LOST: Season 6 Episode 16 - What They Died For

Hello LOSTIES!  It's getting very real now isn't it?  As Jacob may tell us, "We're very close to the end."  And this episode seemed very clear in proving that to us.  In every penultimate episode to a LOST season finale, we usually witness the ever essential SETUP epic end-game mission of that season.  It is no different for this episode leading to the Series Finale of what will go down as TV's greatest achievement (yes, I mean LOST!).   For all of the mysteries that have befuddled us all season and some even longer, we are beginning to see everything take shape.  The Sideways Stories are coming together in an awesome way, our remaining candidates are getting ever so close to their true purpose and the antagonist of the story has raised the stakes of his ultimate plan as well.  I only have 2 more opportunities to do this and I'm not going to waste them folks.  Even for a setup episode, it has done its job tremendously and has me super psyched to see how it's all going to end.  I'll save my tears for later folks.  This episode gets a bonafide WOW!!!!!!! from me.  I almost don't want to get into the recap, because once I do, I know I will only be doing this one more time!   But alas, the show must go on.  Let's do this!

"What They Died For" - One could assume we are going to learn the tale of why Sun, Jin, Sayid, well EVERYONE has died.  And by the peak point of this episode, we do get a lot more information from someone who does have answers!  But Jacob's chat with the Candidates was only part of the fun of tonight's episode.  The Flash Sideways continued to focus on a large collection of the LOSTIES and getting them all moving closer to being in the same place.  There may have even been a hint of the ol' Man of Science vs. Man of Faith with a dash of Mr. Eko thrown in there for good measure!  Man, I love coming full circle.  Anyway, we also rejoin Richard, Miles and Ben to see what they've been up to.  And we have a meeting of 2 folks that I sure have been waiting to see for a couple of seasons.  And, in my opinion, their relationship concluded the way I always wanted it to!  Oh yeah, in case I forgot to mention, Smokey is in this episode too!   Time to dive in!

Flash Sideways

As I mentioned, we were visiting many of our LOSTIES in the Flash Sideways timeline.  Of course, there was one CONSTANT (pun definitely intended) that strung the scenes together and is causing them all to unfold as they are.  You guessed it:  Desmond David Hume!  Here is what went down in Sideways Land.

Jack and the Extended Family

Jack wakes up and heads to the bathroom as we have seen him do a couple times this season.  One more time he looks into that mirror and notices something. 

• That cut is back on his neck. HUH??   Remember the cut he saw in the mirror in the premiere this season?  (LA X)   We have said since then that this cut was somehow tied to Island Jack, once comparing it to the Season 5 ventures to blow up Jughead and then again comparing it to when Widmore sent a rocket to the Island that blew up right beside Jack.   It's not really looking like it's going to tie to either of those events anymore, but it certainly must be related to his Island existence.  Of course, we also know Jack looked in the mirror in the LIGHTHOUSE episode and noticed his the scar from his appendectomy which he didn't seem to recall happening when he was a child (and we know in the Island timeline that it happened right before he first left the Island).   Stay tuned on this one.  Surely, we're going to find out what is tying Sideways to the Island story in the Series Finale!  

• David Shephard, Jack's Sideways son, comes in to let Jack know that he made breakfast.  They have a nice joke about how pouring cereal is not "making breakfast".  And we have some more golly gee shucks "we are happy" father/son moments.  
• David asks Jack if he is coming to the CONCERT.   We get more tidbits on this in future Sideways scenes.  Apparently, there is going to be a benefit concert at the almighty museum.  Yes,  we thought that the Hospital and Police Stations would be the big meeting grounds for everyone.  And they did play their part as INITIAL meeting grounds.  But it looks like everything is pointing towards this grand meeting place at the Benefit Concert.  Will David be playing there?  That would be my guess.  Will Daniel Faraday be his piano teacher and also be taking part in this event?  That would be kinda funny wouldn't it?  Perhaps this benefit will be funded by the Widmore Family.  I'd say it was the same benefit that Eloise Hawking was planning in Desmond's "Happily Ever After" episode but I think a few days have passed since then and it seemed like they were getting ready to have that event that night!  But you never know. 
• Oh right, David's MOTHER is going to be there!  We'll finally find out who it is.  Could it be Juliet?  I think it would be a safe bet that we might be seeing her in the final episode that airs in the existence of LOST.  You know, we do need to see her and Sawyer go Dutch on coffee after all!   Could it be Sarah?  We do know that Julie Bowen has been hard at work on Modern Family, but she just so happened to be filming an episode in Hawaii (that just aired last week).  It sure would be a shame if they didn't somehow work her into the final episode, right?   It has to be one of those 2, right?  I know other people have said Ana Lucia, but I'm still not seeing it!    Of course, it also was interesting that Jack seemed to still have feelings for whoever the ex-wife is.  David told him not to get weird.  See, I have just been figuring that Kate and Jack would meet up in Sideways land and get a rush of feelings back.  But Jacob did make that point about them all being alone and flawed (we'll get to that) in the Island timeline.  Jack doesn't seem to be alone in this timeline.   Would he still NEED Kate in this timeline?  Based on his comments at the end of season 5, he still loves her and thinks he could have another chance with her if the stakes were different.   Surely, them running into each other at the benefit ball will be the key to him remembering stuff.  We'll see! 
• But that's not all folks, Claire was at Jack's place too!  If you recall, he asked her to come stay with  him.  Seems like that baby will be coming along pretty soon.  Hmm what if she goes to the concert too and ends up going into labor?  That sure would be interesting!  Maybe Kate would be forced to deliver her baby again.   Maybe Boone will be there and fall from a scaffolding and Jack will need to work on him (kidding folks!  Or am I??).   Lots of possibilities, but only one episode left for it all to happen. 

