Hey there naughty knowers of knowledge, and after weeks of wondering, we finally learnt what happened to those Locke left behind. Sawyer, the greatest con artist around, managed to secure a place for his group as a part of the Dharma Initiative in 1974. Of course, if you're anything like me, the highlight of the episode hit about, ooh, two minutes in with the reveal of the fully formed statue! I won't be talking about the possible romantic quadrangle because, hey, who cares!
• I've never screamed at my TV the way I did when Miles pointed out the statue. I'm pretty sure that was the most satisfying thing that has happened this season, at least for me.
• Can you believe Sawyer's last centric episode was a ridiculous 42 episodes ago, "Every Man for Himself"? Just think about how far he's come, from rebellious prisoner of the Others to upholder of Island law. This episode also made me think of "The Long
Con" back in season two, where Sawyer used Charlie to make a move for the guns and instated himself into power with the line, "There's a new sheriff in town." Fittingly, the Dharma logo Sawyer, Jin and Miles are rocking is a five-pointed star.• Sawyer's use of his knowledge of the island's past to concoct his cover story was most impressive. He co-opted the French team's story of crashing on the reef and washing ashore with his own first-hand knowledge of the Black Rock. In fact, without him even knowing, Sawyer incorporated the same Black Rock search cover story as was used aboard Christiane I, the vessel from the FIND 815 story that eventually found the fake 815 wreckage.
• Those of us who've been wondering if the Island survivors would have lost years of their lives thanks to the flashes need no longer worry as they spent the same amount of time in the past lying as the Oceanic Six have spent off-island. It looks like you only lose time if you turn the frozen wheel yourself. Ben lost ten months, travelling from Dec 30th 2004 to October 2005, while Locke obviously lost a whole lot more, travelling from whatever ancient time period Sawyer and company saw the statue in to 2007.
• Turns out you can walk through the sonic fence as long as you're wearing ear plugs. Don't get me started on how this is physically impossible. The fact they followed it up with the revelation that the fence doesn't stop Alpert, and possibly the rest of the Others, more than made up for it. Does this mean the fence's sole purpose is to keep Smokey out? It certainly explains the need for a truce with the Others and the reasons behind the Arrow being focused on producing weaponry to use against them.
• Is there anything that Juliet possibly can't do? She's now working as a mechanic, she landed Sawyer and she delivered a baby with technology outdated ten years before she started practicing medicine. We saw her speak Latin early this season and explain that all Others speak it, being the enlightened language. Juliet, you are the perfect example of a Renaissance woman.
• I want to have a hootenanny where we dance to Geronimo Jackson, eat brownies and neglect our duties by not watching the polar bear cages. Side note: Patrick Fischler, who plays nerdy, nervy Phil, is one of my favorite up-and-coming character actors and absolutely kills on Mad Men, the other best show on television. If you enjoyed the period feel of this ep, I truly can't recommend it enough. Dude has so much acting cred, you can catch him in Speed, Twister, Ghost World, Mulholland Drive,
Old School and Win A Date With Ted Hamilton!• Sawyer, sorry, LaFluer referring to Richard Alpert as "your buddy out there in the guyliner" was absolutely hilarious. Nestor Carbonell, who plays Richard, really does have the darkest lines around his eyes. He's probably super tired from running Gotham City.
• This episode featured another brilliant moment of fate convincing Alpert Locke was special. Two years after once again reaching out to the young Locke, this time through the form of a summer camp, a smooth talking Southerner strolls into his enemy's camp and declares he's waiting for the same man to return. Could Sawyer's knowledge of Locke's intended return be what caused him to stop reaching out and simply bide his time?
• Was that little redheaded girl in 1974 Charlotte? Dan certainly seemed to think so. Ben declared last season that Charlotte was born in 1979 but considering we know she grew up on the island, could Ben have actually been wrong about something?
Namaste
The Heroic Lost Ninja