At Least All These Questions Will Be Answered...

It's a few days late, but we decided to post and answer our own Lost survey to pass the time until next Tuesday. Please, submit your answers in the comments below!


1. When did you start watching Lost? I started watching Lost halfway through Season Three—meaning, I started watching the DVDs and was ready to start in on watching Season Four by the time it aired. I was reluctant to watch at first because I thought it was just a dramatic version of Gilligan’s Island. I was so very very very wrong.

2. Favorite character? Consistently, Hurley has been my favorite, but when Desmond isn’t missing or being creepy, he is my favorite.

3. Would you have been in the front of the plane or the tail section? Since I can’t afford the front, probably the tail.

4. Favorite scene? Ben and Ilana’s scene together in “Dr. Linus” was so powerful. Penny and Desmond’s phone conversation in “The Constant” probably ties.

5. Favorite Lost couple? Desmond and Penny.

6. Least favorite character? Currently, Kate. Overall, Michael or Shannon. I would say Nikki and Paulo, but I like to pretend they never existed.

7. Saddest character death? Juliet, partly because they tortured us by killing her THREE TIMES.

8. Craziest theory you remember having? I thought the island might be Atlantis. I don’t know if that can qualify as crazy, though.

9. Least favorite Lost couple? Kate and Sawyer, with Sayid and Shannon in a close close second.

10. Creepiest moment? That creepy scene in “Deux Ex Machina” when it gets all trippy and Boone is bloody chanting, “Theresa falls up stairs. Theresa falls down the stairs.” And when Claire’s bone baby was revealed. Ay ay ay.

11. Biggest "WTF?" moment? The last scene in the Season Three finale is the first to come to mind.

12. Favorite season? Season One is probably the most solid season of any television show ever, but I’m going to have to say Season Two.

13. Favorite episode (or top five)? Without thinking about it too much and in no particular order:
a. “The Constant”
b. “Through The Looking Glass”
c. “The 23rd Psalm”
d. “Ab Aeterno”
e. “One of Us”

14. Funniest moment? Well, I loved when Miles and Hurley were discussing time travel. I also liked when Hurley made a bet with Sawyer that if Sawyer lost at Ping Pong he couldn’t use nicknames for a week. I am sure there are plenty of others, and probably most of them are Hurley or Miles one-liners.

15. Lost Crush? Desmond, hands down. Everyone is very attractive, but I would choose Desmond to be stranded on that Island with in a heart beat. Rawr.

16. Based on what we know now, how do you WANT the show to end? I came up with this question and I have no idea how to answer it. I think I just wanted to read what everyone else had to say. Um. I would like either Hurley or Jack to be The Candidate at the end, and for Smokey not to get off the island. I think it would be awesome for it to be possible for everyone to choose the reality in which they want to live in (ha), or for the realities to somehow converge so that at least SOME people get a happy ending. I want everyone that is going to die to have great, memorable (in a good way) deaths, even Kate. That's all I have.

17. Three things you want to know but will probably never know?
a. Why is Walt such a weird kid?
b. Why was Libby in the mental institution Before?
b. Why was there such an emphasis on fertility and pregnancy throughout the entire series, especially now that it isn’t really a focus anymore?

Clubs Are Way Cooler Than Teams

Well, now I just want to see Looking Glass' "Quantum Leap" reboot staring Henry Ian Cusick as the time traveling mystery solver.

I was less thrown than the rest by the non-character centric episode. (non-character-centricness? non-character-centricocity?) I guess after the story shifted to Desmond at the end of last episode and the camps coming together I assumed we would start the shift to the larger picture. And, I am glad for that, it's time for the show to start wrapping up. I say that not as a "I'm ready for this to be over" sort of thing, but logistically. There are only four episodes of Lost left (counting the finale as one). It is very literally time for the show to start wrapping up.

I also have less of a problem with Desmond finding people than the rest of the group. When I was growing up in Wyoming (ages 0-13) there was a local minor league ice hockey team, the Casper Drillers, later the Casper Wranglers. Now, when I say "minor" league we aren't talking a step away from the NHL it could have been called diminutive league hockey. The players were either 17-20 years old working their way up or 30-40 years old desperately hanging on. There was an old Native American guy everyone loved and called "chief" whose sole purpose it seemed was to fight the other teams biggest player in the first period of every game. ANYWAY, because they were paid so little some of the players would stay in host homes of the season ticket holders, my family always hosted a player. About a week ago my parents received a package from Tim McCarthy who was among other things an amazing potter and descent right defenseman with a killer shot from the point. We haven't seen or heard from Tim in... 15 years? In that time we have moved three or four times within and outside of the state of Wyoming (we live in Texas now). With the Internet the world is minuscule and incredibly intrusive and not protective of personal information. All of that to say, you can find people these days, that didn't really bother me.

