S2Ep19 - S.O.S. (Rose and Bernard's first flashback) - 04/12/06

Hello my dear friends -

First off, as you may have noticed, I'm trying to add more pictures for your viewing pleasure. If you mouse over them, you can read my witty captions.

Second, I need to close out an issue from my previous post:

In the hallowed words of world-famous Anchorman Ron Burgundy:
"What's that, Baxter? You know I don't speak Spanish! In English please."

I am sorry to break it to all of you that I took French throughout high school and college, not Spanish. Bad choice, perhaps, but that is my excuse for not catching that what Dave said while posing for the Polaroid was "queso" (meaning cheese) a few episodes ago. Had he yelled "la fromage!", that would've been a different story. Plus ALL these people on the boards were convinced he said Hanso, so they had me convinced as well. Mob mentality - watch out for it.


On to 'S.O.S.' I liked this episode better than 'Dave,' but overall I still didn't think it was that great. However, I appreciated the fact that the flashbacks directly tied back into two major aspects of present-time island events: 1) the fact that Rose felt cured now that she was on the island and therefore wanted to stay put and 2) the fact that she knew Locke's "secret." We learned that Jack still would get it on with Kate if given the chance. We saw Locke desperately attempting to re-create the Hatch Map and going crazy trying to figure out if Henry entered the numbers and pushed the button or not. Kate actually shared some information, we found out that Eko and Charlie are indeed building a church, and finally, we witnessed the return of... Vincent! Yay! Oh, and yeah, that dude that was always screaming "Waaaaalllllttt!" came back, too.



A LITTLE DITTY, 'BOUT ROSE AND BERNARD

I had an idea about Rose and Bernard's backstory that was way off, as I assumed that they had met when they were in their twenties. I am still hoping at some point they will do individual flashbacks of each of them when they were much younger. But for now, we've learned that they only met around six or seven months before the plane crash, and that the reason they were in Australia was both for their honeymoon and for a surprise visit to a healer, Isaac. Rose's cancer was back with a vengeance and Bernard paid ten thousand dollars to get her in to see a supposed miracle healer in the outback. But the healer offered their money back because he said he knew he could not heal Rose. However, Rose still decided to tell Bernard that she was 'cured' so that he would drop it. Now that they've been on the island for 2 months and Bernard made a feeble attempt to build an S.O.S. sign on the beach, Rose broke down and told him the truth: she had not been cured by Isaac, but she knows that the cancer is now gone - and that she is certain it is because of the island. So therefore she didn't want to leave the island. Weepy Bernard agreed that they would never leave.



ISAAC OF ULURU (does that sound like a Lord of the Rings character, or what?)

So back to Isaac... Many people on the boards tried to focus in on Isaac's Wall o' Fan Mail that was briefly shown when he was talking with Rose. It was highlighted that there seemed to be a theme of both flowers and "the dharma wheel" going on amidst the letters. The dharma wheel is not the exact same thing as the Dharma symbol we've all come to know and love, but people thought it was too much of a coincidence in shape and name to be ignored. The main theory is that Isaac may somehow be involved with The Others. In addition, they drew parallels with Claire's psychic... both he and Isaac had disturbing reactions when they encountered the soon-to-be Lostaways. I don't think Isaac and/or Claire's psychic were involved with The Others. I think the main reason why we were introduced to Isaac was for him to dole out this piece of information:

ROSE: So, um, how does this work? I sit here and you chant, pray, or what?
ISAAC: There are certain places with great energy -- spots on the Earth like the one we're above now. Perhaps this energy is geological -- magnetic. Or perhaps it's something else. And when possible I harness this energy and give it to others. May I?
[He puts his hands near Rose's face and closes his eyes. He suddenly opens his eyes, looking disturbed.]
ROSE: What? What, what is it?
ISAAC: I'm sorry. I can't do anything for you, Rose.
ROSE: I didn't expect you to.
[Rose goes to a window and looks out at Bernard talking to a young girl on crutches.]
ISAAC: It's not that you can't be healed. Like I said, there's different energies. This is not the right place for you.
ROSE: Where is the right place?
ISAAC: I wish I knew.

This post from the boards sums up my exact thoughts on why Isaac and this flashback overall was important to the plot:- "It's hugely important. The doctor in Australia said that his location was over one of several spots on earth ("might be magnetic, might be theological...") that somehow fixed people. All he did was channel whatever power this is. When he said he couldn't cure her, he said something to the effect that this specific spot wasn't hers. I interpreted that to mean that another one of these mysterious locations WOULD fix her. And voila. She crashes on Mystery Freaking Island. She and Locke (and who else, I wonder?) are miraculously cured. I'd bet anything that these mysterious forces are what attracted Dharma to the island... and that the "?" in the middle of the hatchmap is related to this mysterious force."

