"...we're going to need to see that again..."

For what is increasingly turning in to a Lost blog, I completely forgot to post at all about last week's episode, 316. So, this one's going to have to cover that, and The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham... So;

316

In which the Oceanic Six finally got back to the Island. Well, apart from Aaron. And Desmond, but he doesn't really count... 

The most intriguing thing about the episode is how they had to recreate the circumstances of the original crash to ensure the return to the island. So, Jack once again was escorting a dead body, only this time it was Locke's rather than his dad's. There is a theory that all the others were tasking on the circumstances of other characters, albeit unwittingly, to aid the returm;

Sayid was taking the role of Kate in the original crash, in that he appeared to be under arrest and handcuffed to some sort of marshall.

Hurley was taking on Charlie's role; he came on board with a rock and roll guitar.

Ben took Hurley's role in that he almost missed the flight.

There is a suggestion that after Kate and Jack's night of passion she's pregnant, and thus she's taking on Claire's role.

The only doubt is which role Sun is taking... the only one that appears to fit is Rose, as initially she was seperated from her husband, but that occurred after the original crash, so doesn't really fit. 

Then, of course, the fact that we saw events solely from Jack's point of view meant that there were many unanswered questions;

• Who beat up Ben? (My money is on Desmond.)
  
• Who told Hurley about the flight? (I reckon he had another vision of Charlie, who told him to take the guitar...)
  
• Why is Sayid is custody?
  
• What happened to Aaron? Where is he? Who has him? (I reckon she's with Claire's mum.) 
  
• Where did Desmond go to, and is he going to return to the island?

Still... I guess these are all things we'll find out in forthcoming episodes...

The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham

This episode did answer one question that was dangling from the previous episode; did Jack et al get back on the island via a time-flash or the plane crashing...? 

The appearance of Jin in Dharma gear made it obvious that at least Jack, Kate and Hurley were caught up in a time-flash, but it's clear that this isn't the case for all of them. We know that at some point after the O6 rescue the Ajira plane arrives on the island, as we can tie this in with the earlier episode with the canoes. And here we see the Ajira plane landed on the Hydra island. Remember at the start of Season three where Sawyer and Kate were clearing a path of some kind... and Sawyer joked it was a runway for a flying saucer... well, he was half right; it was a runway. But for this plane. 

So, now we have the question as to why some time-flashed and others didn't. We know Jack, Kate and Hurley time-flashed, and we can assume Kate and Sayid did. So... if these 815ers time-flashed, why didn't Locke...? It's odd.

This whole episode was quite something. We had more of Abbadon in this one episode than we've had in all of his appearances put together. And just as we get to know him... BAM... gunned down. Mind you, I guess Lance Reddick is busy with Fringe these days... There were some very intriguing things...

There's the whole timescale of events. It appears that from Locke seeing Jack in the hospital there is little time passed between that and his death, but then that should mean there's little time between his death and when Jack sees his coffin, and corpse, at Hoffs Drawlar. But that can't be the case as it's Locke's visit that causes Jack to start taking flights in the hope that one will crash him back on the island, and going by his beard growth that's got to be a good couple of months. So, the times don't seem to add up unless... there are events we've still to be shown. Which, knowing Lost, wouldn't surpise me in the least.

Also, you have Widmore and Ben on opposing sides, yet both are trying to get the O6 back on the island... this seems odd, as you would think that this would aid one side over the other yet both seem to be wanting the same thing. Curious. 

But the oddest thing... after spending all that time talking Locke out of killing himself, at the mere mention of the name "Eloise Hawking", Ben strangles him to death. It is really most odd indeed. We see a different side to Ben when he's speaking to Locke. He's tender, compassionate even. And then, with the mention of the name it all turns on its head. It's a sudden, and shocking moment. Yet, when Ben apologises afterwards you know he genuinely means it. What is it about her that caused that reaction...?

You really have no idea what is going to happen next.

This is the best thing about this show; you make assumptions about what the show is about, and where it's going and it cheerfully leads you one way and then... oh, it takes you another. I mean, the assumption from the start was that the show would just be about how they got off the island... the end of season 3 smashed that assumption. I am really quite sure that any guess as to where the show will end up by the end will be somewhat way off the mark. It's very interesting to note that apparently one of the titles considered for the show before they settled on Lost was The Circle. I only read this recently, and in light of recent events, the whole time-flash malarkey, it does throw some light on things. Oh, and then you have Mrs Hawking's brooch from the first time she appeared; an ouroboros symbol. Now, Lost does have a habit of hiding things in plain sight, so I think this brooch is significant. Really, I can't help but think that the whole show will end where it began; with the crash of 815. How, I don't know, but it does seem like a distinct possibility...