Episode Analysis of 1.07 "The Moth"

WARNING: If you have not already seen all of LOST, please DO NOT READ THIS.

My LOST re-watch and episode analysis will include major details from the entirety that is LOST, and will be written with the perspective of having seen everything already. You will be SPOILED if you read any further. It is far better if you learn the story of LOST for yourself, as it is meant to be seen. Trust me on this, and don't say that I didn't warn you first. Seriously. Stop it. Now. Go watch it.

To read my original post on this episode, please refer to The Moth.

This episode was written by Jennifer Johnson and Paul Dini, and directed by Jack Bender. It originally aired on November 3rd, 2004.

This is a Charlie Pace flashback-centric episode.

We begin in the caves, where Charlie Pace plays his guitar to try to distract himself from the fact that he's going through extreme drug withdrawals. He is sweaty and shaking. He looks absolutely awful.

Episode Analysis of 1.06 "House of the Rising Sun"

WARNING: If you have not already seen all of LOST, please DO NOT READ THIS.

My LOST re-watch and episode analysis will include major details from the entirety that is LOST, and will be written with the perspective of having seen everything already. You will be SPOILED if you read any further. It is far better if you learn the story of LOST for yourself, as it is meant to be seen. Trust me on this, and don't say that I didn't warn you first. Seriously. Stop it. Now. Go watch it.

To read my original post on this episode, please refer to House of the Rising Sun.

This episode was written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, and directed by Michael Zinberg. It originally aired on October 27th, 2004.

This is a Sun Hwa-Kwon flashback-centric episode.

We begin with the opening of Sun Hwa-Kwon's eye. She's picking flowers from plants on the Island. She smells one of them. On the beach, at the shore-line, her husband, Jin-Soo Kwon, is fishing. Nearby, Jack and Kate do a horrible job at flirting. Charlie makes fun of them, as would I.

Episode Analysis of 1.05 "White Rabbit"

WARNING: If you have not already seen all of LOST, please DO NOT READ THIS.

My LOST re-watch and episode analysis will include major details from the entirety that is LOST, and will be written with the perspective of having seen everything already. You will be SPOILED if you read any further. It is far better if you learn the story of LOST for yourself, as it is meant to be seen. Trust me on this, and don't say that I didn't warn you first. Seriously. Stop it. Now. Go watch it.

To read my original post on this episode, please refer to White Rabbit.

This episode was written by Christian Taylor, and directed by Kevin Hooks. It originally aired on October 20th, 2004.

This is a Jack Shephard flashback-centric episode.

Initial Reaction to "Across the Sea"

Well... That was confusing. For the first half of this episode, I wasn't even sure that I was watching the right show. It felt a little hokey to me. It was like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland meets Lord of the Flies. I was not expecting to get the answers that we got, nor was I expecting to get them in the way that we did. I'm still very confused, and I think that I'm going to have to watch this episode about ten times to understand it even a little, because in LOST, every answer raises about ten new questions. But, to be fair, that's what I've always liked about this show. The thought process is exponential. I've never even come close to expecting every question to be answered. In fact, I don't even want them to. I want to think about this forever, however, I don't want to be frustrated. I want to know what's across the damn sea... Somewhere, waiting for me... Alright, look, I know that's not the song, but as soon as I found out this episode's title, before it even aired, I started singing that to myself. Let's talk about "Across the Sea" and how I now feel bad for the nameless "Man in Black" even though he just killed all my damn friends...

From Lostpedia

Initial Reaction to "Lighthouse"

I think this season is getting better and better as it moves forward. The writers, producers, directors, and actors had all said, before this season started, that it felt a lot like Season One. Well, now we know why. This season is directly paralleling Season One, by episode-centricity, by scenery, and even by line. It's been really great to have that overall feel of Season One back. It reminds me so much of why I love this show. So, let's get on with why I loved this episode, and some (few) things that I have issues with.

