The Tail Section

Lost routinely gets a lot of good commentary pieces in the mainstream press, but today more so than most. A handful of quick reviews…

Patrick Kevin Day at The LA Times admits he was fooled by the not-so-explosive fake ending and surprised when the bomb eventually went off. More so than some, he’s satisfied that the story of Jacob and Esau meshes with the first four seasons. “What I think this season finale did more than anything, was to finally give us a stable frame with which to watch the entire series. So much we’ve seen before makes perfect sense. Remember the dream where we saw Locke with the black eye and the white eye? His talk with Walt about there always being two sides. The mysterious behavior of Christian Shepherd, the resurrected Locke and the smoke monster. Poor Ben, he was fooled the whole time into thinking he was working on the side of the angels. Poor, pitiful Ben. No matter what else happens next season, I think we’ll finally see Ben redeem himself in sacrifice. His tortured confrontation with Jacob revealed that his manipulations have only been a ruse to cover up his sense of lonliness and wanting to belong. I predict Season 6 will give us Good Ben (though don’t expect it right away).”

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Homecoming
Directed by Kevin Hooks
Written by Damon Lindelof
Charlie-Centric

Synopsis:

The Caves

Charlie awakens to the sound of Locke and others looking for Jack.  He soon discovers that Locke found Claire, who had been missing for about ten days after being taken by Ethan in Raised By Another, in the jungle and she collapsed in his arms.  Jack arrives and attempts to wake her by dabbing her face with a wet cloth.  She regains consciousness and becomes very frightened.  She looks at the other survivors and screams, "Who are you!?"

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Title: The Other 48 Days

Director: Eric Laneuville

Writers: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse

Flashback: Tailies

This entire episode is a flashback into what Ana Lucia, Libby, Eko, Cindi, and Bernard have been through before Michael, Jin and Sawyer washed up on their beach. The episode opens on the beach where suddenly half of flight 815 falls from the sky into the ocean.

DAY 1

Day 1 for the tailies is very much like Day 1 for our “older” losties. There are people injured, including a young girl and her brother. Eko pulls bodies out of the water. Goodwin runs out of the jungle yelling for help. Ana Lucia follows only to find Bernard sitting in a seat of the plane at the top of a tree. That night, Eko defends himself against 2 people trying to take him into the jungle.

DAY 2

Day 2 for our tailies brings the revelation that the people who attacked their camp were already on the island. Eko breaks a branch for his “Jesus Stick.” Ana Lucia and Nathan, a very Ethan-esque charachter, get into a verbal fight over whether to move inland or stay on the beach, much like on the other side of the island.

DAY 3

Ana Lucia’s trademark sleeveless jacket look is revealed on the beach.

DAY 5

This shows the burial of Donald, a man who broke his leg and had an infection that Libby helped to treat. Libby is revealed to be a clinical psychologist in this episode

Day 7

Goodwin and the other tailies catch a wild chicken on the out skirt of the jungle. Eko begins writing on his stick. Libby consoles Eko and tells him not to blame himself for the death of the 2 “others”, he was only defending himself.

DAY 12

It is revealed that Nathan went to the bathroom by himself, which was against the rules set up by the camp. That night “others” take both of the children, and 7 people. Ana Lucia kills one of them only to find a list with nine of their names on it. Eko can’t find the trail of where they went. Nathan wants Ana Lucia to calm down, but she knows that something is wrong and they are being watched somehow.

Day 15

The camp of 7 people trek through the woods for safety.

Day 17

Ana Lucia begins digging a pit. Libby confides in Ana Lucia that she is suspicious of Nathan.

Day 19

Ana Lucia knocks an unsuspecting Nathan out and throws him in the pit. She tells Nathan that she doesn’t remember him from the plane and she thinks he is “one of them.”

Day 25

Ana Lucia opens the pit and asks “Where are the kids?” like she must have been for the past few days. Goodwin approaches Ana Lucia and tells her she should “let him go, we’re not savages.” Ana Lucia just thinks Nathan is lying and tells Goodwin she will cut off his finger tomorrow to get information. That night, Goodwin lets Nathan out of the pit, gives him some food and tells him to run towards the beach before Ana Lucia finds out. As soon as Nathan turns away, Goodwin kills him.

Day 24

Ana Lucia awakens to Goodwin watching her sleep and Cindi yelling that Nathan is gone. The tailies quickly get up and start trekking through the jungle.

Day 27

The tailies find the arrow hatch, filled with the Holy Bible, glass eye and radio. Goodwin suggests going up the mountain to get a signal and Ana Lucia goes with him. Near the top of the hike, Ana Lucia confronts Goodwin about her suspicions of him possibly being an “other.” Goodwin confides that they only took the “good” people. Ana Lucia and Goodwin fight down a hill and Goodwin dies. Ana Lucia returns to camp only with the radio.

Day 41

Bernard tries the radio and hears Boone from the Nigerian plane. Ana Lucia makes him shut it off because “it’s them.” Ana Lucia and Eko have a moment by the river and Eko, after 40 days of not speaking, speaks.

Day 45

Cindi and Libby find Jin washed up on the beach and tie him up. Jin breaks free and runs for the beach where he finds Michael. They are thrown in the pit. Ana Lucia tells Eko to hit her and throw her down there to find out who they really are.

Day 46

Michael, Jin and Sawyer get out of the pit.

Day 47

The camp hikes through the woods and Sawyer passes out.

Day 48

Cindi goes missing after climbing the mountain. Shannon rounds the corner and is shot by Ana Lucia. The reactions of Sayid, Ana Lucia, and Michael are shown.

Past

As depicted in the episode "White Rabbit" (Lost S1.E05) Jack Shephard has always possessed an impulse to protect others regardless of the risks present.  in "White Rabbit," he enters a childhood fight despite overwhelming odds and is beaten up as a result.  Subsequently,  this impulse is quelled by his father’s crass consultation on what it takes to be a person of importance.

