Episode 8 - Recon
21 March 2010
Review
Present: MIB leads his group back to Claire's "house", picks up Sawyer and Jin and leads them on to another spot near the shore facing Hydra Island. He admits to Sawyer that he is the smoke monster and asks him to go across to the island to do some recon. Sawyer finds the Ajeera passengers dead in a heap. He is captured by Widmore's submarine crew and taken to see him. Sawyer offers to lie to Locke in exchange for safe passage off the island. When he returns though he tells Locke about Widmore and explains to Kate that he is only looking out for himself and his friends. Meanwhile Claire attacks Kate and then cries on her shoulder. MIB admits that he lied to Claire and promises to protect Kate.
Flashback: Sawyer is a cop, partnered by Miles. He goes on a blind date with Charlotte which goes well. But when she finds his secret "Sawyer" file he flips out and kicks her out. He admits to Miles that he has been searching for the man who was responsible for his parents deaths since he became a cop. By chance Kate runs into his car and he catches her.
The Good: At this stage I suspect the producers gamble with the flash sideways is going to determine most viewers opinions of this final season. Despite the fact that I live in fear of much of my analysis being proven wrong by yet another twist, I am one of those who is now enjoying them thoroughly. Whether they are a "happy ending" reality where each character made better choices or not, I am enjoying seeing these characters' stories explored in this unusual way.
Seeing Sawyer as a cop was another strong piece of writing. As with Ben and Locke being teachers, it's a job which fits who Sawyer is. Of course having seen him play LaFleur this change of scenery seems even more fitting for him. Sawyer has always been decisive, clever and had a strong sense of right and wrong. The key to his Season One self was that he wanted people to hate him. He didn't want to believe that a con man deserved any sympathy or else what did that say about the man he desperately wanted to kill?
As a cop his search for Sawyer is still his overriding desire. I thought that was written clearly and it made sense. The passion which Charlotte's discovery aroused in him, the smashing of the mirror and his frank admission to Miles all made it clear: vengeance is still driving him. There were also differences in who he was of course. He tried to make up with Charlotte and Miles rather than play the lone wolf and soak up the rejection as part of being "Sawyer." In this reality he still reads "Watership Down" and watches "Little House" but he has chosen to take some of the more positive lessons out of them.
Casting Miles as his partner was a very nice touch I thought. It's not the familiarity or coincidence that mattered to me. It was the fact that like Sawyer, Miles used to use his gifts to con or extort from people. But in this reality given different circumstances and choices he too took his sense of right and wrong and made a better life for himself. Charlotte was a nice choice to play a cameo role and boy did she look happy to see Sawyer turn up as her blind date! She was still an archaeologist which was fine, no reason to assume that would be particularly different.
Again this sideways story pointed me toward a happy conclusion for all of our characters. And it's not that Lost has to deliver a happy ending for me to feel satisfied. But the show has built itself up on the formula of showing characters becoming better people - so a conclusion where they do would feel very fitting. Here we see Sawyer being able to open up to Miles and perhaps be persuaded not to kill Anthony Cooper. We now know of course the Cooper is alive (604) and a chance for a very different confrontation (from The Brig 319) may be possible. The sight of Liam trying to get Charlie out of jail and of course Kate's arrest definitely add to the sense that the flashsideways is going to deliver a fully realised narrative where our characters will interact in important ways. At this stage I like where that story is going and am looking forward to it playing out.
Back on the island I very much liked the way Sawyer behaved. Throughout I was wondering where his loyalties would lie and hoped there would be a convincing explanation. His explanation to Kate fulfilled that entirely. As he reeled off in "The Substitute" (604), fate has kept him on the island in many different ways. He has now resolved his issues with the real Sawyer and lost Juliet. He has no reason to stay anymore, his loyalty now is only to himself and getting off the island. With one important exception and that is that he wants to help his friends too. He has now become the man who will ensure that Jin and Sun and Kate and company come with him when he goes.
His visit to Hydra Island was typically good Lost drama. He essentially just walked across a set but at each step there was a discernible tension over what he might find next. I thought his visit to Kate's old cage was a nice moment. I think anyone would have revisited the site of such a dramatic moment in their lives. It also seemed natural that he would touch her dress and remember the love he had, the love he lost and reflect on all he has been through since.