Can I not be on "Team" Desmond is alive? Can I be in the Desmond is alive club? I don't like that everything is "team" this and that these days. It's like how every scandal ever is something-gate. Except instead of the cliche being based on a culturally relevant event in American history, it's based on Twilight... ew. But, I'm in the Desmond is still alive club for the reason that Lost has always done their main character's deaths justice. If they are going to kill Desmond I believe they will do it on camera. If they didn't I will be really upset, that's like breaking up with someone through e-mail or something.

What's up with Esau's magical voice? Apparently if he talks to you, you are instantly on his side? It has been brought up twice now, first when Dogan was trying to get Sayid to kill him and now again this week with Clair telling Jack that whether he likes it or not he is on Esau's team now, because he let him speak to him. But, Clair decided to go with the Sawyer boat... which is lead by Sawyer who has also spoken to Esau. If this is an actual thing, the only character that we care about (has had a centric episode) that can seemingly kill Esau would be Miles. He is the only one who has not at least said Hello to Esau at some point. Interesting.

Lastly, I'm going to stray from the group again. I thought the Sun/Jin reunion was the most underwhelming emotional plot point all season. Which is a shame because they've been building towards it for TWO YEARS. The fact that she could speak English again was cheesy, like really bad cheesy, especially since it didn't even matter, because Jin speaks Korean. Also, "We'll never be apart again, I promise" is such a bad line! Not only is it completely cringe worthy, it's a shitty thing to say to someone when you're on a CRAZY ISLAND WHERE YOU COULD BE SEPARATED INSTANTLY AT ANY MOMENT. I thought they really blew what should have been an emotionally powerful touchstone for the whole season.

Favorite line: "We're done going back." Why was this not the tag line on every poster, commercial, and advertisement? So, great. I also liked when Jack apologized for killing Juliet before jumping into the ocean.

No new episode this week, we'll figure out our plan and let y'all know.

-Hydra

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Googling "twilight fan art" is really... really disturbing.

Lapidus DOES look like he just stepped off the set of a Bert Reynold's movie!

Thank you for such an amazing guest post, Looking Glass! This is going to be a short, not-too-exciting post, mostly because we had so many great comments and two fantastic posts that there isn’t a whole lot more I want to say about this episode. I think I am just going to stick with my list format for the majority of this, again.

1. Sun saying, “It’s him!” while pointing at Locke confused me at first. However, I eventually chalked it up to Sun having a near death experience in LAX (like Charlie and Desmond), therefore Island memories started flooding back. Seeing Locke immediately made her recognize him as Smokey/Loophole Locke/Esau/Flocke/MIB (I am torn on what to call him anymore). Which does make me wonder: why didn’t LAX Locke seem to have any kind of flashback reactions after getting hit with the car? Perhaps Looking Glass is right in the theory that LAX Locke is really Smokey and LAX is happening after the Island events?*
2. Desmond really is acting like a crazy person. Aside from Locke, his actions haven’t really caused any harm, but his creepin’ on Claire made me feel sooo uncomfortable. Jeepers. I have got to know how he has managed to know all that he knows.
3. I don’t think Desmond is dead.
4. I seriously thought Claire was going to shoot Kate. And despite my blatant hatred for Kate, I was actually dreading it.
5. Claire’s cryptic and foreboding one-liners made her extra-scary to me.
6. I hope Juliet is Jack’s ex wife. I am highly doubtful that is the case, but it would be cool. I think I am just wondering when Juliet is finally going to show back up. Elizabeth Mitchell shot all of her scenes about a month ago, so she is coming back at some point. Waaaah.
7. I am really enjoying watching Jack’s transformation.
8. Jack is totally going to fix Locke and make him walk again.
9. The Sun/Jin reunion was lovely. I feel like I am the only one who wasn’t expecting them to die from the pylons. I guess I got caught up in the moment.
10. I think Widmore turning on Sawyer was due to three things: 1. Sawyer didn’t bring Locke. 2. Desmond wasn’t returned when ordered. 3. Widmore is a bastard. Methinks the bear cages are going to be utilized once more.

*About Looking Glass’s theory: I think it is a stellar theory, and can totally see it being possible. However, I am reluctant for now to agree with it completely.

I know, I know. Best post ever. I’ll understand if it leaves you speechless.

The Pearl

EDIT:

I JUST learned we do not have a new episode tonight. Sad face.