Later in his life, as seen in "Man of Science, Man of Faith" (Lost S2.E01), Jack has become a hardened, fact oriented individual.  When he meets Sarah, a patient a car crash victim facing a life of possible paralysis, Jack is at first scientific in his assessment.  His father, who has softened with age, is the one who stresses him to project a little hope.  Later, a chance meeting with Desmond Hume sets him on a course of self analysis that reawakens his determination to ’save’ Sarah, and he ultimately repairs her spine.

Jack goes on to marry Sarah, but the marriage collapses under the strain of Jack’s disproportionate devotion to his work.  Sarah observes, correctly, that Jack’s compulsion to rescue others is ruling his life, and as a result he has isolated everyone around him to the point of alienation.

Present

From the moment Jack’s eyes open in the Lost pilot we see the core of his character kick into overdrive.  He dashes from person to person assessing wounds, directing dazed crash survivors to safety, and tending to the injured.  People follow his command without question. 

As the island’s mysteries begin to unfold, Jack keeps a skeptical mind about anything which does not fall within the realm of reason.  When confronted with John Locke’s mystical sense of fatalism, Jack balks.  He is determined that the problem that needs to be fixed on the island is the fact that they are there, so his focus is on rescue.  Monsters, secret labs, and mysterious ‘others’ aside, Jack’s only motivation is to get his people off the island.

Jack’s relationship with the other survivors has been strained by his single minded approach to island existence.  In the episode "Do No Harm" (Lost S1.E20), Jack goes to excessive lengths in an attempt to save Boone, and must be persuaded by the others to let him pass.  These extremes are seen in other instances, in Season 3 Jack enters the service of "The Others," with the understanding that he will be let off the island.

In the Lost season 3 Finale, "Through The Looking Glass," Jack finally succeeds with tempered determination by leading his people to the radio tower to make contact with a freighter off shore. 

Future

In the episode "Through the Looking Glass" (Lost S3.E23), we get a glimpse into what Jack’s life is like after he does succeed in getting off the island.  Surprisingly, we find a Jack consumed by guilt with a desperate mission to return to the island, but we don’t know why.

Director – Tucker Gates

Story – Javier Grillo-Marxauch

Teleplay – Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz

Kate episode

Synopsis:

Flashback

• Blonde-haired woman pulls up to motel, sneaks into room and dyes her hair brown: it’s Kate!

• Kate, saying she’s Joan Hart, get a letter from the front desk. She goes to her car and cries about the content of the letter.

Beach

• Kate is playing with the toy plane.

• Charlie and Kate talk about getting back to the real world.

• Arzt tells everyone that they need to launch the raft NOW.

• Kate shows interest in leaving, tells Michael she’s going on the raft.

Titles

Beach

• Michael and Kate argue about going on the raft.

Flashback

• Kate with flowers goes to hospital to see her mother.

• She hides behind the flowers to avoid a police man.

• Kate hides in Tom Brennan’s car. Her mom is dying. Asks Tom for help.

Beach

• Jin and Sun argue about Jin going on the raft.

Jungle

• Sayid and Jack are going to see something, run into Locke.

• Jack sees The Hatch for the first time.

Beach

• Michael doesn’t know if Sawyer is right to go on the raft.

• Kate is burning an ID. Sawyer confronts Kate, lets her know he knows more about her than she knows.

• Sawyer threatens Kate, lets her know she’s not getting on the raft. Kate says otherwise.

At the raft

• Walt and Michael work on the raft.

• Michael drinks some water and gets sick.

Jungle

• Walt runs to get help. Kate runs to get Jack.

• Kate yells for Jack.

The Hatch

• Jack and Locke talk about the Hatch. Power struggle.

• Jack wants to open it. Sayid doesn’t want anything to do with it.

• Sayid points out the quarantine sign, “it’s on there for a reason.”

Jungle

• Kate finds Jack and they run back to the beach.

At the raft

• Jack looks after Michael. It must have been the water he drank.

• Kate looks after Michael while Jack goes to investigate.

Flashback (Tom’s Kitchen)

• Kate is looking at photos of Tom’s kid, Connor. Kate looks sad.

• Tom agrees to help Kate.

Flashback (In a Pasture)

• Tom and Kate drive to a pasture and start to dig.

Beach

• Locke and Jack discuss what made Michael sick.

• Jack reveals residue on the bottom of Michael’s bottle.

At the raft

• Jack takes Michael’s water. Michael thinks it’s poison and accuses Sawyer.

Beach

• Hurley and Locke discuss the raft. Jack comes up and Hurley says, “Because of Kate? Because she wants on the raft.”

• Hurley proposes that it might have been Kate that poisoned Michael. “You know, the whole fugitive thing.” Locke is shocked.

• Discussion about dissemination of information. Power struggle between Jack and Locke again.

Beach

• Claire is cutting Charlie’s hair. They talk about rescue and how great it would be.

• Charlie writes “Monster Eats the Pilot”.

Caves

• Kate asks Jack about the raft. Jack accuses Kate of poisoning Michael.

• Kate plays innocent. Jack doesn’t buy it.

Flashback (In a pasture)

• Kate and Tom are digging. Kate finds the time capsule.

• Contents of time capsule made from New Kids on the Block lunch pail: a red hat, a toy plane (Tom’s), a baseball, other junk, and an audio tape from August 15^th, 1989.

• In the car, they listen to the tape. They’re supposed to be together now, married.

• “You always want to run away, Katie.”

• They kiss. It’s wrong.

Jungle

• Walt and Locke talk about Michael being poisoned.

• Walt says he didn’t do it. Locke didn’t think he did.

• Walt then grabs Locke’s arm and says, “Don’t open it.” Locke is confused.

At the raft

• Mike tells Sawyer he poisoned him and he’s off the raft.

