Line of the night – “What should we say to Locke, I mean, how do you break the ice with the smoke monster?” - Hurley
We are finally getting somewhere with the ultimate theme of Season 6. Legitimate connections are being developed between the sideways timeline and our ‘present’ situation on the island. Tonight's episode begins with a speech from Dr. Pierre Chang, who introduces Mr. Hugo Reyes as the Golden State Natural History Museum’s Man of The Year. Did any one notice that no one refers to him as “Hurley” in this alternate sideways timeline? Dr. Chang reveals that Hugo gained his wealth by the acquisition and expansion of the Mr. Cluck’s franchise and expanded it into a worldwide phenomenon. So in this timeline, he did not win the lottery. He is, however, still extremely wealthy living the good life…’Whooaa Fee, trying to live a life that’s completely free…’
Hugo and his mother are leaving the event (in which he sponsored the paleontology wing of the museum), and she ha set him up on a blind date with a girl name Rosalita? At this point, I check lostpedia.com and there is no Rosalita character in the world of LOST, interesting.
Grinding Metal/Plane Landing WHOOSH to the island, and we find Hugo leaving a fresh tropical plant at Libby’s grave. He wants to talk to her since she is dead, but no such luck. Ilana approaches Hugo and explains that they need to get dynamite from the Black Rock in order to blow up the Ajira Plane so that Locke can not get off the island. Angela comments, “Hurley has Highlights!” So now I am wondering where did Hugo score some Sun In?
All of the sudden, we hear a very familiar voice, “Hey, I’m hear to stop you from getting everyone killed!” Holy crap, it’s Michael! Hurley is a bit apprehensive about trusting the man that murdered Ana Lucia and Libby. Michael reveals that people are going to die, a lot of people, if he doesn’t stop Richard.
Whoosh to 2004, and Hurley is at “Spanish Johnny’s” for his blind date and the anticipation is building to ascertain who will be playing Rosalita’s character. A woman calls out, “Hugo?” I, in turn, call out…”Holy S- it’s Libby!” Sure enough Libby explains that she is not Rosalita and furthermore she is not his blind date. “Do you believe that 2 people can be connected, like soulmates?” Hurley responds, “I guess.” Libby answers back, “You don’t remember me do you?” I am loving this, because it appears that Libby has experienced the same ‘flashbacks to the island’ as Charlie and Desmond. Hurley responds to this, “should I?” Dr. Brooks from the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute interrupts to escort Libby away, and as he does she says, “Everything I said Hugo, I meant it!”
In addition to the ‘Hurley has highlights’ observation, Angela adds a very good point. In this sideways universe Libby appears crazy, because maybe she is stuck in this alternate universe, but recalls everything from the original time line…nice observation Lina.
WHOOSH to the beach on the island with Team Jordin Sparks, Ilana explains that she has been training her whole life to protect the candidates, and “with the plane gone, that THING won’t be able to leave!” Hurley mentions that Jacob never said anything about blowing up any plane, so maybe they shouldn’t do it. However, Ilana is adamant, “God Help Us if that thing ever leaves this island, because if it”…BOOOM! RIP Ilana, you will be missed. I didn’t see that coming.
We transition to the other side of the island where Sawyer and Kate confront Flocke about their next move. “You talk to wood now?!” Sawyer is clearly frustrated with the situation. Kate doesn’t understand what they are waiting around for, and Flocke explains that they got back to the island because they were all together, and that is the only way the can get off the island. Evil Bad-ass Sayid arrives back at Team Essau Flocke camp with a gift for Flocke. It's finally dawned on me that Sayid reminds me of the Black Spiderman. He can do really amazing things and has tremendous ability, yet he maintains a sense of rebellious disorientation and corruption about him. He takes Flocke to Desmond.
Back from commercial and Hurley is wiping “Ilana” off of his boots when he spots the sack that Ilana was toting around. I believe this contains Jacob’s ashes. Richard thinks they should go back to the Black Rock to recover more dynamite, and Hurley surprisingly agrees.
Whoosh to 2004, “Get me a bucket, family size.” Hurley eats when he’s depressed, and it just so happens that Desmond joins him while he waits for his order (#42). Hurley tells Desmond about his totally awesome encounter with Libby, except for the fact that she’s crazy. Desmond responds, “Did you believe her when she said she knew you?”
Whoosh to the island, and Flocke releases Desmond from the tree. Desmond explains the test conducted on him consisted of exposing his body to massive amounts of electromagnetism. Flocke wants to show Desmond something, so they leave. Back on the other side of the island, Ben tries to give some perspective on their situation. Ilana was hand picked by Jacob to protect the candidates, and once each of them found out who they were, she blew up. “The Island was done with her.” Richard, Jack and the others finally arrive at the Black Rock for more dynamite, but as they approach, Hurley comes running at them and the whole ship blows up. RIP Black Rock, you will be missed. Hugo blew up the Black Rock because Michael told him to do so. “I’m protecting us!”
