Episode Analysis of 1.09 "Solitary"

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

My LOST re-watch and in-depth episode analysis will include major details from the entirety that was 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. Then, come back here.

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

This episode was written by David Fury, and directed by Greg Yaitanes. It originally aired on November 17th, 2004.

This is a Sayid Jarrah flashback-centric episode.

We begin with a shot of Sayid Jarrah sitting on beach, after he's left the rest of the plane crash survivors out of shame for what he did to Sawyer, and also to map the Island.

Questions & Predictions on LOST SEASON SIX!

I can't believe that it's finally here. I've spent over five years religiously, and almost frighteningly, dedicated to this show. I watched from the first moment it was on the screen. Who would've thought that I'd be here right now and that I'd learn so much from a television show. It feels bittersweet right now, as I am glad that it is ending because we'll get the story that was supposed to be told, but I'm also sad. But for right now, I'm going to be excited, and I am sure that when it all comes to an end, I'll spent a lot of time reflecting on the series as a whole.

Here are some of my thoughts, questions and predictions for the FINAL SEASON OF LOST (!!!):

Some of the questions that I ABSOLUTELY NEED answered:

• What is the Smoke Monster? How was it created?
• Why is it afraid of the security fences but can be summoned from inside the barracks?
• How is the island moving through time and space?
• Why is Desmond special? Will he go back to the island?
• Why is Walt special? Will we ever see him again?
• What is Richard Alpert's story? How did he get to the island?
• Why doesn't he age? Why did Jacob do that to him?
• What is the story of the Black Rock? How did it get to the middle of the island?
• What is the sickness? Did Rousseau have it?
• What or who are the whispers?
• Who are Adam and Eve?
• Did the bomb go off? Is it what caused the incident?
• Who is the good guy, Jacob or the Man in Black?
• What are the rules and why must there be a loophole?
• How did Jacob and the Man in Black get to the island?
• When and how was the four-toed statue destroyed?
• Is Aaron special? If so, why?
• What happened to Claire? Did she die?
• Will she ever find out that Jack is her brother?
• Why did Desmond have a flash of Claire getting on a helicopter?
• Will Claire and Aaron ever be reunited?
• Will Claire or Aaron ever get Charlie's ring?
• Will John Locke ever get redemption?
• Is Christian Shephard really dead? Was he on the island before?
• Why did Jacob visit some survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 at an early age?
• Why did he visit some as an adult and some after the crash?
• Why did Jacob touch some of them?
• Why can't women give birth on the island?
• What is the significance of the numbers? Why are they cursed?
• Who built the frozen donkey wheel?
• What is The Temple for? Who created it?
• Who was the first to discover the island?
• Why is the island capable of healing people?
• Why does the island have a pocket of electromagnetism?
• How did The Swan fix that problem and why didn't they just built an automated system?
• Is Sayid dead? Is Juliet dead? Is John Locke really dead?
• Why did it seem as if Jacob was prepared to die? Did he know what was going to happen?
• What is the significance of the hieroglyphs on the island?
• Why did they all have to go back to the island?
• What is the island? Why is it special? Why are they all there?

Things I'm (somewhat) okay with not having an answer for:

• What's Libby's story? Why was she in Santa Rosa? Was she working for Widmore?
• Who and where is Annie? What happened to her?
• What happened to the Hurley bird?
• Why was Ilana covered in bandages and speaking Russian?
• Who killed Nadia? Was it Ben? Did Jacob save Sayid or kill Nadia?
• Was Richard Malkin a fraud or did he know Claire's plane would crash on the island?
• Why do the others always say they're the good guys?
• Why do they kidnap children?
• What happened with Walt when he was with the others?
• What is the magic box?
• How did Anthony Cooper get to the island?
• When did the purge occur? Who was in charge of it?
• Why did Radzinsky build a blast door map if he knew where the stations all were already?
• Did Radzinsky really kill himself?
• Why did Richard say that he watched them all die?
• How did Ben and others get to and from the island so freely and how often did they leave?

Predictions for the Final Season (I know of NO SPOILERS whatsoever.):

• John Locke will get some sort of redemption.
• We will find out who Adam and Eve are.
• We probalby won't find out more about Walt, unfortunately.
• However, I think Walt having dreams about John Locke and what he says to him about him "wearing a suit, and people standing around you, trying to hurt you." are significant.
• I'm almost positive that we will finally get a Richard Alpert backstory.
• (More of a hope than a prediction.) PLEASE let the love triangle be over.
• Desmond will be important. We will learn why he is special and why the rules just don't apply to him.
• I'm starting to lean more and more toward them not crashing on the island, and landing in Los Angeles.
• We will finally find out what the island is and why they are there.
• We will learn more about the bomb going off, if it actually did, and what happens as a result of that.
• I really feel like the whole story is somehow going to come full circle, and I've felt that way since some time late in Season 2. I would not be surprised if the ending to the show was actually the beginning in some form or fashion and we learned that all we've watched was a way of getting everything right and back to the way it's supposed to be somehow. That would not shock me. 
• The two opposing sides have been going on for a long time. There's Jacob and the Man in Black, Benjamin Linus and Charles Widmore, Jack Shephard and John Locke. There will be great significance to this.
• This has all probably been going on for a very long time, and has taken a very long time to get to whatever the end point actually is. All of these people are special because they fix the timeline somehow.
• My biggest hope for the ending is that it will be left with some mystery and it will be something that grows on you over time, becoming more and more significant and mind-blowing as you think about it. I want it to be something that was clearly there all along, but never in your face; something that makes you go back and watch every episode again and you can't believe that you didn't see it.
• I really trust the writers of this show, so regardless of if there will be things I like or not, which I'm sure there will be, I believe it will all work itself out in a satisfying way.
• It will be amazing, scary, awesome, mind-blowing, bittersweet, sad, happy.
• I can't wait!

That all being said, I don't expect every question I have to be answered. I fully expect, and actually hope, that some of the mysteries will be able to live on forever. It will be what keeps people watching and talking about this show for years and years to come, and it is what LOST deserves. I'm sure there will be some things that I am disappointed in, but I have faith and am now, after five years, just along for the journey.

5.05 This Place is Death

1. At the Long Beach Marina, Sun gets a phone call, it's her mother, she asks where Sun is, she says she's still in Los Angeles, finishing up, she'll be on a plane tomorrow, Ji Yeon wants to say hello, Sun says she met a new friend for her in America, his name is Aaron, Ji Yeon says to come home, she misses her, Sun says soon, she loves her, goodbye. 
2. Sun is watching Jack, Ben, Kate talk, she gets out of car with her gun, Kate tells Ben to leave her and her son alone, Ben says that it's not her son, Sun walks up with her gun, points it at Ben, she tells Kate to move away, Kate is frightened, she asks where Aaron is, Sun says he's in the car, Jack says that he knows Sun thinks she's helping, Sun says if it wasn't for Ben, Jin would still be alive, Ben says he didn't kill her husband, that no one did, because he's not dead, Ben says Jin is still alive and he can prove it. From Lostpedia
   
3. Jin on the beach, with Danielle Rousseau's science team, Montand listening to the transmission of the numbers on his radio, Jin asks Rousseau where she's from, she says they sailed from Tahiti, Jin asks when, she says November 15, Jin says no, what year, she says 1988, she asks why, Jin says he needs to go find his camp, they ask if he was on the island before, Jin asks if they saw a helicopter, Montand says that first it was a boat, then a helicopter, the next thing he'll be talking about a submarine, says he knows which way to go, they're looking for an antenna, they ask Jin if there's an antenna on the island, they show him the radio, antenna, ask him if there's a radio tower, Jin says he must find his camp, because maybe the helicopter went there, Rousseau asks if he knows where his camp is from there, Jin says no, but he does from the radio tower, Rousseau says to go with them to the tower, then find his camp, Jin watches Robert kiss Danielle, Rousseau asks Jin if he's ready to go, who he's hoping to find, Jin says his wife. From Lostpedia
   
4. Walking through the jungle, Montand is listening to transmission still, Rousseau experiences some pain, Robert says that it was a bad idea, she's seven months pregnant, Rousseau says she just gave her a little kick, that it's a girl, Robert says Alexander is going to be a boy, Rousseau says Alexandra is a girl, Robert says to get some water, but Nadine has disappeared, they start to look for her, but Jin hears something, he tells Robert that it's a monster.
5. Rousseau says to find Nadine, they want to look, but Jin says they must go, but they go looking for her anyway, calling Nadine, they find her pack, Robert says to spread out, Brennan, Lacombe, the monster comes toward them, spits Nadine out, Jin says to run, Montand gets approached by the smoke monster, it drags him through the jungle, to The Temple, Robert and Jin grab him, it pulls him underneath, rips off his arm, Robert asks what that thing was, they hear Montand yelling for help from underneath The Temple, Robert says they have to go in and get him, Montand says he's hurt, is calling for their help, Robert says they do not leave anyone behind, they go under, but not Jin and Rousseau, a flash begins to happen, Rousseau asks Jin what's wrong, but Jin disappears in another flash.
   From Lostpedia
   