From Lostpedia

3.03 Further Instructions

From Lostpedia

1. Locke's eye, jungle, naked Desmond, blood, he can't speak, Jesus stick.
2. Locke is back to camp, Claire tells Charlie to find out what's going on, Locke takes part of his shelter and goes to the church, Charlie follows, Locke's mute, asks Charlie for help, needs to speak to the island.
3. John Locke, truck, picks up a hitchhiker, headed to Eureka, Eddie, cutting timber, mom dead, dad drunk, pulled over, tail light out, guns and groceries, registration, Eddie says Locke is his uncle, the cop lets them go.
4. Sweat lodge, wacky paste, Charlie stands guard.
5. Locke has a vision, Boone, John mouths that he's sorry, Boone says it's okay, he was a sacrifice that the island demanded, that he'll speak when he has something worth saying, that he's there to help John find his way, to bring the family back together, to go with him, but Locke has lost the use of his legs, in a wheelchair again, Airport, someone's in Airport is in serious danger, he's the only one that can save them; Charlie, Claire and Aaron, "Not them, they'll be fine. For a while." Sun, Jin arguing, Sayid, "I think Sayid's got it." Hurley at check-in counter, putting the numbers in the computer, "Not Hurley." Desmond, pilot uniform, flight attendants, "Forget it. He's helping himself." Sawyer and Kate, Jack going through metal detector, being wanded by Ben, wearing "Henry Gale" name-tag, "There's nothing you can do for them, not yet. First you have to clean up your own mess." Escalator, Boone, "Come up here, John." Pool of blood, Jesus stick, Boone covered in blood, "Clean it up, John. They've got him. You don't have much time." Locke sees a polar bear. From Lostpedia
6. "I'm going to save Mr. Eko's life." Locke
7. Locke and Charlie in the jungle, Eko's cross, dragged by polar bear.
8. "Bad things happen to people who hang around with me." Locke
9. John and Eddie, commune, sweat lodge, figure what to do with your life, farmer or a hunter, Eddie asks John which one he is.
10. Mike and Jan, supper, they say John is a special guy. Eddie is wearing a Geronimo Jackson shirt, John says grace.
11. "Yeah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for the food and the friends. And thanks for the rain today so that Adam will stop grumbling about the drought. And for me, thank you for helping me stop being so angry. And for helping me find a real family, because they're a hell of a lot better than the one I used to have. So, let's eat. Amen." Locke
12. Charlie and Locke find hatch imploded, boar, active kill by polar bear, Hurley. From Lostpedia
13. Hurley's back, tells John and Charlie about Kate, Jack and Sawyer, Henry being their leader, that they're not supposed to go back. Locke says go back to beach and tell everyone.
14. "They're like the Einsteins of the bear community." Charlie on polar bears.
15. Eddie asks why John doesn't talk about his dad, asks about green house, fertilizer, been there for 6 weeks, wants in on what they're trying to blow up. Locke says he'll talk to Mike and Jan.
16. "You don't get to tell me what I can't do." Charlie wants to help save Eko, but Locke says no, he wants to go into cave alone.
17. "I'm going in there because I'm supposed to go in there." Locke
18. Hurley and naked Desmond, says he woke up in the jungle like that.
19. Locke in the cave, he finds a toy tonka truck.
20. John goes to talk to Mike and Jan, cleaning out, bag, bank records, greenhouse, say that John messed up, they have a pot farm, Eddie's a cop, fresh out of the Academy, gathering evidence, John says he can fix it, that it's not too late.
21. Locke enters a cave where there are skeletons with Dharma jumpsuits, The Pearl, Locke scares the bear away and saves Eko, who is unconscious. From Lostpedia
22. Desmond tells Hurley about failsafe key, detonated electromagnetic anomaly, hatch imploded, Hurley says Desmond didn't implode, the whole island vibrated, purple sky.
23. Desmond says not to worry, Locke's going after Hurley's friends, he said so in his speech.
24. Locke tells Charlie that he saw Boone, told him he had to clean up his mess.
25. Locke tells Eddie he talked to Mike and Jan, he asks if he knew it would be him, did they choose him, Eddie says yes, Locke didn't load the other gun, psyche profile said he wouldn't be amenable for coercion, not a murderer, good man, farmer, but Locke says he was a hunter. He holds the gun up to Eddie, but doesn't shoot him, puts it down. From Lostpedia
26. Locke says sorry to Eko, says he should've let him push the button.
27. "I'm sorry. Sorry I ever doubted you. Sorry I gave up on my faith in the island. I messed up. Now our people are captured--if I'd just listened to you, if I'd just let you keep pushing the button. I could have gone with them, protected them. I could have saved them." Locke "You can still protect them. You can still save them. You will find them. After all, you are a hunter, John." Eko
28. They're back to camp with Eko, Hurley says no Jack, Locke gives speech, Hurley and Desmond, deja vu.