And remember, we KNOW there is a strange magnetic force on the island - we've seen it several times already - screwing up the compass, attracting the key around Jack's neck to the wall of the hatch, the "magnetic hum" that occurs when the numbers count down, and so on.



SEABILLY COSTUMES? WHAT SEABILLY COSTUMES?


Despite much mockery and guilty enjoyment of the Net of Lust scene with Jack and Kate early in the episode, the Kate Hate Train was soon raring down the tracks again after it was confirmed that she had NOT told anyone about the Others' costume lockers or the Medical Hatch.

JACK: What did you mean back there?
KATE: What?
JACK: In the net -- you said they were sophisticated, the Others.
KATE: Uh, last week when the baby got sick, Claire and I went into the jungle and, uh, found another hatch.
JACK: What?
KATE: It's a medical station. There's nothing you can use; it was all cleared out, but I found some lockers. They had clothes inside -- all worn and dirty. And they were on hangers like costumes, you know. And there was a make-up kit, and a fake beard.
JACK: When were you going to tell me this?
KATE: When you decided to let me back in the club.


The club? I have a club for Kate. At this point I would be absolutely fine if they held a Very Special "Fight Club" Episode where Ana Lucia and Kate just duked it out - resulting in both of them being incapacitated for the rest of the series. And none of the other characters would even have to talk about it (not like they actually would anyway)... because, well, you know the First Rule of Fight Club!



ANOTHER WOMAN WHO CAN KEEP A SECRET...


ROSE: So, what are you doing down here, John? Can't remember the last time I saw you out of that hatch.
LOCKE: I'm done with the hatch.

ROSE: Oh, now you're just frustrated. You'll be out of that splint and running around the island again in no time.

LOCKE: And yet, Jack said it would be at least 4 weeks.

ROSE: But, honey, you and I both know it's not going to take that long.


We had all thought that Boone was the only one to know that Locke was in a wheelchair before the crash (because Locke told Boone about it right before Boone fell off the cliff, and because Locke was carried onto the plane before anyone else boarded), but it looks like Rose also knew all along because of their brief airport interaction. The scene with Rose and Locke on the beach, (and then its corresponding flashback near the end of the episode), were my favorites of the night.



SHOULD THEY STAY OR SHOULD THEY GO?

Unlike my friends watching with me, I personally liked the "everybody is moving forward" montage at the end, signaling that the Lostaways have made peace with the fact that they're on the island. It definitely sets them up to be in a position to want to fight The Others because they actually can see themselves staying for the foreseeable future.

WAY TO RUIN THE MOOD

The scene: a romantic campfire (albeit in the middle of Craphole Island's Jungle, but still)

KATE: I'm sorry I kissed you.
JACK: I'm not.

Dramatic pause.

It looks like Jack is going to finally make a move... but then suddenly they hear rustling and see a torch coming through the jungle.

Someone is running toward them making frightened gasping sounds.

He falls almost at their feet and they turn him over.

KATE: Michael.

e (viewing at home, obviously): DAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!





BEST LINES OF THE EPISODE


BERNARD: Okay, 2 months we've been on this island -- 2 months. And already we have a water trough, and we've got a food pantry. And people are taking showers in your hatch. Have you forgotten that we all crashed on this island? It's like none of you want to go home again.
CLAIRE: How can you say that? Of course we want to go home.
BERNARD: Well, then why aren't we doing anything about it?
HURLEY: Dude, we, like, built a raft. But it got blown up.



BERNARD: Well, could I at least grab some of these logs? We could use them...
EKO: We're using them.
BERNARD: For what, exactly?
CHARLIE: A church.
BERNARD: A church?
EKO: Yes.
BERNARD: Everybody on this island is building something. I'm trying to get us saved.
EKO: People are saved in different ways, Bernard.
BERNARD: I think I liked you better when you just hit people with your stick. [he exits]
CHARLIE: I like you just the way you are.



BERNARD: If you have time to fix your hut you have time to move some rocks. Come on, we could really use your help.
SAWYER: What, you got union trouble down at the sand factory, Norma Rae?