It would never work sweetheart: I'm a cop, you're a murderer.

Hello everyone!

First of all, I'd like to thank the Looking Glass for a wonderful guest post this week. We decided to branch out and bring in a guest poster to try it out/change things up, and I think it went over well! Which is good, because if he messed up, we were going to have to give him over to the Smoke Monster.

That being said, someone on twitter had tweeted, "This episode wasn't that great" a few hours before I got to watch it here on the west coast, so I went into it expecting the worst. The lesson I learned here is to not read twitter on Tuesday nights from when the East coasts airs LOST on, because I quite liked the episode.

I agree with you, Looking Glass, about the whole not having a central character aspect of this episode feeling jarring. We kept waiting to find out who the episode was going to be "about" and it never came. Unfortunately I feel like this is probably going to be the trend for the rest of the season, as everyone who is still "important" has already had their flash sideways episode.

And maybe it's a good thing. If we're not focusing on one person's problems in the LAX timeline, there is much more room to figure out the big picture. And with as few episodes as there are left, we really need to start figuring out the big picture.

Desmond is just baffling me here. Looking Glass, you were right about him having the flight manifest, but that doesn't explain everything going on here. HOW does he know what type of interference each person needs in order to remember the Island?

It made me flash back to the season where Desmond keeps predicting Charlie's death. I wonder if Desmond is having a similar super-natural experience with his new work in gathering the Oceanic flight 815 passengers? I have no idea.

I liked your Free Will and Destiny theory - and definitely agree that was the case the first time Jack and Locke had a showdown on the island and everyone chose sides. Jack embodied the concept of Free Will and Locke embodied the concept of Destiny.

This time I think things are a little different. Jack did a complete 180 and is now embodying Destiny, but Flocke is more along the lines of Save My Own Ass and Crush Everyone In My Way.

I felt the SAME way about Sun and Jin's reunion. They were running to each other and all of my roommates and I were saying was "one of them is going to get shot/electrocuted/mauled by a polar bear!!!! - oh, they're hugging now. Guess they're okay."

I am on team Desmond Is Still Alive. Sayid's response to Flocke was just too creepy. There is no way Sayid killed him after that speech.

Speaking of creepy, I liked when Claire said to Jack: "Like it or not, you're with him now." There has been a lot of that theme going on, like when it was also said to Jack, "You chose him when you let him talk to you." That wasn't the first time someone said that.

And Flocke! "It's so nice to have everyone back together again."
I don't know about the rest of you, but his calm pleasantness about that statement made him sound like a crazy murdering crazytown when he said that. I was actually a little scared for a minute.

I'm not sure why Widmore altered the deal. Maybe it's because he lost Desmond. That's not Sawyer's fault, but Widmore isn't really the type of guy who does things "fairly".

Also, figured I would add - earlier Jack offered to fix Locke's spine, now he's operating on Locke, I would bet money he'll be able to walk in the next episode. Just like on the island, Locke was SUPPOSED to be able to walk again.

And in closing - I love that this show took another opportunity to kill every remaining random extra. Nice work.

Love,

Swan

"Who the Hell is Anakin?" - Guest Post!

First off, I should explain. Swan asked me to help out this week with a 2 hour gut reaction blog since the schedule for the blog has been a little odd lately. I hope that I can live up to the excellent quality that the previous posts have embodied.

That said, what the heck, LOST? I think that this week's episode was overall a solid one, though it was a bit jarring not to have a central character to flash back/sideways to. It was more like an ensemble flashsideways, where we got a little more of everyone's stories. I really enjoyed that.

The episode was really an outgrowth of The adventures of Desmond Hume , as characters were all being brought together either by fate or the hand of Hume. in fact, it seems like Desmond is pretty adept at convincing people to get to where they need to go. He could give John Locke some lessons on how to get the castaways to do what they need to do - though Locke's Season 5 method of asking "Hey, wanna come? No? Oh thats ok" didn't really seem to have his heart in it.

Instead Desmond managed to just lead characters to places where they would encounter important figures who would help them remember the island. For Hurley, he pushed her towards Libby, for Claire, he led her to Jack and Ilana. And for Locke, he ran into him with a car at 40 miles per hour. Well. At least that led him to Jack as well. The one question I am curious about is HOW exactly Desmond is finding all of these people. Sure, he has the manifest, but how is he tracking them down all over the city? He's like Desmond Hume, Private Detective.

Actually, that is a show I would watch. Solving mysteries, traveling through time.