Questions:

1. Why did Locke have so many guns?
2. When does this flashback fall in the timeline of John Locke's story?
3. Who were the skeletons in the cave? Why do they have jumpsuits from The Pearl on?
4. Where did the toy truck come from?
5. Why didn't Desmond implode? Why did the hatch blow his clothes off?

Favorites:

1. "Well, amusing as the mute game invariably is, you are aware, John, that I detest you, aren't you? You do remember repeatedly punching me in the face and accusing me of using heroin when I was not." Charlie
2. "What, did you rob a bank?" Eddie
3. "What's that? You're not taking drugs are you, John? I only ask because of the strict zero tolerance policy you've enacted, and I wouldn't want you to have to start punching yourself in the face." Charlie
4. "Yeah, I know, I get it. You're going to go in your little magic hut and I'm going to stand out here in case you devolve into a monkey." Charlie
5. "You know, when I used to get high, I'd watch nature programs on the Beeb. Polar bears are meant to be quite clever. Very clever. They're like the Einsteins of the bear community." Charlie
6. "Hairspray? Now, I hate to be the one to point this out to you..." Charlie
7. "Bear? Is that you?" Hurley
8. "So, like, the hatch blew off your underwear?" Hurley "Fine, you want to discuss this in great detail right now?" Desmond
9. "You're not going to, like, turn into the Hulk, or something?" Hurley

Notes:

1. The opening shot of this episode is very similar to the opening scene of the series, in The Pilot, Part 1 where there is a close-up of Jack's eye and a shot from above of Jack lying on the jungle floor.
2. In the episode ?, Mr. Eko said to Locke, "We wait for further instructions."
3. There is an on-going theory that this episode is actually a flash forward, started by, I believe, Ralph of The Dharmalars. Although, I like this idea, and think it would make this episode somewhat redeemable because it sucks ass, but unfortunately, I don't think that is true. But if it is, in fact, true, that commune is very Dharma-like.
4. It's a little strange, Locke carrying so many guns. It's a bit out of the norm of the usual John Locke flashbacks that we're used to.
5. First episode where we're introduced to Nikki and Paulo.

1.07 The Moth

1. Locke tells Charlie that he'll let him ask for his drugs 3 times.
2. "Then we're one step closer to getting off this island." Jack, to Sayid about acquiring the transceiver signal.
3. The caves collapse on Charlie and Jack, he is trapped. From Lostpedia
4. "People survive plane crashes all the time." Kate "The tail section broke off while we were still in the air. Our section cart-wheeled through the jungle, yet we escaped with nothing but a few scrapes. How do you explain that?" Sayid "Blind, dumb luck." Kate "No one's that lucky. We shouldn't have survived." Sayid "Sorry, Sayid, but some things just happen. No rhyme, no reason." Kate
5. Charlie already has the DS ring when he decides that it's time to walk away from the band.
6. Michael worked construction for 8 years.
7. "I'm here to rescue you." Charlie, to Jack.
8. "I'm no saint either." Jack says to Charlie.
9. It's been 8 days on the island now.
10. "Struggle is natures way of strengthening it." Locke From Lostpedia
11. Sayid triangulates transceiver signal, but is knocked out from behind. From Lost Hatch
12. Charlie wants Liam to do an 8 week tour.

