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Leave it to Lost to broadcast an episode titled "There's No Place Like Home" (the mantra Dorothy must repeat, while clicking the heels of her ruby slippers, to get back to Kansas) on May 15, the birthday of L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz series of books. Henry Gale, as you may remember, is Dorothy's uncle in the movie version of the Wizard of Oz, and the alias by which Ben Linus first introduces himself to the survivors of Flight 815. Anyway, as we go into the final two hours of the season (the week after next), the Losties seem closer to rescue than they've been since the crash. Spoilers follow.
Leave it to Lost to broadcast an episode titled "There's No Place Like Home" (the mantra Dorothy must repeat, while clicking the heels of her ruby slippers, to get back to Kansas) on May 15, the birthday of L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz series of books. Henry Gale, as you may remember, is Dorothy's uncle in the movie version of the Wizard of Oz, and the alias by which Ben Linus first introduces himself to the survivors of Flight 815. Anyway, as we go into the final two hours of the season (the week after next), the Losties seem closer to rescue than they've been since the crash. Spoilers follow.- The flashfowards showing the return of the Oceanic 6 and what happens to them in its immediate aftermath are the center point of "There's No Place Like Home." Lots of other stuff happened, to be sure, but after four seasons' worth of episodes, seeing the O6 actually arriving back in the US was the money shot, in my book.
- On their way back to Hawaii after their "rescue," the Ocean 6 look dazed as Jack reminds them to get their story straight. Little do they know that their pilot's got his lucky rabbit foot's out because he thinks they're bad mojo — though from the looks on their faces, they might well agree. Whatever happened to separate the O6 from the rest of the survivors of Oceanic 815 has clearly been traumatic. On the tarmac after landing, everybody gets reunited with their loved ones except for Kate, which may help to explain how bonded she becomes with Aaron — there's nobody else in her life.
- Loved how Hurley brings Sayid — neither of them know Nadia is waiting for him outside — over to meet his family. Who, of course, have a big tropical-island-themed welcome home party planned for him. I don't what was best about the party: Hugo hearing island-style whispering and preparing to brain somebody with Jesus ... who is not a weapon ... or apologetically telling the O6 that his mom "really doesn't get" why a tropical-island theme is not such a good idea. We also get to see how the numbers still haunt him (the beginning of the "madness" which puts him back in the mental hospital?) when they show up on the gauges of the newly restored Camaro.
- Old habits die hard: Hugo's got a Mr. Cluck bag in hand as he walks up to the mansion before the party.
- At the press conference which follows their return, the O6 practice their story in public — though it seems pretty clear that at least one reporter smells something fishy about Kate's story. After all, Aaron is enormous for a five-week-old baby, let alone one allegedly born three-months prematurely. It also means that Kate would have been pregnant while in federal custody, something her records probably don't mention. But of course, Ms. Austin's "legal issue" is off the table. I wonder, though, if the "Kate is Aaron's mom" theme might eventually prove to be the weak link in their cover story — especially after Claire's mom shows up at Christian Shephard's memorial service to tell Jack that Claire is his sister. (You know, I didn't think that last night's ep was that soapy, but boy, that sentence makes it sound otherwise.)
- Sun gives up the dutiful daughter role with a vengeance, uses her settlement money to buy a controlling interest in her dad's company, Paik Industries, and takes the opportunity to tell him she blames him for Jin's death — or "death." I loved the look on Paik's face when he realizes his daughter's become that most awful of things: a powerful, non-submissive woman. Right on, Sun!
- Some people think Sun blaming her father for Jin's death proves Jin really is dead—but I don't think it does. Sun can't break her cover story to say I hate you because my husband's stuck on the island. The story is he died — and she has to stick with it, hence the memorial stone, etc. I'm holding out hope that Jin's alive — but his proximity to the explosives on the freighter has me worried.
- Speaking of the freighter, how "lucky" to be on the first Zodiac load off the island, only to discover your "safe haven" isn't so safe? And look who's onboard: Michael, the guy who sold you out.