• Sawyer, pissed, outs Kate in front of everyone with the dead girl’s passport.

Flashback

• In the hospital, Tom sneaks Kate in to talk to her mom.

• Kate wakes her mom up. Mom is upset. Kate apologizes for what she did. Mom starts screaming, “Help!”

• Kate runs and attacks a security guard.

• Tom follows her to his car. Kate peels out and the cops are in hot pursuit.

• Kate wants Tom to get out. He refuses.

• She peels out and rams through a car barricade. Shots are fired. She rams a car.

• Tom is dead. Shot to death.

• Kate looks back at the toy plane, but there’s no time. She runs.

At the raft

• Sawyer calling Kate out. Kate admits she is a criminal.

• No one trusts Kate anymore. She is left alone with the toy plane as a reminder of what she’s done.

At the raft

• Last preparations are being made for departure.

• Jack and Sun discuss the poisoning. He knows that Sun tried to poison Jin. “I didn’t want him to die out there.” She confesses.

• Jack won’t rat her out, he’s a good guy.

Beach

• Sawyer tells Kate he’s back on the raft.

• “You cornered me, freckles.” “That’s that.” He’s sorry, in his own Sawyer way.

• Kate asks why he wants to leave so bad. “Because there ain’t anything on this island worth staying for.” Deepening the Kate-Jack-Sawyer love triangle.

Beach

• Walt and Michael talk. Walt admits he burned down the first raft. He didn’t want to leave. Apologizes.

• Michael is understanding. Offers to stay. “We don’t need to leave.”

• Walt responds, “Yes we do” in his creepy, cryptic kid way.

Beach

• Sun and Kate talking. Sun says she won’t tell anyone it was Kate’s idea to poison Jin. She says Jack won’t say anything. “Jack’s good at keeping secrets.”

• Kate believes once she found the man she loved, she’d be happy forever. But who?

Crash to “Lost”

Directed by Jack Bender
Written by Damon Lindelof
Jack-Centric

Synopsis:

Inside the Hatch

A man wakes to a beeping sound not dissimilar to a supermarket scanner.  He enters a code into an Apple II computer and the beeping stops.  He walks over to a record player and plays "Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Mama Cass.  He then goes about his seemingly mundane daily activities of washing dishes, working out, showering, and making a smoothie until he opens a cabinet filled with bottles of a mysterious liquid marked CR 4-81516-23 42, and injects himself with one of the bottles.  His routine is then interrupted by a large explosion outside the Hatch that knocks the needle out of the groove of the record.  The man gets dressed very quickly, takes a rifle from the armory, and uses some kind of surveillance device involving a series of mirrors to look down a hallway and up a shaft to the source of the explosion.  After a long zoom-in we see Jack and Locke peering down from the top of the shaft.

Outside the Hatch

Hurley is frightened out of his mind and is repeating the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42.  Jack and Locke continue to stare down the shaft and are joined by Kate.  Hurley stays away from the rest of the group calling the shaft a "burning death hole."  Locke and Jack argue over what to do about their new found discovery.  Locke makes the shaft out to be approximately fifty feet deep, and thus the original plan of hiding the entire camp in the Hatch to avoid the Others, would prove futile given that the ladder leading down is broken.  Because of this Jack thinks they should abandon the Hatch and return to the caves, but Locke, ablaze with curiosity and under the belief that entering the Hatch is his destiny, still wishes to venture forth to find out what’s inside.  Jack then orders Locke to pack it up and return to the caves.  Locke agrees, but asks Jack why he doesn’t want to go down into the Hatch.

Flashback-Emergency Room

A woman is brought into the ER after suffering massive injuries in a car accident.  Jack enters the room and is told that the woman’s blood pressure is dropping rapidly.  Adam Rutherford, the other victim, is brought in and isn’t breathing.  Jack instructs one of the nurses to intubate, but the nurse responds that he can’t and Jack has to do it.  After a quick assessment, Jack realizes that he can only save one of the victims, and he chooses the woman.  As Jack removes a large piece of metal from her chest the man treating Adam Rutherford says, "Time of death: 8:15 am."  The woman is stabilized, and as Jack is leaving she mumbles, "I have to dance at my wedding."

The Caves

Charlie is trying to calm a group of distressed survivors, claiming that Rousseau "is missing a bloody wing nut" and that there are no Others.  Meanwhile Shannon is upset because she lost Vincent and goes into the jungle to look for him.  Sayid chases after her

Outside the Hatch

Hurley is asking why Locke blew the hatch door despite his warning against it.  Locke responds that he was just excited to get inside, claiming that they’re entire journey to the Black Rock, and risking their lives to get the dynamite was all just to get inside.  The difference in Locke and Jack’s motives are clearly evident when Jack reminds Locke that they did it to save everybody’s lives.  Kate interrupts them and directs their attention to the hatch door.  Everyone gathers to look at the door, and we see that in large letters the word "Quarantine" is written on the hatch door.

Jungle

Shannon continues her search for Vincent.  Sayid is concerned that she is exhausted and could get hurt or worse.  He insists that she return to camp but she persists.  They find Vincent, but he runs away before they can get to him.  Sayid runs after the dog and Shannon can’t keep up.  As Shannon yells for Sayid she begins to hear whispers.  She looks around and sees Walt.  He is soaking wet and talking backwards.  Before she can find out what’s going on, Sayid comes from behind, and when she looks back Walt has vanished.  Meanwhile, Kate and Locke are returning to the caves from the Hatch.  Kate asks Locke why he wants to get into the Hatch so badly, and Locke dodges the question by correcting her grammar and saying that Jack thinks he’s crazy.  Kate agrees with Jack and Locke recalls that just a few hours ago he had been dragged into a hole by what appeared to be a column of black smoke.  He asks Kate if she saw the same thing, and when she says yes he says, "Then I guess we both must be crazy."  At the same time Jack and Hurley are on a similar journey to the caves.  Hurley tries to lighten the mood with some jokes, but Jack remains tense, and questions Hurley about the numbers.  Hurley tries to act like he doesn’t know what Jack is referring to until Jack points at that Hurley was yelling, "The numbers are bad!" just before Locke blew the Hatch.  Hurley tells Jack the story of how he heard the numbers in a psyche ward, used them to win the lottery, and believes them and the Hatch, for having the numbers written on it, to be cursed.  Much to Hurley’s lament, Jack does not believe in the curse saying that they are just numbers.