The show seems to be moving back towards a dynamic from Season One, where the central conflict is one between Free Will and Destiny. This week's "The last recruit" cut right to the chase, and put Jack and Loophole Locke face to face. I really liked that Loophole knew that Jack was the key to convincing the other candidates to join Team Smokey. He's a smart creature…thing…he is. The situation is also reversed now - with Jack as a main of faith and Locke (or at least someone who looks like Locke) talking about how there is no purpose for any of this, and that whatever happens happens, without any thought towards Destiny.

In LAX, a similar reversal occurs when Sawyer arrests Sayid. In Season One, Sayid was the Sheriff, keeping the outlaw Sawyer in check for his transgressions. I like how the show is reversing itself in that way.

I think that the most direct idea that this week's episode ponders is : What does it mean to be on which side? Loophole Locke says "You're with me now" to Jack, but is he? The lines of good and evil seem less clear with the betrayal of Team Widmore once Sawyer and Co arrive on Hydra island. Jack is starting to see the big picture a bit more clearly, and its interesting to me that Sawyer, who usually sees the whole gameboard was conned. Jack is finally coming to understand that being a candidate has always been his fate, and that he needs to start acting like it. The scene between he and Sawyer on the boat was poignant though, and Jack's decision to abandon the people he cared about in favor of possibly protecting the island was a huge shift in his character, perhaps as large as the dynamite scene with Richard in the Black Rock. It was a great moment for the character, even if my roommate Luke yelled out "PIRATE SAWYER! Just making him walk the plank!"

Luke's right though.

The reunion of Sun and Jin was actually sweet, even if I WAS worried that somehow the Pylons would turn back on and their brains would explode.

The big question of the episode : Is Desmond Alive? Of course he is. If they kill Desmond, the show is over.

Also, why did Widmore alter the deal? ( "I Have altered the deal, pray I don't alter it again…") Was it because Sawyer didn't bring Loophole Locke back with him? And why was Loophole suddenly vulnerable once the candidates were mostly on Hydra island?

*Shakes fist* WIDMOREEEEEE.

How can we tell who is on the Dark Side without the color of their Lightsabers and what ships they fly?

-The Looking Glass

There's no earthly way of knowing/Which direction we are going

So...I am going to go on ahead and break a rule, punish me if you have to. I won't get a chance to make a post anytime tomorrow if Arrow happens to post then, so I am skipping him. I've gone rogue, like Sarah Palin. She's so wily!

Anyway. I actually really liked this episode. I predicted some big things that happened, though, such as:

1. I totally called it on Ilana dying earlier in the blogging, and once she started being careless with the dynamite I figured something was going to happen. There was way too much focus on that bag for something not to happen. However, my train of thought went along the lines of: “She is going to die, but there is no way this is how it is going to go down,” then KAPLOW! “Huh. Did not think she would go out quite like that. Sucks.” I kind of hated her dying that way. I thought she deserved a more...heroic death. It was unsettling when Ben said the Island was finished with her and that’s why she ‘sploded. I would just never do anything again in fear that the next thing I did would be my final mission and I would die in some god-awful way. Wait a minute, that is exACTly how I live my life...

2. Hugo blowing up the Black Rock. Hilarious, by the way.

3. That a kiss would cause Hugo to remember Libby. Puh-lease. Next thing you know a tear drop will heal a fatal wound.

4. That Smokey would push Desmond into the well. However, I was expecting it to happen a little sooner than it did so I was a bit surprised when it actually happened.

I was shocked when:

1. Libby showed up. I thought she MIGHT, since the idea of Hugo dating was introduced in LAX, but I honestly wasn’t sure if the actress that plays Libby was allowed to portray Libby anymore (what with the DUI and all that got her her killed off...). I also wasn’t sure because last time a character was set up on a blind date and I got my hopes up, some ginger decided to come along and ruin it for everyone. Anyway, Libby was a pleasant surprise. Hurley and Libby are my second favorite couple, right after Des and Penn.

2. When it turned out that The Whispers were all of the lost souls. This also pisses me off because it basically implies that the Island is in fact Purgatory. Kind of. Which means we were lied to. Yes, if they had said, “Dog-gone-it, yes, you’re right. It’s Purgatory,” in Season One when everyone was guessing it, that would have ruined the show. And I guess since it is only a semblance of Purgatory, they technically didn’t lie but . . . Eh. It’s a cool, haunting fact to find out nonetheless.

3. When Desmond became a creeper. My friend Eric and I, on Arrow’s facebook status, both had the thought that he was now The Matchmaker for LAX. It just looked like the cheesy ending to a romantic comedy when he drove off after witnessing the kiss between Libby and Hugo. I'm honestly shocked he didn't break the fourth wall and wink at the camera. I am going to be pissed off if the island is some kind of messed up version of Match.com where you find your soul mate or something. I mean, that won’t be the summation, but even as a subplot that’s lame.