• Jack gets a phone call.  It's Desmond pretending to be Oceanic Airlines.  And he claims that they have found Christian Shephard's coffin.  It will be arriving in LA by the end of the day.  Desmond then apologizes for the delay.  Hmm, not sure how that's going to play into things yet.  But, I sure would like that final scene between Jack and Christian somehow in the final episode!  

Desmond goes Back to School

We see a very familiar site with Desmond sitting in his car outside of the school where Ben and Locke teach.  He sees Locke returning back to school for the first time since Desmond ran him over the last time.  It looks like he's about to start the car and get ready to run him over again but then...

• Dr. Benjamin Linus to the rescue!  He throws himself in front of the car and refuses to let Desmond try and kill John Locke.  He even tries to place him under citizen's arrest.  Ahhh good times.  

• Desmond tells Benjamin that he is not here to hurt Locke, he is trying to help him let go.  A recurring phrase being used in these sideways episodes, well pretty much throughout the series.  But we'll touch on it more in a bit.
• In the meantime, Ben wants to know who Desmond is.  And how does Desmond tell him?  Well he beats the crap out of him of course.  Nothing new for Island Ben!  He has been a punching bag for his entire run on LOST.  But, we sure have been missing it this season.  Glad we're coming full circle on that too.   Oh but wait...while Ben was getting punched, he seemed to visualize Desmond beating him up on the docs when he tried to kill Penny.   He started to remember is former Island existence! 

• Of course, this reminds me that Ben HAS been to the Island before with his father even in this sideways timeline.  So when we're hearing thoughts of Flocke wanting to destroy the Island (I know, I'm way ahead of myself), we immediately think about that sideways Island underwater.  But, now that I'm remembering that the Island DID exist at one point in Sideways Land, I'm having a problem thinking that it is some sort of EPILOGUE to the Island story.  Unless we find out that the Island being underwater is the result of something else that happened.   2.5 hours folks.  2.5 hours!  Maybe Pierre Chang will be able to explain some stuff at the benefit concert?  We'll see!  Until then, we have 4 days and chance to theorize! 
• We rejoin Ben later at the Nurse's Office in the school.  Locke comes in to see if Ben is okay.  When Ben recounted what happened, Locke begins to call the police.   But Ben tells Locke that he SAW something while he was getting beaten.  And when Desmond told Ben that he was trying to get Locke to let go, he totally believed him.   The words "Let Go" triggered something in Locke. Something in his conversation he had with Jack before leaving the hospital.   By the way, this whole storyline pretty much confirms that Desmond wasn't trying to kill Locke because Flocke threw him in the well in Sideways land.   He is going through these actions to get these people to "wake up".   Slowly but surely, it's happening.  And I would hope it would happen to ALL of them this Sunday, May 23rd!

Back to the Police Station

By the way, great scene transition using Locke's phone call to the Police to transition to a new Sideways locale.  And what do you know?  Desmond is now at the police station and he's requesting to see Detective James Ford! 

• Before Desmond gets back to him, Sawyer is talking to Miles who is getting all dressed up.   Miles just happens to be going to a benefit at his dad's museum (Pierre Chang is his dad in case anyone forgot!).  And yes the benefit is a concert and he has been telling Sawyer about it for a week.   I wonder if there will be any significance in what the benefit is for or if it's just an excuse to get all of the LOSTIES in one place.   Sawyer did get an invite but once he found out Charlotte is going, he passed.  Something tells me he will change his mind!  The more I think about this, the more it seems like it would be perfect if Juliet is Jack's ex-wife.  But I'm not ruling out Sarah just yet! 

• So anyway, Desmond comes back to talk to Sawyer.  He explains the hit and run and then the beating of a school teacher that happened by the same suspect.  And then he turns himself in.  What's his plan?  Oh you know, he just so happens to be put in a holding cell with Sayid and Kate, not to mention he got to run in with Sawyer too!   Oh wait a second, I know exactly how Sawyer will end up at the benefit.  Miles is going to spot Desmond and Kate and the benefit and call up his partner to inform him that 2 escaped convicts are there!  Or you know, something to that extent.  

Ben's Romance???

Okay, so I'll admit I had heard a rumor that they were going to develop a bit of a love interest for Ben.  But for some reason, I never thought it would be this.  Yet, it makes the most sense I can't believe I didn't think about it.   This was high comedy, but some sort of sweetness to it all that it was perfect.  Anyway, injured Ben Linus runs into Alex at school and she is so upset to see that he is all beaten up and bruised. 

• Love that Alex called Ben "like...the nicest guy ever!"  He might just be that in sideways land but we all know of his ISLAND Existence!  This is one guy that would benefit from not knowing what he was/is in the Island timeline.  

