Jack’s lost.
Excuse the pun, but Jack was indeed all over the place this episode. He flirted with Kate, reminisced about his father, got angry and broke mirrors, and then ended the episode sitting alone moodily staring out into the ocean. His flash-sideways storyline was also uneven; it seemed too far removed from what’s happening on the Island.
That’s not to say that the episode was without its merits. Some questions regarding Claire and Jacob were answered. Hurley had a chance to shine. We revisited the caves from Season One.
So all in all, this episode was a mixed bag. Here’s what happened:
Flash-Sideways Timeline
At his apartment, Jack notices an appendectomy scar, but doesn’t remember getting it. He picks up David, his son (!). They don’t get along. When Jack later returns home after finding Christian’s will, David is missing. Apparently, David is a pianist who has kept his talent a secret from Jack out of fear of disapproval, mirroring Jack’s relationship with Christian. Jack reassures David that he has what it takes.
On the Island Timeline
Hurley is on a mission. Jacob had appeared to him again, telling him to visit a lighthouse with Jack. On the way, the two stumble upon Kate and the caves. At the Lighthouse, Hurley tries to turn the mirrors to 108 degrees, but Jack, seeing his name on the wheel, discovers that Jacob has been using the Lighthouse to stalk watch them off the Island and destroys the mirrors in anger.
Hurley’s mission = un-accomplished!
But Jacob doesn’t mind; he only wanted Jack to see how “important” he was to the Island and to keep Jack and Hurley away from the Temple.
Meanwhile, Claire has become the new Rousseau; she’s tough and slightly insane. She tends to Jin, and then kills an Other because she believes the Others have Aaron. A terrified Jin lies and convinces Claire that Aaron is at the Temple, protecting Kate. Suddenly, Flocke (!), Claire’s “friend,” drops in.
The Awesome
- Dogen was also at David’s audition. It’s always entertaining when characters’ paths intersect off the Island.
- Claire is now a BAMF with an axe.
- The Lighthouse added greatly to the mythology of LOST. Finding out how Jacob tracked his candidates was cool.
The Confusing
- In the flash-sideways, Jack has had an appendectomy but doesn’t remember getting it. In season four, Jack had his appendix removed by Juliet. Could flash-sideways Jack be influenced by what happened to Island Jack?
- Jacob warns Hurley that the Temple is no longer safe and that someone new is coming to the Island. Who?
- Claire has been living alone on the Island for three years. She says that she was branded at the Temple. What did she do? How did she become so bad-ass?
- Who is David’s mother?
- What did Dogen say when he caught Hurley snooping around the Temple?
- Where is Christian’s body? What are the identities of the skeletons in the caves? These were questions from back in Season One, yet they still haven’t been answered.
Finally, did you know that this episode was the 108th produced hour of LOST? In other words, 4.5 days of my (and probably your) life have been spent watching this show. Hang in there.