Flashback-Hospital Room

Jack is talking to Sarah, the woman from the ER.  He tells her that the man she hit is dead, the extent of her injuries, and that in all likelihood, she will never walk again.  Jack’s father Christian calls him out of the room and lectures Jack for giving the woman the unfiltered truth, instead of giving her false hope, which, he reminds Jack, is still hope.

The Caves

Shannon is telling the rest of the survivors what she saw.  Most are worried that the whispers mean that the Others are indeed coming, but Sun is more concerned that Walt’s presence on the Island means that something has happened to the raft and her husband Jin.  Sayid tries to calm Sun insisted that Walt is still on the raft and that her husband is safe.  The area comes to a hush when Jack, Locke, Kate, and Hurley arrive, and Jack rises to make a speech.  Jack’s declaration of the demise of Dr. Arzt sends murmurs through the crowd.  Shannon asks if Jack saw the Others, and the quiet murmurs erupt into boisterous arguments over the existence of the Others.  Jack silences them and makes a promise that everyone will be fine if they just stick together.  His promise is somewhat diminished, however, by Locke’s announcement that he is leaving the group to go to the Hatch.  Locke admits that the safe thing to do is to wait at the caves with Jack, but that he’s sick of waiting.  Soon after, Kate tells Jack that she is going to follow Locke to the Hatch.

Flashback-Jack’s Office

Jack is talking to Sarah’s fiancee, Kevin.  As Jack goes over the extent of her injuries, it is clear that Kevin doesn’t really love Sarah, and has no interest in her if she cannot perform sexually.  Jack leaves his office, angered by what he has heard, to perform surgery on Sarah’s back.  As he’s preparing to do the surgery Sarah draws him near and tells him that she knows won’t be able to dance at here wedding and that she doesn’t blame Jack for not being able to save her.  Jack looks Sarah square in the eye and says, "I’m gonna fix you."

Outside the Hatch

Locke is rigging a harness using cable salvaged from the plane when Kate arrives.  She’s surprised that he isn’t already on his way down and he says that he was waiting for her.  Kate, being the lighter of the two, goes down first.  The tree that Locke had ran the cable around snaps and Kate begins to fall into the Hatch.  Locke quickly jumps and grabs the cable, stopping Kate from falling to her death.  At this point Kate becomes gripped with terror and asks Locke to bring her back up.  Locke ignores her request and continues to lower her into the darkness.  Kate uses Jack’s count to five technique to calm herself.  Just before she gets to five she hears a noise and tells Locke to stop.  Suddenly a bright light turns on within the Hatch and Kate is pulled right out of Locke’s hands.

The Caves

Jack is telling Hurley that he is going back to the Hatch to help Locke and Kate.

Outside the Hatch

By the time Jack arrives at the Hatch both Kate and Locke are already inside.  He ties cloth to his hand and slides down the cable into the Hatch.

Flashback-Stadium

Jack is running up and down the steps, there is another man doing the same.  Jack speeds up to catch him, but trips and twists his ankle.  The other man comes to Jack’s aid and asks him why he’s running like the devil’s chasing him.  Throughout the conversation, the man casually refers to Jack as "brother."  Jack says that he promised a patient that he could fix her, and failed.  The man thinks for a second, then says, "But what if you did?"  Jack says that he didn’t, but the man just keeps asking, "what if you did?"  Jack says that in her situation, that would be a miracle.  The man responds by rhetorically asking, "You don’t believe in miracles?"  As the man leaves he reveals his name to be Desmond, and says, "See you in another life, yeah?"

Inside the Hatch

Jack lands and slowly makes his way towards the interior of the Hatch.  On his way he notices a strange mural painted on a wall and that the key around his neck is being pulled towards another wall by some large magnetic force.  Jack is startled by the movement of a mirror behind him when "Make Your Own Kind of Music" begins to play again very loudly.  A bright light flashes from the end of a hall.  He stumbles into the computer room to avoid the light.  He notices a lot of strange equipment, as well as the Apple II computer.  The music stops and Locke appears from around a corner, a man is holding him at gunpoint from behind the corner.  Jack points his own gun at the man

Flashback-Hospital Room

Jack is sitting next to Sarah’s bed as she wakes up after the surgery.  He tells her that it was not a success and that she will never walk again.  She asks if he’s joking.  When he says that he’s not, she asks, "Then how come I can wiggle my toes?"  Jack pokes her legs with a pen to see if she can feel it and is amazed and ecstatic to discover that Desmond was right and he did, in fact, fix her.

Inside the Hatch

The man with the gun to Locke’s head tells Jack to lower his weapon or he’ll kill Locke.  Jack refuses to lower his gun and asks where Kate is.  The man steps out from behind the corner and stands behind Locke.  The man says, "Lower your gun, or I’ll blow his damned head off, brother!"  Jack notices something familiar in the man’s voice.  When he looks closer he sees that the man is Desmond, the same man he met at the stadium years ago.

Adrift
Directed by Stephen Williams
Written by Steven Maeda and Leonard Dick
Michael-Centric

Synopsis:

Ocean

Sawyer, Michael, and Jin are swimming for their lives near the flaming remains of the raft.  In the background Walt is screaming for help as he is being taken by the Others.  Jin has been separated from the rest of the group and can only be heard.  Sawyer finds Michael drowning and pulls him onto a piece of the wreckage.  He discovers that Michael is unconscious and pounds on his chest in an attempt to resuscitate him.

