Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Lost, Ep 15: Left Behind
DAMN, this show just gets better and better! I was just saying to someone today that Heroes will have some SERIOUS competition when it finally comes back on the air, and tonight’s episode was no exception. Locke apparently knows Kate’s past; Sawyer tries to make nice; Juliet tells Kate that Jack saw her and Sawyer together and she broke Jack’s heart; the Others suddenly break camp, leaving behind Juliet, Jack, Kate, and Sayid; Old Smokey makes a return visit; and we ultimately discover that Kate isn’t just left behind by Locke and the Others, but by Jack. In her flashback, we discover a shocking link to Sawyer through Cassidy, but also that her mother truly believes Kate acted selfishly. Did Kate kill her stepfather for her own reasons, or was she ever thinking altruistically? Did she really come back to the Others camp to save Jack, or was she only thinking that it would make her feel better to save Jack?

Did You Notice?:
-the song playing at the beginning of Kate's flashback is Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight," which is the third time we've heard this in a Kate flashback
-Cassidy is pulling Kate’s jewellery con that Sawyer taught her when Kate first finds her; he told her the key was for a “buyer” to come up, which will throw the marks off the scent
-Hurley refers to “Steve,” but it’s actually Scott who is the one left on the island. Looks like Scott’s big con still hasn’t been found out.
-the canisters of gas had ALS Technologies written on them. I don’t think we’ve seen this company before, but I wonder if they’re some division of Hanso?
-Kate being handcuffed to Juliet was reminiscent of her being handcuffed to the Marshal
-Kate being betrayed and left behind by Locke is reminiscent of her mother’s treatment of her
-right after Sawyer tries to gut the fish, he comes over to Hurley and has his hands on Hurley’s clean clothes. Ew.
-Kate seems to go completely mental on Juliet as if she, deep down, she knows Juliet is right about how she shouldn’t have come back for Jack
-Juliet dislocating her shoulder and Kate re-setting it was reminiscent of Jack dislocating his shoulder and Charlie re-setting it in “The Moth”
-Claire looks like she’s trying to suppress a laugh when Sawyer comes up to comment on Aaron, like she’s in on Hurley’s joke.
-when Aaron was first born, Sawyer’s voice was the only thing that would soothe him and let him go to sleep. Now the child cries when he talks to it.
-Diane seems to know Kate’s standing in the doorway before she even looks up, as if she can sense her daughter’s presence.
-Diane tells Kate that if she ever sees her again, the first thing she will do is yell for help, and that’s exactly what she does when Kate goes to see her in the hospital in “Born to Run.”
-all of the things Juliet knows about Jack, she got from a file. Everything Kate knows about him, she knows from knowing Jack.
-even though Juliet had the confidence that Old Smokey wouldn’t come through the fence, when it does come toward her she stands there and looks right at it, just like Eko did
-Hurley handing Desmond the boar when Desmond looks so desolate is reminiscent of the scene near the beginning of season 1 when he’s handing out the little airplane food trays to everyone looking so upset.

Highlights:
-Hurley’s con. I figured it out right from the beginning, but that just made it way funnier to watch Sawyer squirm, assuming it was all based on a lie (and the fact that Hurley has obviously watched way too much Survivor)
-Kate looking out the window and seeing the Others donning gasmasks. It was like something out of an Orwellian nightmare. Brilliant.
-Sawyer smiling at Sun and her scowling back, and him muttering, “I ain’t gonna get the Korean vote.”
-Sawyer gutting the fish
-Sawyer trying to suck up to Claire by saying her “little baby” isn’t as wrinkly as he was a couple of weeks ago
-the look on Sawyer’s face when Claire hands him Aaron