6. After the flash happens, Jin is now alone, everyone from Rousseau's science team is gone, he's still at The Temple, there are hieroglyphs on it, he sees the opening underneath, Montand's decaying arm, he leaves, goes through jungle, drinks from a leaf, he sees a pillar of smoke in the distance, he goes toward it.
   From Lostpedia
   
7. At the beach, scattered with things, a fading fire, a music box is playing, bag, bugs, violin, explosives, hut, two bodies that have been laid to rest, Jin hears someone shouting, Rousseau holding rifle, pointing it at Robert, he tells her to stop, she says that thing changed him, that he's sick, the monster made him sick, Robert says that it's a security system, to put down the gun, he tells Danielle that he loves her, that he doesn't want anything to happen to her, or the baby, she begins to raise her gun, but as soon as she does, he raises his gun, he pulls the trigger to shoot her but the firing pin is missing, she raises her gun and shoots him in the head, she sees Jin on the shore, watching, she says that he disappeared, that he's sick too, she shoots at him, Jin runs into the jungle, another flash happens, he falls down a hill, but Jin still hears someone cocking a gun, then Sawyer's voice, they reunite, Sawyer says he thought Jin was on the boat, thought he was dead, Jin says he was in the water, he asks where Sun is.
   
   
   
   From Lostpedia
   
8. Miles asks where Jin came from, Daniel says the blast must've thrown him in the water, he's been moving with every flash just like them, Sawyer tells Jin that every time the sky lights up, they move through time, Jin doesn't understand, Jin tells Charlotte to translate, but Sawyer thinks he's talking to Miles, who says Jin is Korean, he's from Encino, Jin talks to Charlotte, she says he wants to know how they're sure his wife is off the island, Sawyer and Miles are stunned that Charlotte speaks Korean, Locke says he's sure, but none of it will matter if they don't make it to The Orchid, Charlotte tells Jin, he asks what The Orchid is, she tells Jin that it's a way off the island, Locke is planing to leave and bring back all his friends, including his wife, that it's the only way to stop the flashes, Jin asks Locke why he would bring Sun back, Locke says because she never should have left.
9. Sun pointing her gun at Ben, says she's spent the last three years thinking, believing that he was dead, Ben says he has proof, if she wants to see it, he'll show her how he knows Jin is alive, Ben says there's someone in Los Angeles, he can take her to them, show her proof, they're the same person that's going to show them how to get back to the island, Kate is putting Aaron in her car, overhears them talking, she gets mad, says that's why Jack was pretending to care about Aaron, Jack says no, Sayid says he doesn't want any part of it, that if he sees Jack or Ben again, it will be extremely unpleasant for all of them, Ben tells Sun to give him thirty minutes, they can be there that fast, and she'll have her proof, or she can shoot him and never know.
10. Walking through jungle, Jin asks Locke how he will leave the island, says that he'll go with him, Locke says it doesn't work that way, that it's a one man job, but he promises he'll bring Sun back.
11. Daniel asks Charlotte if she's okay, if she wants to take a break, if she speaks any other languages, she says just Klingon, Charlotte asks Daniel if what they're doing is going to work, Daniel says that it does make sense, that if all this started at The Orchid, then it's where all of it should stop, but as far as bringing the people that left the island back in order to stop these temporal shifts, that's where we leave science behind, Charlotte gets dizzy, another flash starts to happen, it's dark now, and another flash happens again, they're all in pain because the flashes are happening so close together, it's light out again, Charlotte passes out, nosebleed, Sawyer points out that Juliet has a bloody nose, she says he does too, Daniel asks if Charlotte can hear him, she starts talking to Jin in Korean, in a really frightening voice, then speaking English, she says not to let them bring her back, no matter what, that this place is death. From Lostpedia
    
12. "It does make empirical sense that if this started at The Orchid, then that's where it's going to stop. But, as far as bringing back the people who left in order to stop these temporal shifts? That's where we leave science behind." Daniel
13. "Don't let them bring her back. No matter what--don't let them bring her back! This place is death!" Charlotte
    
14. In the Canton-Rainer van, Sun and Jack, Ben driving, Sun says that Ben said they'd be there in thirty minutes, Ben didn't account for traffic, Jack tells Sun that he's sorry, Sun asks for what, Jack says for leaving Jin behind, says when they landed the chopper on the boat, everything was happening so fast, he knew Jin was down below, but they should've waited for him, Sun asks why he's telling her this now, that if she finds out Ben is lying about her husband, he's going to ask her not to kill him, Jack says that after what Ben just did to Kate, if she doesn't, he will, Ben gets mad, pulls the van over, he says that what he's doing is helping them, that if they had any idea what he's done to keep them safe, to keep their friends safe, they'd never stop thanking him, he says that if Sun wants to shoot him, then shoot him, but get on with it, he asks what it's going to be, Sun says to drive.
15. Charlotte asks why daddy can't come with them, asks Daniel if he knows what her mother would say about marrying an American, says she knows more about Carthage than Hannibal, Sawyer asks what the hell she's talking about, Locke says they have to get moving, Daniel says they need to carry Charlotte, Locke says that she'll hold them up, Dan says they can't just leave her, Sawyer says that the flashes are getting closer together, that they'll come back for her, Daniel says no, that he's not going to leave her behind, Charlotte says to go without her, another flash happens, Locke says that they have to move now, Charlotte tells Dan to go, she says to turn it up, that she loves Geronimo Jackson, Juliet says they're running out of time, Dan says for them to go, that he'll stay with her, Sawyer asks if they don't know when the hell they are, what happens if The Orchid isn't around anymore, Charlotte says to look for the well, then they'll find it, they leave.
16. "Let me ask you something, John. If we don’t even know when the hell we are, what happens if the Orchid ain’t around anymore?" Sawyer "Look for the well. You’ll find it at the well." Charlotte
17. Walking through the jungle, they find a partial Orchid building, Locke says they're here, Juliet says what are the odds that they'd end up in the same time is that thing, another flash happens, and it's gone, Sawyer says she just had to say something, but the well that Charlotte mentioned is there, a rope going down, Miles asks how the hell Charlotte knew that it was there.
    From Lostpedia
    
18. Daniel and Charlotte in the jungle, she tells him she's been there before, Dan asks, she says she grew up there, on the island, and there was the DHARMA Initiative, then she moved away with her mom and never saw her dad again, and when she got back to England, she would ask her mom about this place, but she would say that it wasn't real, and that she made it up, she says that's why she became an Anthropologist, to find this island again, that's what she's been searching for her whole life, Dan asks why she's telling him that, she says she remembers something now, that when she was little, living there, there was this man, this crazy man, and he really scared her, he told her that she had to leave the island and never ever come back, he told her that if she came back, she would die, Dan says he doesn't understand, Charlotte says she thinks that man was him.
19. "I’ve been here before. I grew up here...on the island. And there was this thing...this DHARMA Initiative. And then I moved away with my mum. Just my mum, and I never saw my dad again. And then when I got back to England, I would...I would ask my mum about this place, yeah? But she would say that it wasn’t real, and that I’d made it up. That’s why I became an anthropologist. To find this island again. It’s what I’ve been searching for my whole life." Charlotte "Charlotte, why are you telling me this?" Daniel "Because I remember something now. When I was little, living here, there was this man, a crazy man, he really scared me. And he told me that I had to leave the island and never ever come back. He told me that if I came back I would die." Charlotte "Charlotte, I don’t understand." Daniel "Daniel--I think that man was you." Charlotte
20. At the well, Locke says he's going down, Sawyer asks what he's hoping to find, Locke says that it's a way off the island, says goodbye to James, Juliet, Miles, says he'll see them when he gets back, Jin tells Locke to stop, he says don't bring Sun back, Locke says he has to bring them all back, that's how it works, Jin asks how he knows, Locke says he just knows, Jin says he'll cut the rope going down the well, that the island is bad, he tells Locke to promise he won't bring Sun back, that he won't bring his baby to the island, Locke says he has his word, Jin says to promise, Locke says he promises, says he won't go to Sun, but says she might find him, if she does, what does he tell her, Jin says tell her he's dead, say he washed up on the shore, that he buried him, he gives Locke his wedding ring, as proof, Locke says okay, that he'll be back as soon as he can, Locke begins to go down the well, Sawyer asks if he's sure he doesn't want them to lower him, Locke says where would the fun in that be, Juliet says if whatever he's attempting to do works, thank you, Locke says you're welcome, he begins to lower himself down the rope, gets about halfway, and another flash starts to happen, Sawyer says to hold on, he takes the rope, Locke drops all the way down, falls down the well, hurts his leg, has a compound fracture, it's digusting.
    From Lostpedia
    