The MIB had quite an episode as he further muddied the waters about who he is and how bad of a guy he really is. He was honest with Sawyer about who he was, reassured the frightened children, disciplined Claire when she needed it, admitted his deception to Kate and told her of his own tortured past. Despite these signs of conscience and honesty though he still appeared to manipulate and bring out the worst in people. He encouraged Sawyer by praising his ability to lie, as if he was encouraging his immoral side. He pointed out to Kate that Claire needed someone to hate, perhaps knowing that Kate had hated her own father in a similar way. Then he tries to divert the issue from how Claire ended up as insane to how poor Aaron is going to cope when he sees her again. Nothing was going to get Kate's sympathy more than bringing him nito it. He also claimed that it was "kill or be killed" with the people at the Temple but there was no evidence that they would have killed him. On this occasion I thought his equivocations added some intrigue to the story rather than made the story impossible to follow. But his character will need clearer examination as we go forward.
Claire's emotional outbursts from hand holding to knife holding to hugging was very interesting. As was Sayid's catatonic state. Again it was intriguing and difficult to decipher what was going on. Were the flashes of reason and conscience the old Claire coming through? Her behaviour certainly made you feel for Kate who must be so thoroughly confused, scared and miserable at this point.
I was pleased to see Charles Widmore fully armed and building pylons to keep out the smoke monster. If you are going to take down a big threat then you should come prepared.
The Bad: It's the same old complaint really and I don't think it dragged the episode down much. Kate and Sawyer exchanging hi's instead of having a conversation is almost a parody of a parody at this stage. And that lack of frank open questioning runs through the whole episode. Sawyer isn't very curious or scared when he realises he is standing in front of the monster that beat Mr Eko to death. He and Jin don't discuss how Locke can be walking around in front of them and what he might really be. Kate too doesn't ask for further details when you think that might be a reasonable question. One of the most famous stories in our culture is of doubting Thomas wanting some proof that Jesus had been resurrected so it's not unreasonable for these characters to question how this is all possible.
It's also worth asking about Cindy's reaction to John Locke. She did meet him (319) before and presumably some of these Others know who Locke was. I assume he was known well when he became leader or indeed just when he was walking around in seasons one and two. It raises the uncomfortable question again of why they are following him and aren't asking him who he is. If they don't know at all that he is the smoke monster (which they seem not to) then why didn't Dogen and Lennon tell them all when they were leaving the Temple? It's a bit of a mess.
The Unknown: Claire and Sayid's behaviour could do with a lot of clarifying. As could MIB's at this stage. Locke's mother was also mentally ill and I wonder if that was a simple coincidence or a more profound one. It also raises the question of Aaron being somehow connected to this as his own mother is crazy too.
A very significant moment seemed to happen when MIB said to Kate "I had some growing pains. Problems that I'm still trying to work my way through. Problems that could have been avoided had things been different." The music hits that creepy note of significance at that moment. Of course what he is saying sounds exactly like what is going on in the flashsideways where all our characters are working through their problems because things turned out differently for them. What does that all mean?
Who did kill the Ajeera passengers? What is Charles Widmore really up to? He implies that he didn't send Keamy to kill everyone and here he is apparently fighting Jacob's enemy. What is behind those padlocks? Miles says Charlotte works with his Dad at the museum. Does this mean Pierre Chang too got off the island safely before it sank?
One note on last week's episode and apologies for not being able to give due credit (I heard it on one of the many excellent Lost podcasts). But seeing Miles "listen" to Jacob's ashes could explain his use of a dust buster in the first scene where we meet him (402). Perhaps it was gathering the remnants of the deceased for him to be able to "hear" better what the dead boy was saying.
Best Moment: I wouldn't say there were any outstanding moments here, the episode was consistent throughout. But the moment which clicked for me was Sawyer telling Charlotte why he became a cop. It may have been on the nose but it confirmed clearly once more how the flashsideways world is different. It also demonstrated Sawyer being a more open and good person in this reality.
The Bottom Line: I thought this was solid and enjoyable throughout despite the familiar gripes. I also like that Sawyer is the only survivor to state a clear and obvious plan - I'm taking my friends off the island no matter what. That's how most of them should be thinking and it makes him an easy character to relate to and support. The rest of the story is bubbling away building intrigue and I have few complaints about the direction.
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