- Meanwhile, back on the island. Ben, Locke, and Hurley have reached the Orchid station, but Keamy and crew have beat them to it. Ben tells Hurley that moving the island is a dangerous and unpredictable measure of last resort. He also tells Hurley that the crackers he's eating out of the kit Ben retrieves from its hiding place are 15 years old, and since he's on a roll, he admits that he hasn't always been entirely truthful in the past. Widmore knows about the station, and he wants what's inside.
- Richard (!!!) and a herd of Others capture Kate and Sayid—what do you want to bet they turn out to be the "good guys"?
Comments
My favorite part of the episode, and maybe the entire series so far, was definitely the moment when Sun went complete badass on her shitsack father.
@quetzilla: Yes, she rawked sooo hard there. He was all "business you wouldn't understand" and then she's "so there".
Hurley is such an endearing guy.
I'm also getting the feeling that Faraday is going to die. Hard. Which kinda sucks because him and Miles are becoming my favorite characters on the show. J/K/S and friends are starting to lose my sympathy. Definitely a big fan of Ben now too. Maybe I always was.
What?
@Loserface: What what?
I thought it was a little to neat and tidy how Jack finds out that Claire is his sister. I apreciated his reaction and he telegraphed this in "Something Nice Back Home" But I think there could have been a more creative way to uncover it.
The most interesting part of the episode was Richard Alpert taking Jack and Sayid. Who is Richard with? Is he at the Temple Station? Is he going to the Orchid Station? Is he Dead? I know that once you are dead on the island, you are dead. But what does that mean to the people on the island.
Ben tells Locke "Don't you know by now that I always have a plan?" But the way he knows people (people that he has never met) with a complete dossier makes me think that he has done this many times before. I think that is what he referes to when he calls this a game.
I am anxious to see what new questions will be uncovered in two weeks. How are the O6 going to get back together to get off the island?
Sad to say I think Jin is going to wind up dead. Sun said that "two people were responsible for his death," which sounds a lot like Jin is about to meet his end. I don't know if she starts blaming herself, Ben, Michael, or whoever, but it definitely seems to be pointing towards Jin's death.
So, if the explosives actually blow that would mean the Desmond dies too, and since he makes an appearance at the funeral home where "the casket" is, I doubt that they actually blow.
The current scattering of the O6 definitely has me confused. It seems as though the writers went out of their way to put all six of them as far apart from each other as possible. Very interested to see how it all comes together.
And yeah, I'm pretty sure Jin is doomed too. The huge pile of C4 and the way he says what he says to Sun at the end of the episode certainly gives that impressions, along with the music.
If Desmond or Jin die because of their proximity to the bomb, I'm gonna be pissed.
I was sure someone was going to shoot Keamy and set off the bomb before the end of last night's show.
Also, Jack better tell Kate about Claire being his sister before next season.
>what do you want to bet they turn out to be the "good guys"?
Well, just because they're less evil than Keamy and Co doesn't mean they're good guys (maybe that's what the italics were conveying). The Others/Hostiles, or at least some subset, did orchestrate killing the entire Dharma Initiative 14 years prior. Sure, some members of Dharma may have been nefarious, but there were definitely innocents and kids amongst their number as well.
...Is there another season planned? Lost off the island seems wrong...
This episode was a nice serving of awesome, with side orders of badass, and kickass, followed with a glass with a big glass of OMFG.
Sun's dad has some weird dealings with the Dharma initiative...in that scene a while back when she goes to ask her dad for the money to bribe Jin's mom, the guys talking to the dad in Korean (which was not translated) are apparently talking about something Dharma related, and Paik industries built a ship for the Dharma folks....
the end scene where Keamy and his crew of savages, the Others taking Sayid and Kate on their mission of whatevs, and the shit happening on the ship, well I was just like "HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK FOR THIS?"
And we even had a little sawyer, calling Miles "Genghis" and referring to the Barracks as "New Otherton". And I loved his line "Now Jack, you don't get to die alone..." as he reluctantly goes along with him to help him out.
Frakking great. I hope next season continues the awesome. And I so wanna see Ben go medieval on widmore.
@Balius: Three more.
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Somehow I don't think Desmond is going to die. He has a knack for not dying, especially in the time travel episode. I don't think Jin will die just because of proximity, more likely in some heroic act to save Sun and various other people he cares about.