• Anyway, Alex insists that Ben should not be driving and offered for her mother to give him a ride.  (Love the Napoleon reference too)  And we finally get to see Sideways Rousseau!  She had initially turned down appearing in the final season, but they worked out a deal to get her back.   Just in time!  She still has her French Accent but she is VERY happy to see Ben in this sideways story.  He has done so much for her daughter, that she couldn't be more pleased to help Ben out.  They even get him to come over for dinner!  (He's come a long way from being a baby-napper!  Then again, we found out he only kidnapped the baby so that he could spare both of Rousseau and Alex's life)

• After they ate at Casa Rousseau, she tells Ben how Alex has always looked at him as a father figure since she never knew her father.  Alex's real father died when she was 2 (I think that's what she said, it was kind of mumbled).     Of course, we do not know how he died here but it probably wasn't because Rousseau shot him due to his Smoke Monster infection!   We also do not know why she has come to be living in Los Angeles, but we could say that for every character that just happens to be residing there in sideways land! 
• Ben got all choked up at learning how much of an impact he is in Alexis's life.  He blames the onions to Rousseau and then she gets in one flirty line about how she'll put in fewer next time.   CRAZY!   Yet, crazy ironic that even in Sideways land, Ben and Danielle Rousseau seem to be parenting this child.   And now, we throw in a bit of a love twist and he might become an actual legal parent to Alex.  

Man of Science, Man of Faith


We return to Jack's story in his office when John Locke comes to visit him.  He wants to discuss with him about everything that has been going on since Flight 815.

• But first, Locke sees a picture of Jack, his son and his father sitting on the desk.  Not much worth noting.  Seems like just a little small talk with Jack telling Locke not to tell David they look alike.  But at least it's an excuse to put an, as always, "lovely" photo-shopped picture in here! 

• Locke goes into all of the events that have transpired.  They were on the same plane, Jack gave him his business card.  Locke threw it away (no offense!).  A few days later Locke is hit by a car and out of all of the doctors in Los Angeles he ended up with Jack (starting to sound like the old Locke!).  Then after Jack saves Locke's life, he still wants to fix him and Locke still doesn't want to be fixed.  Now, the same man that ran him over came back and beat up a school teacher but said he wasn't there to hurt Locke, he was there to help him "Let Go."   The last time we heard this?  Jack was speaking to Locke about how they both need to let things go.   Jack has dealt with the inability to let go in his Island life too which caused him to lose his marriage and his father.   Same with Locke as he became obsessed with his conman father and it ended up ruining his life.
• Then Locke said the phrase we have been waiting for him to say.  "What if all of this is happening for a reason?"  It harkened back to his first Man of Science/Man of Faith discussion he had with Jack in season 1's EXODUS.   He even suggested that maybe Jack is SUPPOSED to fix him.  

• Jack resumed his role in the eternal debate saying that he wants to fix him but that Locke might be mistaking coincidence for fate.  And yes, as I mentioned earlier, this was an Eko line from back in season 2! 

• Of course, the difference here is that there are no ISLAND stakes in the mix and Jack isn't fuming mad and Locke isn't coming off TOO crazy in the discussion.  Locke disregards the debate on fate and decides that he is ready to get out of his chair! 

Prison Break!

Sawyer comes into the holding cell and lets Sayid, Kate and Desmond know that he's shipping them all off to the County prison.  

• Kate pleads with Sawyer to let her go.  She goes on even further about how she is innocent.  I'm guessing we will get confirmation on this innocence in the finale as well. (maybe?)   She tells Sawyer that she knows he believed her.  He kind of agrees but also will not let her go because he's still an honorable cop.  (you know, until he finds Anthony Cooper and wants to kill him!)   Kate does put a bug in his ear that he doesn't seem like a cop to her.  He looks like he is regretting his decision to let her walk.  

• But alas, they are in the Police Van being moved to County.  But Desmond already has other plans.  He asks if they're all ready to get out of here.   Kate has no idea who this guy is and Sayid is calling him a crazy guy that turned himself in.  Desmond tells them both that the driver is going to stop and when it happens they're going to have to trust him and promise to do something for them in return.   Considering they think he is crazy they both just promise to do whatever if he can get them free.  

• Then the Van stops, and guess who opens the door?  It's everyone's favorite cop, Ana Lucia!  We knew we'd see her eventually!   Ana Lucia was apparently bought off by Desmond and they are waiting for the "BUYER" to arrive.   Desmond assures that he will be there soon. 

• A yellow Hummer rolls up and we already know who it is!  It's Hugo Reyes!!   "Sorry I'm late dude!"  And then he sees Ana Lucia and says that Desmond didn't tell her that she would be there.    Ana Lucia does not recognize Hurley at all and then Hurley right away hysterically changes his stance to "uhhh...No, we never met".   Woa, so wait a minute.  Does Hurley remember EVERYTHING now?  It sure seems like it, right?   So, does that mean both Desmond and Hurley (and maybe Charlie) are fully enlightened about their other existence? 

• Ana Lucia takes her $125,000 from Hurley and then says "Nice not knowing you!"  (ahhh the puns are off the charts!)   Hurley wonders why Ana Lucia isn't coming with them.  Desmond gives Hurley a very Eloise Hawking-esque response by saying that she is not ready YET.   Interesting, I wonder if we'll ever find out what constitutes someone being ready.  Or, maybe Desmond is suggesting that waking up Ana Lucia is not important to the big end-game he has in mind. 
• Hurley also has his Camaro there for Desmond and Kate to take.  And Hurley is apparently taking Sayid somewhere else!  But Desmond and Kate?  They just happen to be going to a concert and he has a dress for Kate to put on.  