Outside the Hatch

Locke is looking down into the Hatch, it is just after Kate was pulled in.  The bright light shuts off and leaves Locke alone in the darkness, wondering if he should go after Kate.  He decides to go after her and begins his descent into the Hatch.

Ocean

Sawyer continues to pound on Michael’s chest in a desperate effort to revive him.  Sawyer gives up on pounding and gives Michael mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  It works and Michael chokes into consciousness.  Michael immediately starts screaming and tries to go after Walt.  Sawyer has to hold Michael down to stop him from swimming after the boat that took his son.

Flashback-Lawyer’s Office

Michael is talking to his lawyer.  The lawyer tells him that Susan wants Michael to relinquish his rights as Walt’s father so that her boyfriend, Brian can adopt Walt.  Susan also wants to move to Rome and take Walt with her.  Michael wants to fight it, but the lawyer tells him that the legal battle would be like David and Goliath, and would be very expensive.  Michael refuses to let Susan take his son and decides to fight it anyway.

Ocean

Michael continues to scream for Walt, though the boat that took him is no where to be seen.  Sawyer tries to tell him that yelling won’t to any good and to save his energy, but Michael won’t give up.

Inside the Hatch

Locke enters the Hatch and searches for Kate.  On his way in he notices a circuit box with a strange logo on it.  The logo reads, "DHARMA" and has a picture of a swan.  He enters the living area of the Hatch and cautiously investigates the room.  He finds Kate, on the floor, just waking up from unconsciousness.  Not a minute after he finds her, Desmond comes from behind and points a gun to his head.  Apprehensively, Desmond asks Locke, "Are you him?"

Ocean

Michael has stopped yelling for Walt, but Sawyer has started yelling for Jin.  Michael becomes angry and blames Sawyer for what happened to Walt.  As they argue the wreckage they’re standing on begins to split.  The bamboo stays together, but their brief feeling of relief stops, when they see that a shark is swimming around them.  Michael once again blames Sawyer because of his bleeding shoulder.  Sawyer becomes angry at Michael’s lack of gratitude, that Sawyer feels he’s owed for trying to save Walt, and swims off Michael’s wreckage raft to board his own.

Flashback-Conference Room

Michael and his lawyer are having a meeting with Susan and her lawyers to decide who gets custody of Walt.  Susan’s clearly superior lawyers attack Michael’s history as a father, pointing out that he’s never been there for Walt in the past.  Michael stands firm that he is Walt’s father.

Ocean

Despite Michael’s warnings against it, Sawyer removes the bullet in his shoulder with bare hands.

Inside the Hatch

Desmond repeats his question the Locke several times.  Locke says that he is "him" but Desmond does not believe him, and decides to test him.  He asks, "What did one snowman say to the other snowman?"  Locke doesn’t know the answer and Desmond know that he’s not "him."  He tells Kate to tie up Locke, but Locke convinces him that she’s the dangerous one not him.  As Locke ties her, he slips a knife into her pocket, and Desmond tells Locke to lock her in the pantry.

The Caves

As Jack departs for the Hatch, Claire wonders aloud where he’s going.  Charlie avoids the subject by making jokes, when Claire finds the virgin Mary statue in Charlie’s bag.  Charlie says that it’s "a nice thing to have around," though secretly he keeps it because it is full of heroin.

Ocean

After thinking it over for several hours, Sawyer concludes that the Others destroyed the raft because they were looking for Walt, and that the whole incident is, in fact, Michael’s fault.  At this Michael splashes Sawyer’s raft which destroyed it, force them once again to share the same piece of wreckage. 

Flashback-Conference Room

Michael and Susan are meeting to discuss Walt again, this time with no lawyers.  Susan admits that she thinks Michael will win the case and stop Susan from leaving the country.  Susan asks Michael to think about what’s best for Walt, and give up the case.

Inside the Hatch

Kate struggles for a bit, but eventually succeeds in untying herself.  She turns on the lights and discovers the wide array of food in the pantry.  After hoarding a few Apollo Bars, she makes her way up a ventilation shaft.  In the dining area, Locke is telling Desmond how he got to the Island, and the details of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.  He tries to ask Desmond about the Hatch, but Desmond responds to all of Locke’s questions with questions of his own.  Suddenly, the supermarket-esque beeping begins again.  Desmond orders Locke to enter the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 into the computer and press Execute.  Hesitantly, Locke obeys, the beeping stops, and a timer resets to 108 minutes.  Before Locke can ask about the strange procedure he has just done, Jack arrives in the Hatch.  Desmond looks through his mirrors to see Jack, and when he sees that Jack has a gun he attempts to disorient him by playing "Make Your Own Kind of Music" extremely loud and shining the bright light at him.  Kate can see Jack through her shaft and tries to yell to him, but it’s useless; he can’t hear over the music.  The music stops and Desmond uses Locke as a hostage to try and get Jack to drop his gun.  Desmond fires a warning shot to scare Jack, and it almost hits Kate.  Jack once again makes the revelation that he has met the man holding a gun to Locke’s head, years before.

Ocean

Sawyer sees a piece of wreckage, that Michael identifies as one of the pontoons.  Sawyer thinks that it will make a better raft than their current one, and tries to propel theirs towards it.  The vines cannot handle the strain, however, and Sawyer’s half of the raft breaks off sending him into the ocean.  Sawyer knows that if he tries to climb back onto the raft it will break.  He decides to swim for the pontoon and hands Michael the gun telling him, "If you see that toothy son of bitch, you aim and squeeze, got it?"  Sawyers attempt is slow and labored due to his injured shoulder.  Michael sees the shark and tries to fire, but the gun doesn’t work.  After a quick adjustment the gun works and he fires upon the shark several times.  Michael can’t tell if Sawyer made it to the pontoon, and paddles after him.  He did make it and Michael joins him on the pontoon. 

