not quite sure that Frank made it out or not!  Maybe I'll see as I'm re-watching for these final few bullets. 

 

• The water begins to flow in where the rest of the LOSTIES were and they are called into action.   Jack dives under to grab Kate.  Hurley keeps asking where Sayid is.    
• We hear Sun screaming as she is stuck between some big contraption!  Oh no! 

• Jin asks Sawyer for help to try and break her loose, but it's not enough!   
• Jack gives Kate to Hurley and tells him to go to the surface.  Jack will go for everyone else.  Hurley said he has to go after Sayid.   Jack responds "There is no Sayid!"  Oh man.   Anyway, Jack gives Hurley an Oxygen tank and sends it with Hurley so that he and Kate will have it for the way up.  He tells Hurley that he can do this and sends him on his way.   

• Jack joins Sawyer and Jin in trying to break Sun free.  They do get the contraption off of her but there is more pinning her down! 

• The sub shakes a bit and a beam or something hits Sawyer right in the head (another knock to the head.  Perhaps a sideways connection awaits?).   Regardless, this knocks Sawyer out of commission and makes a complicated situation even worse! 

• Jack grabs Sawyer and is keeping him afloat.  So he can't help Jin break Sun free.  Jin keeps trying though but it won't budge!!  Sun starts her pleading for Jin to leave her.  Jin refuses to leave her behind and continues trying to break her free. 

• The water is filing up.  Jin tells Jack to leave and get Sawyer to the surface.  Jack does not leave easily.  He wants to help.  Jin lies but he says that he will get Sun out.  Jack goes for the last oxygen tank and tries to give it to Jin, but he refuses saying that Jack can't get Sawyer out without it.  And at that point, I think we knew what was about to happen (getting chills and practically tearing up just thinking about what I need to write next). 

• Jack takes a long pause realizing what is going to happen as well, and then he starts swimming Sawyer out of the sub.  It's not an easy task, but they make it out.
• Michael Giacchino's "Life and Death" theme begins to play as we start spending our final moments with Jin and Sun.  Sun pleads with Jin to leave her there.  But he refuses.  He still thinks he can break her free, but Sun knows that he cannot.  

  

• There is barely any time left, Sun begs one more time for him to go, but he will not.  And he speaks in Korean "I won't leave you.  I will never leave you again."  Just as he promised when they reunited last episode.  They both tell each other that they love each other and then all they can do is wait.  We watch the sub continue to descent into the ocean.  We are left with a shot of Jin and Sun's hands locked together for their final moment and then they slowly float apart.  

• RIP Jin and Sun - One of the great romance stories of LOST.  You will not have died in vain!

The Beach
Whew, sorry guys, I'm still recovering from that section above.  I couldn't taint it all with talking about Frank Lapidus, but he is nowhere to be found!  Did he drown with Jin and Sun?  It would be an awful way to send off his character without any confirmation wouldn't it?   Oh well, we'll save that for another day.   We join Hurley, Kate, Jack and Sawyer on the beach (of Hydra? or the Main Island?) after their swim back to the surface.

• No mouth to mouth necessary, Sawyer was breathing fine.  Kate seems okay too.  I would hope so after losing 3 season 1 characters within minutes!  Kate was scared that Jack and Sawyer didn't make it.  She hugs Jack saying that she couldn't find him?  Perhaps this is an indication that there is still a hope fo the 2 of them?   Not the time to be discussing it folks.  

• Well, if there were only 4 original castaways that should be left standing for the final episode, I think we all would have guessed it would be Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley.  And of course Terry O'Quinn is still on the show as well as Crazy Claire.   Of course, now with everyone else dying, I'm not so sure I see either Sawyer or Jack dying by the end.  Unless, they all have to die for a greater cause...THE SIDEWAYS realm.  Time will tell. 
• For now though, Kate asks what happened to Jin and Sun.  Jack's look says it all.   And then we're up for another round of crying ourselves when Hurley loses it.  

• Jack steps away and heads to the shore to take everyone in.  And Jack too begins to cry.  This was rough stuff guys!  I'm crying just typing this! 

• I think we'll leave these guys to mourn their losses so they can live to fight another day.  On the bright side, we still have Desmond, Ben, Richard and Miles around somewhere!  And it would appear they (and possibly Widmore) are all on the same side now.  We'll see! 

Flocke and Claire

Flocke is still standing on the dock where we just left them.  He just happens to know that the sub sunk and he just happens to know that not ALL of them died.  Maybe he would have felt something inside him?  Like some sense of freedom and the ability to leave?  Finally, Claire shows some sense of humanity.  She is concerned that all of her friends just died. 

• Claire asks if they're all dead.  Flocke answers her stating that not all of them died.  Locke grabs his gun and backpack and heads off.  Claire asks where he's going. 
• "TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED!" 

BOOM LOST!!!!!

Wow!!  I mean, after reflecting more about what happened and digesting the interview with Damon and Calrton (that I linked to at the beginning of the post), everything seems to make sense.  It obviously was a very engaging hour of TV.  It was very sad and it would be hard for anyone to say they LOVED it.  (Even though I did above).  But no one can deny it was executed wonderfully.  They may just not like what happened.  But Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse argue that it NEEDED to happen.  Season 6 has been one "long con" (as many of us had theorized at one point) by the Man in Black.  He has been trying to recruit the LOSTIES to kill them off.  We heard all we needed to hear in Ab Aeterno when he told Jacob he would kill them all.  But the friendly face of John Locke seemed to lure everyone into the trap.  Even when they didn't trust the guy completely.  So what do Darlton say was supposed to happen after this episode?  The lines of Good vs. Evil are INDEED defined now.  Flocke tried to kill ALL of the LOSTIES, he managed to kill off 3 of them.  (or like I said earlier, 2.5)   This was a significant way to undoubtedly prove to us that The Man in Black is Evil and he must be stopped.  Many may argue there was a different way to do it.   But come on guys, it's the END of LOST!  There are 3 episodes left!  Things like this were bound to happen.  And, in hindsight, I like how they handled it.  And besides, they're all still alive for now in Sideways so we have not seen the last of anyone.   All we can do now is to hold our breaths and enjoy the final 4 hours of the show.

Oh wait a second!  It's 4 and a HALF hours of the show.  Because ALSO last night, it was confirmed that the Series Finale will be 2.5 hours!  NICE!!!!  We received word Monday night from Damon and Calrton that the Series Finale was edited and finished. (No more LOST to be produced)   I guess they realized that there was no way to cut anything out of the EPIC Finale (that the entire cast is raving about).   So, now we can enjoy 5.5 hours of LOST related stuff on Sunday, May 23rd.  If you live on the East Coast of the United States the schedule will work like this:   7-9: LOST Retrospective, 9-11:30: LOST Series Finale, then some time after the local news airs (I would assume): Jimmy Kimmel Live "Aloha LOST" Special where the Producers will have pretaped an appearance the Friday before but apparently the majority of the CAST will be present live at the show.  EXCITING times folks!       

Well, that's all I have for now kids.  Can't wait to discuss this episode with everyone.  Commence Commenting!  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings as always.  Rest in Peace to all of our fallen comrades and NAMASTE!

Ending Credits

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