• Desmond's last command is "LET'S GO" and they're off!  Kate and Jack will most certainly run into each other one more time.  Miles, Charlotte, Chang, Desmond will all be there.  Most likely Sawyer will show up.   Where are Hurley and Sayid going?  Maybe to the hospital to pick up Sun and Jin?   Perhaps Claire will be at the concert too?  (I know, I speculated above already).    When will the Locke surgery happen?  Before or after this concert?  Surely, he can't just go into surgery that afternoon and be done by nightfall right?    How will all of this happen in a 2.5 hour episode where we still have an Island story to close too?   I have the utmost faith they can do it.   But I will say one thing, I am VERY engaged in this Sideways Storyline.  I have always found it enjoyable throughout the season, but these past few episodes, since the Desmond "awakening" have been very interesting.   I am not upset at all that we'll be spending half of this series finale in Sideways Land and I cant wait to see how it all ties together!  I have faith that it will.   We can only have faith now people.  Get excited!  

Oh right, we still have an Island story to get to in this recap! 

The Non-Candidates and their Smokey Encounter

Ben, Richard and Miles arrival at Barracks

So the last we left Ben, Richard and Miles they had left Jack, Hurley, Sun and Frank to head to the barracks and get some explosives to blow up the plane.

• I could get into semantics here and argue how Sawyer and Kate were able to travel from the Temple to the Barracks in what seemed like no time and now Ben, Richard and Miles appear to have taken days to get there.   But, it also took some time to get there back in season 3 as well (back in the "milking time" days).   I guess they do try to cover this by having Miles ask Ben if he "REALLY" knows a short-cut.   But it is a little strange that we are meant to believe that they actually have accomplished "NOTHING" during the period of time where everyone else reunited, separated, got captured, rescued, reunited again, got on the plane, got on a sub, 4 of them died and now here we are.  Meanwhile, this trio has just been wandering around the jungle and Richard's "Don't get in our way" comment becomes utterly pointless!    Oh well, I'll argue also that it's unimportant because the route they went with the story was pretty good anyway! 
• Plus the line where Ben says he has lived in the barracks a long time that he thinks he can find his way back; followed by Miles saying that he lived in the houses 30 years before he did, "otherwise known as last week" was a classic!  Of course, it was inaccurate too because little Ben lived there too!   But, hey it was a funny line! 
• Richard wonders if the C4 will still be there years later, Ben said he went to much trouble in hiding it (his secret room that we have seen a few times).  There was a brief moment where I thought we were seeing events that preceded the Ajira plane being wired up with C4 that we saw 2 episodes ago.   But this error in thought was quickly dismissed in the episode.  
• The trio arrive at the barracks.  There was a touching scene where Miles walked over the site where Alex died.  Richard explained to Ben that he came back and buried her  there after they all left.  

• We then move onto Ben's old house.  He heads to the bookcase that we have seen pushed back a couple times before.  

• Miles sees the "Smokey Summoning Door behind the Door" and gets another great line in.  "What's that? A 'Secreter' room?"  Ben retorts that that was where he was "TOLD" he could summon the smoke monster, but that was before he realized that it was the one summoning him.  Who told him?  Eh, we'll probably never know.  Maybe it was MIB himself.  But many people had questioned how Ben could summon smokey we had several theories on it.  I'm guessing that line was thrown in there to help explain that it was all part of Smokey's long con of Ben.  

• Ben opens the safe to the C4.  He asks Richard if he wants to cripple the plane or blow it to hell.   Of course the answer always has to be BLOW IT TO HELL!   Ben takes all of the C4 and put it in his backpack.   Maybe this C4 will still factor into the final episode somehow.  But we did confirm that this C4 is different than the C4 that Flocke snatched from the plane and that these events happened after all of those Hydra events already took place. 

• How did we confirm this?  Oh you know, because Charles Widmore and Zoe show up at Ben's place! Nice!  I must say, I didn't think this reunion was going to happen until the finale so this was a nice surprise for me.   

