Thursday, March 19, 2009

We got hamburgers. We got punch.











Sawyer tells Jack to step off. The flash mysteriously gave Jack a 1970s ‘do. Sun gives Ben a smack upside the head. Sawyer says "what's up?" to Kate. Ethan hangs out in a hammock. Phil the Dharma guy has wicked eyebrows. Harry Potter Ben serves up Sayid a sammich.

Lost 5x09: Namaste


Ajira Flight 316, 2007:
Frank Lapidus is flying the Ajira 316. The co-pilot notes that Hurley, an Oceanic 815 survivor, is on the flight. Lapidus doesn’t let on that Hurley’s not the only one, joking that lightning won’t strike twice in the same place. Then the turbulence hits. Flash. Suddenly it’s daylight and the island is in front of them. Sully Lapidus safely lands on runway (the runway that the Others had Kate and Sawyer help build when they were being held back in season 3). Poor co-pilot dude got a branch through the windshield.


Geek alert: As the plane is going down, we hear the numbers being broadcast on the radio. The numbers wouldn't have been broadcasting in 2007. Danielle replaced them at least 19 years ago and then that transmission was stopped by the 815ers so Charlie could get the signal in the Looking Glass station.


Caesar wakes up Ilana (she says “Sarah” or “Tara” when he’s waking her). Frank sees Sun there and asks where the other 815ers are. Ben, creepy as always, says “They’re gone.” Lapidus asks where, and typical Ben replies, “How would I know?”


1977:

Sawyer meets the Dharma van at the North Point, as we saw at the end of LaFleur. Sawyer and Kate hug. It’s clear he was lying to Horace when he said that he’d forgotten her. The question is whether he puts his feelings for Juliet behind him.

They tell Sawyer that Locke is dead (typical Lost – when asked how he died, Jack says it doesn’t matter).

Jin says they have to radio back or the Dharma folks will be suspicious. Hurley plays the part of the viewer and says, “Dude, your English is awesome.” Sawyer says that they’ll bring them back. Hurley asks what about everyone else and Jin learns that Sun was on the plane too. He rushes off to find Radzinski to find out if a plane landed on the island. Sawyer tells them to stay put until he can figure out how to get them back to the Dharma barracks safely.
Oh, and by the way guys, it’s 1977. Hope you’re ok with that.


Geek alert: In the future, Radzinski was one of the numbers’ button pushers partnered with Kelvin Inman. Radzinski was also the person who started the map of the island and the Dharma stations on the blast door. He person who edited the orientation film for the Swan station, splicing out what we can be sure was important information. Kelvin stated that he committed suicide by shotgun (there was a blood stain on the ceiling of the Swan) and was buried in the time between button pushings by Inman. Desmond took over for Radzinski after he encountered Inman after Des was marooned.

Juliet suggests to Sawyer that they process Kate, Jack and Hurley as if they’re new Dharma recruits coming in on the sub.

Jin visits Radzinski at the Flame and demands to know if a plan has landed on the island. Radzinski sends out a system-wide broadcast asking for info, but no one else has seen the plane.

2007:
Back on the beach on the smaller island, Frank takes the leadership role. He says that they need to “stick together” (echoing Jack’s “live together, die alone” line). Caesar says that there are buildings on the island and Ben walks off to find them. Sun and Frank follow him.


1977:
Juliet goes to get the sub manifest from Amy, who’s recovering after delivering her baby. Amy wakes up and Juliet says that she doesn’t want Amy working in her condition. Amy says they named the baby Ethan. (‘Twas Ethan, as speculated. Though why he was named Ethan Rom in the future and not Goodspeed is a question we don’t know yet.) Amy tells Juliet that she and LaFleur should have a baby too, and she replies, weepy, “timing’s gotta be right.”

Sawyer returns with 1970s clothing for them. They are supposed to act as though they were coming in on the sub. They agree to do it as there won’t be another sub for six months.

Back at the Flame, Radzinski gets the final report and no one at any of the stations has any indication of a plane landing. A motion sensor alarm goes off inside the Dharma perimeter and Jin runs off to look for whoever it is. Turns out it’s Sayid. There’s almost a happy reunion until Radzinsky shows up.
Jin figures it’s easier to pretend that Sayid is a hostile and take him prisoner than try to explain it and blow his, Sawyer’s, Juliet’s and Miles’ covers.