Questions:

1. Why did Locke imply that it was Sawyer who destroyed their chance to acquire the signal?
2. Why does Sawyer want to be hated so much?

Favorites:

1. Charlie's confession. It makes me laugh every time. From Lostpedia
2. "You're great bait." Locke "Give me my drugs!" Charlie
3. "Thank God for fireworks smugglers." Sayid
4. "I'm a bloody Rock God!" Charlie
5. "He's Scott. I'm Steve." I still don't even know which one is which!
6. Sawyer saying that if he had band-aids and a bottle of peroxide, he could be a doctor and liked by everyone like Jack.

Notes:

1. Jack tells Sayid that they'll be closer to getting off the island if they figure out where the transceiver signal is coming from. This, ultimately, is what gets them off the island three seasons later.
2. This is the first time we hear You All Everybody.
3. Kate says Sawyer doesn't want to leave because he has nothing to go back for. She later finds out that he does have something to go back for, but he ends up staying and sacrificing himself.
4. This is the first time Charlie does drugs.
5. We later find out that it is Locke that knocks Sayid out. Surprise, surprise.
6. Charlie sets himself free, and throws his drugs into the fire.

1.06 House of the Rising Sun

From Lostpedia

1. "I have an irrational fear of bees. I think I'm allergic to them." Charlie steps on a beehive and is stung by bees several hundred times. From Lost Hatch
2. Adam and Eve, laid to rest, 40 or 50 years ago, with black and white stones in pocket. From Lostpedia
3. Walt's birthday is August 24.
4. "I know who you are, and I know what you're looking for." Locke, to Charlie.
5. Drive Shaft self-titled debut, second album, Oil Change. Locke owns Charlie's albums.
6. It's been 8 days and 11 hours since Charlie played his guitar.
7. "Is there a reason you didn't consult us when you decided to form your own civilization?" Sayid, to Jack about moving to the caves.
8. "Getting my boy rescued is my number one priority." Michael
9. Sun was supposed to leave Jin at 11:15 in the airport. From Lostpedia
10. "Don't talk to me like you know me." Charlie "What I know is this island might give you what you're looking for, but you have to give the island something." Locke
11. "Look up." Locke telling Charlie to look up at his guitar.
12. "I don't want to be Eve." Kate
13. Jack wants to know what Kate did again, but she tells him that he had his chance to know.
14. "Time doesn't matter on a damn island!" Michael
15. "Are you sure that this is where you want to be?" The Willie Nelson song at the end.

Questions:

1. "It's just that you and the tattoos don't add up." Does this point to the more wild side that Jack has in the future, or is it just a stupid storyline? Please tell me there is more significance to the worst episode ever, Stranger In A Strangeland.
2. Charlie says that they made him check his guitar, then why do we see him with it on the plane?
3. Who are Adam and Eve?

Favorites:

1. "Oh, you guys have an inside joke. How perfectly wonderful for you both." Charlie
2. "I would've thought they were C's actually." Charlie, and Jack laughs!
3. "You're not going to ask me to pray are you?" Charlie

Notes:

1. Sun speaks English for the first time when she explains the situation with Jin and the watch to Michael. He's the only one who knows at this point.
2. "If I was checking you out, you'd know it." Yeah, right, Jack, you're not exactly smooth, brotha.