Flashback-Park

Michael is sitting on a bench, with a gift.  Susan walks up to him with a young Walt, it is clear that Michael agreed with Susan and relinquished his rights as Walt’s father.  Michael gives the gift, a stuffed polar bear, to Walt.  He doesn’t tell Walt that he is his father, but says, "Your daddy loves you very much, and I always will"  He then says goodbye to Walt for what he thought was the last time.

Ocean

Michael claims that it was his fault that Walt got taken, and pledges to get him back.  Sawyer’s sees that the current has brought them back to the Island and announces, "We’re home."

Beach

Michael and Sawyer stagger onto the beach as Jin comes running out of the jungle with his hands tied behind his back.  He’s very panicky and keeps shouting, "Others!"  When turn to see what he’s running from the see five shadowy figures approaching carrying make-shift weapons.

Directed by Paul Edwards
Written by Drew Goddard and Jeff Pinkner
Jin and Sun-Centric

Synopsis:

Flashback-Sun’s Childhood House

A glass ballerina is falling through the air; it hits the floor and shatters.  A very young Sun panics and runs out of the room.  She goes into another room and plays the piano, trying to pretend it didn’t happen.  Her father, Mr. Paik enters carrying the shattered remains of the ballerina in a cloth.  He asks her who broke it, and she says that the maid did.  He tells her that if she says that the maid did it, then he will have no choice but to fire the maid.  Once again he asks Sun who broke the ballerina.  She still says that the maid did.

The Elizabeth

Sun is washing her face when Jin enters.  She says that she’s okay and is just experiencing some morning sickness, but that’s not what’s bothering him.  He needs to talk to Sayid on the deck and has Sun translate for him.  Jin thinks they should leave and go back to camp, but Sayid isn’t willing to give up on Jack just yet.  He reasons that Jack might not have come because he couldn’t see the signal fire over the mountains, and says that they need to sail forward along the coast and past the mountains to set another signal fire.  Jin doesn’t agree and insist that they return to camp, but Sayid refuses to abandon Jack.  Sun begins to translate and yells at her for even thinking of listening to Sayid, because he isn’t her husband.  This upsets Sun and in English she tells Sayid that they don’t need Jin and she can’t help him sail the boat.

Jack’s Cell

Jack is sitting in the corner of his cell; Juliet enters to bring him some food.  Jack refuses to talk to her.  She leaves the room and goes to see Ben, who was watching them in the monitor room.  Colleen meets them to say that "the Iraqi" has found the decoy village, and when she followed him she saw that he had a boat.  Juliet doesn’t seem concerned, but Colleen is quick to point out, "They could find us."  Ben orders Colleen to gather a team and take the boat by force.

Cages

Kate is sleeping, but is woken by Sawyer activating the food dispenser in his cage.  Tom, Danny Pickett, and a few unnamed Others let Kate and Sawyer out of their cages and take them to the quarry.  On their way, they are stopped by Colleen, who tells Pickett about her mission to take the Elizabeth.  Pickett tells her to be careful, kisses her, and continues to the quarry.

The Elizabeth

Sayid is loading a rifle, Sun looks nervous.  Sun apologizes to Jin, saying that she shouldn’t have disagreed with him in front of Sayid.  Jin tells her that she shouldn’t have disagreed with him at all.  Jin asks why she even came with them, and Sun says it’s because she didn’t want to be without him.

Flashback-Jae Lee’s Hotel Room

Sun is in bed with Jae Lee.  Jae asks what’s wrong and Sun says that she’s married and can’t do this.  Jae tells her to wait, and then gives her a pearl necklace.  When she says that she can’t wear it because Jin will ask where it came from, Jae tells her that he doesn’t want to share her anymore.  There’s a knock at the door.  Mr. Paik enters and sees what his daughter has done.  He coldly tells her to get dressed, then leaves.

The Quarry

Pickett tells Kate that she’s to brakes rocks loose, while Sawyer hauls them away.  Kate refuses to work until she sees Jack.  Rather than respond verbally, Pickett shocks Sawyer with his tazer set at a quarter charge.

Flashback-Mr. Paik’s Office

Mr. Paik tells Jin that Jae Lee has been stealing from him and orders Jin to kill him.  Jin refuses but Mr, Paik keeps pushing so Jin quits.  Mr. Paik says that he can’t quit.  He says that by marrying his daughter, Jin is now his son, and that by shaming him, Jae Lee has shamed Jin as well.  Reluctantly, Jin agrees to kill Jae Lee.

The Elizabeth

Jin is cooking fish.  Sun calls him onto the deck.  Sun, Jin, and Sayid have discovered the Pala Ferry.  Sayid says they will dock there and build the signal fire.

The Quarry

Kate and Sawyer are still working on the rocks.  Alex is hiding in a bush and starts talking to Kate.  She tells Kate not to let the others see her talking to her.  She asks if Kate saw a guy named Karl in one of the cages, then tells her that the dress she’s wearing used to belong to her, and leaves.

The Pala Ferry

Sayid is building the signal fire and Sun is bringing him gasoline to light it.  Sun knows that Sayid has been lying up to this point and asks what they’re really doing.  He says that his plan is draw the Others near, and then ambush them.  He figures that when they see the smoke, they will send a scout party.  By the time the Others arrive night will have fallen and the element of surprise will be on their side.  He plans to capture two of them and kill the rest.  Sun agrees to keep lying to Jin until the fire is lit and it is too late to go back.

Flashback-Sun and Jin’s Apartment

Sun and Jin begin share a very tense dinner, when they argue over whether or not Jin should obey Mr. Paik.  Sun says that they can run away, but Jin insists that it’s not that simple.  He leaves to go "deliver the message."

