6.12 The Last Recruit

Summary and Spoilers

It’s all coming together in the alternative universe, and Desmond is the unlikely organizer. I never saw Desmond as the one who would be on a mission, assembling a select group of castaways and eliminating those who he does not favor. I also never saw Desmond as the type of guy who would run over Locke in a wheelchair, unless he thought that Locke was sleeping with Penny – and even then, I saw him as more of a belligerent husband/boyfriend. "Penny! Why’d ye doo eet?" "He said he liked my cat-in-the-hat smile, Des!" Anyway, Desmond did overrun Locke, and this week, hopefully we’ll find out why. But first, we’re going to find out what kind of reception Unlocke gives to Hurley and his mob.

Unlocke takes Jack away to ‘catch up’. In response to Jack’s questions, Unlocke admits that he assumed the bodies of various dead people, including Jack’s father Christian. Unlocke used the body to lead Jack to water. Jack can’t completely disassociate this ‘thing’ from the body it inhabits, but there are no similarities. Unlocke views Locke as a sucker who believed in the island. Unlocke simply wants to leave, and he cannot leave, for some reason, unless everyone leaves with him.

Claire arrives to end the meeting, renew her brotherly love with Jack, and warn him ominously that now he must go with Unlocke – there is no choice.

Meanwhile, Sawyer, Kate, Sun and Hurley are scheming to make their own private escape in the submarine. People like Sayid and Claire are not invited.

Zoe shows up in camp alone, demands the ‘something’ (Desmond) back that Unlocke took, and when it is not given, radios her home base and sends a demonstration of their firepower – an aerial bomb explodes a few feet away. She says they have until nightfall to return what they took. She leaves her walkie-talkie. Unlocke immediately crushes it and says, "Well, here we go."

Unlocke organizes Sawyer to get a boat and meet the group at the bluffs and from there to sail to the other island and get on the plane. While Unlocke goes off to plot something with Sayid, Sawyer organizes Kate to come with, then pulls Jack aside to tell him his alternative plan: to avoid Unlocke and the group at the rendezvous point, and instead to leave on Whidmore’s sub. He tells Jack to get Hurley, Sun, and Frank and meet at a different rendezvous point. Jack is conflicted about leaving Sayid and especially newly discovered sibling Claire, but Sawyer makes a point when he says Claire lost her ticket when she tried to kill Kate. Now this is getting exciting! It gets even more exciting when we see Unlocke order Sayid to kill Desmond.

Sayid goes to the well. Desmond sits at the bottom in a puddle of water. Sayid points the gun but first explains to Desmond what he was promised in return: the woman he loved and lost will be returned to him. Desmond is able to halt Sayid by asking what he will tell this woman when she asks how he got her back.

Sawyer and Kate reach the boat, and Sawyer tells about the ‘ditch Locke’ plan. Kate is not happy about Claire not being invited, especially since she promised Claire she would get her off the island.

Back at the main group, Unlocke is concerned that Sayid has not joined them as planned. He goes back to investigate. Jack takes the opportunity to grab Sun, Hurley and Frank and to split off to the real rendezvous point. Claire is excluded but she sees them leave, and the hatred in her eyes is palpable.

Unlocke finds Sayid and grills him on the shooting of Desmond. Sayid stares him down and says he did kill Desmond, and invites Unlocke to check. Unlocke backs down and they continue back toward the group, but there is a tiny smirk on Sayid’s face, as if live is returning there for the first time in a long time.

Jack’s group finds the boat. As they get ready to sail, Claire arrives with rifle pointing toward them. Kate talks her down and convinces her to join them, by telling Claire sincerely that the only reason she came to the island was to bring her back. Claire drops her gun and hops on board, but also warns that Unlocke is going to be very angry when he finds out they are gone. They sail away, but Jack tells Sawyer that it doesn’t feel right to leave the island. Sawyer tells Jack to side with them completely or to get off the boat. In response, Jack jumps over the side. Do we have a candidate here?

Jack swims back to the beach and is greeted by Unlocke and a small group of armed disciples. On the other island, Sawyer and gang are greeted by Zoe and her armed disciples, but they drop weapons when they recognize each other. There is a long awaited tearful reunion between Sun and Jin. But Zoe’s call to Whidmore brings the guns back up again, and Zoe says the deal is off.

