The Tail Section

Season 1 Episode 08
Title: Confidence Man
Director: Tucker Gates
Writer: Damon Lindelof
FlashBack: Sawyer

Kate is walking the beach after collecting some bananas when she runs across a copy of Watership Down. We hear, "it’s about bunnies." And see Sawyer walking out of the ocean in the buff. And flirts with ol’ Kate.

FlashBack

Sawyer is sleeping with a woman named Jessica who reminds him that he has a meeting. He hops up gets dressed and grabs a case full of money in a hurry. The money is strewn about to Jess’s surprise.

In the Jungle

Sawyer runs up on Boone going through his stuff. You know Boone is about to get taught a lesson and before the fade begins to the next scene, you hear Jack saying, "This is going to hurt." Next scene is Jack patching up Sayid from run in with a big stick.

Boone stumbles up bloodied from his lesson on property rights on the island. He reveals that Shannon is suffering from asthma and Sawyer has her inhalers.

Charlie shows his concern for Claire and attempts to convince her to move to the caves, but she continues to hope for rescue.

Jack goes through Sawyer’s things where the pissing contest almost comes to blows, until Kate stops them. Sawyer pulls out his letter…

FlashBack

In the hotel room, Sawyer explains that this is his life savings. And he only needs $160,000 more to make an investment in an oil mining operation that will have a quick turn around. He was on his way to meet with an investor. Jessica considers her husband as a new possible investor.

On the Island

Kate tries to reason with Jack about Sawyer, saying that "they have a connection."

The bargain begins, but Sawyer only wants a kiss from Kate to get the information she needs. Doubtful that he is being straight, she mentions his letter and tells him he is disgusting. His attitude turns and he forces her to read the letter out loud. It was written by boy to a man named Sawyer. The boy wrote about how this man stole his dad’s money and as a result, the dad killed his wife and himself. Now, the boy is alone.

Elsewhere, Locke provides Sayid an alibi to his where abouts during the attack on Sayid. Locke questions Sawyer and whether Sawyer could have rigged a timer to set of the rocket. Locke then gives Sayis a knife.

Shannon is suffering from another asthma attack at the caves. Jack takes his swing, but Sawyer doesn’t bite.

FlashBack

David, Sawyer and Jess meet in a restaurant. Sawyer lays out the plan to a skeptical David, for reassurance, Sawyer leaves his half of the money with David to keep overnight.

On the Beach

Charlie and Claire make a bet that if he can get peanut butter, she will move to the caves. She makes the comment that she is the only Australian that likes peanut butter.

Shannon is having another attack, this time Sayid goes with Jack to confront Sawyer. This time, Sayid gets to use his skills of persuasion.

Sun gets Michael to help her with a remedy for Shannon.

Sayid and Jack take a freshly knocked out Sawyer to some remote location from the beach. After tying him to a tree, Jack reasons one more time, but Sawyer prefers the "hard way." Sayid starts a little torture, before Jack calls him off. Sayid then threaten to make him into a southern version of Patchy when Sawyer agrees to tell Kate where the inhalers are.

Flashback

The most interesting flashback is the exchange between Sawyer and the financier of the operation, Kilo. They meet in a pool hall and Sawyer is warned to have the money plus 50% by the next day. We are left to believe that there are painful consequences if this does not happen. (Sawyer left this mysterious man’s money on the floor of the mark after seeing the boy.)

Comment: Kilo, gave him $160,000, but Sawyer told Jess that he only had $140,000 in the briefcase.

In the Jungle

Sawyer gets his kiss, not just your normal kiss of one loathing another. Sawyer then reveals that he never had the inhalers. She tells Jack, and Sayid attempts to extract a pound of flesh by accidently stabbing Sawyer through the upper arm and severing an artery. Jack gets to work to an unappreciative Sawyer.

FlashBack

The deal is done, sawyer is ready to walk out the house when sees their son. He leaves calling off the deal. When they go after him, he leaves his portion of the money in the living room.

On the Beach

Sawyer is recovering, and Kate is by his side. She tells him that she has figured out that the boy is Sawyer. Before she can feels sorry for him, he snatches the letter out of her handsand turns cold.

Jack realizes that the great lengths that he went through was unnecessary. Sun made an eucalyptus salve that restored Shannon’s breathing.

Charlie finds the peanut by an active imagination and an empty jar. It is enough for Claire. And the episode ends in a video montage played to the sounds of Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama singing I Shall Not Walk Alone.

Comment:
The art of the confidence game is simply to do what the title says, build confidence in the mark to gain whatever is the goal. It is the art of manipulation and psychology. It does not matter the status or intelligence of the mark. The mark only has to have a desire or need that can be exploited.

Who is being conned …the cheating wife or the viewers? After three season, we are not certain of even this. There has been growth, but there is still the potential that he is still in his long con of the losties for self-gain. Is our need for an interesting character being manipulated? Are we the marks?

If you have not checked out Wikipedia’s article on the book The Confidence-Man, please do so. I believe this has a great deal to do with the character of Sawyer.