LOST: Whatever Happened, Happened

“That was really confusing.”
“Yeah, well, get used to it.”

Another thrilling, emotional, if not somewhat head scratching episode of LOST last night. Plenty of laughs courtesy of the Two Stooges – Miles & Hurley, and a few tears beckoned by an intense performance by Evangeline Lily. Per usual some answers were revealed but as is often the case, when the screen faded to black we were left with a few more new matters to consider (and by consider I mean over think, over analyze, and over theorize to the point that I’m more confused than Hurley).

For an episode that focused some much on Kate I liked it much more than I thought I would.  Evangeline Lilly brought some depth to the character that I’m not sure we’ve ever seen before.  Her performance was nuanced with true guilt and remorse and her pain was quite palpable.  I think we all know which episode Evangeline Lilly will be using as her Emmy reel this year.

Flashbacks helped to fill us in on some of Kate’s story. The guilt and regret stemming from the web of lies concocted by the Oceanic 6 has been especially trying for Kate. Keeping up the constant facade that she is Aaron’s mother coupled with the guilt she feels about leaving Claire and the others behind has left Kate on the edge. I get that, I do.  But what I thought was a bit odd was that Kate decided to come clean with the full truth about the crash, the rescue and Aaron’s real lineage to Cassidy, Sawyer’s ex.  I know their paths had crossed in a previous life, but that was a big secret to share with someone whom you don’t know you can trust.

This secret has just been too much to take. I don’t think she every anticipated how much of herself she would lose to the lies. I can’t help but think that Kate has never been able to fully love Jack because she blames him for being the one to come up with the Oceanic 6 lie in the first place.  In all the post-rescue episodes we’ve seen there’s been a level of hesitation on Kate’s part when it came to her relationship with Jack. Yes, she agreed to be in on the story but I think a part of her will always resent Jack for seemingly forcing her hand.

The whereabouts of Aaron were a bit anticlimactic if you ask me. Kate was so enigmatic when she told Jack to never ask her about where Aaron was, that I thought perhaps there was something particularly interesting about where she left him.  There wasn’t.  Kate left Aaron with Claire’s mother, Carole.  Another person who Kate spilled her guts to.  Note to self, never tell Kate Austen a secret…she’s a blabber.

Kate’s meeting with Carole did give us the answer to why Kate returned to the island.  And much to the dismay of loyal shippers, Kate didn’t return for Sawyer.  She returned to find Claire. Solid. I liked that Kate’s years off the island gave her the perspective to understand how devastated Claire must be without Aaron.  Assuming Claire is alive, of course.

In the interest of honesty, I was a complete and utter mess during Kate’s farewell scene with Aaron. There had been this gradual emotional build up leading to that moment and I just broke down.  What is wrong with me? (Don’t answer that).

Back on the island Kate’s motherly instincts were kicked into full gear as she and those around her scrambled to save Little Ben. Well, most of those around her.  Jack flat out refused. He didn’t want a hand in saving the life of Ben Linus no matter how cute the little Harry Potter look alike was. Jack’s unwillingness to help forced Kate and Sawyer to bring Ben to The Others in the hopes they could save his life. Ironic that, at least in this timeline, Jack was partly responsible for bringing Ben to The Others.  What if Jack had stepped in and saved Ben’s life? Would Little Ben grow up to hate the Dharma Initiative like he did? Did Jack help to create the evilness inside Ben Linus?

I guess that question would best be answered by Miles as he seems to have a full grasp of the rules and regs around time travel. Or at least he gets most of it.

Bravo to the writers for once again using Hurley’s doe-eyed innocence as the catalyst for helping the audience understand some of the more difficult aspects of the show. We can always count of Hurley to give it to us straight. When Hurley started to apply ‘Back to the Future’ logic to the time shift on the island I actually clapped.  For those of you who listen to ‘Two Idiots Talk Lost‘ on The TV Talk Podcast, you know that ‘Back to the Future’ has been fundamental to my comprehension of LOST the past two seasons.  But it seems that my (and Hurley’s) Marty McFly’isms don’t quite hold up with Miles (and Daniel Faraday’s) logic.

