Well the mini-finale had a lot of hype to live up to, and I don't think it quite reached it. Although the episode had tense moments, I don't think the cliffhanger was as juicy as it could've been. Nonetheless, I think the first 5 episodes more than made up for it. Overall, season three is off to an excellent start - and I don't think anyone can complain about a lack of action.
Here are the things I noticed during I Do:
Eko's Last Message To Locke
Since last week, I've been wondering if Locke truly told us what Eko's last words were. He seems to lie a lot to 'protect' the other survivors - like when he tells Nikki that Eko was probably mauled by the bears. But Eko's true final message appears on his staff, which in this episode Locke finally understands was for him. "Lift up your eyes and look north" is written right above the word JOHN - which although is a seperate biblical reference tells us the message was meant for Locke. Hell, even the second 'o' in 'look' was chipped, making it appear to be a 'c' as in "lock".
This message will become clear later in the season, but it's a pretty safe bet Locke's heading north... and probably with Sayid in tow. The lift up your eyes part may refer to something in the trees, or maybe in a mountain - dunno.
Oh, and during Locke's eulogy watch the camera pan past Desmond. Something moves in the jungle behind him. I'm pretty sure we can chalk it up to a crew member or some other kind of error, but something does move.
Kate - Master of Deception
Watching Kate get married and hearing the priest tell everyone how he was "struck by Kate's honesty" made us all laugh. Hearing him relate Kevin's words of "What you see is what you get" was an even bigger chuckle. Keeping this in mind, it did seem that Kate was genuinely happy and totally in love during her flashback. That part seemed real enough, even if Kate herself can't stop lying.
Kate calling the marshall was interesting in that she dialed a local 7-digit number. So either the marshall hangs out in Miami or the writers were careless. It was amusing to note how they were on a very personal "Hey it's me" and her calling him "Edward" basis... letting us know she'd been running a long time. Moreover, the marshall seems to know Kate even better than herself - predicting of course, that she can't stay put in any one spot. Maybe she's got ADD.
Everything was ponies and rainbows until the Oceanic tickets popped up, which was kind of ominous in itself (good music change). This is the first time we see Kate balk - and it's because Kevin just asked her to get her passport in order. Rather than shred the tickets and tell him she'd rather honeymoon someplace local, Kate decides to run. So very logical.
Although during her goodbye speech Kate seemed 'upset' that she'd almost gotten pregnant, I think the reverse was true. Her crying during the pregnancy scene was her hoping she was pregnant. This would give her an excuse to stay, and thus a reason not to run. Seeing that she wasn't pregnant made her cry because at that point she knew she had to leave.
What I really don't understand about Kate's character is why she didn't confide in Kevin or ask for his help rather than bolt the relationship the way she did. He's in fugative recovery? Come on. If anyone could help her it would probably be him. But it seems Kate doesn't want help. Her placing the locket in his hand was her way of disconnecting herself from that whole part of her life, allowing her to wash her hands of ever being married. This was followed up with a cool metaphor as the camera cut straight into a scene of Jack washing his hands for surgery.
Something's Up With Pickett
Yeah yeah, we all know Pickett's pissed because his wife just died. But what's his monumental beef with Sawyer? Granted he doesn't look happy with anyone - Juliet included - but somehow Sawyer really made his list. The funny thing was he hated him even before Colleen died. Why is that? Maybe he's projecting his anger onto the only "one of them" (his words) he can... after all Jack is locked up and Kate's a female. Still, Ben's authority does have some sway over him. Pickett wouldn't make his move until he was sure Ben was down for the count.
What Happens In Two Weeks?
Pickett's low words to Juliet at the rock-breaking camp: "It wasn't supposed to be for two weeks!" Juliet responds by telling him the "schedule got moved up". Hmmm. Picket tells her "That's stupid" and she finishes with "That's just the way it is, Danny".
At first I thought maybe she was referring to Ben's surgery, but Jack hadn't even agreed to do it yet. Perhaps whatever they're talking about will coincide with the big "LOST-altering reveal" we've been promised mid-season? Or maybe the Others are going somewhere? Does this have something to do with the island becoming accessible to the outside world? Will they use the sub? (more on this below) And if so, why doesn't Ben just get off and look for a spinal surgeon - why the crazy in-depth kidnap/blackmail conceit-filled double-reverse conspiracy to get Jack to do it? What the hell is going on? I'll tell you what's going on: Ben can't leave the island because he was born on it.
