Initial Reaction to "Sundown"

I enjoyed this episode a lot. It wasn't the best thus far this season, and it definitely wasn't the worst either, but the action in it was just awesome. It also was probably one of the darkest and most disturbing episodes of LOST in a long time (The Man Behind the Curtain always freaked me the hell out.). I strongly disagree with those who are becoming quite frustrated and keep saying that these episodes are "filler" and nothing is really happening. These people need to remember that the reason that LOST drew us all in was its characters. Those wonderful characters lead us to the mythology. That mythology lead us to answers eventually. If I didn't have patience, I would have never kept watching this show. I love LOST for its many questions, its mythology, and the fact that it challenges me to think and to learn and grow as a person, and that is all rooted in the characters. I truly believe that the character and mythology building is going somewhere. Believe me, if it doesn't soon, I will be the first to object. But, the thing is, I've spent six years obsessing over this show. I'm going to let myself enjoy it now. I'm not going to spend what little is left of it complaining. If you want to watch a show that doesn't make you think or leave you wondering, go which HEROES (Sorry to those who still watch it, but it's true.). LOST is still a good show. This is the story that the LOST creators/producers/writers wanted to tell, and I respect that, because for six years they have earned that respect from me. I trust that they will take this where it was meant to go. That's all I have to say about that. Also, Sayid is awesome. Now on with the show...

From Lostpedia

Here are some of my thoughts, questions, and theories on "Sundown" (Some of which were written while viewing the episode.):

Questions:

• Why did Nadia marry Sayid's brother?
• Have Nadia and Sayid had an affair?
• What's with the damn baseball?
• Why doesn't Dogen just kill Sayid?
• What is the Man in Black sending Claire to do?
• Where the hell are Jin and Sawyer?
• Did Miles communicate with Sayid after he died?
• Does the knife that Dogen gives to Sayid have any significance?
• Where did it come from? Who made it?
• How does Dogen know so much?
• Was Nadia still held by the Republican Guard and Sayid in Iraq?
• Why doesn't the knife kill MIB?
• What's going to happen to everyone and the island after sundown?
• Why is Jin being held captive by Martin Keamy?
• Where is Sun?
• When did Dogen come to the island?
• Why was Dogen the only thing keeping MIB out?
• What was the point of the circle of ash?
• Where is MIB heading with everyone now?
• Why can't MIB be stabbed, but Jacob can by stabbed and killed?

From Lostpedia

Notes: 