The time travel talk between Hurley and Miles left me laughing but perhaps even more confused than I originally was. If I understood it correctly, and I can’t stress enough the ginormous size of that “if”, then all the stuff that happened in the past (and by past I mean future if the year is 1977)- the crash of Oceanic 815 on the island, etc – has already happened. They’ve all lived it and experienced it. Just because they are back in 1977 doesn’t mean all that other stuff hasn’t happened. It wasn’t like the DVR was rewound all the way back to the beginning of the episode to be readied to watch from beginning to end in a linear path. Because of the donkey wheel and subsequent flashes, our island mates have been jumping around in time. Their personal experiences stick with them no matter what the year. Little Ben can’t die because we know that future Ben already exists. It’s already happened.

But if all this has happened before then why didn’t Ben recognize Sayid when he first captured him in (presumably) 2004? Miles: “Huh. I hadn’t thought of that.”

It seems the writers hadn’t either, but they covered fast and covered well.  When Kate & Sawyer handed Little Ben off to Richard, the never-aging Mr. Alpert said, “He’ll forget this ever happened and his innocence will be gone.” Well there’s that. Ben became an Other and had no recollection of Sayid shooting him as a boy.  Or did he? I’m not convinced that older Ben doesn’t remember.  Perhaps that’s why he has been especially insistent on ruining Sayid’s life.  Maybe he remembers a little too much and he’s out for revenge.

Oy this is all very confusing…but in a good way. I really need Dan to work this out. Is it time to podcast yet?

Other random thoughts from this episode…

• Josh Holloway has been turning in some incredible performances lately.  The scene where he asks Kate about Clementine was beautiful. I’m glad Sawyer referenced the growing up he’s done over the past few years. It’s something we the audience have been privy to.

• How about Jack’s transition from a man of science to a man of faith.  He wasn’t able to tell Juliet why he came back to the island other than “he was supposed to”. And then he justified not helping Little Ben by spewing some stuff about how they had perhaps interfered with the island’s plans.  Who are you, John Locke?

• Speaking of, it’s about time we saw Locke. Is there some deep ideological, philosophical or religious meaning to having the ill wake up to find someone keeping a close watch by their bedside?  Locke watching Ben sleep reminded me of Widmore sitting by Locke’s beside in Tunisia.

• Locke to Ben: “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

• What’s the deal with Richard’s “He’ll forget this ever happened and his innocence will be gone.” and “He will always be one of us”? Creepy.  Clearly I’m reading too much of the ‘Twilight’ series these days because my first thought was “Dude Richard’s going to turn Ben into a vampire.” But what was the deal with that cave?  Why were the other Others worried about what Ellie (Eloise Hawking?) and Charles (Widmore?) had to say about Little Ben? And more importantly, why wasn’t Richard as worried about what Ellie and Charles would say?

• Loved seeing Matt Saracen’s mother tonight. Totally forgot she was Cassidy.

• I thought we once saw Sawyer putting together money in a bank or trust for Clementine.  Am I making that up?

• I’ve never been one that cares all that much about the romantic entanglements on the island, but Jack and Juliet’s bathroom scene was scorching hot. I was kind of hoping she would just jump him.  At the same time, the chemistry between Kate and Sawyer is off the charts.  (Lightbulb) Let’s introduce these four to the canceled-too-early show “Swingtown” and see what happens. I mean they are in the 70’s right?

• I’ve always thought Hurley was the great comic relief of the series, but pair him with Miles and you’ve got a twosome that I’d pay good money to see do stand-up.

• Miles: “You’re all free to leave whenever you want, but I’ll shoot you in the leg.”

• Hurley: “That was really confusing.”
  Miles: “Yeah, well, get used to it.”

• Miles: “Hey ask me more questions about time travel.”

Next week’s episode seems to have a heavy focus on Ben which means it’s going to be banoodles! I can’t wait!!

For me another completely compelling and satisfying episode of LOST.  Now it’s time for YOU to chime in.  The comments are open.  Let’s discuss.