Season 1 - Episode 05 (White Rabbit) and Episode 06 (House of the Rising Sun)
Episode 05 (White Rabbit)
This is young Jack's eye. This is young Jack's eye opening. This is young Jack's eye discovering that he's flat on his back and some bullies are beating up his friend. This is young Jack's eye thinking that if he can save his friend from the bullies, maybe that friend will grow up, get drunk and make an embarrassing toast at grown up Jack's wedding rehearsal. Oh, and this is young Jack's eye getting its lights punched out and presumably failing to save the day.
This episode is entitled "White Rabbit" referring to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and its main character's obsession, the White Rabbit. It is worth noting that Alice's pursuit of the White Rabbit leads her into a fantasy land, populated with invisible creatures, talking playing cards and stoned caterpillars. Along the way, Alice drinks some funky tea, eats some funky biscuits, and swallows some funky potions, all of which cause her a variety of troubles from excessive growth and shrinkage to nearly getting her head cut off by Queen Victoria...er, the Queen of Hearts. Impossible places, invisible creatures, drugged food, walking and talking delusions, murderous villains. If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
The island action begins with Charlie shouting for Jack. It seems someone is drowning and Charlie doesn't swim. He only wades, and then only when cribs are floating away. He really should learn though.
Learn to swim. Right. I'm on it.
Jack strips down and tears out into the surf to save the day. Perhaps whoever he saves this time will get drunk and make an embarrassing toast at his second wedding rehearsal. Probably not though.
Turns out that the drowning person is Boone, the lifeguard. He might want to give some serious thought to returning that license. Jack saves him and brings him back to the beach, but not before realizing that someone else is drowning too, even further from shore. The folks on the beach naturally don't bother swimming out to help, since they are all members of Charlie's I Don't Swim and I'm Completely Useless club.
With Boone now breathing air instead of sea water, Jack plunges back into the ocean to try to rescue drowning idiot number two, but it just isn't meant to be. I hope Jack is good at dealing with failure.
Turns out that drowning idiot number 2 is Joanna, the scuba queen. She wasn't supposed to be on the flight, but bumped her trip to fateful flight 815 due to an ear infection. Is anyone else scratching their head wondering why two expert swimmers need to rely on a doctor to rescue them from drowning?
Jack sees a man in a business suit standing hip deep in the ocean while Kate is telling him about Joanna. Looks like sleep deprived Jack swallowed a little too much sea water during his heroic morning. I wonder if Kate really talked to anyone about Joanna or if she just got her name from her passport...
Walt is brushing his teeth using the trick that Sun taught him with the plant. Speaking of Sun, she's complaining to Jin that the others ignore them and suggesting that the two of them should try harder to communicate. Jin disagrees. It does seem logical though. Perhaps one of them should spend a few months learning to speak English.
Shannon is trying to trade with Sawyer for some insect repellent. She isn't willing to pay with sex. She isn't a whore. Whores actually put out, whereas Shannon just teases and infers that she might trade sex for favours. The air must be very thin up there on the moral high ground.
During the sex for insect repellent bargaining session, we see that Sawyer is reading "Watership Down". Click the title for a link to a complete review of this novel about bunnies trying to find a home. The novel is heavy with themes of home, with home defined not only as a place of shelter, but one of happiness where the bunnies can live, grow, play and find spiritual harmony. Shelter, home, spiritual harmony, happiness with another rabbit reference. If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
Hurley brings the lack of drinking water to Jack's attention. Hurley and Charlie press Jack for leadership on the issue. Jack isn't deciding anything. He's busy moping about his failure...
Ice gently collides in a scotch glass. Jack's Dad is drinking from that glass and lecturing young Jack on how to deal with failure and how not to be leader or a hero. He's such a supportive Dad.
Boone also feels the need to lecture Jack on his failure. Funny how failure brings out the guy in the business suit and white sneakers. On the up side, Jack uses the apparition to completely dismiss Boone and his whining. Following Mr. Whiteshoes into the jungle, Jack discovers that the apparition is actually his Father, looking pretty good for a guy who drank himself to death.