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I think one thing that is becoming increasingly clear in the show is that there are no 'good guys', not even our ostensible protagonists the 'Losties' -- remember, only 6 get off the island and for the most part they make no effort after the fact to get the others rescued but instead work to hide the fact that anyone else even survived.
One thing I really liked about this episode is that the pieces are all starting to fall into place for why each of the O6 need to get back to the island. They've all come home with some serious baggage.
Hurley is going nuts because he's haunted by the numbers; Jack will eventually lose it because he didn't keep his promise to the survivors, particularly a newly discovered sister; Kate still loves Sawyer; Sayid reunites with Nadia only to have her soon taken away; and Sun apparently means to get some major vengeance.
The title of this episode, "There's No Place Like Home," may even refer to the island, which they'd made their home.
Whenever Ben has a "plan," it always seems to involve him being beaten up.
It didn't seem that plausible to me that an industrialist/gangster as powerful as Jin's father is portrayed to be could be bought out with airline settlement money. The "Girl power" vs. Asian patriarchy vibe also seemed a little self-congratulatory to western viewers.
@Pinkhamster: actually, I'd imagine Oceanic gave her a huge amount of money considering that they think they left her a widow with a baby on the way. That would definitely be something in the high 8 to low 9 digit area. And depending on the currency, like if it were in Euro's or Pounds, then the value of it could make it even more plausible.
The Girl Power thing is something I think you read into / is subjective. I saw it more as her finally getting her independence from her douchey father. I think playing to the Western view would have been her saying that she was using her money to dissolve her relationship from her father; not to go into business with him. I'm not sure what western civilization you live in but the one I live in isn't that progressive yet. Shit, we still have plenty of people who don't think a woman or a black man can be President.
@jp182: I doubt Sun's settlement would be enough by itself to buy a controlling interest in her Dad's company, but it's possible Hurley gave her some of his lottery money -- or even that she got contributions from all of the adults in the Oceanic 6, since the men talking to Paik said the money had come from five different banks.
I have a bad feeling about Jin's fate. Sun's behavior at his "grave" in the earlier episode, combined with what she told her father in this one, makes me think he really is dead -- whatever "really" means in the context of this show. Anyone else think the second person she blames is herself?
My money is that she blames Jack.
Sun could have also gotten money from Ben to buy Paik since they are working with Dharma. It could even be a part of a bargain she made to get off the island and to hide the fact that she's buying it on Ben's order she has her plausible cover story of saying you're the reason my husband is dead (and even if he isn't, he is definitely the force behind a simple fishermen becoming a gangster so the emotional force will be there) so he won't look deeper into the matter. Paik is also connected to Widmore and he could be the other person Sun blames, especially if Ben gave her some select information about him.
I cheered the moment I noticed Hurley carrying the big bag of Mr. Cluck's Chicken.
All in all a superb episode and it'll be difficult to wait until next Thursday to watch how it all concludes for this season.
@CSX321: you're so right! I just noticed that he looked clean and he immediately goes out to get himself another bruise. Could he have seen the bruises on Michael and gotten jealous?
Did the airlines pay billions? Sun's revenge was great, but not realistic. Buying that much of a publically owned company in one morning would have sent the stock price up so fast that daddy would have wanted to know --who-- had done so. Besides, he would have held a controlling interests in the company-51%. Still a good scene. Also, that much C4 on the ship would vaporize it down to the water. No one would live. IMHO, and I've played with the stuff.
Totally loved Jack's reaction to the sister news - sold it 100% for me.
The pieces are falling into place for once - or so it seems. 4 of the six are pretty much back together, and the other two (Sun and Aaron) are co-located with the life-raft shown in the rescue picture at the press conference.
I'm expecting the boat to blow, with Sun having just left on the raft, and for her to think Jin, Desmond and Michael are dead (and she blames herself). Of course they're not (as they can't die off island), but she doesn't know that.
That would leave the focus of the last two hours to be the orchid, and some end-of-series-two-style purple vibrating sky moments which result in the helicopter crashing in the sea carrying the four plus Sawyer, who sacrifices himself for Kate in some heroic gesture at some point, though probably not permanently.