Bombs explode around Unlocke and his people, stunning Jack. Unlocke carries Jack to safety, comforting him with the ominous, "Don’t worry. It’s gonna be okay. You’re with me now."

Alternatively:

Locke, badly injured, is taken away in an ambulance; he is able to share the name Helen Norwood when asked who to notify. He shares this space with paramedics and Ben. Bullet-ridden Sun and bruised Locke arrive at the hospital on side by side stretchers; Sun gets very agitated when she sees him.

Sawyer captured and is now interrogating or flirting with Kate. He’s picked up on the weird coincidence that they were on the same flight and met up again, but he just uses it as a pickup line. This angle is thwarted when the observant Kate figures out that maybe Sawyer doesn’t want anybody to know that he went to Australia. They are interrupted when Miles shows security camera footage of Sayid leaving the Keamy crime scene.

Claire arrives at the adoption agency and runs into Desmond. He heads her off and suggests she come with him to see the lawyer with whom he has an appointment. It’s Ilana, and when she sees Claire, she says they have been looking for her.

Sayid, fresh from resolving the Keamy problem, arrives at Nadia’s house and packs quickly, telling her that he can never come back again. Before he can leave, he is arrested by Sawyer and Miles.

Jack and his son have arrived at the building as Claire and Desmond. They are here to hear Christian’s will read, which of course explains why Claire is there. A hospital emergency call intervenes; Jack asks that the will reading be postponed.

Sun awakens in the hospital with Jin waiting by her side, reassuring her that she and the baby are okay. In the hallway, Jack tells his son that he had no idea that he had a half-sister. Jack goes off to attend to his patient – and it is John Locke, the man whom he promised a free consultation. It is the ultimate coincidence – like someone is still pulling all the strings.

Comments

The stage has been set for the final episode of Lost, with at least two tremendous personal battles about to ensue. Sawyer is pitted against Whidmore, while Jack is left to defeat Unlocke. There’s little doubt in my mind that Unlocke, Whidmore, and Jacob are all basically evil – or at least, the three of them could disappear forever and the world would be a better place.

The wild cards in this are Desmond and Sayid. Desmond cannot be dead, and it is unclear whose side he is on. Likewise, Sayid also appears not to be dead, and he will make his own decision as to who to fight for. Both are tremendous assets.

Lost Quotes

Jack: You look just like him.
Unlocke: Does that bother you?
Jack: No, what bothers me is I don’t know any idea what the hell you are.
Unlocke: Sure you do.

Claire: Hey, what’s going on?
Hurley: People trying to kill us again.

Desmond: So what did he offer you? If you’re gonna shoot me in cold blood, brother, I think I have a right to know what you’re getting in exchange for it.
Sayid: He told me I could get something back I lost.
Desmond: And what did you lose?
Sayid: The woman I loved.
Desmond: And where is she now?
Sayid: Dead.
Desmond: And what makes you think Locke can bring her back?
Sayid: I died, and he brought me back.
Desmond: So what will you tell her?
Sayid: What do you mean?
Desmond: This woman, when she asks you what you did to be with her again? What will you tell her?

"We’re gonna ditch Locke. You, me, Jack Hurley, Sun, and that pilot, looks like he stepped off the set of a Burt Reynolds movie."
- Sawyer

Kate: I promised I would bring her [Claire] back.
Sawyer: That’s before she started drinking Locke’s Kool-aid.

Hurley: I think we should stick to Sawyer’s plan or he’ll be really pissed.
Jack: This is Sawyer’s plan.

6.11 Everybody Loves Hugo

Summary and Spoilers

In the alternative universe:

At a tribute dinner for Hurley with Dr. Mark Wickman as the M.C., we learn that Hugo has not only been wildly successful financially by expanding his chicken franchise, but that he is also heralded for his philanthropic exploits. His only weak area is with getting dates – but his mother has remedied that by setting up a blind one for him with a neighbor’s daughter. His date shows Rosalita shows up, but it isn’t Rosalita – it’s Libby, who saw her from across the room. Libby says she knows Hugo, that they are connected like soul-mates. She remembers him, but he doesn’t reciprocate. She is taken away by Dr. Brooks, who is minding her on her day out from the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute. Afterward, he soothes his frustration by eating a full bucket of Mr. Cluck by himself. Desmond walks into the fast food place and talks to Hurley, mentioning that he remembers him from flight 815. Desmond sits down and Hurley explains the source of his depression. When Hurley mentions that Libby said she knew him before, Desmond strongly suggests that Hurley go with his gut instinct that it is true and try to find out more.

