Episode 13: “The Last Recruit”

Introduction

I really enjoyed this last episode. It wasn’t the best of the season, but I thought it was better than average. For the most part, they didn’t add too much extra confusion, like the last three episodes. It didn’t answer too much, though. With only four episodes left, I’m wondering how “tied up” the entire show will end. At this point, we can only hope.

Flashsideways: 2004

There’s actually quite a lot that occurs in this reality. The real Locke goes into surgery; Jack is the surgeon; the episode ends with Jack recognizing Locke. Now the question is: Does he recognize Locke from the airport, or from the real 2007 reality? Either answer works, especially since when Sun gets carted through the hospital and sees Locke on a cart next to her, she freaks out; obviously, she too is connecting to the real reality through alternate-memories. In relation to Sun, we find out the baby and her are fine after the shooting. After Kate and Sawyer discuss a little in the police station, Sawyer and Miles are off to the multiple homicide; after seeing a videotape of Sayid, he becomes their target. Miles and Sawyer apprehend him. Desmond runs into Claire again and convinces her to see his lawyer, Ilana. Ilana had been searching for Claire anyway, since she is also Jack’s lawyer, and Claire is Jack’s half-sister and mentioned in Christian’s will. Right after Claire and Jack meet, Jack gets called into surgery and has to leave.

2007: Real Reality

I think this may be the only episode (other than the Desmond one) where a considerable less happens in this reality. Basically, Widmore wants Desmond back, and threatens Un-Locke’s group through Zoe. Un-Locke tells Sayid to kill Desmond. Although he arrives at the well with a gun, after Desmond’s plea to Sayid, we aren’t sure if Sayid went through with it. I think we’re supposed to assume that no killing occurred. Meanwhile, Sawyer leaves with a group to get the sailboat. Although he was told to meet up with Un-Locke, he goes straight to Hydra Island, hoping to reunite with Widmore, who has a “deal” with. Before getting there, he gets Hugo and company to meet him at the boat; and when Claire tries to hold them at gunpoint, Kate convinces her to join them in peace. Is Claire back to being good now? Not sure… Also, Jack leaves the boat. (See next section for a more in-depth discussion of this act and the character of Jack in general.) Once on Hydra Island, though, Widmore’s crew handle Sawyer’s group roughly, alluding to the fact that Widmore will not honor their “deal.”

Jack

Although I dislike the “sensitive acting” of Jack, I do see that he is the most positive of characters throughout all six seasons. Although he whines and throws fits, he always seems to be trying to do the right thing. And now, he seems to be the most consistently committed to seeing all of the actions of and on the Island as having meaning. I think I was correct in saying earlier that Jacob’s plan in “The Lighthouse” was to show Jack that everything is imbued with meaning – it worked. Jack has yet to give up this belief, and his jumping back into the water in this episode only reinforces this idea. I think Jack is a very important character – perhaps the most important. Let’s remember that the entire show began with him. I think it will end with him. This leads me to my newest “theory.”

May 23 / Number 23 / Jack

OK, let me throw this out there: Next Tuesday, there is no episode; it is the only week skipped. Also, the season and show’s finale is on a Sunday. Neither of these seems like glaring conspiracies. However, this means the show will end on 4/23. Both of these numbers are part of the Lost numbers – Hurley’s lotto numbers, etc. In particular, 23 is Jack’s number: It was next to his name in the cave where Un-Locke showed Sawyer, and it was next to his name on the huge compass in the lighthouse. When you set the compass to 23, you saw Jack’s childhood house. I think they purposely moved things around so they could end the show on the 23^rd, and I think this is because of Jack. Will he be the one to take over the Island. I sort of think so…

By the way, use this link to check out TONS of references to 23 throughout the whole show. It’s kind of crazy. Some of them are stretches, but some seem intentional. Example: Jack’s seat on the plane is 23A. http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/23.

Where are they going with all of this?

There are only four installments left. That’s not too much time to answer so many questions. In the middle of the season, they seemed concerned with getting at some of the bigger questions: Jacob and the Nemesis’s relationship, etc. Lately, they’ve been working on the relationship between the two alternate worlds, and what happened exactly when the bomb went off. This episode didn’t seem concerned with either of those. Instead, I felt like they were preparing the scene for the final conflict. They probably have in mind what exactly they want going on in the last two-hour finale; and I think they’re making sure everyone is their correct places before then. That’s why Jack leaves the group, Sawyer is on Hydra Island, etc.

Sayid and Claire Back to the Good Side?

If Sayid chose not to kill Desmond, and Claire’s quick change of heart and mind is real, then the two pretty “evil” characters are back on the “good” track. Is everyone going to end on this side? No idea.

Polls

By the way, 66% of us thought the show is NOT going to end with someone taking over Jacob’s job, and 33% said yes. I was the one yes, and I stand by it. By the way, vote on this week’s poll!