Bear in mind that the flash-forwards haven't yet caught up with the very first we saw, in which Jack says they need to go back. I'm totally expecting that the end of season 4 brings us back to that point and resolves it - ie shows us a flash-forward beyond that point and teasing a season 5 return.
Can't wait.
I really like what Kristin Dos Santos (of E! Online) is saying ([tinyurl.com]):
"I found out earlier this week what happens in the finale and in a series that is continually shocking, I have never been quite so shocked. Check back Monday in the Watch With Kristin Show for more..."
@Jeff-Minor: Paik DID want to know who had done so, that was why he was talking to the guys before Sun.
Can I suggest that at the end of each Lost spoiler recap that we keep a running total of how many long standing questions each episode answers, what questions they raise, and how many questions remain?
@darundal: Okay, missed that detail. Thanks.
Don't kill people, Mr. Lost. Please? It's like Optimus Prime all over again. :(
Whidmore's men are going to the Orchid to shut down the time machine. Watch.
i'd postulate that the dharma initiative was run by charles widmore, the others and ben took it over (or retook it). so widmore's been on the outs since then. my guess is ben and the others "moved" the island afterwards which is why widmore took this long to find it. i'm also guessing that richard and the others/hostiles are time travelers of a sort and not immortal. the whole re-incarnation thingy with locke was strange but of course the knife pertains to something that richard didn't like/want to know. could it be that richard and the others orchestrated the losties to be on the plane when it crashed? since they knew their fates from future info? my guess is that the others and widmore have been at war for a long time and the others brought in the losties to help win that war. i also think that oceanic airlines is owned by richard and the others. that way they could give the money to the O6 so they would be free to 'work' for them when needed. btw, michelle forbes is an other. most likely. did christian sheppard know what was to happen to his son? hence the drinking problem? how long has he known about jacob? was he ever dead? i've really enjoyed this season over last. watching the flash forwards converge with to the "present" has been really brilliant. looking forward to this season's finale.
i'd postulate that the dharma initiative was run by charles widmore, the others and ben took it over (or retook it). so widmore's been on the outs since then. my guess is ben and the others "moved" the island afterwards which is why widmore took this long to find it and ben's familiar with the proceedure.
i'm also guessing that richard and the others/hostiles are time travelers of a sort and not immortal. the whole re-incarnation thingy with locke was strange but of course the knife pertains to something that richard didn't like/want to know.
could it be that richard and the others orchestrated the losties to be on the plane when it crashed? since they knew their fates from future info? my guess is that the others and widmore have been at war for a long time and the others brought in the losties to help win that war. i also think that oceanic airlines is owned by richard and the others. that way they could give the money to the O6 so they would be free to 'work' for them when needed. btw, michelle forbes is an other. most likely.
did christian sheppard know what was to happen to his son? hence the drinking problem? how long has he known about jacob? was he ever dead?
i've really enjoyed this season over last. watching the flash forwards converge with the "present" has been really brilliant. looking forward to this season's finale.
Ben never has to worry about anything because "the island" will always protect him. He must know when he dies in the future or something, because that would literally confer upon him a kind of invulnerability and ultimate confidence. He can do anything and be assured that he will not die because, like Michael and others who have a particular destiny, and time itself will adjust things so that he will overcome whatever obstacles are in his path.
In other words: Ben never needs a plan because he knows things are always going to work out in his favor. But he can always say that he has a plan and appear to be a mastermind of sorts because he always has information from the future and things always work the way he wants them to.
Ummm... You guys do realize that there isn't another episode until the 29th, right?
And yeah, that stinks.
@DanteJay: I think the "two people" Sun blames for Jin's death are her father and Sun herself. She can punish her father by buying out the company. She punishes herself every day since the crash.
Re: the detail about The Numbers showing up in Hurley's new car...
I took that to indicate that Cheech was lying about not having used the lottery money to fix it up. He's been semi-untrustworthy all along, especially where money is concerned. Having the numbers who up like that further indicates how their "curse" permeates everything they're associated with.
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