21. After the flash happens, Sawyer is still holding the rope, Miles says that he thinks he can let go now, because the well is completely gone, Sawyer begins to dig with his hands, he asks the others for help, but Juliet says they can't help him, there's nothing that they can do. From Lostpedia
    
22. Dan and Charlotte in the jungle, Dan tells her to stay with him, that she's going to be fine, everything will be okay, he says he has a plan, that back at the hatch, he talked to Desmond, told him to find his mother, that she can help them, Charlotte asks how his mother can help them, she coughs, smiles, says she's not allowed to have chocolate before dinner, Charlotte dies. From Lostpedia
    
23. Locke calls for James from underground, asks if he can hear him, can anyone hear him, he hears someone down there, asks who's there, someone comes walking out, it's Christian Shephard, he says hello John, Locke asks what he's doing down there, he says that he's there to help John the rest of the way, holding a lantern, Locke says he doesn't understand, Christian says that he came to see him in the cabin, asked him how to save the island, and he told him he had to move it, he said that he had to move it, Locke says Ben said he had to do it, told him to stay there and lead his people, Christian asks since when did listening to him get him anywhere worth a damn, says the good news is that he's there now, he asks if he's ready to go, Locke says he doesn't know what to do once he gets there, Christian says that there's a woman living in Los Angeles, that once he gets all of his friends together, and it must be all of them, once he's persuaded them to join him, this woman will tell him exactly how to come back, Locke asks who she is, Christian says that her name is Eloise Hawking, Locke asks what if he can only convince some of them to come back, Christian says that he believes in John, says that he can do this, Locke says that Richard said he was going to die, Christian says that he supposes that's why they call is sacrifice, Locke says alright, he's ready, Christian says good, now on the other side of the column, there's a wheel that slipped off its axis, all he has to do is give it a little push, Locke asks for help, but Christian says he can't, Locke gets up by himself, sees the frozen donkey wheel, flashing light, Christian says good luck, Locke pushes the wheel, another flash happens, Christian says to say hello to his son, Locke asks who his son is.
    
    From Lostpedia
    
24. "There's a woman living in Los Angeles. Now once you get all your friends together--and it must be all of them, every one who left--and once you've persuaded them to join you, this woman will tell you exactly how to come back. Her name is Eloise Hawking." Christian "What if I can only convince some of them to come back?" Locke "I believe in you, John. You can do this." Christian "Richard said I was going to die." Locke "Well, I suppose that's why they call it sacrifice." Christian
25. "Good luck, John. Say hello to my son." Christian Shephard
26. Sun, Jack and Ben get to the church, The Lamp Post, they get out of the van, Ben gives Sun Jin's wedding ring, Sun asks how he got it, Ben says that John gave it to him, Jack says he said Locke never went to see him, Ben says that's true, but he went to see John, says Jin gave it to Locke before he left the island, Sun asks why Locke didn't tell her that himself, Ben says he doesn't know, maybe he died before he had the chance to, he says he's sorry he had to bring her there before he gave it to her, but all those people back on the island, Jin included, need their help, there is a woman in the church, and she can tell them how to get back to her husband, he says that they're running out of time, that he needs her to decide right now, Ben asks if she'll come with him, Sun says yes, Desmond shows up, asks what they're doing there, Ben says he assumes the same thing he is, Desmond asks if he's looking for Faraday's mother too, Ben seems confused, they go into church, Eloise Hawking is there, Desmond sees her, the same woman that told him his purpose was to go to the island, she says hello to Benjamin, says she thought she said all of them, Ben says that this is all he could get on short notice, she says she supposes it will have to do for now, let's get started.
    
    
    From Lostpedia

This Place is Death, Initial Reaction

I liked this episode. I was disappointed by a few things. I'm also getting annoyed with a few things. I'm kind of getting sick of the slow, yet completely obvious reveals. We know it's going to happen, just show us already. However, I am happy with the plethora of answers. I also liked that this episode picked up the pace a little bit, because I'm getting tired of the Oceanic 6 story. I'm glad that Desmond is back at the end of this episode, because I think his story is the most interesting off-island. I am worried that he and/or Penny may die though. I'm going to be really pissed if that happens. If there's anyone that I don't want to die, it's them.

Questions:

• Was Ben surprised that Ms. Hawking is Daniel Faraday's mother or that Desmond knew?
• Did going into The Temple make Rousseau's science team sick?
• Does the monster protect The Temple?
• Why did Danielle seem to think that Robert wasn't himself?
• What exactly is the sickness?
• Did Locke visit Sun when he was Jeremy Bentham?
• How did Ben know that Locke was off the island? How did he know where to find him?
• What time are they now in when Locke turns the donkey wheel?
• Does Locke figure out that Christian is Jack's father?
• How long has the donkey wheel been there?
• Why did Charlotte just remember that Daniel visited her when she was young?
• When does Daniel go back in time and visit Charlotte? Is that the time they're stuck in?
• Why does Charlotte tell Jin not to bring Sun back to the island? How does she know?
• Who are Charlotte's parents?
• Is Christian Shephard Jacob? Why does he know so much?
• So what would have happened of Locke was the original one that moved the island, instead of Ben? Was he not supposed to lead the Others? Why didn't Richard know this?
• Did Ben know he wasn't supposed to move the island?
• Will Brother Campbell make a reappearance? Will we find out why he was in cahoots with Ms. Hawking? Is he Daniel Faraday's father?
• If they need all of them to go back, then why is what they have good enough for now?
• Will Frank Lapidus fly them back to the island?

Notes:

• It was awesome to finally see at least part of Danielle Rousseau's story.
• Desmond is going to need to seriously flip out on that ring lady.
• Montand losing his arm and a bone sticking out of Locke's leg grossed me out.
• If I recall correctly, Sayid asked Danielle, "Have you see other people on this island?" and she replies, "No, but I hear them, out in the jungle. They whisper." So, what was Jin then, lady? Perhaps she just went completely insane and forgot about him, but, in my opinion, it would be pretty hard to forget a dude that's been on the island before you and kept disappearing and reappearing in front of you, and was there when your entire team died. I personally think that's a little weak. Unless, she couldn't remember him from the past until it happened when Jin traveled from the future, in which case, Danielle couldn't remember it because she was already dead. That's the only way it works.
• The smoke monster seemed a little different in this episode, older, and more greyish looking. It reminded me a lot of Season 1, especially with dragging Montand down the hole.
• Sun calling her mother and talking to Ji Yeon, telling her that she found a friend for her in America named Aaron, I thought she was totally going to be so evil and kill everyone, and that she would kidnap Aaron and take him back to Korea.
• Ben said something to the affect of, "The Temple is a sanctuary. It's only for us (meaning the Others)." So, perhaps that's why Danielle's team got supposedly sick.
• Rousseau, that is not where Montand lost his arm.
• I'm really hoping to see more about Rousseau, like when she had Alex and Ben took her.
• I'm so happy that Jin is back. No one matches the comedy he brings to the show.
• My thought is that Christian has done the same thing that he told Locke to do, which is why he seems to know so much about it. He pushed the donkey wheel, then died and came back to the island where he was somehow resurrected.
• I really hope that we're going to see everything Jeremy Bentham did in the real world.
• I would like to know what exactly these rules are for objects traveling through time.
• So, the frozen donkey wheel was actually stuck, therefore, skipping like a record, just as Daniel said.
• Basically Ben screwed everything up. Locke should wear a shirt that says "I'm with stupid."
• Sawyer had a nose bleed, but not Locke or Jin, who have been there the same amount of time as Sawyer, nor has Daniel Faraday had one yet.
• Ben pulling the van over cracked me up. "I'll turn this van around right now!"
• Before this season began, I was under the impression that the entire season was going to be about them getting back the island, and that it wouldn't happen until the very end of the season. But, now, I'm feeling like it's going to happen pretty soon, which makes me wonder what's going to happen in the rest of the season or the rest of the series.
• Charlotte speaks Korean and Klingon.
• Rousseau's team heard the numbers being broadcasted on the radio.
• The hieroglyphics on The Temple are similar to Ben's underground lair where he summoned smokey and the ones in The Swan on the countdown timer.
• Jin found Rousseau's music box on the beach, the same one that Sayid fixed for her.
• Robert tried to shoot Rousseau, but failed because the pin was removed from his gun, just as Rousseau told Sayid when he tried to shoot her with the same gun, failing also.