The Pala Ferry

The signal fire is almost finished when Jin angrily declares that he knows what they’re doing and that he understands English better than they think.  Jin demands that Sayid hand him the gun, but goes along with the plan knowing he has no other choice.  Sayid tells Sun that she will be safer on the boat and tells her where the extra gun is in case the Others get past Jin and Sayid.  She says that if the Others get to her than that means that her husband is dead and she will no longer care.  Sayid tells her where the gun is again, just in case.

The Quarry

Juliet tosses Sawyer a canteen of water, but he just dumps it out onto the ground.  He then stops, goes over to Kate, and kisses her, knowing it will elicit a response from Pickett.  When Pickett attacks he fights back.  He tries and fails to shock him, but succeeds in taking his gun.  He orders the Others to freeze, but stops when he sees that Juliet has a gun to Kate.  She tells him to drop his gun or she’ll shoot and he obeys.  Pickett shocks him, this time with a full charge.

The Pala Ferry/The Elizabeth

Jin and Sayid anxiously await the Others arrival while Sun waits safely aboard the Elizabeth.  She tries to light the stove and is startled by an unfamiliar noise.  The Others have snuck aboard the Elizabeth without Jin and Sayid knowing about it.  Sun prepares for action and grabs the gun.

Flashback-Jae Lee’s Hotel

Jin sits in his car outside Jae Lee’s hotel, thinking.  There is a gun on the seat.  He sees Jae talk to the doorman, gets out of his car, and enters the hotel to find Jae’s room. He follows Jae to his room and gives a savage beating.  Instead of killing him he orders him to leave the country and start a new life, never contacting anyone in Korea again.  Jin leaves the hotel and sits in his car, relieved that he did not have to kill a man.  The relief was short lived as mere seconds later Jae Lee jumped from his balcony and landed on the hood of Jin’s car, still clutching the necklace he bought for Sun.

The Pala Ferry/The Elizabeth

Jin and Sayid begin to suspect that the Others aren’t coming, though at that very moment they are creeping aboard the Elizabeth.  Colleen enters the kitchen and discovers Sun while the others are exploring the rest of the boat.  Sun says that if Colleen moves any closer she will shoot her.  Colleen claims that they are not the enemy, but if she shoots her, that’s exactly what they’ll become.  Sun accidentally pulls the trigger when she startled by a noise in the background.  The other Others hear the shot and come after her, firing as they come.  Sayid and Jin hear the shots and run towards the Elizabeth.  The Others see them coming and force them to take cover.  Meanwhile Sun escapes the Others that are shooting at her and jumps off the boat before they can kill her.  Jin jumps into the water and swims toward the boat yelling for Sun in Korean.  She yells back and they are relieved to discover that they are both still alive. 

Flashback-Jae’s Funeral

Sun is attending Jae’s funeral.  She stands away from the rest of the mourners, given the secretive nature of their relationship.  Mr. Paik arrives and tells her that she shouldn’t be here and that she should go home to her husband.  She asks if he will tell Jin about her and Jae.  He says it’s not his place to tell.

The Pala Ferry

Jin wraps Sun in a blanket, and Sayid apologizes for involving them in this.  He says that they have to start walking back and so they depart.

The Cages

Sawyer and Kate have returned from their first day of work at the quarry.  Kate asks why Sawyer made the escape attempt in the quarry.  He avoids the question but gives an assessment of the Others.  He says that most of them have probably never seen any real action, but that Juliet would have shot Kate, no problem.  And, he adds to Kate, "You taste like strawberries."  Ben watches them finish the conversation from a remote monitor.

Jack’s Cell

Ben enters the cell and tells Jack that if he cooperates they will let him go home.  He doesn’t tell him what he has to cooperate with, yet.  Jack says that he doesn’t believe him, that he thinks they’re stuck here just like he is.  Ben says that they do have contact with the outside world and that while Jack has been on the Island, his fellow Americans have reelected George W. Bush, Christopher Reeve has passed away, and the Red Sox have won the World Series.  Jack says that if he had wanted him to believe him he would have picked a more believable team than the Red Sox.  Ben proves it by showing Jack a video of the Red Sox winning the World Series.  Now that Jack know that the Others do have contact with the outside world he states once again that if Jack does as he says he will take him home.

Episode Director: Greg Yaitanes
Episode Writers:  David Fury
Episode Centric Character: Michael and Walt

Synopsis:

Michael is in the JUNGLE looking for Walt, and runs into Charlie, who is looking for Clarie’s luggage.  Charlie leaves as Jack approaches carrying wood, and Hurley arrives to let them know about a new golf tournament for the rest of the deodorant.  Michael continues looking for Walt.

Flashback

Michael and Susan are shopping for a crib for their baby.  Michael brings up naming the baby Walt, after his father, while talking about giving up art for a while to take care of the baby while Susan finishes law school.

In the jungle, Locke, Boone, and Vincent watch as Walt learns to throw a knife.  Locke talks about using your "mind’s eye" to visualize what you’re doing before you do it.  Walt hits one perfectly, and senses something that helped him succeed as Michael arrives.  Michael and Locke argue about Walt, then Boone jumps Michael, and Locke separates them.  Locke tells Michael that Walt is "different," and needs to "realize his potential."

Flashback

Michael is on the floor playing with baby Walt as him and Susan argue about them moving to Amsterdam.  Michael realizes that Susan already took the job and is taking Walt away.

It’s night on the Island, and Sun sits with Michael.  Michael opens up about his shortcomings as a father and vows that Walt "can’t grow up in this place."

Sayid, Shannon and Jack sit around Rousseau’s maps and discuss her notations.  The maps come together around a mysterious triangle.  Michael joins them and talks about proactively getting off the island for the first time via a raft.  After skepticism from the group, Michael informs them that he’s building the raft regardless so that him and Walt can get off the island.