Jack's Mom wants him to go to Sydney to bring his Father home. Mrs. Jack's Dad figures he won't be taking care of himself. He's got money though, so she should realize that he'd probably hire an ex-cop to act as his bodyguard.
Claire passes out from the heat, which leads to the discovery that someone has pinched the water supply. Locke goes Walkabout to find water. Leaving Kate and Saayid in charge since Jack is off chasing Daddy.
Jack has had to chase his Dad down before. Turns out that Christian is more fond of the scotch than the ice, causing a ruckus in the bar in the swanky hotel he is staying at in Sydney. Like most drunken Fathers, Jack's dad has since vanished.
Back in the jungle, every time Jack gets close to his GhostDad, GhostChristian turns his GhostBack on his son. No symbolism there. Eventually, Jack manages to get close enough to...trip on something and tumble down a hill and over a cliff. A hand reaches over the cliff, offering rescue and perhaps an explanation. Alas, not the hand of the Father, but that of a particularly demonic looking John Locke. "Take my hand," he says. I'm no Bible expert, but that sure sounds like one of the Bad Guy's lines.
The two of them tumble back from the cliff's edge and wind up on their backs beside each other.
Insert Brokeback Island joke here.
Cut to the beach and Charlie cozying up to Claire. One of the scenes focuses quite deliberately on his tattoo, which reads "Living is easy with eyes closed". This is a line from "Strawberry Fields". Click the song title for the complete lyrics. Some people swear that you can hear John Lennon whisper "I buried Paul" at the end of the song, a reference to a long standing conspiracy theory that believes that Paul McCartney died and was replaced by a lookalike. Hmmm. Whispers, lookalikes, lyrics that state "nothing is real". If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
Saayid and Kate confront Sun and Jin about where they got their water. Sawyer, of course, is the supplier. Kate and Saayid decide to track him to his stash. Kate tackles him and we find out about his 4 year old birthday wish. Sawyer doesn't have the missing water, but we do learn that he's an optimist.
Speaking of optimists, Locke is chatting with Jack about leadership. Locke seems confident that Jack is the right man for chief of their little tribe. Jack changes the subject and Locke brings up the White Rabbit as analogy for what Jack is chasing. Of course, Jack really isn't chasing his Father. He's chasing the opportunity to prove his Father wrong and succeed even if he fails. Confused? Me too. Locke on the other hand has no trouble accepting that the magic of the island will let Jack find whatever it is he seeks. Locke has looked into the eye of the island and what he saw was beautiful.
Back in Sydney, Jack is forced to identify his Father's body. Christian drank himself to death. This, of course, is Jack's fault.
Ice gently collides in a scotch glass. In the jungle? Jack naturally takes a torch and tries to answer that burning question, where'd he get the ice? Instead of ice, he finds water. And plane wreckage (apparently inside the cave), including a coffin.
Jack finds himself arguing with a ticket agent for Oceanic over the carrier taking his Father's coffin to L.A. Like he says to "Chrissy", he needs it to be done. He needs to bury his Father.
Back on the island, he makes the disturbing discovery that the coffin is empty. Now, it is possible that Oceanic was transporting another coffin which was empty, or that the morgue in Sydney screwed up and released an empty coffin to him. Given that he's been seeing Dear Old Dad walking around in white Reeboks, my guess is Jack doesn't buy those arguments.
In an attempt to take some responsibility, Boone took the water. When this is learned, the Losties overreact and are ready to lynch him for his efforts. Jack interrupts, points out that Boone is the only one who tried to save Joanna from drowning, thus proving his good intentions and altruism. Jack makes his "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone" speech. Beyond the obvious "Pitch in so we can all survive" message, he seems to be laying the groundwork for the castaways creating a new home for themselves. Wasn't Sawyer's book about something similar? Nah.
Discussion
Episode 06 (House of the Rising Sun)
This is an Sun's eye. This is Sun's eye opening. This is Sun's eye not being shown waking up on the beach like Jack's and John's were. This is Sun's eye watching her husband catch and beat the crap out of a fish, with his bare hands no less. This is Sun's eye hearing and understanding English. Ok, so it's her ears that are doing the hearing, but I'm doing a writing style thing here, so work with me.