I'm a little sad and disappointed to see Charlotte die already. I was looking forward to find out more about her story, though, I'm pretty sure we haven't see the last of her yet. Daniel still has to be scary and tell her not to come back to the island, and we have to find out who her parents are and how she got to the island. Charlotte exclaiming, "This place is death!" and telling Daniel that some scary man told her not to come back to the island, and she thinks it was him, totally freaked me out though. I may have nightmares about that one.

4.11 Cabin Fever

1. Record player, Buddy Holly's "Everyday" is playing, it's the 1950s, a young girl getting ready, tells mom she's going out with him, that mom can't stop her, mom says he's twice her age, calls her Emily, says she loves him, runs out of house and is hit by a car, goes to hospital, says she's pregnant, five months, almost six months, the baby is born, it's a boy, nurse says he's okay, but it's real early, he's too little to hold, they take him away, Emily says to call him John. She is Emily Locke and the baby is John Locke.From Lostpedia
2. Hurley asks who builds a cabin in the middle of the jungle, Locke says he doesn't know, says hopefully the man in the cabin will tell them about the people trying to kill them, Ben says he's following Hurley, Locke says they should stop and make camp, says he doesn't know what will happen when the Freighties come back to the Island.
3. Sayid wakes Desmond, says the helicopter is back with injured men, Keamy wants to know how many people are on the Island, where they are, says the Captain gave him up, but the Captain says no, Keamy goes after Michael, says he gave his name to Ben, tries to shoot him, but nothing happens, Captain says he's only the guy who can fix the engine.
4. Locke's eye opens, by the campfire, Ben and Hurley are asleep, he hears someone chopping wood, introduces himself, Horace Goodspeed, wearing a DHARMA Initiative jumpsuit, knocks down the tree, building a getaway for he and the misses, needs a break from the DI, says he's not making sense, bloody nose, says that's probably because he's been dead 12 years, pushes over tree again, he's on a loop, "Hello, there," he says to find him, when he does, he'll find "him," Jacob, says he's been waiting for Locke a real long time, chopping, pushes over the tree again.From Lostpedia
5. Locke wakes up again, says he knows where to go now, Ben says that he used to have dreams.
6. John Locke is the youngest premature baby to ever survive in that Hospital, he's had infections, pneumonia, you name it, he's knocked them all out, nurse says, he's a fighter, they say he's a miracle baby, today they can take him out of incubator, so she can hold him, but Emily can't do it, leaves, mother asks about adoption, Richard Alpert is in the Hospital, watching, she says he's not the father, doesn't know who he is.From Lostpedia
7. Hurley asks why he's here, Locke says he can see the cabin, Hurley says he has a theory, they can see it because they're the craziest, Locke asks Hurley if he wonders where DHARMA Initiative went, says they're all gone, disappeared, going to see them, Ben happened.
8. "You ever wonder what happened to the DHARMA Initiative, Hugo? There must have been at least a hundred of 'em living on this island--manning the stations, building those homes, making all that ranch dressing that you like. And then one day, they're all gone. They just disappeared. You want to know where we're going? We're going to see them." Locke "Whoa. What happened to 'em?" Hurley "He did. [Points to Ben]" Locke
9. Richard goes to see John, he's playing backgammon, Richard says he runs a school for kids who are extremely special, thinks he's one of them, asks to show him some neat things, we see drawing of Locke and the Smoke Monster, Richard asks if he drew it, John says yes, Richard shows him a baseball mitt, Book of Laws, sand, compass, comic book, knife, tells him to look at the things and think about them, asks him which things belong to him, John asks to keep, but Richard says no, which ones belong to him already, Locke picks the sand, compass, hesitates, and then picks the knife, Richard asks if he's sure about the knife belonging to him, John says yes, but Richard says it doesn't, tells mom he's not ready for the school, says he's sorry he wasted her time, she asks Locke what he did wrong.From Lostpedia
10. "You like backgammon? Yeah? You seem to have a pretty good sense of the game. I'm Richard, John. I run a school for kids who are... extremely special, and I have reason to believe that you might be one them. Mind if I show you a couple of really neat things?" Richard Alpert
11. Hurley asks Ben if he shot Locke and left him for dead, Ben says he realizes that it was pointless, that he wasn't thinking clearly, Hurley asks why he killed all those people too, Ben says he didn't kill them, that it wasn't his decision, the others wiped out the DHARMA Initiative, it was their leader who made the decision, Ben wasn't always the leader, Locke finds the body of Horace Goodspeed, his jumpsuit says he was a Mathematician, Locke finds the blueprints for the cabin in the grave.From Lostpedia
12. Keamy asks for the Captain's key, Lapidus says Mayhew just died, the crew is asking questions about what happened, Keamy says he's dealing with it, tells Frank to gas up the chopper, says he's going back, Captain says there was a sickness while he was gone, that Regina threw herself overboard, Keamy says to give him the key, Captain says it's not the protocol, Keamy takes it anyway, Captain says they're only supposed to open the safe together, Keamy says it's the secondary protocol, that it says where Ben is going, DHARMA symbol, The Orchid, Captain asks how Charles Widmore would know that, Keamy says if Linus knows they're going to torch the Island, he has only one place to go, Captain says that wasn't the agreement, that it's supposed to be an extraction mission Keamy tells him to fix his gun.From Lostpedia
13. Desmond says the injured man had no gunshot wound, Captain tells Omar that Keamy wants him in the armory, Omar says he was supposed to watch Sayid and Desmond, but the Captain says he will, he tells Sayid and Desmond to go the the pantry and hide, that he left them food and water, to go before Keamy comes back, Sayid asks about Michael, Captain says he's not dead, Sayid says hiding is pointless, that he wants the Zodiac, that he can ferry people off the Island, Captain says ten minutes, boat will be in the water.
14. They look at a map and blueprints of the cabin, Locke says Hurley should head back, that it'll be dark soon, he'll hit the coast, then go North until he reaches their beach, doesn't want to put him in harms way, Hurley says he'll stick with them, Ben says thinks that Locke talked him into it, making him think it was his idea.From Lostpedia
15. Locke in locked in a locker, in high school, everyone is laughing, a teacher comes to help him out, he's bleeding, Geronimo Jackson poster in his locker, he gets a call form Portland, a camp doing exciting things in Chemistry, New Technology, place called Mittelos Laboratories, spoke with Dr. Alpert, interested in finding young, bright minds interested in new fields of Science, want him to go to their camp this summer, John says that's why he gets stuffed into lockers, John asks how they know about him, sent a representative to the Science Fair, John says he's not Scientist, that he likes boxing, fishing, cars, that he likes sports, his teacher says that it might not be what he wants to be, but it's what he is, John gets upset. 
16. "I'm gonna tell you something--something I wish someone had told me at your age. You might not want to be that guy in the labs surrounded by test tubes and beakers, but that's who you are, John. You can't be the Prom King. You can't be the Quarterback. You can't be a Superhero." Teacher 
17. "Don't tell me what I can't do!" JohnFrom Lostpedia
18. Frank asks Michael why he didn't tell him he was a survivor of Oceanic Flight 815, Michael says that we wouldn't believe him, Frank says that he's one of the only people in the world that thinks it was a hoax, Michael says that he didn't think he could trust him, that his boss put the plane on the bottom of the Ocean, he tells Frank that he can't fly Keamy back, that he'll kill everyone on the Island.
19. Captain tells Desmond ans Sayid to take the Zodiac, stay on bearing 305, Desmond says that he's not going, that he was on the Island for three years, that Penny is coming for him, Sayid leaves.From Lostpedia
20. Locke says the cabin should be about 200 yards away, Locke says he was told that is where it would be, Ben says he was told a lot of things, that he was chosen, that he was special, that he ended up with a tumor on his spine, daughters blood on his hands, Locke says he's sorry, Ben says it was his destiny, says Locke will understand there are consequences to being chosen, destiny is a fickle bitch, they find the cabin.
21. "I was told a lot of things, too--that I was chosen, that I was special. Ended up with a tumor on my spine and my daughter's blood all over my hands. Those things had to happen to me. That was my destiny. But you'll understand soon enough that there are consequences to being chosen... because, destiny, John, is a fickle bitch." Ben
22. Locke is in Physical Therapy after his eight story fall, the Orderly tells him don't give up, that anything is possible, Locke says he should read his file, that his spine was crushed, the Orderly says he did, that Locke survived falling eight stories, that it's a miracle, the Orderly is Matthew Abaddon, pushes his wheelchair to stairs, waiting for elevator, says that he needs to go on a walkabout, that it's a journey of self-discovery, go to the Australian outback, nothing but a knife and wits, went on a walkabout convinced of one thing, found another, that when he's ready, he'll listen, they'll run into eachother again, and Locke will owe him one.From Lostpedia
23. "You should read my file. My spine was crushed. There's a 98% chance I'll never get any feeling back in my legs. So I don't know why I'm even trying to--" Locke "As a matter of fact, I did read your file. You survived falling eight stories out of a building. That's a miracle, Mr. Locke." Abaddon
24. "Wha--what's a walkabout?" Locke "It's a journey of self-discovery. You go out into the Australian Outback with nothing more than a knife and your wits." Abaddon
25. "When you're ready, Mr. Locke... (presses button) you'll listen to what I'm saying. And then when you and me run into each other again... you'll owe me one." Abaddon
26. They're loading guns and supplies up for the chopper, Omar tells the Doctor, Ray, that the Morse Code message said the Doctor washed ashore with his throat slit, Lapidus says he was hired to fly Scientists, Keamy says to go, but Frank refuses, Keamy slits Doctor's throat, throws him in overboard, Captain is back, tells Keamy to stand-down, that he fixed his gun, and he will fire, Keamy shows the Captain a device on his arm, shoots the Captain, Lapidus says he'll fly the helicopter, and he has a satellite phone.From Lostpedia
27. Jack is out of bed, Juliet yells at him, they see a helicopter fly overhead, drops a package on the beach, it's a satellite phone, Jack says he thinks they want them to follow.
28. Cabin, Ben says he's not going in, the Island wanted him to get sick, and John to get well, it's his now, Hurley says that he's not going in either.
29. "I'm not going in there with you. The island wanted me to get sick and it wanted you to get well. My time is over, John. It's yours now." Ben
30. Locke takes a lantern, goes into the cabin, sees a man, asks if he's Jacob, he says he's not Jacob, it's Christian Shephard, he says he'll speak on Jacob's behalf, Locke asks if he knows why he's here, Christian says yes, asks if he knows why, Locke says because he was chosen, Christian says he's absolutely right, Locke hears a sound, notices that Claire is there, she says that she's fine, that she's with him, Locke asks about the baby, Christian says he's where he's supposed to be, and that's not here, he says not to tell anyone that he saw Claire, Locke tries to question it, but Christian says the Freighties are on their way back, to ask the one question that does matter, Locke asks how to save the Island.
    From Lostpedia
31. Hurley and Ben share an Apollo Candy Bar.
32. Locke tells Hurley and Ben that they have to move the Island.
33. "He wants us to move the island." Locke