4. When DESMOND HIT LOCKE WITH HIS CAR! After I got over the initial shock, my first thought was, “I bet he can walk now.” Then of course I started trying to figure out why he did it. I can only assume it involves “memories” that are surfacing and the manifest.

Again, I enjoyed that the LAX and Island time-lines are starting to show their connection to one another. It may explain Libby being in the mental institution Before the bomb went off. Kind of. Maybe. I don’t know. I feel like there should be another season at this point. I feel like there is just not enough time, especially since there is this new parallel universe where Libby isn’t dead. I don’t really want there to be another season, since I think they should quit while they’re ahead, but it just seems like there is too much going on for it to be summed up in a satisfactory way in a month. Still trying to keep the faith, guys. It will be a battle to the end for me, I am afraid. Sometimes I feel as though I am watching the show more out of obligation than anything, which really makes me sad. Sigh.

So, questions concerning this episode:

1. Does Locke know what Desmond’s sacrifice is supposed to be and that is why he kidnapped him and pushed him into a well?
2. Did Desmond kill Locke in the LAX because his memories started to come back and all he saw was the face of Locke doing manipulative, evil things and decided he needed to hit him with his car? IS the manifest behind it as well?
3. Has Libby never heard of Chapstick, or perhaps even Blistex?
4. Why did Smokey and Jack look at each other with Crazy Eyes as the music rose to a crescendo? Jack knew he was going to see Smokey, so I don’t know why he was suddenly surprised . . . Unless, and this is my own theory that perhaps others share . . . Perhaps Smokey senses suddenly that Jack is in first place to be the new guardian of the island, and Jack suddenly felt it too. It’s a weird weird, vague theory, but they looked like they were ready to duke it out.
5. Are we back to Kate not knowing who she wants? Seriously?!
6. Can Sayid stop freaking me the hell out right about now? Geeeez.
7. Am I going to make it to the finale without my brain exploding?
8. Did anyone here get an iPad? Is it worth it or is it just a giant iTouch?
9. How many times is everybody going to split up into groups in one season?
10. How long are they going to milk this “Sun can’t speak English anymore” thing? Will there be significance to it? Is it somehow related to her LAX self?

The episodes are staying consistently good, which is comforting. I suppose now would be a good time to knock on wood . . .

Ahoy,
The Pearl

PS:
I opened one of these things in the event you folks would like to get to know the writers of this blog. I believe Swan and Hydra have one as well; doubtful that Arrow does but he can always get one! So, uh, ask us (or I guess just me right now) stuff. It can be Lost related, or you can get creative and ask about other things. :)

"I eat when I'm depressed."

Can I just start my post this week by saying - Did we really just see Ilana get blown up, Desmond pushed down a well, and Locke brutally struck down by a fast-moving car all in the SAME episode?

Brutal, Lost. I know you said there were going to be a lot of deaths this season, but this is a bit much. Also, like Desmond would die from falling down a well. Maybe Juliet died from falling down a well, but Desmond survived electromagnetic blasts, more than once. It's going to take a bit more than that, Flocke.


Hydra, I'm with you. I was SO nervous that they weren't going to incorporate the combining realities plotline in this episode, but thankfully, they delivered. I remember saying at the start of the episode, "If we don't see Desmond or Faraday in the LAX timeline tonight, I'm quitting Lost."

What I don't understand, is why Desmond hit Locke with his car. I mean, yes. it was awesome. Yes. it made my jaw drop. Yes, Desmond has the list of Oceanic Flight 815 passengers and clearly has a plan here.

But HOW did he know that Hurley just had to be nudged in the right direction toward Libby to start remembered, but that Locke had to be SEVERELY MAULED BY A MOVING VEHICLE? I liked that within one episode Desmond has become as crazy as the Charlie who drove their car into a lake, but I just don't understand how he knows which people will be sparked by love and which need a near-death experience.

It's funny, what you were saying, Hydra, about the LAX timeliners not knowing whether or not flipping the switch on their new reality is the right move. Because on the island, most of them are LONGING for this more simplistic version of reality. But in the mundane real world, one flash of something else and BAM - let's go.

You're right, about Hurley. The second he realizes Libby doesn't survive in this other reality, he's faced with the decision to tell her or not. Assuming he remembers at all. I feel like he would obviously choose his current life then, given the circumstances.