Walt is reading a comic with Vincent, and a page appears with a polar bear.  Walt sounds out the words in Spanish.  Michael comes over and says he needs Walt’s help.  Walt doesn’t want to go since he’s reading the comic.  Michael tries to talk to him about art after Walt talks about liking the pictures, but Walt ignores him, so Michael grabs the comic and Walt follows.

Flashback

Michael is at a pay phone calling Susan and begging to talk to Walt.  Susan tried to get off the phone, but Michael hears a male voice on the other end.  Susan admits that she’s been seeing someone, Brian Porter, the man who hired her.  Michael is annoyed and angrily slams the phone down after telling Susan he’s coming to Amsterdam to get Walt back.  Michael walks into the street without paying attention and gets hit by a car.

On the beach, Charlie finds Claire’s things, but can’t locate her diary.  Michael and Walt are rummaging through the debris from the crash as Michael explains what materials would be good and bad for the raft to Walt.

Kate and Charlie approach Sawyer about Claire’s diary.  Sawyer has it, and begins "reading" passages from inside.  Charlie punches Sawyer, grabs the book, and Sawyer hits back before Kate can break it up.  

As Michael rummages through the debris, Walt sits on the side.  Boone and Locke walk by without Michael seeing, and Walt follows them by excusing himself for water.  Shannon argues with Boone about not coming back with any food, and tells him about Michael’s plans to build a raft.  She says she’s going to help, and Boone should also, but he declines.

Locke is sitting near Jack and Boone when Walt approaches.  Before Walt can speak, Locke explains that Michael doesn’t want Walt around him anymore, and that Walt should respect Michael.  As this is happening, Michael comes running in, and mistakenly goes after Locke.  Locke makes a peace offering and leaves.  Walt and Michael get into an argument which ends with Walt saying, "You’re not my father."  Michael takes the comic and throws it in a nearby fire, with the polar bear page on top.

Flashback

Michael is in the hospital after his crash drawing a picture of him in bed, all messed up from the accident.  Speaking with a nurse, he says its for his son who will be two next week.  After the nurse leaves, Susan appears in the doorway.  She’s heard about his accident after not hearing from Michael for months.  She came to see Michael and tell him that she’s covering his medical costs and that her and Brian are getting married.  She says Brian wants to adopt Walt, and attempts to convince Michael that he should give up his hope of raising Walt.

On the Island, Hurley comes up to Michael and tells him that Walt has run off with Vincent.  Michael goes to find Walt with Locke and Boone, but he’s not there and they go to find Walt together.

Charlie and Kate sit in the caves and talk about Claire.  Charlie thinks about how he’s only known Claire for a short time, and after Kate leaves he goes back and forth with himself about reading the diary.

Walt and Vincent are walking in the jungle when Vincent starts barking at something that Walt can’t see.  Vincent runs away and Walt chases after him.

Flashback

Walt and Vincent, about the same age as in real time, listening to Susan and Brian talk while supposedly doing homework about Australian birds.  Susan doesn’t feel well, and as Brian helps her to the couch, Walt gets annoyed that they’re "not looking."  Suddenly a  bird crashes into their window and dies.  Walt seems ambivalent and goes back to his work.

Walt, still looking for Vincent, hears rustling in the trees and bushes and his eyes open wide with apparent fear.

Flashback

Michael answers the door and Brian is standing there.  Susan has died.  Brian says that before she died, Susan told Brian that she wanted Michael to have custody of Walt.  Brian explains that adopting Walt was all Susan’s idea, and how he never wanted to be a father.  Michael gets angry and realizes that its Brian’s idea, not Susan’s wish, for him to have Walt.  Brian then talks about "things happening" when Walt is around.

Michael and Locke find Vincent’s leash on the ground in the jungle.  They hear Walt screaming for help in the distance and run after the sound.

Flashback

In Australia, Walt’s nanny collects some of Susan’s effects for Michael and hands him a box that she thinks Walt should have.  As Walt arrives home from school, the Nanny says that there’s someone here to see him.

Walt is still screaming for help in the jungle.  As he comes into view, Walt is stuck in a tree with a polar bear attacking.  Michael is stunned, but Locke snaps him out of it.

Flashback

Walt and Vincent are playing with a ball as Michael approaches slowly.  Michael explains that he’s Walt’s father and Walt is shocked.  He then asks about Brian, and Michael lies to Walt about being his legal guardian to take Brian off the hook.  Michael also says that though Vincent is Brian’s dog, he wanted Walt to have him.

The bear is getting closer to Walt.  Locke and Michael are walking across a high branch to reach Walt from the other side.  Locke throws the knife to Michael who throws it Walt and tells him to use it if the bear comes closer.  Walt stabs the bear as Michael gets down into the tree.  He gets some vine around Walt and Locke pulls Walt up.  The bear, temporarily stunned, is back, but Michael takes another swipe at the bear and it leaves.

Later that night, Michael and Walt are sitting by a fire.  Michael says that he has a gift for Walt and hands him the box from the nanny that contains every letter and card Michael sent to Walt over nine years.  Walt had no idea.  They look at some of the pictures and Michael points out the card he drew in the hospital.

In the caves, Charlie is reading Claire’s diary.  It’s visible that Claire likes Charlie.  After reading something, Charlie runs to Jack and Sayid and describes a dream of Claire’s where she sees a Black Rock.  Charlie connects the Black Rock to Sayid’s story of the french woman and the mysterious triangle on the map.

Locke and Boone are in the jungle looking for Vincent.  They hear a noise in the bushes, and Claire appears.

Key Dialogue:

JACK: Are you suggesting something?

MICHAEL: Yes.  We build a raft.

WALT: Am i being punished?
MICHAEL: You think working with your old man is punishment?  No.  This is us taking control of our destiny.
WALT: Feels like punishment…

BRIAN (about Walt): Things happen when he’s around.  He’s different somehow.

Key Items:

Locke’s Knife

Walt’s Comic - The Flash

The Polar Bear

The Black Rock