Questions:

1. Who is Emily Locke going to see? Anthony Cooper? Is the man John Locke's father?
   
2. Who ran Emily Locke over with their car?
3. How in the world was that girl almost six months pregnant?
4. Did John Locke live as an infant because he's special?
5. What is the significance of Locke's dream about Horace Goodspeed?
6. Why is Horace on a time loop?
7. Did Mrs. Locke really not know who Richard Alpert was?
8. How does Richard Alpert get off the Island?
9. Why can Hurley, Locke and Ben see the cabin but no one else can?
10. Why doesn't the knife belong to John already?
11. Was the sand directly from the Island?
12. Which items was John supposed to pick according to Richard?
    
13. What is the significance of the drawing John did of the Smoke Monster?
14. What miracle happened to Matthew Abaddon?
    
15. Why does Matthew Abaddon tell Locke to go on a walkabout? What did he do on his?
16. Why does Mr. Abaddon think that he and John Locke will run into eachother again?
17. Why is Claire with Christian Shephard in the cabin? Why is she so calm, so content?
    
18. Is Claire dead? Is she the Smoke Monster?
19. Why does Christian ask Locke not to tell that he saw Claire?
20. Why is Christian Shephard in the cabin?
    
21. Does the Island really move? Does it move through time and through space?
    

Favorites:

1. "How long?" Locke "I don't know. I've been following him." Ben "What? What do you mean, you've been following him?" Locke "I'm not even in front." Hurley "I have no idea where the cabin is. Hugo's the last one who saw it." Ben "Oh, this is just awesome." Hurley
2. "Oh, building a place--a little getaway for me and the misses. I mean, sometimes you need a break from the D.I., y'know? The DHARMA Initiative? (Laughs) I'm not making any sense, am I?" Horace Goodspeed 
3. "I'm Horace. [Grunting] Godspeed, John. [Thud]" Horace
4. "[Locke awakes] Hugo." Locke "(Muttering) Mallomars." Hurley "Wake up, Hugo." Locke
5. "You can't smoke in here, Mrs. Locke." Nurse [Mrs. Locke closes her lighter.] "Oh. Of course. I'm sorry." Mrs. Locke 
6. "Well, I have a theory as to why we're the only ones who can see it." Hurley "I'd love to hear it." Locke "I think we can see it 'cause we're the craziest." Hurley
7. [Playing Backgammon] "That game's stupid." John
8. "Okay, now tell me, John, which of these things belong to you?" Richard "To--to keep?" John "No, no, John. Which of these things belong to you already?" Richard
9. "So... This is where you shot Locke and left him for dead, huh?" Hurley "Yes, Hugo, I was standing right where you are now when I pulled the trigger. Should have realized at the time that it was pointless, but... I really wasn't thinking clearly." Ben [Hurley steps back a little] 
10. "He actually thinks staying was his idea. Not bad, John. Not bad at all." Ben "I'm not you." Locke "You're certainly not." Ben 
11. "I'm not a scientist! I like boxing and fishing and cars. I like sports!" John 
12. "Destiny, John, is a fickle bitch." Ben 
13. "I can't "walkabout" anything. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cripple." Locke "Is that what you are, Mr. Locke? I went on my walkabout convinced I was one thing, but I came back another. I found out what I was made of, who I was." Abaddon "And here you are, an orderly." Locke 
14. "Yeah, I'm cool with you going in alone, too." Hurley
15. The scene with Hurley and Ben sharing the Apollo Candy Bar. Jorge Garcia and Michael Emerson are brilliant.

Notes:

1. Buddy Holly plays in the opening scene. Buddy Holly died in a plane crash.
2. It looks like Ben is the third wheel.
3. The search and tests for the leader of the Island given by Richard Alpert is much like the Tibetan Buddhist ritual for the choice of the Dalai Lama. The Panchen Lama chooses the Dalai Lama, which is much like Richard Alpert's role. I'm guessing that Jacob chose Richard as the Panchen. In Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama also chooses the Panchen. So, which came first, the Panchen or the Dalai, the chick or the egg?
   
4. Richard Alpert gave young Locke the same compass that he gave him on the Island, which John then returned back to him in the past, which Richard then shows him in this episode.
5. The drawing of the Smoke Monster is reminiscent of the scene in Exodus, Part 2. 
6. From Lostpedia: The comic book that Richard shows to John is "Mystery Tales" Issue #40, which was published in April of 1956 by Atlas Comics. The cover contains the text "What was the Secret of the Mysterious Hidden Land?" and "Does it Pay to Ignore the Voice of Warning?"
7. I feel really bad for young and older Locke in this episode. He was abandoned by his Biological Mother, then his adoptive Mother is mean to him, Richard Alpert is snappy with hm, get gets beat up in high school, made fun of, and stuffed in a locker, and then he has to go through grueling Physical Therapy after getting thrown eight stories out of a window from his own father.
8. Locke is locked in a locker. He likes boxing. Very funny.
9. The way that Matthew Abaddon says "Mr. Locke" is just like Walt. This led to theories that this is future Walt, which is obviously impossible, but still cool.
10. The scene where Matthew Abaddon pushes John Locke in his wheelchair to a flight of stairs and stops totally freaks me out. Every time I watch it, I think he's going to push him down the flight of stairs. That scene just creeps me the hell out.
    
11. Terry O'Quinn's acting in the Physical Therapy scenes is so great. He doesn't use his legs at all. He really makes you feel his pain and believe that he's paralyzed.
12. John Locke finally takes Matthew Abaddon's advice and goes on a walkabout in Walkabout.
    