Chances are, if they flip the switch AGAIN, it'll be another all-or-nothing deal. And I doubt Charlie will volunteer to die so Desmond can be with Penny, you know?

Okay, as for my notes this week. Here's how they started:

1. WHAT. ILANA? BOOM!

2. Libby = crazytown.

3. Okay. Libby = not crazytown.

4. What was in the bag Hurley had? He was looking into it and then just put it away.

5. Hurley in a bad mood is really funny.

6. Did anyone notice the drawing on the chalkboard at the mental institution was of an island?

7. Desmond = creeper match maker.

8. Willy wonka music preview = badass and scary.

That's all I have for this week. I was really happy with this episode and have my fingers crossed that they keep getting better and better.


Swan

Oh Yeah, I Totally Forgot to Mention Illana Getting Arzted!

So, I have a quick anecdote before I get to my posting. First, our internet at our apartment has been down so I wrote this post right after I saw the episode on Tuesday night in Word and I just now got the chance to go to a coffee shop to post. Sorry about the delay, but, the two hour rule was observed, just for your peace of mind.

Also, I had a crazy Lost dream last night. I never remember dreams, a lot of times I will try and piece them together in the shower in the morning to no success. But, sometimes, I will wake up from a dream in the middle of the night and really want to remember it in the morning so I will, half asleep, find something to write on and jot down a phrase that will hopefully jog my memory. It works maybe fifty percent of the time, the other fifty percent I just wake up with the words "Humanoid Dalmatian making out with Megan Fox" written on the back of one of my comic books and have serious doubts about my sanity. ANYWAY, I woke up this morning with the words "JJ Abrams' Grave" written on the front of a paper sack. I don't remember the dream at all except it involved Hurley and Desmond trying to find a tombstone and when they finally find it the camera spun around, while strings crescendo menacingly, to reveal the name J.J. Abrams etched in the stone and the dream went black and I woke up. Anyone have anything to explain this? Anyone?

Now, to the post.

...

First off, the opening montage was so damn funny. And, how adorable is baby Jorge Reyes?

Obviously I am super glad that the flash sideways tied into the "combining realities" action that started last week. I feel pretty confident that that will continue for the rest of the season and that makes me really happy. Desmond as a reality enlightening outlaw from the law (Eloise)? Yes please. HE HIT A GUY IN A WHEELCHAIR WITH HIS CAR! That was so crazy. After seeing him subtly manipulate Hugo into having his moment of realization I was completely taken by surprise when he reverted to the Charlie method on Locke. So, Awesome.

I guess the biggest questions regarding the LAX reality are, "how do they permanently flip the switch off on their faux-reality" and "is that even the right thing to do?" Regarding the latter, it seems that, so far, everyone who has had their moment of realization has found their previous existence preferable. But, what happens when we get to someone who doesn't have a girl to pine after? Also, I guess Hugo didn't remember Libby getting shot in his flashes because if he did, no way would he want to go back to that. I have no idea where they are going to go with this... help? Anyone?

Now, on the island. Hurley blew up the Black Rock... hahahahahahahahah. So funny, and kind of badass. In fact Hurley kind of turned into a badass this episode on the Island, walking right up to Esau and all. I think it's really interesting seeing "Locke" and Jack having essentially switched places from the first few seasons. i.e. Locke desperately trying to get off the Island and Jack going with the flow just trying to do whatever destiny has in store for him. And the line where Jack says something like, "I can never fix it." was really nicely done. That seems to have been his realization staring out into the ocean.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of stuff that happened, I thought it was a really great episode. I am so happy that I am pretty much completely enjoying Lost again.

-Hydra

P.S. I could only find a picture of a Humanoid Cheetah. (Not making out with Megan Fox... that we know of.)

I have no idea, I'm a musician.

I was down in LA for this week's episode, and I watched it with everyone from the band The Oceanic 6. If you like Lost (which you should, if you're here) and you like music (I mean, come on) you should go check them out. Their music rocks. You All, Everybody.


Hydra - I agree completely. While watching this episode, when Desmond and Daniel were talking, I said out loud, "Why wasn't this the second episode of the season?" THIS is the show we've all been waiting for. it's about time." If we'd had this storyline from the start, I don't think anyone would have minded the LAX flashes. In fact, this episode made the previous LAX flashes seem even sillier.

It makes them feel like DVD extras, you're absolutely right Hydra. They'd better not go back to silly flash sideways after this. This episode has now set a standard that I dearly hope they stick to.