Flash back a few years and we see that Jin wasn't always a fish beater. He used to be a waiter. Back then, Sun swooned under his steely gaze. Her Father, not so much.
Here in the now, Jin suddenly decides to stop beating the helpless fish and turns his attention to beating a helpless Michael.
Tubbs and Crocket...er, Saayid and Sawyer run in and break up the rather one sided beach brawl, saving Michael from further embarrassing pummelling at the hands of the mysteriously irate Korean guy. Out come the Marshall's cuffs.
Book 'em Danno.
Jack leads Kate, Charlie and Locke to the caves and the water. Charlie suggests they scavenge the wreckage that has ended up inside the caves. Jack agrees, telling him to keep a sharp eye out for drugs in particular. Charlie thinks this is a wonderful idea. So good, in fact, he decides that he's not only going to look for drugs, he's going to sneak off and take some drugs. Unfortunately, he decides to take his drugs while standing on top of a beehive.
I know there's a drug/honey joke in there somewhere, but I can't find it.
Cue the Great White Hunter. How Locke sees the beehive and Charlie doesn't is truly one of the great mysteries of this episode. It's on the ground and until they start talking about it, there just aren't many bees around to alert Locke to it's presence.
Charlie has an irrational fear of bees. Actually, he thinks he's allergic to bees.
Back at the beach, Saayid is interrogating an indignant Michael. It seems that Saayid, being an interrogator by trade, isn't convinced that Jin just snapped for no reason. Michael thinks that the reason is simply that Korean and Black people just don't get along. Jin doesn't strike me as the racist type. Perhaps he just wanted to ask Michael for the time...
If only someone, anyone spoke both Korean and English.
Back before they were married, Jin had to ask Sun's Father for her hand. Naturally, Sun's wealthy Dad didn't want his daughter marrying a fish beater, or a waiter for that matter. He imposes conditions on the union, taking Jin into his management training program for one year and then into his factory for another year, setting the lovebirds up to have financial security. I have a feeling that someday, Jin's management training and his fish beating skills will compliment each other nicely.
With the promise of stable finances in their future, Jin is able to give Sun what every woman wants. No, not a nice house with a white picket fence.
A ring. One ring to rule them all. Wait. Wrong story.
I bet Sun will never let that sucker out of her sight.
Back at the caves, Charlie is still standing on the beehive, while Jack is getting ready to cover it with a suitcase. Even Charlie realizes that this is the most crap idea ever.
Locke: "Now pull yourself together, son."
Charlie: "It wouldn't be an irrational fear of bees if I could just pull myself together, would it?"
Of course, the hive doesn't get covered and our heroes get chased through the jungle by angry bees, stripping all the way. Semi-naked and sweaty, Jack and Kate find two dessicated bodies laid to rest in the cave, effectively ruining any chance there might have been of them getting fully naked.
Kate: "Where'd they come from?"
Jack: "Didn't you guys shoot a polar bear last week?"
Kate: "Yeah."
Jack: "Where'd that come from?"
Searching the bodies, they find a little leather bag with two stones inside. On is white, one is black. What they're for is anyone's guess.
Charlie and Locke find the half naked duo. Charlie, allergic Charlie was only stung "Several hundred" times. Apparently, the island doesn't go in for anaphalactic shock. Charlie returns Kate's top, stripped off as she fled the stinging swarm.
Kate: "It was full of bees."
Charlie: "I'd have thought C's actually."
Great line Charlie, but I'd have guessed B's.
There's a very strange moment when Charlie asks "Are these the people who were here before us?" All four intrepid explorers look very uncomfortable. Possibly they're realizing that since other folks have died on the island, they might too. That might be it, but the whole thing is fraught with undefined tension which Locke ratchets up with the statement "Our very own Adam and Eve." That's two "John Locke might just be a Biblical Bad Guy in disguise" moments in as many episodes. I wonder if the writers are planning to hatch a diversion to keep us from confirming John's inherently evil nature?
While treating Jin's raw, handcuffed wrist, Sun flashes back to a time when Jin gave her a puppy. I wonder where he got it? Probably a work related perk. While she seems to appreciate the dog, Sun reminds him that there was a time that he didn't have to try so hard to solicit her affection.