13. Claire clearly had been smoking some illegal substances in that cabin. She also freaks me out in that scene.
    

4.05 The Constant

1. The helicopter is flying back to the freighter, Desmond looks at his photograph of Penny.
2. Frank is flying the helicopter, looks at his notes from Daniel, 40 N at bearing 305, 7 Kilometers, Sayid asks what it is, Frank says that it's a cheat-sheet.
3. A storm forms ahead of them, but they're flying straight into it, Sayid asks why, Frank says it's because they have to stay on the bearing.
4. Sayid asks Desmond about Penelope, that she told Charlie she didn't know about the boat, asks what he expects to find when he gets to the freighter, Desmond says answers.
5. They hit some turbulence in the storm, lightning strikes, they go slightly off the bearing, to 310, Frank struggles to take control of the helicopter. From Lostpedia
6. Frank tells them to hold on, Desmond holds on to his seat, gripping it, and suddenly he is transported to when he was in the Royal Scottish Regiment, in a Military barrack, gripping onto the side of his bed, a Drill Sergeant calling orders, telling them to get up, Desmond appears to be disoriented, confused, but gets out of bed slowly. From Lostpedia
7. Desmond rushes to his mark, his Drill Sergeant asks what took him so long, Desmond says he was having a dream, he says he was on a helicopter, in a storm, the Army Officer says to be in the yard in 4 minutes, tells all the Soldiers to be thankful that they have to do it in double-time because of Desmond's tardiness.
8. In the yard, they do push-ups, sit-ups, in the mud and rain, Desmond's friend tells him that he hopes his dream was worth it, Desmond says he's never had a dream so vivid, that it was like he was actually there, the Drill Sergeant sees Desmond talking, asks him a ques--
9. Back in the storm, on the helicopter, Desmond is confused, Frank says they're almost through it, they see daylight, Desmond is disoriented, doesn't know where he is, is trying to get out of the helicopter, unbuckle his seat-belt, but Sayid is trying to help him, hold him back, but Desmond doesn't recognize Sayid, asks who he is, how he knows his name. From Lostpedia
10. Jack is worried, says they took of a day ago, Charlotte says she doesn't know anything, Juliet says they're not worried, that their boat is 40 miles off-shore, it should have only taken them 20 minutes to get there, Dan says they should just tell him, but Charlotte says not to get them confused, Jack and Juliet insist, Dan says that their perception of how long they've been gone may not be exactly how long they've actually been gone, that it will be okay as long as they stay on the bearing, and if not, there may be side-effects.
11. Desmond is confused, keeps trying to get out of the helicopter, Sayid is trying to help him, hold him back, tells him to sit down, that they're at 2,000 feet, but Desmond keeps asking what he's doing there, how he knows his name, but Frank tells Sayid to just hold on to him, that they'll be there in 2 minutes, and the helicopter gets to the freighter, The Kahana. From Lostpedia
12. Desmond looks down at Penny's photograph clenched in his hand again, and he appears to recognizes her.
13. They get off the helicopter, the people on the freighter question them, want to know who they are, Frank says they're survivors of Flight 815, Sayid says his friend is disoriented, but Desmond doesn't claim to know Sayid.
14. Desmond is freaking out, wants to know who they are, where he is, what he's doing there.
15. They ask how long Desmond has been like that, Frank says he was fine when they took off, Sayid tries to protect Desmond, but they talk to Sayid, say they want to take Desmond to their sickbay, to have their doctor look at him, then Sayid can come down, Desmond says this is a mistake, he's not supposed to be--
16. --here, suddenly Desmond is transported back into the Royal Army, standing in the rain, while the rest of the soldiers are doing crunches, the Drill Sergeant catches Desmond, makes the soldiers start running as punishment. From Lostpedia
17. Desmond is loading a truck, he tells his friend, Billy, that he left, he was on a boat, then he was back there, right where he started, Billy asks who else was on the boat, if there was anyone he recognized, Desmond says Penny was on the boat, that he had a photograph, and Penny was in the photo.
18. Desmond goes to a phone booth to call her, an angry soldier comes out and bumps into him purposely, saying thank you for that morning, and Desmond drops his change on the ground, going to pick it up.
19. Desmond is back on the freighter, trying to pick up his change on the deck, but nothing is there, Desmond says he's not there, doesn't believe this is happening, Keamy and Omar take him to the sickbay.
20. Desmond asks them who they are, Keamy says he's from Vegas and Omar is from Florida, they last ported Fiji, that at least they know they're in the Pacific, they put Desmond in the sickbay, saying they're going to get the doctor, that he'll ask him questions and try to sort everything out, they lock him in there.
21. Desmond discovers a man strapped down to the bed in the sickbay, the man asks if it's happening to him too.
22. Sayid asks Frank what's happening to Desmond, but Frank doesn't know, Sayid asks why they took off at dusk and landed on the freighter in the middle of the day, Frank says he's trying to help him, Sayid asks for a satellite phone to call his friends, Frank wants Sayid's weapon for the phone, he gives it to him.
23. Sayid calls Jack, tells him something happened during the flight, Desmond is in their sickbay, Jack puts him on speaker phone, Sayid says that Desmond doesn't recognize him or know where he is, Jack asks if that's the side-effects, Dan wants to know if Desmond has been exposed to high levels of radiation or electromagnetism, he says that they don't know why, but going to and coming form the island, some people can get a little confused, Juliet asks if it's amnesia, but Daniel says no.
24. Desmond tries to talk to the man in the sickbay, but he appears to be staring blankly into space, he suddenly blinks, becomes lucid, says he was just on a Ferris Wheel.
25. The doctor, Ray, comes in, the man strapped to the bed says it's happening to Desmond too, that he's not crazy, that it's going to happen to all of them once they start heading to the island again, but Ray draws a needle and injects him, which relaxes him immediately.
26. Desmond says he's not giving him that too, but Ray says he just wants to check Desmond's eyes, so he can help him, he asks his name, the last thing that he remembers. From Lostpedia
27. Desmond is transported back to the phone booth, picking up his change on the ground, he calls Penny, he tells her he's in trouble, that he thinks something's happened to him, he's confused, that he needs to see her, she says he broke up with her and joined the Army, and now he expects that she still cares about him, that he is confused, Desmond says he has 2 days leave starting tonight, asks if he can come see her, but she says no, that she moved from the flat, so don't bother showing up there, that it doesn't matter where, not to call her again, he tells her "Penny, I need--
28. --need you." Desmond is back in the sickbay, the Doctor, Ray, checking his eyes, asks him if he just experienced something.
29. "Did you just experience something, Desmond?" Ray
30. Sayid and Frank come in, Ray says they're not supposed to be there, but Frank says he has Faraday calling from the island, that he needs to talk to Desmond, but Ray says he's not talking to his patient, Sayid says he's not his patient, slams him against the wall, tells him to give Desmond the phone, Ray sounds an alarm, Sayid closes the door.
31. Daniel talks to Desmond, says they met yesterday before they took off, but he's guessing he doesn't remember that, Desmond doesn't remember taking off or the island, Daniel asks Desmond what year he thinks it is, Desmond if confused but this questions, he says it's 1996, Daniel asks where he's supposed to be in 1996, Desmond says Camp Millar, Royal Scots Regiment, just North of Glasgow, Daniel tells him that when it happens again, to get on a train and go to Oxford University, Queens College, Psychics Department, Desmond questions why, Daniel says he needs Desmond to find him.
32. Daniel looks for his notebook, says he needs to find it or he won't believe him, Jack wants to know why Desmond thinks it's 1996, Daniel tells him that he doesn't know, that it's a random effect, it's unpredictable, that sometimes it's for a couple of hours, other times it's years, Jack asks if it's happened before. From Lostpedia
33. Daniel gets back on the phone with Desmond, Sayid is holding the door closed in the sickbay, Daniel tells Desmond that he needs to find him, when he does, tell him to set the device to 2.342, and make sure it's oscillating at 11 Hertz, and if the numbers don't convince him, to tell him that he knows about Eloise.
34. Desmond writes the note on his hand, Keamy and Omar bust into the sickbay.
35. Desmond is transported back to the phone booth, checks his hand, but the note is no longer there.
36. Desmond goes to Oxford, he finds Daniel, tells him he thinks he's just been to the future, that he spoke to him there, Daniel told him to find him at Oxford, he said he'd help him, but Daniel asks why he would put him through the headache of time travel, that it seems unnecessary, thinks that it's a prank, says it's a paradox.
37. Desmond tells Daniel to set his device to 2.342 and to make sure it oscillates at 11 Hertz, Daniel asks who told him those numbers, Desmond says that he told him, Daniel says it's ridiculous, but Desmond says that he knows about Eloise, which gets Daniel's attention. From Lostpedia
38. Daniel takes Desmond to his lab, says it's where he does the things that Oxford frowns upon, asks that the future version of him referenced their meeting, so he would remember Desmond coming to Oxford, but Desmond says no, that maybe he just forgot.
39. Desmond asks if they're changing the future, but Daniel says you can't change the future.
40. Daniel puts on a radiation vest, Desmond asks what it's for, if he gets one, but Daniel tells Desmond he only needs it for prolonged exposure, that he does it 20 times a day, but Desmond asks why he then doesn't protect his head, Daniel flicks some switches.
41. Daniel shows Desmond Eloise, a rat, says that if the numbers Desmond gave him are correct, the machine will unstick Eloise in time, just like him.
42. Daniel places Eloise at the beginning of a maze, puts his machine on her, presses a button and a red ray of light consumes her, Desmond asks what happened, but Daniel says she's not back yet, when Eloise comes to, Daniel releases Eloise into the maze and she goes through it without a mistake, Daniel says it's perfect, that it worked, it's incredible, but Desmond questions what's so wonderful about it, Daniel says that he just finished the maze that morning, that he's not going to teach her how to run it until an hour from then, Desmond says that she traveled to the future, but Daniel says that it's only her consciousness, her mind that traveled to the future. From Lostpedia
43. Desmond asks how that's supposed to help him, but Daniel asks if he sent Desmond back there to help him, Desmond says he doesn't know why he sent him there, he just knows that Daniel ends up on some island, Daniel asks about the island.