Whoosh to 2004 and Hurley is at Santa Rosa to visit Libby. “Clearly she is well enough for a fajita field trip.” Hurley writes Dr. Brooks a check for $100K in hopes of spending some time with Libby. As the camera pans across the room, the chalkboard depicts a picture of an island with 1 palm tree, some fish, birds…and a Smoke Monster hovering near the island…just saying. Libby sits down and points out that after she saw his tv commercial for Mr. Cluck’s “all these memories came crashing back, only it was another life, there was a plan crash, I was on an island, we knew each other and we liked each other.” Libby adds that it felt as if she were at the mental hospital before too! She also recalls Hugo being in the same mental facility. Hurley can’t remember her, but he wishes he could (oh don’t worry Hurley you’ll remember buddy). She entered the center voluntarily, so she is ok to go on a date with Hugo.
Whoosh back to the island and we join Flocke and Desmond on their trek through the jungle. Flocke thinks the island has it in for Desmond, but Desmond says, “there’s nothing special about me brotha, the island has it in for all of us.” Just then Flocke, and Desmond for that matter, see a young young Matt Damon looking on at them with that smart-ass Boston grin. “Just ignore him,” says Flocke. Who? What? Huh? Help a brotha out Lost writers…
Back to the other side of the island and Hurley thinks the right thing to do is talk to John Locke. Everyone is on the fence with this idea, so Hurley says that Jacob instructed him to do it. Richard isn’t buying this load of crap, so he asks Hurley to find out from Jacob, “What is the island?” I guess not everyone believes Hurley, because Ben and Miles leave to go with Richard to find grenades and other weapons to blow up the plane. Jack, Sun, Frank and Hurley leave to talk to Flocke. On the way Jack shares with Hurley that ever since Juliet died, all he’s try to do is FIX IT, and he came to the realization that he can’t. Now he is finally understands that maybe he just needs to site back and let go…”You asked me to trust you, so this is me trusting you.”
Whispers can be heard in the background, who could this be? Hurley says, “it’s cool, I think I know what these things are.” He calls for Michael, and Michael appears from behind a tree. BIG REVEAL – It turns out the whispers are people stuck on the island because of something they did, and there are others like Michael in the jungle. “We are the ones who can’t move on!” Very, very interesting. So now I wonder who else may have murdered or committed some heinous sin on the island which would cause them to be ‘stuck’ between worlds. Michael leaves Hurley with this, “If you EVER do see Libby again, tell her I’m very sorry!”
Whoosh back to the sideways timeline and Hurley is finally having the long-awaited (4 seasons to be exact: May 3rd, 2006) picnic with Libby on the beach…how sweet. Libby seems off, like she’s on a date that they never had. “I wanna be with you because I like you.” Libby said something very similar, if not identical, to this phrase back in Season II. “You only like me because you’re delusional.” She goes in to kiss him…and with that physical contact Hurley’s past/future life passes before his eyes, events which included her. “Whoa dude, I think I’m remembering stuff.” NICE. Desmond is parked across the street, he slides his Ray Ban’s back on and drives away.
I've got a feeling that the 'flashbacks' are attributed to intense emotions experienced in this 2004 timeline when our characters make contact with the other characters they were close to, i.e., Des was close to Charlie on the island, and the intense emotion of saving his life from drowning sparked the emotion. I wonder what caused Libby to first experience her flashbacks to the island???
Back to the island and Flocke/Desmond reach their destination, a remote well location. Locke reveals that the well is so old that it was dug by hand. The people who dug the well were not looking for water, but answers. This particular location made a compass needle spin, so they wanted to find out why. “Charles Widmore is not interested in answers, he’s only interested in power.” Flocke is intrigued that Desmond is not afraid of him. Desmond responds, “what’s the point in being afraid?” Flocke smiles and then throws Desmond down the well. (So why do that? Why not turn into the Smoke Monster and toss him around like a rag doll?)
Flocke arrives back at his camp. Moments later, Hurley enters as well. “I don’t know who you are, or what you want, but we have to talk to you.” Hurley also doesn’t want anyone to get hurt or killed, so they’ve come to Flocke’s camp with no intention of using weapons. Flocke gives his word that they will not retaliate or attack them. Flocke makes direct eye contact with Jack, and we have a little stare down between them in which Jack looks scared as hell. Oh and by the way, this is the first time in 3 years that Sun has seen Claire or Sawyer, but she makes no attempt to engage or reach out to them. I guess she is solely focused on finding Jin (who is conveniently on Hydra Island).
We arrive at our final scene of the night and Desmond is staking out John Locke like Emilio Estevez. Ben Linus confronts Desmond like he is some sick child molester, but we all know Desmond is there just to help John Locke ‘see’. Desmond takes off in his car, and instead of engaging in conversation with John Locke, he proceeds to nail him with his car. John Locke is left there writhing in pain, hanging on for dear life…..
BAMM- LOST
I am having some trouble trying to figure out why Desmond would do that to Locke, unless of course in this alternate time line Locke is actually Essau? Any thoughts or theories on this?
I did not notice if Hugo saw himself in a reflection in the alternate time line, did this happen?
I found out more information about the ‘whispers’ from the jungle. From lostpedia.com it says that the whispers are unredeemed souls of people trapped on the island for bad things they have done. Whispers have also been heard in some situations off the Island. The whispers are not random noises, but rather actual speech.
This episode did a nice job of building off the connections made in “Happily Ever After” and I hope they just keep rolling on.
Until next week, Namaste and Good Luck!
-Slice