KATE: I'm flattered.
JACK: Yeah, why is that?
KATE: Because you chose me to go with you instead of Sawyer.
JACK: I asked Sayid first but he turned me down. And I only asked you because they don't want you.

RANDOM POSTS FROM THE BOARDS

- I loved Locke with Rose, and that somebody knows his secret and understands the extent of the Island's strangeness. It's just nice to see him out of the hatch, too. That place just isn't good for him: The door that he thought would lead to something profound just thrust him into a crazy man's nightmare, which was passed to him through Desmond and the film strip. He's got a controlling, neurotic, snippy, smug, judgmental, melodramatic tool of a doctor on one side and a sociopathic, deceitful, manipulative, evil bastard on the other. And apparently AnaL's his new boss. That place sucks.
- So Rose was healed by the island too, eh? Good for her! But why are Rose and Locke the only ones who get to benefit from the island's magical healing properties? It certainly doesn't seem to be doing anything for NotHenry's nasty shoulder wound. One episode, I'd like to see everyone wandering around, saying, "Hey, my psoriasis is gone!" "Wow, my deviated septum has magically repaired itself!"
- Something that I noticed: Bernard mentioned that there were lava flows. Rousseau's map has a crater indicated on it. I'd say that Craphole Island is actually Craphole Volcano.
- The Rose/Locke crossover may be my favourite non-island interaction yet. So meaningful and emotional.
- Locke needs a screencap of the blast doors.
- It was nice to see some of the other lostaways through. Frogurt, hee!
- Michael is so an Other now.
- When Anal told Locke she had pushed his button, did anyone else's Closed Captioning say "It's not my butt." for Locke's reply?
- Also, I had to laugh at the end, with the "date-night" montage, where it's Sun and Jin, Hurley and Libby, Rose and Bernard, Claire and Aaron... And then Sawyer and Vincent! Hee!
- Now we have seen two "psychics" freak out when they've encountered a Lostaway. These people are not here by accident!
- Did anyone else notice that Sun was nowhere NEAR as happy during "date night" as Jin was? She definitely had an odd look on her face - like she doesn't quite buy the "miracle baby" theory as easily as Jin does.
- Yes! Sun did not look like a happy camper. I really didn't like the look on her face the last time we saw them in her garden and Jin was hugging her. I wasn't sure then, but I feel really sure now that she knows that she is not carrying Jin's baby. The look on her face sealed it for me.
- I'm still of the Dharma-and-"the Others"-are-not-the-same-people camp. The Others may not care about Rose and Bernard, but Dharma would be interested in Rose as a test subject for the Island's curative properties.
- I want to see Frogurt's backstory.
- I was firmly in the "Sun didn't cheat" camp after her backstory episode, but just from that look tonight, I have to change my mind. She does not want this baby.



THE FINAL FOUR

As you know, Lost is now on hiatus until May 3rd, although there is another "recap" episode airing on 4/26. It will show up as a "new" episode on TiVo...

But the new episodes you actually care about air as follows:

5/3 - "Two for the Road." You may have been able to figure out whose flashback this will be from the preview, but if you didn't, I'm not telling you! If you would like to see the preview again, click here.

5/10 - "?" - I now think I know whose flashback this will be, and I think it will either rock, or be EXTREMELY ANNOYING. That's a clue!


5/17 - "Three minutes." I have been avoiding reading information about this episode so as to not ruin it for myself


5/24 - The name of the two-hour finale has been revealed: "Live Together, Die Alone." All hear this: There are TONS of spoilers out there about the finale. I have done my best to avoid them... but unfortunately I already accidentally read some things I wish I hadn't.

No one has sent me any spoilers this season thus far and for that, I thank you - I've enjoyed it much more now that I'm always surprised. If you come across anything about upcoming episodes and specifically the finale, please do not send it to me - ignorance is truly bliss in this case.


And now - I've got some bad news for you - I'm going to be in Vegas, Baby, Vegas for an extended weekend in early May and will therefore not be able to see "Two For the Road," much less post its write-up before "?" airs on the 10th. I will try damnedest though, fear not. At the very least I will put up a short message saying when I expect the next new write-up will be ready. Since I only hand over a total of $20 to my grandma to put into the quarter slots on my behalf over the course of 5 days while in Vegas, there is no possibility that I will "hit it big" and not return to my Lost write-up duties.


THE REAL DHARMA INITIATIVE IS TAKING PLACE IN e'S BASEMENT:
RAISING A NATION OF LOCKE FANS, ONE BABY AT A TIME

Until next time,
- e