44. Desmond is back in the sickbay, Keamy taking the phone from him, Frank says that Daniel just wanted to talk to him, that he said he could help, but Keamy says Faraday can't even help himself, tells them to leave, that the Captain wants to talk to Frank.
45. Sayid says he wants to talk to the Captain, Keamy says that he'll let him know, Desmond says that he needs to get back, Sayid asks where, to the island, Desmond says that Faraday said he could help him, he could tell him what he needed to do, Sayid wants an explanation. From Lostpedia
46. The man who is strapped to the bed speaks to them, he recognizes Desmond's name, he says his name is George Minkowski, that he's the boat's Communications Officer, that before they strapped him down there, all the calls to and from the boat came through him, in the radio room, and every so often, he'd get a flashing light on his console, an incoming call, that they were under strict orders never to answer, he says that those calls came from Desmond's girlfriend, Penelope Widmore. From Lostpedia
47. Desmond is back in Daniel's lab, he says that Desmond was out 75 minutes, that he went catatonic in the middle of a sentence, but Desmond says he was in the future, only there 5 minutes, Desmond asks why it keeps happening, Daniel says that he thinks, in his case, progression is exponential, that each time his consciousness jumps, it gets harder to jump back, he tells him to be careful crossing the street.
48. Desmond discovers that Eloise is dead, Daniel says it was probably a brain aneurysm, that he'll do an autopsy later, Desmond asks if that's going to happen to him, Daniel says the effects vary from case to case, but Desmond throws him against a wall, wants to know if he's going to die, Daniel says he thinks Eloise's brain short-circuited, the jumps between the present and the future, she couldn't tell which was which, she had no anchor, the equation needs stability, a constant, to stop it, he needs to find something there that also existed in 1996, something that's important to him, Desmond asks if he could be a person, Daniel says yes, but that he has to make some sort of contact. From Lostpedia
49. "I think Eloise's brain short-circuited. The jumps between the present and the future...she couldn't tell which was which, she had no anchor. Something familiar in both times. All this, see this is variables, it's random, it's chaotic. Every equation needs stability, something known. It's called a constant. Desmond, you have no constant. When you go to the future, nothing there is familiar. So if you want to stop this, then you need to find something there, something that you really, really care about, that also exists back here, in 1996." Daniel "This constant, can it be a person?" Desmond "Yeah, maybe. But you have to make some kind of contact. Didn't you say you were off on a boat, in the middle of nowhere?" Daniel
50. Desmond makes a call, to Penny, but her number is out of service, been disconnected, he leaves to go find her, but he collapses in the stairwell.
51. Desmond is back in the sickbay, falling down, he sees himself in the mirror, noticing that he has a beard and looks very different from 1996, a lot older.
52. Desmond says he needs to call Penny, but Sayid says that it isn't their priority now.
53. "I need to call Penny." Desmond "Calling your girlfriend is not our priority." Sayid "Listen, brotha, I don't know you. But you seem to know me, so...so if you and me are friends, then I need your help. I need to call Penny, now." Sayid
54. Minkowski says that 2 days ago, someone sabotaged all the equipment, they lost all communication with the mainland, that he probably could have fixed it, but then he went nuts, Sayid asks where the radio room is, Minkowski says it's one deck up, that he will help them, they wonder how they will get out, but Minkowski says through the door, which is now suddenly opened, Minkowski says they must have a friend on the boat, but his nose then begins to bleed.
55. Desmond is transported back to the stairwell, he wakes up and leaves to find Penny.
56. He goes to an auction, where they are selling the Black Rock journal, owned by Tovard Hanso, Charles Widmore is there, bidding on the item, which he wins, and then leaves.
57. "The Black Rock set sail from Portsmith, England, on March 22, 1845 on a trading mission to the kingdom of Siam, when she was tragically lost at sea. The only known artifact of this journey is the journal of the ship's first mate, which was discovered among the artifacts of pirates on the Ile Sante-Marie off the coast of Madagascar seven years later. The contents of this journal have never been made public, or known to anyone outside the family of the seller, Tovard Hanso. We open the bidding on lot 2342 at 150,000 pounds." Auctioneer
58. "Sold, for 380,000 pounds to bidder 755. Thank you." Auctioneeer From Lostpedia
59. Desmond approaches Widmore, says he needs to have a word him, Widmore tells him to walk with him, they go into a bathroom, Desmond says he needs to get in touch with Penny, that he doesn't know how to reach her, her number has been disconnected, Widmore says that there was a time, if he'd asked her to marry him, he's certain she would have said yes, but that his cowardice won out instead, that he's had second thoughts, he he wants her to give him another chance, Desmond asks why he hates him so much, but Widmore says it's not him who hates him, gives him Penny's address, says she'll tell him herself.
60. Widmore leaves the faucet in the bathroom on, and Desmond goes to turn it off, but then flashes back to the freighter.
61. Minkowski tells Desmond that he knows it's getting harder, that it starts happening faster too, they start to head to the radio room.
62. Desmond asks Minkowski how this happened to him, he says the freighter was anchored there, they were waiting for orders, bored out of their minds, that him and one of the other crew members, Brandon, took out the ship's tender, wanted to see the island, but Brandon started acting crazy, they had to turn around, tells them that he's dead now, in a body bag.
63. They get to the communications room, Sayid asks Minkowski who destroyed the equipment, he says he doesn't know, but then he collapses, Desmond catches him, Sayid says that after he makes the call, he wants to know what exactly is going on, he asks Desmond if he has the number, Minkowski starts having a seizure, Desmond tries to get him to wake up, but he doesn't.
64. While Sayid tries to fix the equipment, he tells Desmond that he needs to remember the number, Desmond notices a calendar in the communications room, he realizes that it's December 2004, they notice that it's also Christmas Eve. From Lostpedia
65. Desmond starts to get a bloody nose, Minkowski begins to have another seizure, he goes into convulsions, says that he can't get back, and then he dies, Sayid asks what happened to Minkowksi, and Desmond says it's the same thing that's going to happen to him.
66. "I...can't....get....back!" George Minkowski From Lostpedia
67. Desmond is transported back into the bathroom, laying on the floor, water filling the sink, dripping on him, he turns the faucet off, goes to wipe his nose, but no blood is there, he leaves to go find Penny, 423 Cheyne Walk, knocks on the door.
68. Penny answers the door, Desmond says he needs to talk to her, but she says she's trying to make a clean break from him, but he begs her to let him talk to her, so she lets him in.
69. "Desmond? What are you doing here?" Penny "I had to...I mean, I tried to call you but you disconnected your phone." Desmond "Yeah, because I moved. Look, I don't know if you're getting the signals, Desmond, but I'm trying to make a clean break from you, so if you don't mind..." Penny "Wait a minute, Pen, please wait. I just need to get your new phone number, okay?" Desmond "Why would I give you that?" Penny "Because I made a huge mistake, I never should have broken up with you, and...and I know that now, and I'm sorry, and--" Desmond "Don't, just don't dare..." Penny "--and I understand. And I know it's...it's too late to change things, but I need to tell you something, and I need you to listen to me, and I know it's going to sound ridiculous, but...please, Pen. I need you to listen to me." Desmond
70. Desmond tells Penny that he needs her number, she questions why, but he says that if there's any part of her that still believes in him, to give him her number, that he won't call for 8 years, on December 24, 2004, she gives him her number, 79460893, he says that she can't change her number, to believe him, trust him, Penny makes him leave. From Lostpedia
71. "Just, say what you need to say and go." Penny "I know this doesn't make any sense, because it doesn't make any sense to me. But...eight years from now...I need to call you, and I can't call you if I don't have your number." Desmond "What?" Penny "Look, Penny, just give me your number, and, and I know I've ruined things, and I know you think things are over between us, but they're not. If there's any part of you that still believes in us, just give me your number." Desmond "And what's to say you won't call me tonight, or tomorrow?" Penny "I won't call for eight years. December 24, 2004. Christmas Eve. I promise. Please, Pen." Desmond "If I give you the number, will you leave?" Penny "Aye." Desmond "79460893. [Desmond repeats the number, whispering.] All that, and you're not going to write it down?" Penny "It wouldn't do any good. You have to keep that number. You can't change the--" Desmond "Just get out, get out!" Penny "--just remember, December the 24th, 2004. If you still care about me you'll have to--[Door slams in his face.] I'm not crazy, Penny! You have to believe me! You have to--[Desmond reappears on the freighter]--trust me." Desmond
72. "I do trust you. But you still have to remember that number." Sayid "79460893. (repeating) It's a London number." Desmond "Excellent timing. The patch is done, but I don't know how long the battery will last. I hope she's there." Sayid "I hope so, too." Desmond
73. Sayid fixes the phone with a battery, Desmond is back and has the number.
74. Desmond calls Penny, it rings for a long time.
75. Penny answers the phone, Desmond can't believe he's talking to her.
76. Desmond says that she believed him, that she still cares about him, Penny says she's been looking for him for 3 years, that she knows about the island, that she won't give up, they say they love eachother, but the battery dies, and the phone calls cuts out. From Lostpedia
77. "Hello?" Penny "Penny?" Desmond "Desmond?" Penny "Penny...Penny, you answered. You answered, Penny." Desmond "Des, where are you?" Penny "I'm...I'm on a boat. Um...I've been on an island, and--Oh, my God, Penny. Is that really you?" Desmond "Yeah! Yes, it's me!" Penny "You believed me. You still care about me." Desmond "Des, I've been looking for you for the past three years. I know about the island. I've been researching--(static)--and then when I spoke to your friend Charlie, that's when I knew you were still alive. That's when I knew I wasn't crazy. Des, are you still there?" Penny "Yes, yes, I'm here! I'm still here, can you hear me?" Desmond "Yeah, yeah, that's better." Penny "I love you, Penny. I've always loved you. I'm so sorry. I love you!" Desmond "I love you too." Penny "I don't know where I am, but--" Desmond "I'll find you, Des--" Penny "I promise--" Desmond "No matter what--" Penny "I'll come back to you--" Desmond "I won't give up--" Penny
    Both say: "I promise. I love you." [Static cuts them off.]
    