Questions:
-did the Others really tell Locke everything Kate did? Locke coming in to Kate’s “prison” and saying goodbye was like The Stepford Lockes or something. I have NO IDEA what is up with that guy, but he just gets creepier and creepier and now he’s in cahoots with the Others, and we have NO idea what’s going up with his whole daddy issue that he found in a dark room…
-if the Others really have chosen Locke over the rest of them, is it because they think he’s the only truly good person? Why didn’t they take him early on, the way they took the children?
-Cassidy comes off as some sort of expert of the con one minute, and a newbie the next. She’s able to read Kate like a book, then instructs her not to think about her name when faking it. Yet she’s seriously faltering at the gas station, then breaks down about how Sawyer conned her and she’s pregnant. All along I’ve assumed that Cassidy knew Sawyer was conning her the whole time, and was somehow pulling a reverse con on him, and I assume the pregnancy was all a con, too. So is it? Is she being honest? If she IS being honest, I think Kim Dickens is playing the character wrong by making her this all-knowing type who seems quite sure of herself. But I doubt it, because Dickens seems so consistent in the role, and I still think something’s fishy with Cassidy.
-why does Kate sing like a canary to Cassidy when she has worked so long to maintain a secret identity and not tell anyone the truth
-who handcuffed Kate and Juliet together and carried them miles away in the jungle to dump them?
-Sawyer refers to apologizing as “let’s make nice.” Hmm… perhaps a closeted Dixie Chicks fan?
-what is with Juliet’s superstrength? And she’s drugged and carried out into the jungle, yet the moment Kate makes the slightest move to pull a knife from her pocket she awakens like a cat?
-have the Others really left? Was Juliet really left behind? Or is this part of the their ongoing ruse?
-what the hell were those flashes that came out of Old Smokey when Kate and Juliet were hiding in the bamboo? Was it taking their picture or something??
-Hurley says that Claire is really influential. Says who? Why would she be influential when she doesn’t seem to have much to do with anyone but Sun and Charlie?
-why does Sawyer become the bona fide leader in the absence of Jack, Sayid, and Locke, and not Desmond? Is it because the rest of them don’t really know Desmond, and those who do think he’s a little… off? Who would you rather have as leader: The future-seein’, slightly crazy Scotsman, or the mean guy who puts himself before everyone else, steals everyone’s stuff, refuses to share, cons the camp into giving him guns, declares himself Sheriff, has nothing to do with anyone and never helps out but takes what he can get from everyone else’s work, and arranges to have Sun beat up?
-is Cassidy lying at the end about still loving Sawyer? If she’s telling the truth about not calling the cops, how did Sawyer end up in prison?

Nitpicks:
-OK, Juliet is shocked to discover that she’s been handcuffed to Kate. She didn’t know the Others were leaving her behind. Yet in a very dangerous moment, she KNOWS that she’s got the key to the handcuffs in her pants. Can anyone explain to me why we’re supposed to believe she’s really been taken here? Why would she happen to have a key in her pocket to the very handcuffs that the Others have put on her? Why would she know it was there the whole time unless she was in on it from the beginning? Am I missing something?

Numbers:
-Juliet’s shoulder’s been dislocated 4 times
-Kate’s license plate is 4ON DVB; O is the 15th letter of the alphabet; D is the 4th; V is the 22nd and B is the 2nd (22+2=24, a reverse 42)

Next week: “One of Us”: Jack returns to the beach and Sayid appears to be torturing Juliet for information! Another Juliet flashback.

13 comments:

The Chapati Kid said...

Dude, it sucks that Saiyid always get stuck as the torture guy.

I didn't buy the Sawyer being the leader thing at the beginning, but then I thought about it, and it makes sense: he was part of the triumvirate taken to the island, he was in on everything in Season One and Two, and part of the "elite" crew. But I think if Kate had been there, she would have been the leader, and it makes me sad that Hurley didn't mention her name when he was spouting off on all the missing leaders. Like a MAN has to lead them.

Okay, it's almost four months on the island now, and Sun's stomach is still as flat as a concave washboard.

And finalement, I was righteously frightened by the smoke monster slamming against the fence, until I thought... it's a SMOKE monster! If solid human beings could JUMP over the fence, couldn't old Smokey just float over it?!?