Back at the caves, as John volunteers to stick around and help Charlie salvage the wreckage, Jack makes a pretty convincing argument for moving their little tribe inland to the protection and shelter of the caves. "We don't need to bring the water to the people. We need to bring the people to the water." He wants to live there. To make it home. I feel a sudden urge to read Watership Down.
Walt wants to know what Michael did to make Jin attack him. A deep discussion of how little they know about each other ensues. Walt wants to know if Michael knows his birthday, which he does. Walt doesn't know when Michael's is though. At least we know that the kid doesn't have any psychic powers or anything.
Back in their apartment, Sun sits with her dog, no longer a puppy, waiting for her man to come home. He does. Covered in blood. Sun wants to know what he does for her Father. "I do whatever your Father tells me." I'm guessing that he wasn't out beating fish.
On their way back to the beach, Kate and Jack discuss the possibility of moving the settlement inland. Kate isn't convinced. She does have a rear end worth checking out though.
Charlie learns that Locke knows who he is. Locke even owns both Driveshaft albums. With Charlie's guitar lost in the wreckage, he despairs ever getting to play again. Locke has faith the instrument will turn up.
Kate and Jack come upon Saayid and the three of them discuss the important events of the day. Saayid is going to manage their Jin trouble. Jack is going to talk to people about digging in and surviving. Saayid disagrees, vehemently. He wants to stay on the beach and keep a signal fire burning. Seeking allies, he looks to Michael to find out where he stands on the cave vs. beach issue. Michael chooses the beach, while Hurley goes where the boar's at. Sawyer is on the fence, so he checks with Kate to see where she's going to plant her check out-able rear end.
Sun tracks Michael into the jungle. He's chopping signal fire wood. As she watches she recalls her plan to leave Jin and flee to America. It seems all is not well in fish beating, ring bearing, dog gifting land. She was planning to vanish into the jungles of the U.S.A. to get away from her unhappy life as a wife.
She emerges from the jungle and Michael notices her. "Oh great. Look who came to chat."
Turns out, she needs to talk to him. In English.
Naturally, Michael is somewhat surprised. Sun explains that the morning's attack was Jin defending his honour. It seems that Michael is wearing Sun's Father's watch, which Jin thought that Michael had stolen.
Charlie and Locke have a heart to heart about Charlie's drug addiction. Locke suggests that if Charlie hands over his drugs, it will at least be his choice to subject himself to painful detox. In typical Zen Locke fashion, he infers that the island might be willing to return Charlie's guitar to him if Charlie gives the island something. Oddly enough, Charlie gives Locke, not the island, his drugs. The island(or is it Locke?)then returns his guitar.
Kate decides to stay on the beach.
An axe wielding Michael confronts Jin. Despite the fact that Jin doesn't understand a word, he lets loose with a long diatribe before cutting Jin's bonds and freeing him. Pointing with the axe, he reinforces his desire for Jin to stay away from him and Walt. Which is fine. It's not like they were planning on building a raft together or anything.
At the last moment, Jin changes Sun's mind about fleeing to the U.S. with a flower, reminiscent of their early days together. She is moved by the simple gesture. Instead of the comfort of the U.S., her fateful decision has landed her in the caves along with a bunch of other survivors of Flight 815.
Cue Hurley's Discman and the closing montage:
"Look around you, look down the bar from you, at the faces that you see." Jack.
"Are you sure this is where you want to be?" Sawyer, feeding the signal fire.
"These are your friends, but are they real friends. Do they love you as much as me?" Michael and Walt, talking birthdays. "Are you sure this is where you want to be?"
"You seem in such a hurry to lead this kind of life." Sawyer.
"And you've caused so many pain and misery." Saayid.
"But look around you. Take a good look. Just between you and me..." Kate.
"Are you sure that this is where you want to be?" Hurley, Locke and Jack.
"Please don't let my tears persuade you. I had hoped I wouldn't cry." Sun and Jin.
"But lately teardrops seem a part of me." Charlie.
"But look around you. Take a good look. Just between you and me..." Jack.
"Are you sure that this is where you want to be?" Kate.