Reunion with Widmore

• Widmore and Zoe are held at gunpoint but Charles continues to rant off orders to Zoe anyway.  He tells her to take equipment from the outrigger and then sink the boat.  Looks like they have no intentions of heading back to Hydra.  
• Ben tries to hold some authority over Widmore saying that no one is going anywhere and he wants answers to why they're there.  Widmore argues that they won't survive without him so there is no point in shooting him.  He then sends Zoe on her way assuring her that Ben will not shoot her. 
• Charles asks Richard what they're doing here.  They fill him in saying that they were getting explosives to destroy the plane on Hydra (Ben looks frustrated that Richard would just give away their plan).  Widmore states that he had the plane rigged with explosives since he got there.  There you go folks.  2 answers in one.  Widmore definitely planted the C4 (Flocke told the truth), and Ben, Richard and Miles were just lost trying to find the barracks for a couple days.
• Ironically, Charles says that, as usual, he is 3 steps ahead of Ben.  The ironic part is that Ben always seemed to be 10 steps ahead of everyone else! 
• Ben asked Charles how he got back, since there were apparently rules in place to prevent him from coming back for so many years.   I believe I had mentioned a few times in this blog that it seems like maybe Widmore had been visited by Jacob.  It would appear this definitely was the case.  It would have been great to see it but with the format of Flash Sideways and Island stories in episodes, we kind of just have to accept that it happened.    
• Charles says that Jacob visited him not long after "Ben's People" destroyed his freighter.  Wait a second, Keamy was hired by Widmore and was the one that wired the ship with C4!  Why would he suggest that BEN'S people blew it up?   Well, I guess we could argue that Richard shot Keamy and Ben finished the deed which caused the freighter to blow up, but I think part of the blame still goes to Keamy there.  
• Anyway, that's besides the point, Jacob apparently convinced Widmore of the error of his ways and told him everything he needed to know for "this exact purpose."  He doesn't get to explain what purpose but apparently did not trust Ben enough to have any desire to tell him anyway.
• Zoe radios Charles on the walkie talkies and says that Flocke is already on his way back.   She is instructed to run back to the barracks as fast as she can. 

• Charles then suggests that they all need to hide.  
• Flocke continues his way from the dock but notices all of the equipment in the outrigger.  The stuff is probably all Desmond related, so perhaps it will come into play in the final episode! 

• Charles plans to hide in Ben's hidden room, a room that Locke has seen before, so theoretically Flocke should know about it too.   There is not a consensus on what to do.  Ben has no interest in hiding.  He wants to get it over with.  Miles doesn't like either plan so he plans to run away (my guess is he will run into Jack and crew next episode)  
• This seems meaningless at the time, but Ben asks Widmore for their walkie talkies so that he can give one to Miles in case he needs him.  Considering what we know by the end of the episode, this is probably how Ben is going to try to find the LOSTIES.  

• Widmore is convinced that Smokey will kill Ben but continues to go into hiding.  
• Richard decides that he is going to talk to Smokey.  He knows the guy and all that he wants is for Richard to join him.  (eh, I don't know about that anymore Richard!)   He wants to try and buy everyone else time by getting Smokey to leave with him.  With this, Miles runs off.  

• And then Ben and Richard wait for what is coming.

Smokey Arrival

• It's not long before we hear the infamous "tikka tikka" sound that alarms us of Smokey's arrival.   Smokey doesn't waste any time taking Richard out!  No talking, just speeding through and plowing Richard and sending him flying off into the air.   Is Richard dead?  Yikes, it looks like it doesn't it?  I won't rule out his survival until we see the final 2.5 hours, but it would make sense that MIB has no interest in keeping Richard alive anymore since he was eavesdropping on the whole Richard/Hurley/Ghost Isabella moment where Richard was convinced that Smokey need to be kept on that Island.  But, maybe we'll see him again.  I'd like to think we would.   All that a shocked Ben can do is sit down and wait for the inevitable.  

• Flocke shows up to Ben in human form and we find out that Ben was just the man he was looking for.  And you know what?  I should have seen this coming.  Other blog commenters saw something like this coming but I have been a firm believer in Ben's redemption.  (some suspected that Ben and Smokey were in cahoots the whole time.  That, I still do not believe and this scene seems to dismiss that idea)  I did definitely want to see Ben's mischievous side before the end and his revenge on Widmore but I didn't think he would consider teaming up with Smokey.   And that is exactly what Smokey wants.  Since his other method of killing ALL of the Candidates in one show is gone, now he wants Ben to do the rest of the work for him.  Ben has already killed Jacob, why not kill a few more?  

• I will say this, it would seem like Ben is converted by the end of these scenes to being UBER Villain again, but I'm still holding out for the possibility that he is LYING to Flocke.  Why not use his best strength to his advantage in helping out the LOSTIES?   I could see Ben's arc ending in some kind of big sacrifice for the benefit of the LOSTIES.  But we shall see.  
• For now?  It would seem like Ben is going with what will keep him alive.  And Flocke promised Ben the one thing he has always wanted once again: POWER.   First thing is first, where is Widmore?   "He's hiding in my closet."  Don't hesitate or anything there, Ben!   If one thing is certain, there is definitely no love lost between Charles and Ben!

• Ben takes Flocke inside and brings him right into the secret closet.  Flocke asks Ben to wait outside, but Ben wants to SEE what Flocke is going to do to them.  Nice.  They flip the lights on and there they are.  Gotta love Ben's "Sorry Charles."   

• Flocke comments about how nice it is to talk without the fences between them.  Flocke asks Zoe who she is.  Charles tells her not to talk to him or say anything.  And immediately upon saying that Flocke slits her throat.  Yep, Tina Fey is dead!   Why?  Flocke said that once Widmore told her not to talk to him she was useless.  Is that because she wouldn't be able to be persuaded into anything?  Or just because she wasn't going to spill the information he needed?  I'm going to guess the latter in this case.  Zoe ends up being a pretty pointless character in the end.  I guess it did help us piece together the importance of the electromagnetic properties of the Island, and Widmore's interest in it all, but she didn't really accomplish much!      