Anonymous said...

"-if the Others really have chosen Locke over the rest of them, is it because they think he’s the only truly good person? Why didn’t they take him early on, the way they took the children?"

He was recruited to help Ben (re)connect to the healing properties of the island and get him out of the wheelchair.

"-why does Kate sing like a canary to Cassidy when she has worked so long to maintain a secret identity and not tell anyone the truth"

This was very early in Kate's career as a fugitive. Plus she had a "connection" with Cassidy.

"-who handcuffed Kate and Juliet together and carried them miles away in the jungle to dump them?"

Juliet did this herself. That's why she had the key.

"-OK, Juliet is shocked to discover that she’s been handcuffed to Kate. She didn’t know the Others were leaving her behind. Yet in a very dangerous moment, she KNOWS that she’s got the key to the handcuffs in her pants. Can anyone explain to me why we’re supposed to believe she’s really been taken here? Why would she happen to have a key in her pocket to the very handcuffs that the Others have put on her? Why would she know it was there the whole time unless she was in on it from the beginning? Am I missing something?"

She was faking surprise. From what we know, the Others probably left her behind (and likely gased her as well), but I think the whole handcuff thing was her idea so she had time to bond with Kate before she, Jack, and Sayid left.

Anonymous said...

"And finalement, I was righteously frightened by the smoke monster slamming against the fence, until I thought... it's a SMOKE monster! If solid human beings could JUMP over the fence, couldn't old Smokey just float over it?!?"

I thought this as well. I mean, we've clearly seen it fly over the ground. Maybe it couldn't figure it out. Or maybe it can only float so high. Or maybe the death fence somehow disrupted its flying ability. We don't really know enough about the creature to say for sure, and just because it looks like smoke doesn't mean it has the properties of smoke.

Anonymous said...

"-what the hell were those flashes that came out of Old Smokey when Kate and Juliet were hiding in the bamboo? Was it taking their picture or something?"

Locke mad a comment about seeing a bright light in the Lost-ness Monster in an earlier episode. Juliet was probably seeing the same light, whatever that is.

I wonder if this has anything to do with Desmond's flashes.

Anonymous said...

Someone else said this before but it seemed pretty obvious to me that Juliet did all the handcuffing and dragging herself. What happened was when she woke up from the gas she was like "Oh crap" and so she went and found who else was left behind. Then, when she found Kate, she handcuffed their arms together and probably carried her out into the jungle so that Kate would be more willing to bring her back with Sayid and Jack. Something like that. I'm sure it will be explained more.

Nikki Stafford said...

Awesome comments so far, and honestly, I'm starting to think posting this blog later on Thursday would be better than trying to get it done before midnight on Wednesday, because I don't have time to read it back through, I tend to be filling in 3 sections at once (I'll be writing something in nitpick and then stop mid-sentence to jump up to questions and then down to did you notice and then go back to finish the nitpick... or not... you probably see the occasional unfinished sentence in there). I watch the episode once, then a second time while I'm blogging.

So anyway, the next day I often look at the comments and think what? I said that... and then reread it and no, no. I didn't say that. ;)

So, Brian, I completely agree with you about Juliet being the one behind the handcuffing of Kate (though despite her superstrength, I question the fact she's carried her a couple of miles into the jungle on her own... I've carried a 2-year-old two city blocks and I'm ready to keel over). What I was trying to say in my tired, late haze is that I don't believe that KATE would have believed Juliet's story and not realized how ridiculous it was. Why not tell Jack that Juliet did this to her? Isn't she a serious danger to bring back to the camp now, despite her whole "i didn't want to be left behind" speech? (I say all of this LOVING Juliet, by the way.)

As for the flashes of the smoke monster, what Locke saw was a bright light that he said was beautiful. What Kate and Juliet saw was a scary freaky monster that flashed something at them that forced them to cover their eyes. It sounds like two different things to me. I still think Locke's experience was unique to him.