Discussion
This is young Jack's eye. This is young Jack's eye opening. This is young Jack's eye discovering that he's flat on his back and some bullies are beating up his friend. This is young Jack's eye thinking that if he can save his friend from the bullies, maybe that friend will grow up, get drunk and make an embarrassing toast at grown up Jack's wedding rehearsal. Oh, and this is young Jack's eye getting its lights punched out and presumably failing to save the day.
This episode is entitled "White Rabbit" referring to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and its main character's obsession, the White Rabbit. It is worth noting that Alice's pursuit of the White Rabbit leads her into a fantasy land, populated with invisible creatures, talking playing cards and stoned caterpillars. Along the way, Alice drinks some funky tea, eats some funky biscuits, and swallows some funky potions, all of which cause her a variety of troubles from excessive growth and shrinkage to nearly getting her head cut off by Queen Victoria...er, the Queen of Hearts. Impossible places, invisible creatures, drugged food, walking and talking delusions, murderous villains. If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
The island action begins with Charlie shouting for Jack. It seems someone is drowning and Charlie doesn't swim. He only wades, and then only when cribs are floating away. He really should learn though.
Learn to swim. Right. I'm on it.
Jack strips down and tears out into the surf to save the day. Perhaps whoever he saves this time will get drunk and make an embarrassing toast at his second wedding rehearsal. Probably not though.
Turns out that the drowning person is Boone, the lifeguard. He might want to give some serious thought to returning that license. Jack saves him and brings him back to the beach, but not before realizing that someone else is drowning too, even further from shore. The folks on the beach naturally don't bother swimming out to help, since they are all members of Charlie's I Don't Swim and I'm Completely Useless club.
With Boone now breathing air instead of sea water, Jack plunges back into the ocean to try to rescue drowning idiot number two, but it just isn't meant to be. I hope Jack is good at dealing with failure.
Turns out that drowning idiot number 2 is Joanna, the scuba queen. She wasn't supposed to be on the flight, but bumped her trip to fateful flight 815 due to an ear infection. Is anyone else scratching their head wondering why two expert swimmers need to rely on a doctor to rescue them from drowning?
Jack sees a man in a business suit standing hip deep in the ocean while Kate is telling him about Joanna. Looks like sleep deprived Jack swallowed a little too much sea water during his heroic morning. I wonder if Kate really talked to anyone about Joanna or if she just got her name from her passport...
Walt is brushing his teeth using the trick that Sun taught him with the plant. Speaking of Sun, she's complaining to Jin that the others ignore them and suggesting that the two of them should try harder to communicate. Jin disagrees. It does seem logical though. Perhaps one of them should spend a few months learning to speak English.
Shannon is trying to trade with Sawyer for some insect repellent. She isn't willing to pay with sex. She isn't a whore. Whores actually put out, whereas Shannon just teases and infers that she might trade sex for favours. The air must be very thin up there on the moral high ground.
During the sex for insect repellent bargaining session, we see that Sawyer is reading "Watership Down". Click the title for a link to a complete review of this novel about bunnies trying to find a home. The novel is heavy with themes of home, with home defined not only as a place of shelter, but one of happiness where the bunnies can live, grow, play and find spiritual harmony. Shelter, home, spiritual harmony, happiness with another rabbit reference. If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
Hurley brings the lack of drinking water to Jack's attention. Hurley and Charlie press Jack for leadership on the issue. Jack isn't deciding anything. He's busy moping about his failure...
Ice gently collides in a scotch glass. Jack's Dad is drinking from that glass and lecturing young Jack on how to deal with failure and how not to be leader or a hero. He's such a supportive Dad.
Boone also feels the need to lecture Jack on his failure. Funny how failure brings out the guy in the business suit and white sneakers. On the up side, Jack uses the apparition to completely dismiss Boone and his whining. Following Mr. Whiteshoes into the jungle, Jack discovers that the apparition is actually his Father, looking pretty good for a guy who drank himself to death.
Jack's Mom wants him to go to Sydney to bring his Father home. Mrs. Jack's Dad figures he won't be taking care of himself. He's got money though, so she should realize that he'd probably hire an ex-cop to act as his bodyguard.