1.05 White Rabbit

From Lostpedia

1. "I don't swim!" Charlie
2. The woman who dies, drowns, is named Joanna. She wasn't supposed to be on the plane. She was scuba-diving and got an ear infection, her flight was delayed 2 days.
3. "I didn't try. I decided not to go after her." Jack
4. "I had a boy on my table today. I don't know, maybe a year younger than you. He had a bad heart. It got real hairy, real fast. Everybody's looking at your old man to make decisions, and I was able to make those decisions because at the end of the day, after the boy died, I was able to wash my hands and come home to dinner. You know, watch a little Carol Burnett, laugh until my sides hurt. And how can I do that, hmm? Even when I fail, how do I do that, Jack? Because I have what it takes. Don't choose, Jack, don't decide. You don't want to be a hero, you don't want to try and save everyone, because when you fail, you just don't have what it takes." Christian Shephard
5. "Who appointed you our saviour?" Boone
6. Jack's mom sends him to Australia to bring his dad back. They haven't spoken in 2 months.
7. 46 people now, minus Joanna and the marshal.
8. "I know where to look." Locke, about going to find water.
9. Jack, looking for his father in Sydney, wonders why he left his wallet.
10. The hotel attendant says he hasn't used the room in 3 days.
11. "Where are you?" Jack, when he's looking for his dad at the hotel in Sydney, he also says it in the jungle.
12. "A rabbit will always lead you to its hole." Sayid, about Sawyer and the stolen water.
13. "The white rabbit. Alice in wonderland." Locke, to Jack, about what he's chasing. Locke asks Jack what if he's not hallucinating seeing his father, the white rabbit.
14. "I'm an ordinary man Jack. Meat and potatoes. I live in the real world. I'm not a big believer in magic. But this place is different. It's special. The others don't want to talk about it because it scares them. But we all know it. We all feel it. Is your white rabbit a hallucination? Probably. But what if everything that happened here, happened for a reason? What if this person that you're chasing is really here?" Locke "That's impossible." Jack "Even if it is; let's say it's not." Locke "Then what happens when I catch him?" Jack "I don't know. But I've looked into the eye of this island. And what I saw was beautiful." Locke
15. "A leader can't lead until he knows where he's going." Locke, to Jack saying he's not a leader, but Locke encourages him.
16. Christian Shephard dies of a fatal heart attack at King's Cross Alley, Sydney, Australia. From Lostpedia From Lost Hatch
17. Oceanic Flight 125, non-stop flight to Singapore, over loud-speaker while Jack is talking to the woman at the desk.
18. Jack insists he has to be on the flight, landing in 16 hours.
19. Jack crying in the jungle, hears ice jingling in a glass, follows it, leads him to water, caves, luggage, and his father's empty coffin. From Lostpedia
20. They've been on the island for 6 days, waiting for rescue.
21. "It's been 6 days and we're all still waiting, waiting for someone to come, but what if they don't? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out. A woman died this morning just going for a swim and he tried to save her, and now you're about to crucify him? We can't do this. Every man for himself is not going to work. It's time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we're going to survive here. Now, I found water. Fresh water, up in the valley. I'll take a group in at first light. If you don't want to go come, then find another way to contribute. Last week most of us were strangers, but we're all here now, and God knows how long we're going to be here. If we can't live together, then we're going to die alone." Jack

Questions:

1. Where is Christian Shephard's body? Is he really dead?
2. Why does Charlie say that he can't swim, but later we see him swimming?
3. When did Clarie get into astrology?

Favorites:

1. Walt brushing his teeth. Michael is so out-schooled by his 10 year old son.
2. Jack wandering into the jungle after the man he sees. "Dad?" From Lostpedia
3. "That pregnant lady fell down!" Walt
4. Charlie talking about Locke and his 400 knives.
5. "Where.. did.. you.. get.. this?" Sayid says that Sun understands him.
6. "I made this birthday wish 4 years ago." Sawyer, about Kate attacking him looking for the water.

Notes:

1. This is the first time we see Jack's unhealthy relationship with his dad. Christian adamantly telling Jack that he doesn't have what it takes makes me wonder if he really believed that, or if he was doing it because he knew that it would push Jack to prove him wrong. It also leads us to believe this is the biggest reason why Jack can never give up on anything, even when he knows that he is wrong, and also why he always has to be the hero and save or fix someone or something.
2. Jack tells Kate his dad died in Sydney.
3. Jack finds water while looking for his father, he wonders if no one is coming, tells everyone that they're going to start figuring out how to survive.
4. Sawyer is reading the book Watership Down. From Lost Hatch
5. Jack has the crazy eyes.
6. The man of science versus man of faith battle begins.
7. Everyone, except Boone, wants Jack to be the hero and he fights it, until finally at the end of this episode, he starts to give in and accept his role.