Jack's Finally Catching On
After months and months of getting chumped, Jack finally caught onto something this week: Everything is bull****. His scene where he refuses to do the operation and defies Ben and Juliet finally gained him some respect in my eyes. Even better was his scene with Kate. Watching him scream at Kate "How did they get you to ask me!" and then staring up at the camera... Jack's finally manning up. After Kate explains they'll spare Sawyer's life if he does the operation he sneers at her: "And you believe them?" Jack's right about this of course. Remember Mr. Friendly telling Ben how Pickett was going to kill Sawyer and Ben merely stating: "Not yet". Jack caps the scene off with a another defiant glance at the camera and a strong "We're done here". Good job for once, Jack.
Two other things established by this scene: Kate was hurt. Somewhere between Ben's Breakfast Bistro and Mr. Friendly leading her back to her cage... something was definitely done to her. The face she makes as Jack asks her was far more than just angish over Sawyer's life being in danger. The camera pointedly zooms in on Kate's bruised wrists in two different scenes this episode (the sex scene being one of them). The other thing we learn: we see that Ben's second to last plan has failed. This is evidenced by his angry "Get her out of there" comment, Juliet in the background as always.
Machinery = Sub's Engines?
Listen carefully to the background noise during the Jack/Kate scene. Some sort of machinery is chugging away in the distance. It could be something necessary to the underwater hatch, but it sounds a lot like two giant diesel engines. Could it be the submarine? Are they gearing up to take it somewhere? Maybe this is what Pickett was saying when he told Juliet he thought they were waiting "two more weeks?"
Ben's Final Plan Works
There's little doubt in my mind that Jack was let out of his chamber intentionally as part of Ben's last-ditch plan to get him to do the operation. His door unlocked... leading to the armory... free guns... and then onto the video room so he can catch a nice juicy eyeful of Kate in Sawyer's arms? Way too convenient. Ben needed Jack to see Kate with Sawyer for one purpose - because it destroyed any last reason for him wanting to stay on the island.
As we all know, Jack needs to be needed. That's when he's at his best. As each season wears on with other characters assuming leadership roles (Locke, Eko, Sayid for example), Jack's will has been stretched to the absolute breaking point. The only thing still tying him down? Kate. Seeing Kate choose Sawyer (more on that in a minute :) snapped the last cord. It was like the stormtroopers killing Luke's aunt and uncle, thus giving him a reason to leave Tattooine (gotta love those Star Wars references). Ben even rubs it in a bit: "I would've bet on you" knowing that Jack now wants off the island more than anything else.
Jack's face when he saw the two of them together actually made me feel badly for him. And remember: as far as he's concerned, Kate just lied to him. He asked where they were keeping her and she said "in a cage". Then he asked about Sawyer, and Kate said "He's in a cage too". Yet there they are in the same cage - naked.
Still, on the flip side of the coin, there's a giant piece of evidence going against my above theory: the voice over the intercom that tells Jack to "try it - the door". Sure sounds a lot like Alex. Knowing that Alex is pretty much rebelling against the Others right now, it would make sense that she try to release Jack. Hmmm.
Here's a happy medium: Ben saw (or knew) that Alex was going to open Jack's door - and so he capitalized on it (or was counting on it). After last night's episode, it seemed to me that he's somehow close to her in a fatherly type of way.
Kate 'Chooses' Sawyer
Well, I guess I was wrong on this one, at least in the short term. Kate certainly choose Sawyer, to put it mildly. Still, I'm not 100% convinced she won't eventually end up with Jack. Sawyer asking her if she "really meant it" when she said she loved him was met with a wordless kiss. We've seen Kate tell Kevin she loved him about 3 or 4 times this episode... but can she say it to Sawyer? Nope. Of course, the kiss itself could've been taken as a yes. But at the end of the episode Kate's screaming that she "can't leave without Jack". Three times she screamed it. And when Sawyer asked Kate why she kissed him she said "I don't know".
Sawyer and Kate are definitely more alike than she and Jack, but I still can't see them carrying on a romance for the rest of the series. Call me stubborn. Kate's too prone to run, and Sawyer's gonna look way too mushy if he's gotta be nice to Kate until the end of LOST. At some point, Kate has to stop running. Then again, so does Sawyer. Kate calling him 'James' as she left the cage was her way of stripping away his tough-guy facade and addressing the real Sawyer beneath it. She's finally past all his defenses and has connected to him more closely than anyone else on the island. The two of them have been through a lot together.