Claire passes out from the heat, which leads to the discovery that someone has pinched the water supply. Locke goes Walkabout to find water. Leaving Kate and Saayid in charge since Jack is off chasing Daddy.
Jack has had to chase his Dad down before. Turns out that Christian is more fond of the scotch than the ice, causing a ruckus in the bar in the swanky hotel he is staying at in Sydney. Like most drunken Fathers, Jack's dad has since vanished.
Back in the jungle, every time Jack gets close to his GhostDad, GhostChristian turns his GhostBack on his son. No symbolism there. Eventually, Jack manages to get close enough to...trip on something and tumble down a hill and over a cliff. A hand reaches over the cliff, offering rescue and perhaps an explanation. Alas, not the hand of the Father, but that of a particularly demonic looking John Locke. "Take my hand," he says. I'm no Bible expert, but that sure sounds like one of the Bad Guy's lines.
The two of them tumble back from the cliff's edge and wind up on their backs beside each other.
Insert Brokeback Island joke here.
Cut to the beach and Charlie cozying up to Claire. One of the scenes focuses quite deliberately on his tattoo, which reads "Living is easy with eyes closed". This is a line from "Strawberry Fields". Click the song title for the complete lyrics. Some people swear that you can hear John Lennon whisper "I buried Paul" at the end of the song, a reference to a long standing conspiracy theory that believes that Paul McCartney died and was replaced by a lookalike. Hmmm. Whispers, lookalikes, lyrics that state "nothing is real". If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone was trying to tell us something. Nah.
Saayid and Kate confront Sun and Jin about where they got their water. Sawyer, of course, is the supplier. Kate and Saayid decide to track him to his stash. Kate tackles him and we find out about his 4 year old birthday wish. Sawyer doesn't have the missing water, but we do learn that he's an optimist.
Speaking of optimists, Locke is chatting with Jack about leadership. Locke seems confident that Jack is the right man for chief of their little tribe. Jack changes the subject and Locke brings up the White Rabbit as analogy for what Jack is chasing. Of course, Jack really isn't chasing his Father. He's chasing the opportunity to prove his Father wrong and succeed even if he fails. Confused? Me too. Locke on the other hand has no trouble accepting that the magic of the island will let Jack find whatever it is he seeks. Locke has looked into the eye of the island and what he saw was beautiful.
Back in Sydney, Jack is forced to identify his Father's body. Christian drank himself to death. This, of course, is Jack's fault.
Ice gently collides in a scotch glass. In the jungle? Jack naturally takes a torch and tries to answer that burning question, where'd he get the ice? Instead of ice, he finds water. And plane wreckage (apparently inside the cave), including a coffin.
Jack finds himself arguing with a ticket agent for Oceanic over the carrier taking his Father's coffin to L.A. Like he says to "Chrissy", he needs it to be done. He needs to bury his Father.
Back on the island, he makes the disturbing discovery that the coffin is empty. Now, it is possible that Oceanic was transporting another coffin which was empty, or that the morgue in Sydney screwed up and released an empty coffin to him. Given that he's been seeing Dear Old Dad walking around in white Reeboks, my guess is Jack doesn't buy those arguments.
In an attempt to take some responsibility, Boone took the water. When this is learned, the Losties overreact and are ready to lynch him for his efforts. Jack interrupts, points out that Boone is the only one who tried to save Joanna from drowning, thus proving his good intentions and altruism. Jack makes his "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone" speech. Beyond the obvious "Pitch in so we can all survive" message, he seems to be laying the groundwork for the castaways creating a new home for themselves. Wasn't Sawyer's book about something similar? Nah.
Discussion
Episode 06 (House of the Rising Sun)
This is an Sun's eye. This is Sun's eye opening. This is Sun's eye not being shown waking up on the beach like Jack's and John's were. This is Sun's eye watching her husband catch and beat the crap out of a fish, with his bare hands no less. This is Sun's eye hearing and understanding English. Ok, so it's her ears that are doing the hearing, but I'm doing a writing style thing here, so work with me.