Geek alert: Among other things, the Muppet Show was showing on one of the TV screens (top left). To the right of that was a newscast. Not sure who...Cronkite? Anyone confirm?



Sawyer’s taking Hurley, Jack and Kate to be processed and they’re trying to wrap their heads around this. Hurley reminds Sawyer that all of Dharma were killed in the future and their bodies dumped in a pit and asks if Sawyer is going to warn them. He says “ain’t here to play Nostradamus” and that Faraday told them they can’t change the future anyway. Jack asks about Faraday and Sawyer only replies that he’s not here…anymore.


They arrive at the Dharma new recruit processing and Sawyer tells them to just play it cool. Miles shows up and sees Jack and Hurley. Miles tells Sawyer there’s a hostile caught at the Flame. Jin tells Sawyer on the radio that it’s Sayid. Radzinski has held him in the storage room.


Question: How did Sayid make it past the sonic fence?


2007:

Ben tells Sun he’s heading to the other island and that’s likely where Jin would be. He’s going to use an outrigger to get there. Sun tells Lapidus that they should go despite the fact that a freighter was sent to retrieve him…she believes him because he may be able to help them find Jin. They make it to the outrigger, Ben throws off his arm sling (mama island kissed it all better) and says that they’re going to go to the sub dock on the island. Sun clocks him with an oar.


Question: Why did Sun go back to 2007 and not 1977? There was some speculation that perhaps baby Sun was on the island in 1977 and there couldn’t be two Suns on the island, but her passport stated she was born in 1980, so that’s not likely. Could it be because she left Ji Yeon home? Thoughts?


1977:

Dr. Pierre Chang is processing Jack because Amy is recovering from giving birth. He gives Jack his assignment – his aptitude test showed that he was up for janitorial work. A man with creepy eyebrows, Phil, says that Kate is not on the list. Juliet saves the say with a new manifest with Kate’s name on it. (Phil is one suspicious dude.)


Potential Geek Alert: Is this a continuity error? Did the baby, when she was handing it back to Amy look more like a doll than the baby she was handed?



At the Flame, Radzinsky is freaking out to LaFleur that Sayid “the hostile” might have seen the model of The Swan and the survey of the island. He recommends shooting Sayid. They question Sayid who realizes that he has to play along. He says he’s “a hostile” and LaFleur takes him back to the barracks.


2007:

Lapidus and Sun arrive at the dock. (It’s pitch back out even though they only had a half mile to paddle across to the other island.) They hear the black smoke monster noice and then trees start to rustle. They make it to the Dharma processing center that, in 2007, has been destroyed by Keamy’s crew. A light comes on in the abandoned building and Christian emerges. He tells them to come in.


He shows them a picture of the Dharma “freshman class of 1977” and Jack, Hurley and Kate are in the picture. He says they have quite a journey ahead of them.


What’s up with the person standing behind Sun in the dark? Looks like red hair. Could it be Charlotte? Jacob? If not, then who?







1977:

Phil of the Eyebrow is taking the picture that Christian shows Sun. Phil tells them to get settled into their new digs and get used to the safety protocol. And they can have hamburgers and punch. LaFleur and Jin show up with Sayid and they bring him down to the brig. LaFlawyer tells Phil to bring him food.


Jack asks Phil where to find LaFleur and Juliet answers the door. They hug, and Jack comes in to talk to Sawyer. Jack questions why they’re not doing more. And Sawyer tells Jack to step off. He tells Jack that he thinks, unlike Jack who just reacts…that he saved Jack’s ass and he should go back and wait for someone to figure it out for him. Sawyer took great pleasure in putting Jack in his place.


Outside, Katie is pacing and she and Saywer wave to each other.

Sayid gets his sandwich delivered and it’s by mini-Ben! Ham and cheese with extra creepy and a side of bug-eyes.



Overall, a great plot episode. It didn’t have the twists or mythologies that leave me scratching my head. But it was certainly necessary to advance the plot. What did you think? Drop me a comment below.