78. Desmond recognizes Sayid again, remembers everything in the present, Sayid apologizes, but Desmond thanks him, says that it was enough.
    
79. "I'm sorry. The power source went dead, it's all we have." Sayid "Thank you, Sayid. It was enough." Desmond "Are you alright now?" Sayid "Aye. I'm perfect." Desmond
    
80. On the island, Daniel looks in his notebook, comes to an interesting page, which states that if anything ever goes wrong, Desmond Hume is his constant. From Lostpedia
    

Questions:

1. Why do they have to stay on the bearing of 305? Why did it change?
2. Why did they take off at dusk and land in the middle of the day?
3. Why don't Jack and Juliet tell Daniel that Desmond was exposed to electromegnetism?
4. Where was George Minkowski time-jumping to?
5. Was Desmond traveling through time in Flashes Before Your Eyes?
6. Is the radiation and Daniel not protecting his head the reason for his memory loss?
7. How does radiation unstick you from time?
8. If Minkowski was under strict orders to never answer the call, how does he know the calls were coming from Penelope Widmore, and that she's Desmond girlfriend?
9. Who did the orders come from? How do they know Desmond was on the island?
10. Why is Desmond only in the future for 5 minutes, but catatonic in the past for 75 minutes?
11. Who sabotauged the equipment in the radio room?
12. Who opened the door to the sickbay?
13. How did the Black Rock ledger get from the ship to being discovered with the artifacts of pirates off the coast of Madagascar 7 years later?
14. What's in the journal? Why does Charles Widmore want it?
15. Why does Charles Widmore leave the faucet in the bathroom running?
16. Does Widmore know that Desmond is time-jumping?
17. Did Penny remember Desmond telling her he wouldn't call for 8 years, on Christmas Eve, 2004?
18. Did Penny know that Desmond was alive because he told her he would call in 8 years?
19. Why is Desmond Daniel Faraday's constant? Is he time-jumping also?

Favorites:

1. "Well, at least it was a bloody military dream. Right!" Drill Sergeant
2. "Should I wring me hands together and whisper a prayer on their behalf?" Charlotte
3. "Here? Here what? What the hell are you doing on your feet? Are you finished with your crunches, because you want to run?" Drill Sargeant
4. "Keep moving, or so help me, I'll kill you myself!" Billy
5. "If I told you, you'd think I was crazy." Desmond "I already know you're crazy." Billy
6. "Be quick. And don't go trying to call Baghdad, those phones can only call each other." Frank
7. "I was just on a ferris wheel." Minkowski
8. "What the bloody hell is going on?" Desmond
9. "You're not going to stick me with that, brotha." Desmond
10. "You broke up with me and then you joined the Army. And now you call with the expectation that I still care about you? Yeah, I say you are confused, Desmond." Penny
11. "Um...um...I'm in some kind of sick bay..." Desmond
12. "You do understand the concept of original, the opposite of derivative? Now I'm the one you need to impress, you need to impress me. And I'm not impressed. Go, go try again." Daniel
13. "Why would I put you through the headache of time travel, you know? You know what I mean, it just seems a little...unnecessary. And don't you think that my esteemed colleagues could have come up with something just a little more believable, huh? Wha--what kind of a prank is that? Paradox, so uninspired." Daniel
14. "Maybe you just forgot." Desmond "Yeah, right, how would that happen?" Daniel
15. "What's that for?" Desmond "Radiation." Daniel "Do I get one?" Desmond "You don't need one. For prolonged exposure, I do this twenty times a day." Daniel "So what do you put on your head?" Desmond "(chuckles) Yeah." Daniel
16. "I'm sorry, how is a rat running through a bloody maze so incredible?" Desmond
17. "All I know about you is that you end up on some bloody island." Desmond "An island. What island, where...why would I go to an island?" Daniel
18. "I would be careful crossing the street if I were you." Daniel
19. "I'm calling my bloody constant." Desmond
20. "And how do we get out of here?" Sayid "Through the door." Minkowksi
21. "Yeah, because I moved. Look, I don't know if your getting the signals, Desmond, but I'm trying to make a clean break from you, so if you don't mind..." Penny
22. "All that, and you're not going to write it down?" Penny
23. Every damn scene with Desmond and Penny.

Notes:

1. If this isn't my favorite episode of all time, it's definitely in my top 3. But it still may very well be my favorite when the series comes to an end.
2. Every time I watch this episode, I feel like I am Desmond.
3. The editing in this episode is phenomonal. When the scences cut from Desmond in the helicopter and on the freighter, to 1996, you almost feel as if you're living it yourself. When he falls down walking down the stairs, and then he's immediately falling down on the boat, and then when he's talking to Penny on the freighter and looking back, recognizing the situation when he's at her house in 1996, with a smirk on his face beacuse he knows he finally talks to her again in 8 years. The transitions are smooth, with wonderful acting by Henry Ian Cusick, just pure perfection.
4. The Desmond and Penny story is by far the best relationship only the show. It's the only one that I actually like. I believe that Desmond, Penny, and his story, is probably one of the most essential to the story as a whole. Their relationship is the most real, heartbreaking, and most romanticly non-shipper story. Their love is timeless. They're probably two of the most important characters on the show, and I'm not ashamed to admit, this episode made me cry. Desmond finally talking to Penny after 3 years is touching, and you can't help but feel something for him when he finally gets to talk to her.
5. Have I mentioned that I love this episode?
6. Ben gave Michael a bearing of 325 to leave the island, but now it's 305.
7. Oxford University has also been the location of the Monastery where Desmond was a monk, and he met Penny, in Catch-22, and also the church where Charlie confessed to having relations in The Moth.
8. Desmond remembers things in the past because he's traveling to the future, which is why he doesn't remember Sayid and doesn't remember being on the island in the future until he talks to Penny, his constant.
9. Eloise dies before Daniel can teach her how to run the maze because Desmond has already visited him, causing him to teach her how to run it sooner, therefore she doesn't need to be alive when she is going to learn how to run it, because she ends up dying anyway.
10. Daniel giving Desmond the numbers to unstick Eloise in time could possibly not be a paradox because he obviously ended up figuring on the numbers eventually anyway, so it isn't changing anything, just possibly making it happen sooner than it originally did.
11. If George Minkowksi was time-jumping to the future, it would make sense, because he remembered everyting in the present day, and when he dies, it may have been a way of the universe course-correcting as Ms. Hawking said, which wouldn't be a paradox.
12. The music during the Desmond and Penny scenes is bloody amazing.
13. That phone rang for a damn long time, Penny was making a brotha sweat.