Flash back a few years and we see that Jin wasn't always a fish beater. He used to be a waiter. Back then, Sun swooned under his steely gaze. Her Father, not so much.
Here in the now, Jin suddenly decides to stop beating the helpless fish and turns his attention to beating a helpless Michael.
Tubbs and Crocket...er, Saayid and Sawyer run in and break up the rather one sided beach brawl, saving Michael from further embarrassing pummelling at the hands of the mysteriously irate Korean guy. Out come the Marshall's cuffs.
Book 'em Danno.
Jack leads Kate, Charlie and Locke to the caves and the water. Charlie suggests they scavenge the wreckage that has ended up inside the caves. Jack agrees, telling him to keep a sharp eye out for drugs in particular. Charlie thinks this is a wonderful idea. So good, in fact, he decides that he's not only going to look for drugs, he's going to sneak off and take some drugs. Unfortunately, he decides to take his drugs while standing on top of a beehive.
I know there's a drug/honey joke in there somewhere, but I can't find it.
Cue the Great White Hunter. How Locke sees the beehive and Charlie doesn't is truly one of the great mysteries of this episode. It's on the ground and until they start talking about it, there just aren't many bees around to alert Locke to it's presence.
Charlie has an irrational fear of bees. Actually, he thinks he's allergic to bees.
Back at the beach, Saayid is interrogating an indignant Michael. It seems that Saayid, being an interrogator by trade, isn't convinced that Jin just snapped for no reason. Michael thinks that the reason is simply that Korean and Black people just don't get along. Jin doesn't strike me as the racist type. Perhaps he just wanted to ask Michael for the time...
If only someone, anyone spoke both Korean and English.
Back before they were married, Jin had to ask Sun's Father for her hand. Naturally, Sun's wealthy Dad didn't want his daughter marrying a fish beater, or a waiter for that matter. He imposes conditions on the union, taking Jin into his management training program for one year and then into his factory for another year, setting the lovebirds up to have financial security. I have a feeling that someday, Jin's management training and his fish beating skills will compliment each other nicely.
With the promise of stable finances in their future, Jin is able to give Sun what every woman wants. No, not a nice house with a white picket fence.
A ring. One ring to rule them all. Wait. Wrong story.
I bet Sun will never let that sucker out of her sight.
Back at the caves, Charlie is still standing on the beehive, while Jack is getting ready to cover it with a suitcase. Even Charlie realizes that this is the most crap idea ever.
Locke: "Now pull yourself together, son."
Charlie: "It wouldn't be an irrational fear of bees if I could just pull myself together, would it?"
Of course, the hive doesn't get covered and our heroes get chased through the jungle by angry bees, stripping all the way. Semi-naked and sweaty, Jack and Kate find two dessicated bodies laid to rest in the cave, effectively ruining any chance there might have been of them getting fully naked.
Kate: "Where'd they come from?"
Jack: "Didn't you guys shoot a polar bear last week?"
Kate: "Yeah."
Jack: "Where'd that come from?"
Searching the bodies, they find a little leather bag with two stones inside. On is white, one is black. What they're for is anyone's guess.
Charlie and Locke find the half naked duo. Charlie, allergic Charlie was only stung "Several hundred" times. Apparently, the island doesn't go in for anaphalactic shock. Charlie returns Kate's top, stripped off as she fled the stinging swarm.
Kate: "It was full of bees."
Charlie: "I'd have thought C's actually."
Great line Charlie, but I'd have guessed B's.
There's a very strange moment when Charlie asks "Are these the people who were here before us?" All four intrepid explorers look very uncomfortable. Possibly they're realizing that since other folks have died on the island, they might too. That might be it, but the whole thing is fraught with undefined tension which Locke ratchets up with the statement "Our very own Adam and Eve." That's two "John Locke might just be a Biblical Bad Guy in disguise" moments in as many episodes. I wonder if the writers are planning to hatch a diversion to keep us from confirming John's inherently evil nature?
While treating Jin's raw, handcuffed wrist, Sun flashes back to a time when Jin gave her a puppy. I wonder where he got it? Probably a work related perk. While she seems to appreciate the dog, Sun reminds him that there was a time that he didn't have to try so hard to solicit her affection.