• Flocke is aware that Widmore is not afraid to die, so he decides to take a page out of Ben's playbook and threaten to kill Penelope Widmore when he gets off of the Island.  He gives his word that he wouldn't touch her if Charles gives up the information he wants.  Apparently, based on enhanced LOST re-airings, when Smokey gives his word on something he has to stick to it.  Charles still had his reservations but he does end up telling Smokey why he came back.  
• He brought Desmond back to the island because of his unique resistance to electromagnetism.  He was a measure of LAST RESORT.  
• Of course, because he doesn't want Ben to know anything that would give him any kind of useful information, he whispers what he meant by LAST RESORT to Flocke.   

• And then, Ben finally gets his revenge.  While Widmore is talking to Flocke, Ben starts firing several shots at him!  His justification?  Charles does not get to save his daughter, because Ben couldn't save his from Charles' order to have her killed.   NICE!  This was one moment that I definitely wanted to see happen before the end of LOST, and I got my wish.  It would seem kind of unresolved if Ben didn't get his revenge on Widmore in some fashion.  Now, there were RULES to prevent Ben from killing Widmore before.  I guess because Charles still had a purpose on the Island?  Now that he has brought Desmond back and showed him what he needed to show him, there was no more purpose.  This is what I'm going with!   The question still remains if Eloise Hawking is working for Man in Black as she still was the one that MIB (as Christian) sent Locke to when he left the Island.   Maybe, it's not important.  Or maybe it means everything!  We'll see. 

• Flocke was a little frustrated with Ben for killing Widmore, but it doesn't matter in the long run because he already got his information.  Ben then gets another creepy line in, "Good.  Did you say there were some other people to kill?"   Oooooh boy.   Hey, wherever this goes, it's great idea pairing up Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson for the final episode of LOST.  Some might even argue that it is PERFECT!! 

The Candidates

Mourning and Resolve

When we last left Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley things were pretty emotional.  They had just gotten back to the beach and we confirmed that Sun, Jin and Sayid were no longer with us.  Still no confirmation of Frank on the actual show, but there were some definitive comments made by executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, as well as Jorge Garcia on their respective podcasts.  Damon and Carlton said that there might be some commentary on it in the show before the end.   But for now, the LOSTIES have suffered a great loss and they're still recovering.  

• We first catch a glimpse of Jack pulling some thread off of a shirt.  He needs to stitch up Kate's gunshot wound.  The bullet went straight through but if he doesn't it will get infected.  Come on, this is great mirroring of the pilot episode when Kate stitched Jack up, right?   I'd even argue that he was using "standard black" thread to stitch it up!  Jack warns her that it's going to hurt but she just nods in approval.  

• Kate brings up Jin and Sun and how they had a little girl Ji Yeon.  And that Jin never even got a chance to meet her.  Everything that we brought up 2 weeks ago but it was great to hear it brought up on the show too.  And very emotional of course.  Kate says that "Locke" did this to them and now they have to kill him.  Jack acknowledged that they were both on the same page.  Oh it's on now!!! 

• We next catch Sawyer staring out into the sea of wreckage from the Sub explosion/sinking.  We will learn in a bit that he feels responsible for what happened.  But it was still a great moment watching Hurley and Kate join him staring out and reflecting.  I also love that the musical selections of Michael Giacchino for the moment harkened back to those first moments after the initial crisis of the Flight 815 crash had settled down.  Jack just stood there and reflected on what happened.  Nice mirroring not only with the plot and story moments, but the music too.  Good stuff. 

• Jack soon joins after and reluctantly tells them they all need to get moving to find Desmond.  If "Locke" wants Desmond dead, then they're going to need him.  They all gather their things and begin their trek that would enlighten them all. 

On the Journey

• Jack and Sawyer have a brief discussion on their way to the well.  Sawyer thinks he knows where it is since it's not far from the camp where he was residing with Flocke and crew.  
• Sawyer then asks Jack why Flocke wouldn't just kill Desmond.  Jack seems to understand a little bit about these rules governing things now.  He thinks, as we thought, that Flocke cannot kill Desmond himself.  
• Sawyer then starts talking about the bomb on the sub and how Jack said he couldn't kill them either.  Jack doesn't want to put any blame on Sawyer for what happened (Sawyer did pull those wires out of the bomb which caused the clock to move further).  Jack simply says that he has been wrong before and essentially that Sawyer shouldn't beat himself up about it.  It was FLOCKE that put them in that situation and he is the one that killed their friends.  Still a great humbling scene for Sawyer to concede to Jack.   I think this definitely had to happen before the end.  Jack needed everyone behind him one last time! 

• Meanwhile Hurley and Kate are following behind.   Hurley happens to see GHOST BOY Jacob! Now, that we confirmed it is Jacob, they Jacob theme music is playing with his arrival.  (I know I know, I keep talking about the music.  But hey, the SCORE is half of what makes LOST so great! Maybe even more than half.)  
• Boy Jacob creeps up from behind on Hurley and asks for his ashes back.  He knows that Hurley has them.  Hurley pulls them out of his pocket and then asks why the kid wants them.  "Because they're mine!"  He grabs the ashes and then runs away.  So crazy how these Ghosts can physically grab things and do things as well.  We first saw this with Charlie slapping Hurley in season 4. 

• By the way, is there anything greater than watching Hurley run?   He chases down ghost Jacob only to find the older Ghost Jacob sitting by a fire with his ashes burning in it.  Jacob tells Hurley that it doesn't matter where he has been because he is there now.  They make it sound so important that we should be questioning where he has been, but we know we're not going to see him anymore as a Ghost after this episode.  He tells Hurley that once the ashes burn out, he will never be seen again.  Jacob tells Hurley to gather his friends because they're very close to the end. 