Hurley visits Dr. Brooks and asks to see Libby. Brooks says it isn’t a good idea, but he changes his mind when Hurley offers him a 100 thousand dollar donation. Hurley meets Libby in the recreation area. Libby remembers the plane crash, the island, and Hurley. She hopes that Hurley will remember her, proving that she is not crazy. But he does not remember her. Hurley asks Libby out on a date, and she heartily accepts.
On their beach date, when Libby kisses Hurley, he begins to remember brief flashbacks of the island. They are observed from a distance by Desmond, who sees what is going on and looks satisfied with his meddling.
Desmond moves on to his next encounter. He finds the wheelchair-bound John Locke and unceremoniously drives him car right into him, severely injuring him.

On the island:

Hugo stops by Libby’s grave to speak to her. Ilana stops by on her way to the Black Rock to get dynamite. Then someone else stops by unexpectedly: Michael. His appearance is preceded by whispers, indicating that Michael is already dead. Gee, I miss Michael, and so does Jack, who shows up and cannot see him.

Ilana has four sticks of dynamite to use in blowing up the plane. But she drops the bag and blows herself up instead.

Sawyer and Kate are restless in the Unlocke camp. Unlocke is just whittling a stick, waiting for the stick to tell him what it will become. He is also waiting for everyone to come with him: Sun, Jack, Hurley. His waiting is interrupted by Sayid’s arrival. Sayid brings Desmond as his prisoner.

After Ilana’s sudden death, Richard sets out to get more dynamite. He’s for sticking to the plan. Hurley was questioning the plan earlier, but now seems suddenly confident that blowing up the plane is the correct choice. His steely gaze and even tone convinces Jack, too.

At the Black Rock, Richard’s crew is about to go in the boat, but Hurley snuck around and blew up the Black Rock – and all the dynamite. Richard is incensed, but Hurley says it is to protect everyone. Hurley explains to Miles that he did it because Michael told him to – and when dead people talk, he listens.

Richard now says that they will go to plan B: proceed to Dharma headquarters and get grenade and other explosive. Jack wants to talk about it first. Hurley is more forceful, saying that Jacob is there and that Jacob says they have to talk to Locke. Richard tries to get Hurley to prove that invisible Jacob is standing there, but Hurley says he doesn’t have to prove anything. The group splits; Miles and Ben go with Richard, and the others (Jack, Sun, and Frank) stick with Hurley. That’s ideal for Unlocke, as he soon will be reacquainted with those missing original crashers.

Unlocke unties Desmond and questions him about why he is on the island. Desmond tells all he knows. When Desmond says that the man he is talking to is John Locke, Unlocke asks Sayid to go, and walks with Desmond. A young boy stands a distance away in the woods, watching them. Unlocke angrily tells Desmond to ignore him. Unlocke brings Desmond to a deep old well.

Hurley’s shifty eyes were a telltale that Hurley did not talk to Jacob. He reveals this to Jack as the head through the dark woods toward a meeting with the Smoke Monster. Jack has thrown his support and trust behind Hurley, despite the deception. Privately, Sun and Frank aren’t so sure. Whispers mean that Michael has returned to explain that he and the other whisperers are stuck on the island because of what they did. Hurley asks if he can help; Michael just asks that he not get himself killed. Michael apologizes sincerely for killing Libby.

Hurley and gang come face to face with Unlocke. Unlocke’s face shows pleasure and confidence; Jack’s face shows fear and confusion.

Comments

I don’t know what kind of being Unlocke is, but the way he looked at Desmond as he talks about not being afraid makes him seem almost alien in regard to his understanding of human nature.