-Sean Salo

9 comments:

Kate30 said...

I totally didn't get that Sun, Ben, Lapidus, et al were in 2007. I assumed the entire island was in 1977 and that group was just stuck on the other island and thats why they were separated.

Whoa.

dbw said...

I think the person crouching in the back of the scene was part of the camera crew -- if you pause you can see her face.

Katie said...

In the background of Sun in the cabin, it definitely looks like Charlotte. However, the face is a bit long and could be Jacob.

As far as why Sun didn't get pulled to the 70s, I was thinking maybe Sun is dying. Locke was dead, Ben was really beat up by Sayid, and maybe Sun is sick? Or maybe she is destined to be with her baby and shouldn't go back.

I don't think it was a member of the camera crew - they don't make mistakes like that on this show.

Unknown said...

I definitley think creepy punch man is on to them, since he totally hovered over jack after he asked for james. Also - do you think that Juliette got a little pleasure out of putting kate in her place as well - I saw it as juliette making her sweat a little to remind her that things are no longer the same and that kate can't have her cake and eat it too. Lol - can you tell I'm team juliette?

Also something to note - could jack be the workman that they found in the woods a few seasons ago and not bens dad as assumed or is that too far of a stretch? Just something I noted. Also, maybe faraday is with the hostiles? So many questions as always but great recap!

Sean said...

@kris - The workman in the vanwas Roger "workman" and Ben's dad. Was there another workman they found?

@Katie - Could be that she's sick. She doesn't seem it, but that means little of course. I have a feeling it has to do with not taking JiYeon. Seems like Christian's going to help her get to 1977 and Jin.

@Dana - possible. I guess we'll see in the weeks ahead.

@Kate30 - They used the title card with "30 years earlier" when it flashed from the little island to the big island and Kate/Jack/Hurley. Also explains why none of the Dharma stations saw the plane come in.

Joe B said...

Sayid may have appeared inside the sonic fence after the flash, or perhaps he had seen the fence disarmed earlier in the series.

I don't know why some went to the past and some stayed in the present. I don't think it has to do with not being in two places at once. Technically, miles should be on the island as a baby too, and they all flashed to the time when the beam of light came out of the hatch - - remember, when Sawyer saw Kate, but didn't say anything to her.

Never noticed the woman over Sun's shoulder. My guess is Clair. Oh, and love the new bad a*s Sun. Wacks Ben with an ore, and isn't afraid of a little ol' smoke monster.

I'm glad Hurley brought up the fact that all the Dharma people were eventually killed. That's something that was on my mind.

There's got to be a connection to Jack getting the "Workman" job and having a similar reaction as Ben's father when he arrived and got a "Workman" job.

Why did Jack leave Sawyer and Juliette's house without asking like, a zillion more questions?? Or Juliette and Sawyer asking Jack a zillion questions?? They hadn't seen each other in three years - - wouldn't you want to know even a little about what each other went through?

Just my thoughts...thanks for the recap.

CootieGirl said...

yeah why is no one questioning that they fell back in time?

Also I think Sayid just happened to land inside the sonic fence since they were scattered about.

and the girl in the background has to be Clair - she is the only one hanging with Christian these days.

Sean said...

@JoeB - True, he may have landed inside the perimeter, but it seemed they'd been on the island a bit before the alert went off. Yeah, could be Claire. The hair is throwing me off if so though. And they never ask questions. How did Locke die? He just did, Sawyer so shut up. It makes no sense!

@Kelly - Yeah, it's a good question...they're just taking it on faith that they jumped back in time.

It's also weird that they used the "flashback sound" when they jumped AHEAD 30 years. They could be signaling that it's not actually 2007, but that makes no sense if they said it was 30 years earlier where Jack and team are.


Note: Edited the post to include reference to the numbers broadcast and The Muppet Show. Totally forgot to put them in there from my notes.

Christian said...

"Question: How did Sayid make it past the sonic fence?"

If you remember corectly from Season 3, The Flame Station isn't located inside the fence. They reach and destroy the Flame and then find the fence around Othersville, and throw Patchy through.

I wonder if we will see patchey again?