• One other quick note, I guess Jacob was able to appear as both a Child and as Adult Jacob as a ghost?  I'd try to tie this into Taller Ghost Walt, but I just can't figure out a way.  Walt is still alive! Let's move on to more important things. (but I still hold out hope that we will get "SOMETHING" on Walt in the finale.)

The Candidates Meet Jacob

I guess it took Hugo the rest of the day to find his friends because Night has fallen once again when they all arrive to the campfire.  Then again, Jorge Garcia did make a joking comment on his podcast that all of the LOSTIES are late sleepers, so they don't begin their adventures until the late afternoon.  And they also stay out all night and don't go to sleep until the sun rises.  I have one response to Jorge: GOOD TIMES!   

• The big difference between this encounter with Jacob and other encounters?  Everyone can see him and hear him now.  Of course, as GHOST BOY, he did appear to Sawyer and Desmond too.  Not sure if Ghosts can just all of a sudden make themselves visible when they want to or Jacob can do it or maybe all 4 of them are believers now about what needs to be done so THAT makes them able to see him.  Guess it really doesn't matter in the end.  They all can see him and we can get a brain dump of what is going on! 

• Kate doesn't waste any time, she wants to know if he wrote their names on the wall and if he is the reason that Jin, Sun and Sayid are dead.  He confirms it all and apologizes.  I guess this kind of confirms that Jin and Sun were both candidates.  She is not accepting that he is sorry.  She wants to know why and wants to know that they didn't die for nothing.  Well, Jacob gives us a bit of an explanation! 

• He asks them all to sit down and says he will reveal all and everything they need to know about protecting the Island.  Because by the time the fire burns out, one of them will have to start doing it.  
• Hurley asks why they were brought to the Island.  Jacob explains that they were all brought here because he made a mistake he made a very long time ago (we confirmed it was about 2000 years ago by producer comments and comments in the script that actors in the show recalled).  He refers to turning his brother into ol' Smokey and he comes clean to the Candidates that he made him that way.   The mistake he made essentially has set up a scenario where every one of them and anyone they ever cared for is going to die.  They still have not gotten into explaining how this is possible.  If Smokey leaves the Island, does the world cease to exist?   Does it cease to exist as it is? (a la sideways world)  It would seem that the Man in Black has every intention of leaving the Island and threatens Widmore with killing Penny.  So MIB doesn't think the world will cease to exist.  And this would pretty much imply that maybe Widmore doesn't think that either, even though he implied it to Jin and/or Desmond in his conversations.   So this part is still left very vague. 
• Jacob says that ever since he turned MIB into Smoke, he has been trying to kill Jacob.  And it was only a matter of time before he figured out how, so he needed a replacement.  And THAT is why he brought them all here.  Yeah, we kind of figured all of that out already, but the scene is essential to let them ALL know why he did it and for confirmation to us.  
• Sawyer asks why he has to be punished for Jacob's mistake.  He claims to have had a good thing going off of the Island.  And then here it came, the moment that tied everything together.  Things we have discussed season after season.  Why was Jack so adamant about going home?  What did he really have to go back to?  Same with Sawyer, Kate.  Really, any of them!  Yes, some of them had true reasons for needing to get off of the Island.  Sayid wanted to be reunited with Nadia, but once he was about to lose her, THAT is when Jacob touched him.   Desmond wanted to get back to Penny.  And he did.  And he still has a chance to go back to that.  But he was brought here as a LAST RESORT.   Interesting.   Anyway, Jacob pretty much insists that they were all flawed individuals.  He didn't pluck them out of a happy existence.   Something we spent the first 3 seasons getting backstories on.  They were all searching for purpose in their lives (well, kinda all of them).  Coming to the Island started their clean slate.     He chose them because they were all like him.  They were all alone.  They needed this place as much as it needed them.   Hey, it all makes sense to me!   And it brings a sort of closure, at least to me, why they're all there. 

• Kate asks why she is crossed off of the list.  Jacob said he crossed her off because she became a mother.  Now, we must assume this had to be because she became a mother to Aaron.  Of course, there are some speculations out there that perhaps Jack and Kate had conceived a child in their one night prior to coming back to the Island.  It certainly would make things interesting!  Of course, I don't think we'll be spending any of the last 2.5 hours with Kate looking for those Widmore Pregnancy tests!  So, I'm going with the Aaron thing for now.   And now that she is trying to get Claire back to Aaron, Jacob is saying that it was just chalk on a wall and the job could be hers if she wanted it.  Nice.  (I guess this really doesn't confirm why her name wasn't crossed off on the lighthouse, but maybe it really was just to throw MIB off as Jacob was still keeping his eye on her). 
• Jack asks Jacob what the job is.  And sure enough, it's what we learned in last week's episode.  There is a light at the center of the Island.  The job is to make sure that it never goes out.  That's how to protect the Island.  Sawyer retorts that Smokey said there is nothing to protect it from.  Jacob re-retorted that the light must be protected from SMOKEY himself!  Because, yes, Smokey is going to attempt to return to the source! 
• Jacob tasks them all with something that he wasn't able to do.  The Man in Black must be killed.  Jack asks if it's even possible.  Jacob hopes it is because he is definitely going to try and kill all of them.  Looks like even the all knowing Jacob doesn't even know how to kill Smokey.  

