Forget Sayid. In this episode, Kate “Don’t slow me down” Austen is the BAMF.
I’ve always enjoyed Kate-centric episodes and this one was just as good as the rest. Through the flash-sideways, we get a taste of pre-crash Kate and the restlessness she felt when she was on the run. At the same time, Kate on the Island gets a chance to talk to Sawyer and figure things out.
However, the problem I have with this season so far is the concept of flash-sideways. They’re just separate storylines that don’t tie in to the LOST I know. Why should I care what happens to these alternate reality characters? Is there any connection to the characters we’ve watched and grown to love on the Island?
Either way, here’s what happened:
On the Island Timeline:
Sayid is alive and confused, and so is Jack & Company. Dogen, the Japanese leader of the Others at the Temple, hauls Sayid off to “diagnose” him through torture. Dogen explains to Jack that Sayid is infected and must take a pill. Jack, being the typical hero he is, refuses, tries to take it himself, and forces Dogen to admit that the pill is actually poison. Dogen says that Sayid is infected with the “darkness” and must be killed.
Meanwhile, Sawyer leaves. Kate is worried, shrugs off Jack and follows. Jin tags along in search of Sun. Kate knocks out two Others, abandons Jin and finds Sawyer. Sawyer admits that it was his fault Juliet died, reveals that he was going to propose to her and walks away sobbing.
Jin can’t find Sun, gets caught in a trap, is almost shot by an Other and is saved by a rifle-toting Claire (!).
On the LAX Timeline (Flash-Sideways):
Kate escapes LAX by hijacking a taxi and leaves Claire stranded. She looks through Claire’s luggage, realizes Claire is pregnant and retrieves her. They arrive at the adoptive couple’s house, but Claire gets turned away. Claire is upset, begins having contractions, and ends up in the hospital under the care of Ethan Rom (!). She decides to take drugs to prevent having the baby early and protects Kate from the authorities.
The Awesome:
- After being absent for a season, Claire “MY BABY!” Littleton, the peanut butter-loving half-sister of Jack, is back.
- Ethan is a doctor off the Island in the flash-sideways.
- Josh Holloway finally gets a chance to show his serious acting chops in a fantastic scene where Sawyer blames himself for Juliet’s death.
The Confusing:
- Dogen says that the “darkness” in Sayid is the same in Claire. What does this mean?
- Where has Claire been all this time?
- Claire names her baby “Aaron” instinctively, surprising and confusing herself. In last week’s episode, Jack thinks he has met Desmond before. Do these moments mean that the characters are slightly aware of the Island timeline?
- If characters are dead on the Island timeline, are they still alive in the LAX timeline? Where is Ana Lucia? Mr. Eko? Faraday?
- Since this week’s episode focused on the characters at the Temple, next week’s will probably feature those with Flocke. Stay tuned; I’m sure this will all make sense at the end. Or not.