I liked what you said, Pearl, about everyone getting to change one aspect of their lives, and how for some people, it didn't necessarily give them the happy ending they always assumed it would when they fantasized about that life on the island. You're right also, in saying these weren't conscious changes, but I assume if you sat anyone from the Island timeline down and asked them what they wanted most, that change would be what they said.

I'm wondering if Eloise is actually the true villain. I mean, she seemed pretty villainous in this episode. However, we don't really know for sure WHY she's fighting to keep this manipulated timeline. Her line threw me, when she said "You're not ready." Does she want to help them, or keep them the same? Is she fighting for whats best for them, to not disrupt the time continuum anymore, or for some sort of evil? I suppose we'll find that out in the coming weeks.

When Charlie forced Desmond to have a "moment" (or whatever he explained it as) when he ran the car into the lake - did he know he was giving Desmond the chance to experience what he himself experienced on the plane (with his flash of seeing "the blonde woman") (obviously Claire). Or was he just being an extremist drug addict trying to make Desmond do something crazy? It seemed a little strange to me that Charlie just knew it would happen to Desmond as well, even though (I guess) they were on the same flight.

I suppose that leads me to the next question - did he put his hand up on the car Hydra - I agree completely. While watching this episode, when Desmond and Daniel were talking, I said out loud, "Why wasn't this the second episode of the season?" THIS is the show we've all been waiting for. it's about time." If we'd had this storyline from the start, I don't think anyone would have minded the LAX flashes. In fact, this episode made the previous LAX flashes seem even sillier.window (the parallel to "Not Penny's Boat") on purpose, or was that just a lucky coincidence?

My favorite line in this episode was when Desmond asks Daniel what all the complicated physics means and Daniel just stares at him and says, "I have no idea, I'm a musician." Hahhaa. Of course you are, Daniel. Of course you are.

I'm a little nervous about this sacrifice Desmond has to make. He's already spent way too long in the hatch pushing the button, and was ripped from Penny and their son - what else does he have to give? Please don't kill Desmond, writers of Lost. He saved your show for you. He survived an electromagnetic blast for you.

I think maybe we've talked about this before, and you touched on it as well Hydra, but I think it's pretty clear that the LAX timeline is not the "bomb went off and we reset everything" parallel timeline to what we're seeing on the Island. Because you're right, Daniel would be dead.

I think this timeline starts immediately after what will be the Season Finale of the island timeline. So we're seeing what happens next early. And since Boone and Charlie and Locke and everyone are all alive, they must do something ELSE at the end of this season that really resets everything. Thoughts?

Bring it on, Hurley!

Swan

I'm So Happy The Final Season Of Lost Finally Started!

Can we start over? Let's have the season premier, then this episode, and then the Ricard episode and throw all of the rest of the flash-forward-sideways away? Please? Even when it was good like Dr. Linus I officially don't care. All of the LAX stories are nothing more than semi-amusing DVD extras, really. Really. Imagine this...

Season premier: Flash sideways revealed! What's going on? Did the bomb work? Why doesn't Jack remember getting a cut on his neck? Why did Charlie want to die?

Episode 2 (Happily Ever After): Whoa, what did the bomb do???? The realities are separate but converging? Why is Eloise Omnipotent? This is awesome!

Episode 3 (Ab Aeterno): Oh man this is all crazy! There is a war coming on the Island and all this electromagnetic-side reality stuff is obviously going to play into this somehow. This is the shit man!

It's like we've been watching a spin off half the season. Ugh. I really can't stand that they wasted 4.5 episodes on crap I could not care less about. And, if they go back next week to not mentioning that the time lines have started colliding and it's just a bunch of scenes where Hurley does lucky things and is cool I am literally going to vomit up disappointment.

One technical thing real quick. The reality they are in is not a reality in which the bomb went off. Because if it were, Eloise and Daniel would not exist. So, we have to conclude that although this reality may have been instigated by Juliet setting off the bomb, the bomb never went off in this world.

A few thoughts about the episode now.
-Desmond and Jack are men on missions right now. I'm not entirely convinced that either one of them knows what those missions are yet though. And, Sayid is creeping me the hell out.
-If the end goal for the LAXers is going to be to get back to their "real" selves as I assume Desmond wants to and Charlie definitely wants to. How are they going to convince someone like Hurley who has seemingly no upside in doing so?
-Are Ben and Widmore going to team up against Esau? Because if so, awkwarrrrddd.

Next week is a Hurley episode! Let's hope I don't vomit ruined expectations all over our blog next week!