• Whoa, I totally thought this episode was going to be about Sun and Jin. I didn't look at any spoilers whatsoever (only knew the episode title), so I was completely surprised. Fooled, Darlton. Fooled.
• Sayid's brother is a dick. Enough said.
• Sayid was translating contracts for an oil company.
• Nadia sent Sayid letters while he was away. He didn't write back.
• I find Sayid and Nadia's story very tragic.
• Dogen says that "For every man, there is a scale. On one side of the scale there is good; the other side, there is evil. This machine tells us how the scale is balanced. And yours tipped the wrong way."
• "I think it would be best if you were dead." Dogen
• Sayid fights like a girl all of a sudden? Throwing dishes? Hitting with a broom? Come on, Sayid.
• That being said, Sayid always has the most awesome fights on LOST. I still think the best one was when he stabbed that dude with a dishwasher.
• By the way, a baseball has 108 stitches. Not sure if I mentioned that before. As a huge baseball fan, I find this incredibly awesome, and almost had an awesome-gasm when baseball turned up in LOST, as I, being the baseball fanatic that I am, already knew there were 108 stitches in a baseball.
• Gloves, but no shoe or socks, Dogen? Someone's making a fashion statement.
• "I always do what I say." MIB
• Claire must be alive if she can cross the circle of ash. If she were possessed by the Man in Black or one of his counterparts (whatever or whoever they are), she wouldn't be able to.
• Sayid's brother is the wuss who wouldn't kill the damn chicken, and now he can't protect his family either. Always getting Sayid to do his dirty work.
• Why in the world would you wake a KILLER at 2:30 AM? Did I mention that Sayid's brother is an idiot?
• So, first Dogen fights Sayid and tells him to leave, then he wants him to kill MIB with a special sword-knife? How rude. He didn't even ask politely or take him out to dinner first.
• What's with the sword-knife? Is it the only thing that can kill MIB?
• "Apparently, I'm evil." Sayid
• Miles says that Sayid was dead for two hours, that the others were just ass surprised as they were when he came back to life, so they weren't the ones who saved him.
• "You know who." Enough with the damn no name MIB already!!
• "I'm not a fool. If I step outside this Temple, he'll kill me." Dogen "Then, maybe you should send someone he won't kill." Claire
• Dogen tells Lennon to bring Shephard and Reyes to him because they are candidates and MIB can't kill them.
• "She is a confused girl, under the influence of an angry man. For years, he has been trapped. But now, Jacob is gone. He's free. This man will not stop until he has destroyed every living thing on this island. He is evil incarnate." Dogen
• It's always someone who wants to kill everyone on the island.
• "I want you to kill him. He will come to you as someone you know. Someone who has died. As soon as you see him, plunge this deep into his chest. If you allow him to speak, it is already too late." Dogen
• "Since I've been here, I've been drowned, beaten and tortured, at your hands. Why would I ever do anything for you." Sayid
• Jack can be seen passing by down the hallway in the hospital that Sayid and Nadia go into. St. Sebastian's must be the only hospital in Los Angeles.
• I thought Kate WASN'T going back to The Temple? Women can never make up their mind, especially Kate.
• "Sawyer sent you packing, huh? I thought about going after him too, but I knew that he'd just end up berating me until I turned around and came back. That pretty much what happened?" Miles "Pretty much." Kate
• "Welcome back to the circus." Miles
• "She just strolled in here a couple of hours ago, acting all weird. Still hot, though." Miles
• Oh, no, Kate. You DO NOT want to see Claire.
• Sayid stabs MIB, but there's no blood. Only a hole in his shirt. Pretty badass.
• RUN, SAYID!!! HE'S PISSED!!! You DO NOT want to mess with that dude.
• "Hello, Sayid." Uhh, Sayid? YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO LET HIM TALK! Also, you were supposed to stab him in the chest, not the abdomen. Reminds me of how when Sayid shot young Benjamin Linus in the chest and the bullet hole mysteriously moved to his stomach by the next episode.
• Locke/MIB's face when Sayid stabs him=priceless.
• "Now, why'd you go and do that?" MIB
• "You want it back? Take it, I won't bite." MIB
• "What are you?" Sayid "Well, Sayid, you seem to have some idea about that, considering you stabbed me in the chest without even saying hello." MIB
• Dogen sent Sayid to MIB so that he would kill him. Seems awfully dramatic with the whole fancy swordy-knife and the talk when he could have just manned-up and done it himself.
• "Shame on you, for being talked into it so easily." MIB
• "What if I told you that you could have anything you wanted? What if I said you could have anything int he entire world?" MIB "I would tell you that the only thing I ever wanted died in my arms, and I'll never see it again." Sayid
• Sayid's conversation with MIB and being able to have anything you wanted, anything in the world, reminds me of the magic box that Ben spoke of.
