From the beginning of the episode, the episode title completely misled me. I was sure this was going to be a sun-focused episode, so I was really surprised to see that the episode started with Sayid on his side. It was sad to see in the flash-sideways that it is Sayid’s brother who ended up with Nadia, but Sayid had his reasons. It was also interesting to see that, much like Island Sayid, “just when he thought he was out, they pushed him back.” I’m getting used to seeing other characters appear in the flash from the side, so now it’s just a guessing game to see who will be the surprise cameos. I took a photo in the dark and assumed it would be Jin tied up in that meat freezer, but I never suspected we’d see Keamy again. I guess it’s fitting that Sayid sent him here, since he couldn’t do it alone on the island in Season 4. So why did they tie up and beat Jin up in the meat freezer? My wife thinks he gave her the gold watch and I’m guessing Keamy and his men beat him up to send some kind of message to Mr. Paik. Hopefully we find out more about that soon.
Honestly, the flash-sideways story wasn’t too compelling, but the Island story more than made up for it. From the start, it seemed like this would be another episode where someone asked questions but didn’t get any answers. However, despite some obfuscation, Dogen was quite forthcoming. During the extended fight scene between Dogen and Sayid, the baseball falling in slow motion was pretty ridiculous, and I should have seen the harrowing storyline associated with it coming, but I figured it could be weeks before we got it. Dogen confirmed what we were led to believe after his appearance in Jack’s flash-sideways last week: he is not a former pirate, but rather he came to the Island more recently from Japan, where he was a banker. Jacob brought him to the island so his son could live in the real world after surviving a terrible car accident. Beyond that, we may not learn much more about him thanks to his shocking murder, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Sayid’s confrontation with Locke was pretty impressive. The Smoke Monster noises and foliage rustling before Locke’s appearance made for a really cool entrance. I wonder if things would have been different if Sayid had stabbed Locke before he had a chance to say hello. I don’t think Dogen was being literal when he told Sayid that if he stabbed Locke after speaking it would be too late… but what if he was? Honestly though, I think Dogen’s plan was for Locke to kill Sayid… too bad he never counted on Sayid being susceptible to temptation. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Sayid ended up killing Dogen, but I was fooled when he put down the knife. I never expected the man to grow up! And then killing Lennon just like that was brutal! Although Lennon said that Dogen was the only thing protecting Locke’s Temple, I have a feeling Sayid just broke the circle of ash and that’s what let the Smoke Monster in.
Kate is really annoying. With all the writers on staff, it seems like they could create a better story for her. Their search for Claire didn’t last long and Claire was pissed off, but it doesn’t look like she’s going to kill Kate any time soon. And now that? I don’t know what we’re supposed to get out of her interaction other than that Claire has definitely chosen sides and is with Locke. And what about the “Silence of the Lambs” well in the temple?
The Smoke Monster’s assault on the Temple reminded me of the time Ben called the Monster to deal with the commandos in Dharma Village back in season 4. The carnage was intense and I wasn’t sure if Miles would make it. . In fact, I thought the knocking on the door he was hiding behind was Locke coming to negotiate with him. Needless to say, I was surprised when it turned out to be Ilana, Frank, Sun, and Ben. I guess we’ll soon find out about his trip to the Temple. Ben was suitably scared by the “new” Sayid, leading my wife to speculate that everything that was done to cure him as a child was different from what was done to Sayid.
The final moments of the episode were very powerful and disturbing. The soundtrack to “Catch a Falling Star” as Clair and Kate walked among the dead of the Temple was appropriately creepy. And then Sayid and Claire’s slow-motion meeting with Locke was very sinister. I wonder what we’re going to make of Locke’s expression when he saw that Kate was with Claire. I couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or indifference. I am officially scared for Locke and the power he wields. Like I said before, I still have no idea how the show will end, but it looks like our main characters may end up torn between two sides of a very old conflict.
