LOST: "The Last Recruit" Reflections

We are told in this episode that it was indeed the Smoke Monster who was impersonating Christian Shepherd. On one hand, this certainly makes sense. It was Christian we saw in the cabin, and he was a dead guy walking around. He also convinced Locke to leave the island. But on the OTHER hand, it contradicts things they've said THIS SEASON. Claire said that she was told the Others had her baby by her father AND her friend. We learn at the end of the episode that the "friend' is Smokey John. That implies they are two separate individuals. Had she just not been told yet they were the same? She seemed to be able to recognize Locke as something else though. And what about the TWO figures we saw in the cabin when Hurley peeked in? There was one in the chair, and ALSO Christian's eye at the window. ...Are we also to believe that Smokey John can become invisible? Anyway, I've long known they were working together, but I am annoyed that they are the same being. It would have made sense had they not thrown in bits to make us think there are two.

Also, Jack remembers things wrong. He did not chase his father through the jungle on the third day there. He first saw Christian on day 5, before the memorial service, and didn't chase him through the jungle until the following day. Some continuity is sticky, but come on, that part was NOT hard to get right.

Claire says that Jack already sided with John by letting him talk. The end of the episode leads us to believe that isn't the case, but I'd like to know is there anyone left on the island who HASN'T let Locke talk to them? Jack, Claire, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Sayid, Desmond, Sun, Jin, Lapidus, Ben, Richard, they all did.

We learn that Sayid was promised Nadia back in exchange for helping Locke (or did we already know that? I guess he must have made that promise in "Sundown". Boy, my memory is failing). So Sayid is working for the Dark Side because of some deal? I guess that means Sayid is the Lando Calrissian of Lost. I am waiting for him to say "This deal is getting worse all the time."

Desmond didn't seem all that hurt for a guy who just fell 10 feet down a well. And didn't it seem like a longer fall the last time? I guess Locke really wasn't allowed to kill him and had to just throw him in a well and make Sayid do it. Speaking of which, it's hard to read spooky-Sayid now, but it's reasonable to assume Desmond still lives.

Kate gives this big speech to Claire about how she never should have raised Aaron. I have a sickening feeling this is supposed to be the "resolution" to the "raised by another" stuff from the first season. What, because Aaron was raised by another Claire went feral and nearly helped evil escape the island? Is that what we're supposed to think? Because so much of the first couple seasons (especially two) intimated that AARON was in danger. But he's never really been in danger, has he? And why would baptism make a difference? Aaron's living comfortably with his granny. So if this is the answer to that whole story, then that is one thread that was BADLY tied off.

The moment when Jack is forced off the boat is interesting, because it is something of a reversal of when Sawyer leaped from the helicopter. Sawyer has an interesting argument because he has never left the island; he was stuck there for three years. Jack has a different perspective, having gone and come back. So it makes perfect sense that Jack would get a sense about turning back which Sawyer wouldn't have and wouldn't care. Just as Jack did whatever he could to get on that chopper, Sawyer will do anything to get on that sub. He missed his opportunity in "The Incident" and it cost him his woman. So he's not going to do any more waiting.

And just like Sawyer, Jack is able to swim all the way back to shore. My my, the Losties really are good swimmers aren't they? ...Except for Joanna who was a scuba diver (!) and Boone the lifeguard!

Widmore really is a double-crosser. I wonder what will become of Sawyer's group. I'm glad at least Sun and Jin were finally reunited (and her English came back).

Now that Locke has saved Jack's life, what will happen? It didn't seem like Widmore's barrage was very effective, did it? Is he trying to kill Locke, or just everyone with him?

alt-2004
There's really not a whole lot for me to say about the flash-sideways this week. It was interesting that we finally got a last name for Ilana.

I really liked the scene with Kate and Sawyer in the police station. Their personalities really played off of each other, and in a way that worked better for me than some of the other Sawer/Kate scenes on-island. Kate in her own way is a lot like Sawyer, and he sees that.

It seems that things move really quickly in the sideways universe. Things that it took four years to reveal (Jack and Claire's relationship for example), are all brought out in a week.

I wonder why Sun seems to recognize Locke in the hospital. She seems very afraid of him, shouting "It's him! It's him!" Is this another flash from the island life? That's curious because so far most of those have been around loved people. ...I highly doubt Sun has feelings for John Locke!

There were a lot of scenes in the sideways and a lot of characters, but really nothing happened. It was just one more instance of moving chess pieces from there to there. It was a little underwhelming, and I hope that when they all get together it will be worth this wait.

Finally, who was the "last recruit" of the title? From all indications, it would seem to be Jack. He's the only one who purposed to remain on the island. Does this mean that he's going to stay there forever? That's quite a change from the Jack who not long ago was convinced he was supposed to detonate a bomb to prevent him from ever coming.