-Hydra

I Heart Desmond

Okay, since life got in the way for Arrow (he’s getting a house!) this past week, the blog kind of failed miserably. Sorry about that guys, for serious. We all yelled at each other about it, cried a little and then hugged it out, so we are going to be 100% back on track from now on. That said, we are getting out of rotation just this once and Arrow will be last. I am going to say what I can about last week’s episode and then move right into this week’s episode as best as I can. Stay with us, folks. We appreciate your loyalty.

Even though I really liked last week's episode, I actually didn’t have a whole lot more to add on to what Swan said. I think I am just going to list out a few thoughts/opinions to keep it simple.

1. Did anyone else laugh when Sun ran into the tree or am I just heartless?

2. I can’t remember who put it in the comments about noticing that Sun was referred to as Ms. Paik when they were at the airport in the season premiere, but kudos to you.

3. It’s an interesting twist to have them not be married in the LAX, but I was once again a little bored with that storyline. I did like the island storyline, however, and I was also disappointed that we didn’t get to see the Sun/Jin reunion. I wouldn’t have gone with Smokey either, Swan.

4. I think one thing that really bothers me with LAX is the fact that EVERYONE that is or has been on the show is in LA. I don’t mean the main characters, I mean Keamy and Mikal and such. I realize it’s “fate” or whatever, but it’s a little silly sometimes. I guess that’s why our TeeHee moments exist.

5. I was wrong about Widmore. I always thought he was the one truly evil person on this show. He is Team Jacob, which gives him brownie points, but seeing Desmond as the one who was in the sub closet made me turn on him again. So happy to have Desmond back, but not like this . . .

6. Sayid is creeping me out. HOWEVER, when he was in the water and he came eye to eye with Desmond this image immediately sprang to mind. I’m weird.

7. How is Jin not sterile in the LAX? This question may or may not have been very vaguely answered in this week’s episode. Enter the segue . . .

This Desmond episode was incredible. Desmond always has the best or one of the best episodes of every season. Desmond has been in my top three of favorite characters since his debut in Season Two, and he never disappoints. Henry Ian Cusick, you’re my hero. On a side note, he looks like he could be Dustin Hoffman’s younger, taller, really much more attractive brother with a smaller nose. Amirite? I am. Sorry, got off track.

This episode left me a tad speechless, because it changed the direction of the storyline on us. Instead of learning about Smokey and Jacob and all that jazz, we actually got to start seeing the true significance of the LAX timeline. How I saw it is that everyone got to, more or less, change one thing in their lives, and it wound up changing everything—which is what I got from Eloise and Daniel. For instance, Sayid wanted Nadia alive, but in order for that to happen she had to wind up with someone else (uh, his brother). Desmond wanted Widmore’s approval, but that would mean no involvement with Penny. This may explain why Sun was able to be pregnant off the island in the LAX. And so on. These weren’t conscious changes that they wanted, they just sort of manifested somehow after the bomb went off, which is why it gets really complicated again and therefore I kind of just want to stop there . . .

Speaking of Eloise, she creeps me out. How is she ALWAYS the only one that knows what’s going on?! I want THAT explained to me before this season ends. I realize she would have been on the island before its destruction, which gives her an edge. In fact, she was on the island, pregnant. I guess that could be how she is omnipotent, but I am not going to accept that explanation alone. I suppose now that LAX and Island are coming together it will be explained. I hope. Charlie was so bizarre in this episode. Just his way of speaking and mannerisms kind of made my skin crawl, which is an odd reaction to ol’ Charlie. Annnnnd I think it’s funny that Daniel is a hipster. It was good to see him again.

I absolutely loved this episode. However, and I may have just been tired and cranky when I watched it, the constant “feel the love” speeches were kind of lame. I mean, Penny and Desmond are the greatest couple of all time (exaggeration?), Charlie and Claire were adorable, and I was always rooting for Daniel and Charlotte even though she annoyed the crap out of me, but it was all a little overkill. I realize that Desmond’s theme is “beating the odds for true love”, but I don’t know . . . I must have been tired and cranky. It didn’t bother me THAT much, especially at the end when he got to meet Penny all over again. His face was priceless. I do love Penny and Desmond. Truly.

So I suppose we are left wondering:

1. What sacrifice is it that Desmond is meant to make?
2. Why was he so out of it when he woke up from the Electromagnetism Extravaganza? Electromagnetism and time travel aside… He kind of seemed like he was in a trance or something.
3. If Desmond was so set on making the sacrifice, why did he so readily go with Sayid (aside from the fact that he didn’t want to get shot)? Does he already know what it is he has to do and going with Sayid is part of it?
4. Can Widmore really be considered one of the good guys at this point? We’ve seen him as not being soulless, but is that enough?

Annnnnnnnnd...Break!

The Pearl