All the pieces are falling into place.
“The Last Recruit” isn’t mind-blowing, but it moves all the various chess pieces on the board to prepare for the final act. This episode isn’t devoted to one character; it is an overall look at how each of them connect in both universes.
On the Island, Sawyer’s group leaves Flocke for Hydra Island, only to get captured by Widmore’s team. Jack literally abandons ship to join Flocke, because he believes the Island’s not done with him yet. Sayid is sent to kill Desmond, but whether he did or did not is still unknown. Widmore starts the war by bombing the main Island.
In the sideways universe, Sun and Locke are wheeled into the hospital where Jack works. Desmond convinces Claire to seek a lawyer for help with the adoption. The lawyer turns out to be Ilana, who helps Jack meet Claire to talk about Christian’s will before Jack is sent back to treat Locke. Sawyer and Kate flirt before he and Miles go off to find Sayid. Sayid says goodbye to Nadia and is caught.
This is a satisfying and necessary episode, but there isn’t much to go OMG WTF over. I do want to point out some important aspects, so here are some thoughts:
- In the alternate timeline, Sun looks over at Locke and tells Jin, “It’s him, it’s him!” It seems like Sun is afraid of Locke and has memories of Locke or Flocke. If she does, it means one more character remembers the Island.
- In both timelines, Jack meets Claire and acknowledges her as his half-sister for the first time. The moment on the Island is sweet, while the meeting in the alternate timeline is awkward.
- Sun and Jin are finally reunited on the Island (although I’m pretty sure I am not the only one who thought they were going to get zapped by the pylons when they met.)
- Desmond and Sayid’s scene was great to watch, mostly because the two actors played off the tension so well. Desmond seemed so calm and ready for the bullet. I’m guessing he’s still alive.
- Jack joining Flocke was a twist I didn’t see coming at all. Jack has certainly become the new man of faith, but didn’t he just promise Sun a few episodes ago that he would get them all on the plane and off the Island? Sawyer is now playing Jack’s former role of leader.
- Don’t forget Team Richard, Ben, and Miles. We still don’t know how their mission to the Barracks went.
- Flocke reveals he impersonated Christian. So who was that on the freighter talking to Michael before it blew up? I thought Flocke couldn’t travel over water; that’s why he couldn’t escape.
Finally, a theory about where this is going to go. I get the feeling that for the present timeline to continue, the alternate one must go, so when the characters become aware of the two timelines, they will have to choose to lose one or the other. That means that Jack must be willing to say goodbye to his son, and characters like Locke, Libby and Ilana will have to accept the fact that they are really dead. Maybe I’m completely off-base, but I’m just putting the theory out there.
Widmore attacked first, so it’s Flocke’s move now. ABC’s airing the episode “Ab Aeterno” again next week, so we’ll have to wait see how everything plays out.