As for the fence, I thought exactly the same thing (it was one of those, "didn't I say that?" moments) so I wonder if there's something mechanical in Smokey that makes it stunned and then it retreats rather than going over. As for whether it can go that high, we've seen it way up high in the trees so I do think it could go over, it just gets stunned somehow.

Also, remember: The fence isn't a barrier, it incinerates people and cooks them from the inside, so while it looks like the monster hit a wall, part of its "mechanics" could have been damaaged and that's why it retreats.

And chapatikid, I agree with you 100% on Sun's pregnancy. Come ON.

Anonymous said...

"And chapatikid, I agree with you 100% on Sun's pregnancy. Come ON."

Maybe it really is Jin's then.

Anonymous said...

I thought Hurley did mention Kate's name when he was talking about missing leaders. I was listening for it.

Didn't they say previously that the barriers are sonic? I'm sure whatever they are disrupt the workings of the 'monster' whatever it really is.

Even if I had trusted Juliet (she had the key. Right. Trustworthy), Sayid's reaction at the end would have changed my mind. He has great instincts for bullsh*t.

Depends on how long Sun's been pregnant. It could be Jin's child if the island restored his little swimmers. Or she could be one of those terrible women who hardly show for a long time. Or it could be a sign she's going to lose the baby - I've noticed women on TV rarely miscarry after they start showing.

I'm actually starting to like Sawyer. It burns.

The Chapati Kid said...

I lurve Sawyer, even with that ratty fountain he makes (my mother used to put those on my head when I was five) with his hair. So don't be dissin' my man!

I think Juliet didn't actually carry Kate. I think she dragged her out there and collapsed from exhaustion and handcuffed herself before passing out so that Kate would not leave her alone in an unknown place. It would explain the massive drag marks that Kate and Juliet then follow to head back to the Others' camp.

The Locke storyline is driving me insane. I want to know.

And yes, Saiyid can smell bullturd from a mile. Maybe Juliet's been sent in as a plant. Or maybe she really is "innocent." Ben IS the ULTIMATE Machiavellian leader, you know. I mean, to actually orchestrate Locke's arriving there and blowing up the submarine without using mental telepathy. That's power. Things are getting mysteriouser and mysteriouser!

Anonymous said...

Good point about Ben, chapatkid. Maybe Juliet is a plant, and evem doesn't know it.

Nikki Stafford said...

I agree: the thing about Juliet is the writers want us to trust her, and through that flashback we've seen, WE want to trust her. But she's one of the Others. She's lied to Jack and Kate. But NO ONE lies the way Ben lies, and I wonder if ultimately, she's his pawn, which is why she seems to be swinging both ways. I wonder if next week's Juliet flashback will illuminate things?

Anonymous said...

Of the question -Hurley says that Claire is really influential. Says who? Why would she be influential when she doesn’t seem to have much to do with anyone but Sun and Charlie?

The reason the Claire is influential is become Men (and some women) are suckers for mothers.

Anonymous said...

Nitpicks:
-OK, Juliet is shocked to discover that she’s been handcuffed to Kate. She didn’t know the Others were leaving her behind. Yet in a very dangerous moment, she KNOWS that she’s got the key to the handcuffs in her pants. Can anyone explain to me why we’re supposed to believe she’s really been taken here? Why would she happen to have a key in her pocket to the very handcuffs that the Others have put on her? Why would she know it was there the whole time unless she was in on it from the beginning? Am I missing something?


I think Juliet is a sly minx. She is in-it to win-it. She's playing everyone especially Jack. In the woods Kate punches her twice straigh shots. You mean to tell me that Juliet, who did some crazy martial arts shizz on Kate earlier couldn't have blocked one of those punches or inflicted some damage of her own?

I predict that Kate is a plant, by Ben and that when all is said and done she will be an "other" through and through. She will be the insider feeding info.

BTW...did we just gloss over the fact that the sparest charcters in history, Niki and Paulo, had a radio? Ben needs someone on the inside to feed them.