• Hurley then asks how Jacob will pick the next protector.  And, as we have been hearing all season starting with the end of season 5, he wants to give them all something he never had.  A CHOICE. They have to choose to be the next protector.  Kate asks what if none of them choose?  Jacob responded that then this ends very badly! 
• No fear though, the man that seems most prepared to take the job volunteers: Jack Shephard.  I think we all knew deep down it would be him.  It HAD to be him, but it was great to see his journey over 6 seasons to the point where he would accept it out of free will.   Great stuff.  Jack states that this is why he is here and what he is supposed to do.  Jacob asks Jack if that was a question.  And Jack responded firmly that it wasn't.   Jacob was happy with the response and then knew it was time to pass the torch to the new protector.  

The anointing of Jack Shephard - Island Protector

• Jacob takes Jack to a stream to begin the initiation process.
• Gotta love Sawyer's one liner about thinking Jack had a God Complex before.  Kate insisted he calm down.  Sawyer knows that Jack is letting them all of of the hook and just had to get his one liner in.   Hurley acknowledges that he's glad it is not him.  
• Jacob tells Jack how to get to the Heart of the Island.  He said it's near the bamboo field that Jack woke up in when he first crashed on the Island.  Jack does not recall ANYTHING being there.  Just as we learned last week, it is a tough thing to find if you're not the Island protector.  Jack will NOW be able to find it.    

• Jacob confirms that this is where the Man in Black is going to try to get to and what Jack needs to protect.  
• Jacob asks Jack for a cup which he does have.  And then Jacob does the same incantation in Latin that his "mother" did prior to his initiation.  Of course, this time he is doing it to water and not wine.  Very symbolic of the whole Jesus turning Water into Wine.   Jacob fills the cup and asks Jack to drink. 

• Jack asks how long he will have to do the job.  Jacob says "As long as you can."  Jack fully accepts the responsibility and drinks from the cup.  Jacob responds just like his predecessor did with telling Jack now he is like him.  Did it seem like Jack experienced an enlightenment to everything after he finished his drink?  We'll find out soon!  

Hard to imagine the end of LOST will be a scenario where we can expect Jack to be protecting the Island for 2000+ years doesn't it?  Maybe that isn't how it's all supposed to end.  We still have to find out what this Sideways world is all about.  But for this end-game, their mission is to STOP and KILL the Man in Black AKA Smokey AKA Flocke.   And folks, pitting Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Miles and Desmond against Flocke and Ben is a beautiful scenario!   Can't wait to see how it all ends up!   

The Well

We next rejoin Flocke and Ben on their way to the well where Desmond was "supposed to be killed" by Sayid.

• Ben asks the Man in Black why he doesn't always remain as a Smoke Monster instead of bothering on walking around as a man.  MIB responds saying that he likes to remember that he was once a man. 
• When they arrive to the well, it is empty!  Hmmm, didn't Sayid tell Jack to go there to get Desmond out of it?  Maybe Sayid helped him out of it anyway?  Maybe someone else? (Jacob perhaps?)   There is a rope hanging down into the well.   Interesting.  In any case, Flocke knows that Desmond is not dead as he had requested.

• Of course, this seems to have turned out to be in Flocke's favor.  Ben wants to know what Widmore said to him about Desmond.  Flocke tells Ben that Desmond apparently is a FAIL-SAFE (yes, we all remember the imagery of Desmond turning that Fail-Safe key when he blew the hatch).   This was Jacob's last resort in case MIB managed to kill all of Jacob's candidates.  One final way to make sure that he never leaves the Island.  
• Ben wonders why he is happy that Desmond is still alive.  Flocke says when he finds Desmond, he is going to help him do the one thing that he could never do himself.   There is only one fitting way to bring finality to LOST right?   
• Flocke raises the stakes of his plan:  "I'm going to destroy the Island!"   

BOOM LOST!!!!

Well, yes, that would seem like a great way to end the show!  No more Island, no more show!  Of course, it brings the idea of the underwater Island in sideways land.  But I retorted this with the question of how Ben and Roger Linus would have memories of the Island?   Perhaps Roger in his old age, was remembering another life, and Ben was just going with it?   Eh anything is game for the final 2.5 hours!  But, I'm sure Jack and crew will do anything they can to stop Flocke.  And surely, there has to be some heroism to end the show.  Flocke can't certainly win in the end can he?  I guess he could.  But here's something to chew on.  What would be Ben's motivation to continue to help Smokey now?  He was promised THE ISLAND, and now Flocke is going to destroy it?   I can't find a better motivation for Ben to switch sides at the opportune time than that.  We shall see though folks.  Only a few days away!  

For now, I will bid my adieu and cry a few tears knowing that we only have one more opportunity to do one of these recaps!  But we'll save the final tears, thank you's and farewells for then.  Don't forget that the Series Finale is on SUNDAY May 23rd with 5.5 Hours of programming.  (2 hour pre-show, 2.5 hour episode and 1 hour Kimmel special at Midnight)    Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I'll see you next week after THE END!   NAMASTE!

Ending Credits

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