Memorable Moments

Unlock pushing Desmond into the well

Lost Quotes

"Ilana. There she was: hand-picked by Jacob; trained to come and protect you candidates. No sooner does she tell you who you are…then she blows up. The island was done with her. Makes me wonder what’s gonna happen when it’s done with us."
- Ben

"Dead people are more reliable to alive people."
- Hurley

"I don’t have to prove anything to you, Richard. You can either come with me…or you can keep trying to blow stuff up."
- Hurley

Unlocke: You’re out here, middle of the jungle, with me – not a person on earth even knows you’re here? Why aren’t you afraid?
Desmond: What is the point in being afraid?
[Unlocke pushes Desmond into the well]

6.10 Happily Ever After

Summary and Spoilers

Desmond has just been brought out of sedation by Whidmore’s versatile henchwoman Zoe (engineer, gunfighter, nurse). Whidmore tells him that he was shot by Ben Linus. Whidmore also tells him that Penny and his child are safe. Oh, and one more thing: Whidmore tells him that he is back on the island. At this, Desmond begins beating Whidmore with an IV stand. Desmond is restrained and brought, along with Jin, to the generator room, where, after at least one Whidmore henchman dies, a test will be performed to see if Desmond can survive a catastrophic electromagnetic event. Desmond is locked in a room with a chair and two huge magnets, and is blasted from the island to the alternative universe. At an LAX baggage carousel, he meets other member of flight 815 (Hugo and Claire). He is chauffeured to Whidmore’s office, where he and Charles have a healthy working relationship brimming with mutual respect. Charles even breaks out the 60 year old Scotch (the significance of this will not be lost on loyal viewers). Whidmore asks a favor of trustworthy Hume: babysit a junkie base guitarist whom his wife and son want for a charity event. That druggie is Charlie.

Desmond meets Charlie at the courthouse. Charlie immediately ignores him and walks through traffic to get to a bar. Although it appears that Desmond is a success and Charlie a failure, Charlie begins to whittle away at Desmond’s hollow, loveless façade. Charlie breaks through by steering the car into the ocean. Desmond escapes but not before Charlie triggers memories of what has happened before – of Charlie’s previous drowning with the message "Not Penny’s Boat" written on his hand. Subsequently, Desmond receives more flashbacks while undergoing an MRI. Now he remembers Penny and his son. He presses the panic button, leaves the MRI, and goes in search of Charlie. Turned down by the nurse at the desk, he sees and asks Jack, but before Jack can answer, Charlie goes sprinting by. Desmond takes off in pursuit, then catches and confronts him. Charlie suggests that he forget about the concert and instead try to find Penny. Whidmore isn’t as amenable to this strategy and shows little compassion to Desmond, even though he almost died. Whidmore tells Desmond to deliver the message of the missing base player directly to Mrs. Whidmore (who just happens to be the woman we used to know as Eloise Hawking). Mrs. Whidmore is surprisingly forgiving about Desmond’s inability to deliver Charlie, but her mood changes when she overhears Desmond trying to find out more about someone named ‘Penny’. Mrs. Whidmore pulls Desmond aside and tells him to accept his life and stop searching for other things. It’s obvious that she is aware of the alternative timeline. She tells Desmond he is not yet ready to know these things.

As Desmond is just about to drive away, Daniel Whidmore (formerly known as Daniel Faraday) pokes his head into the limo and says they need to talk. Daniel tells Desmond that although he is a musician, he recently started scribbling complicated formulas using quantum mechanics that even he does not understand. Daniel believes in another life that he lived as a physicist, and that perhaps Penny is part of Desmond in this other life. And Daniel also tells Desmond where and when to find Penny – who just happens to be his half-sister.

At a stadium just like the one where Desmond met Jack long ago, Desmond meets Penny and says hello. They shake hands…and Desmond reawakens on the island, calm and ready to fulfill his role for Whidmore. As he accompanies a small group of people to his next assignment, Sayid appears and knocks most of them out. He tells Desmond that they are dangerous. Desmond calmly agrees and also agrees to go with Sayid.

Desmond returns to the stadium and Penny, where he had passed out after shaking her hand. She’s sweaty and he just fainted, and she agrees to meet him for coffee. Back at the limo, Desmond asks driver George to get him the manifest/passenger list from flight 815, so he can "…show them something."

Lost Quotes

"That man is the only person I’m aware of in the world who has survived a catastrophic electromagnetic event. I need to know that he can do it again – or we all die."
- Whidmore to Jin

Desmond: I don’t know anything about this woman. I don’t know – I don’t where she’s – I don’t even know if she exists. She is…she’s an idea.
Daniel: No, Mr. Hume. She’s my half-sister. And I can tell exactly where and when you can find her.

Desmond: You told me you brought me here to the island to do something very important.
Whidmore: Yeah.
Desmond: When do we start?