Back at the caves, as John volunteers to stick around and help Charlie salvage the wreckage, Jack makes a pretty convincing argument for moving their little tribe inland to the protection and shelter of the caves. "We don't need to bring the water to the people. We need to bring the people to the water." He wants to live there. To make it home. I feel a sudden urge to read Watership Down.
Walt wants to know what Michael did to make Jin attack him. A deep discussion of how little they know about each other ensues. Walt wants to know if Michael knows his birthday, which he does. Walt doesn't know when Michael's is though. At least we know that the kid doesn't have any psychic powers or anything.
Back in their apartment, Sun sits with her dog, no longer a puppy, waiting for her man to come home. He does. Covered in blood. Sun wants to know what he does for her Father. "I do whatever your Father tells me." I'm guessing that he wasn't out beating fish.
On their way back to the beach, Kate and Jack discuss the possibility of moving the settlement inland. Kate isn't convinced. She does have a rear end worth checking out though.
Charlie learns that Locke knows who he is. Locke even owns both Driveshaft albums. With Charlie's guitar lost in the wreckage, he despairs ever getting to play again. Locke has faith the instrument will turn up.
Kate and Jack come upon Saayid and the three of them discuss the important events of the day. Saayid is going to manage their Jin trouble. Jack is going to talk to people about digging in and surviving. Saayid disagrees, vehemently. He wants to stay on the beach and keep a signal fire burning. Seeking allies, he looks to Michael to find out where he stands on the cave vs. beach issue. Michael chooses the beach, while Hurley goes where the boar's at. Sawyer is on the fence, so he checks with Kate to see where she's going to plant her check out-able rear end.
Sun tracks Michael into the jungle. He's chopping signal fire wood. As she watches she recalls her plan to leave Jin and flee to America. It seems all is not well in fish beating, ring bearing, dog gifting land. She was planning to vanish into the jungles of the U.S.A. to get away from her unhappy life as a wife.
She emerges from the jungle and Michael notices her. "Oh great. Look who came to chat."
Turns out, she needs to talk to him. In English.
Naturally, Michael is somewhat surprised. Sun explains that the morning's attack was Jin defending his honour. It seems that Michael is wearing Sun's Father's watch, which Jin thought that Michael had stolen.
Charlie and Locke have a heart to heart about Charlie's drug addiction. Locke suggests that if Charlie hands over his drugs, it will at least be his choice to subject himself to painful detox. In typical Zen Locke fashion, he infers that the island might be willing to return Charlie's guitar to him if Charlie gives the island something. Oddly enough, Charlie gives Locke, not the island, his drugs. The island(or is it Locke?)then returns his guitar.
Kate decides to stay on the beach.
An axe wielding Michael confronts Jin. Despite the fact that Jin doesn't understand a word, he lets loose with a long diatribe before cutting Jin's bonds and freeing him. Pointing with the axe, he reinforces his desire for Jin to stay away from him and Walt. Which is fine. It's not like they were planning on building a raft together or anything.
At the last moment, Jin changes Sun's mind about fleeing to the U.S. with a flower, reminiscent of their early days together. She is moved by the simple gesture. Instead of the comfort of the U.S., her fateful decision has landed her in the caves along with a bunch of other survivors of Flight 815.
Cue Hurley's Discman and the closing montage:
"Look around you, look down the bar from you, at the faces that you see." Jack.
"Are you sure this is where you want to be?" Sawyer, feeding the signal fire.
"These are your friends, but are they real friends. Do they love you as much as me?" Michael and Walt, talking birthdays. "Are you sure this is where you want to be?"
"You seem in such a hurry to lead this kind of life." Sawyer.
"And you've caused so many pain and misery." Saayid.
"But look around you. Take a good look. Just between you and me..." Kate.
"Are you sure that this is where you want to be?" Hurley, Locke and Jack.
"Please don't let my tears persuade you. I had hoped I wouldn't cry." Sun and Jin.
"But lately teardrops seem a part of me." Charlie.
"But look around you. Take a good look. Just between you and me..." Jack.
"Are you sure that this is where you want to be?" Kate.
Discussion
posted by Greybishop at 10:57 AM