• The Smoke Monster/John Locke/MIB showing up was pretty cool. It reminded me of Season One a lot.
• Why only until sundown? Seems kind of dramatic.
• "For the last 12 years, I've been trying to wash my hands of all the horrible things I've done. I can't be with you, because I don't deserve you." Sayid
• Sayid said that he was looking for Nadia for 9 years in 2004 when the plane crashed.
• I'm really starting to think that these people don't so much as choose to follow Jacob, but are actually ruled by him. They didn't seem to have a choice to follow this man blindly, considering the first chance that they have to part ways with him, they do.
• Claire singing Catch A Falling Star=creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!!!
• "I'm not the one that needs to be rescued, Kate." Claire
• Kate and Claire reuniting was pretty cool, but I think a little anticlimactic. I guess I expected them to draw it out a little longer. I was expecting Claire to climb out of that hole and beat Kate with a squirrel baby.
• Hey, Kate? You might want to mention to Claire that Aaron is with her mother. That may be an important piece of information to pass along to the crazy lady that wants to kill you.
• Cindy is taking off with the kids and everyone seems to be gung-ho MIB all of a sudden. Nice sheep-others.
• Martin Keamy!! That was great. Keamy was totally channeling Christopher Walken.
• "I make good eggs." Keamy
• Jin?! What's he doing there? It's been pointed out that Keamy is wearing a nice watch, so maybe he was the one Jin was delivering the watch to on Mr. Paik's behalf.
• I knew that was going to be someone we knew. It's always someone we already know.
• Sayid is destined to be a killer no matter what universe he is in. 
• Omar and Keamy are the first two characters to be killed on screen in the flash sideways timeline as well as in the original timeline. Also, Omar is killed by blindly following Keamy who causes his death in both cases.
• Dogen says that his son was 12 when he died.
• Jacob offers Dogen a deal, just as MIB offers Sayid a deal. I'm starting to think that Jacob and MIB aren't so different afterall. They're not so much good and evil, but more like two sides of the same coin.
• I almost thought that Sayid and Dogen were going to have a bonding moment there.
• I'm kind of sad that Dogen is dead. He was an interesting character.
• Also, considering that he was killed in the same spring that brings people back to life, I have a feeling that he'll be back in one form or another.
• "He was the only thing keeping it out. Idiot. You just let it in." Lennon "I know." Sayid
• Uh, Lennon, you might want to refrain from calling the killer with the big ass knife names.
• Also, you're annoying. I'm not sad you're dead.
• I'm kind of surprised that Claire didn't kill Kate when she had the chance.
• Nice timing there, guys.
• Ben... slowly back away from Sayid. Reminds me of when Homer discovered Apu having the affair with the Squishy lady and slowly backed away from the Kwik-E-Mart, all the way home.
• Miles tells Sun that Jin was there and he's alive.
• Kate goes with Claire and Sayid. MIB looks surprised to see her. Looks like Kate's not invited again.
• WOW. That music was frakking cool. A Michael Giacchino/Perry Como/Catch A Falling Star/Claire medley.
• So glad that Sayid is awesome again. All of the best fight scenes involve Sayid.
• Here we go. Another trek across the island. Queue the "Hollywood & Vines," Giacchino.
• I'm starting to really think that the alternate timeline/flash sideways is in fact real and will be the end of the show, as it is possibly the ending of every character and what they ultimately wanted.
• Man, I love Sayid. He is one of the most interestingly intense and deep characters that's ever been on this show. I'm so glad they revived him (in more ways than one).
• Great acting by Naveen Andrews. Especially his facial expressions. He acts with his entire face.
• Seriously dark and disturbing ending. I loved it.

I have a feeling that things are going to be picking up a lot in the next couple of episodes, which kind of makes me feel relieved that they've sort of eased into his season a bit. Once everything starts to get into "WTF" mind-blowing territory, it's going to be kind of a relief to look back at this first handful of episodes as an anchor and sort of get our bearings. I have no doubt that people will still be complaining when we get to that point. There's always someone with something to complain about. As I've gotten older, I've learned that spending so much time complaining is a waste of time. We can either sit around and complain, or we can do something about it. If you don't like this television show, go watch another one, or even go make your own. Then you'll learn how easy it isn't to make a successful television show. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. There are a lot of major spoilers coming out the past couple of days (Note: I have not read even one of them. I don't even know the title of the next episode. Ooops, nevermind. I just found out while writing this.), so I have a very strong feeling that some big things are going to be happening in the near future...