The question becomes whether or not Kate & Sawyer's tryst is a one-time fling brought about by the need for physical closeness during crazy prison strees... or if they'll carry on together once they're free. I'm lost on this one, but my gut instinct would be that the love triangle is not completely over just yet.
WWII Theme
A while back I posted links to certain World War II references on LOST. We've seen the M1 Garand rifle and Goodwin's WWII army-issue knife. The pilot's wings Kate held in her hand during the first episode were WWII issue pilot's wings (worn also by everyone in the flight crew - including Cindy). The crossword puzzle Locke was doing had a WWII question on it, and now Jack pulls a German WWII Luger pistol from the Other's armory. What's next? Is the sub a nazi U-boat? Lots of other evidence points to this particular era (including the songs played on the radio), which makes us wonder just how long people (the Others?) have been on the island. More time stuff.
Shut Up and Answer The Damned Question
My favorite exchange of the episode came between Jack and Juliet, as they were washing their hands. Jack tells her that during the operation he's going to need her to: "do what I say, no questions asked". In typical "Other's" style, Juliet responds with a long-winded "You might find this hard to believe but..." answer. Jack cuts her off with a sneer, and a very firm: "Is that a yes?" For once, he wants a straight answer. "Yes", she says. This exchange very well could represent the shift in the balance of power between Jack and the Others. He's finally gotten a straight answer out of one of them.
Jack's Finally Getting Over For Once
The exchange between Ben and Jack on the operating table was pretty telling, too. "Do you get nervous?" Ben asks him, regarding doing surgery. "I used to..." Jack responds. "Not anymore". Totally symbolic of Jack's prior gullibility regarding the Others compared to him finally having a plan they're not exactly expecting. Jack's done screwing around, waiting for things to happen around him. He's ready to make a few things happen of his own.
Then Ben says something very strange: "Whatever happens - everything will be very different, won't it?" This immediately reminded me of last season, when Hurley saw Jin speak English in his dream. "Everything's going to be different from now on", Jin said. I think Ben's prepared himself for both possible outcomes of his surgery. If he lives, he'll be free of the tumor. But if he dies... well, will the island truly allow him to die?
Think about it. If everything happens for a reason, and the island brought Jack to Ben in order to do the surgery... wouldn't it stand to reason that the island wants it to be successful? Yet does everything pan out the way the island wills it to? As we saw last episode, it sure as hell doesn't. Eko's defiance was NOT in the island's master plan, which is why he felt its wrath. So perhaps Jack's plan to free his friends (which by the way, was an extremely unselfish act) will be the fly in the ointment of the way things were supposed to go down. Kinda like the way I don't think Desmond turning the key was an expected occurance. And this is the part of my post where things get transcendental and the 'justifiable explaination for everything' people should probably leave. ;)
In my opinion, Ben's words "See ya on the other side" were the most telling of all. He's fully prepared (or even planned ahead) to see them "in another life" - just like Desmond. Check out Desmond tackling Charlie and screaming in the previews for next season: "You don't know what happened to me! You don't want to know!" Obviously Desmond is not the same. My feeling is that Ben's not going to be the same either. He's going to evolve into whatever or whomever Desmond already has... and will possibly experience the same types of things. His very last words were "I'm ready". Ben knows something we don't.
Who's Jacob?
Finally, we've got Pickett's cryptic words as the little wuss hurries to kill Sawyer while Ben's unconscious: "Ben just his life in the hands of one of them. Shepherd wasn't even on Jacob's list". Two huge mysteries here: first, who's Jacob? Could this possibly refer to the Other 'plant' within the 815's fuselage camp that we've always been wondering about? I'm leaning in that direction. We already know that Ethan failed to provide a list.
The second mystery is even bigger: why exactly wasn't Jack 'on the list'? He's not one of the good ones? Good for what? Here's where I'm thinking Ben's plan is deeper than anything any of the Others have been following. Ben's ten steps ahead of everyone. He's got them all breaking rocks and dressing up in fake beards while he has a higher agenda. A more personal agenda. And I'm pretty sure that agenda has to do with "See you on the other side".
We're gonna just have to wait until February to see.
