Get LOST: LA X Part 1

Posted by Ben Piper on 02.09.2010

The final season of Lost is underway! What was the aftermath of the detonation? 411's Ben Piper, Dustin James and Rick Tym get together to review and analyze LA X!

Namaste! Welcome back once again to the only 411 column solely devoted to what I truly feel is the very best show on TV today, LOST! As always, I am your favorite kung fu badass that doesn't like the taste of English in his mouth, Ben Piper!

Before we begin, I would just like to thank everyone that read last week's preview column, as well as those that took the time to post in the comments section. Part of the job being a 411 columnist sometimes is having to put up with the negativity of the readership that can come our way with the articles we post. After having to deal with the overwhelming cynicism and negativity directed towards the 411 Movie and TV Awards columns I put together recently, coupled with a brutal week with regards to how the readers reacted to Fact or Fiction, it was a welcome respite to see everyone not only so happy to have the show back on the air but that people were pleased with the column as well. You guys that have been reading this column for the past three years have always been great and supportive of it, and I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate that and all of you.

Now, we've got some ground to cover, so we don't we go ahead and get things started with the recap of the first hour of the final season of LOST: LA X, Part 1.

What We Learned: We fade from white to see clouds flying past below our eye level. The camera pulls back to reveal Jack looking out the window of a plane. After a moment, he looks away and seems a bit confused, possibly as to where he is. But we know instantly. He's onboard Oceanic Flight 815. He shakes it off, and a moment later our suspicions are confirmed. The flight attendant, Cindy asks him how is his drink. Jack unconvincingly answers that it's good. Cindy says that wasn't a very strong reaction, and Jack fires back good-naturedly that it's not a very strong drink. We've seen this conversation take place once before, and like the first time, Cindy sneaks Jack an extra mini-bottle of alcohol. Only, it's just the one, and not two like before. Subtle. She says to him not to tell anyone and he replies that it will be their secret.

As he opens the bottle and begins to pour it into his drink, a rumble of turbulence shakes the cabin and causes him to spill some on his tray. Nervously, Jack fastens his seatbelt, and takes a sip from his drink. A woman sitting across the aisle from him says that it's normal. He doesn't recognize her, but we do. It's Rose. She tells him that her husband says that planes want to stay in the air. Jack responds that he sounds like a smart man. She answers that she'll tell him that if he ever gets back from the bathroom. Jack offers to keep her company until he does. He starts to say something else but then another round of turbulence hits, this time much more harsh than before. There's a subtle electromagnetic throb sound beneath all the rest of the noise, but no one seems to notice it. And then after several more moments of nervousness on Jack's part, the turbulence stops. Rose tells him that he can let go now. He looks at her, and she states again that it's okay, he can let go. She's referring to Jack clutching at his armrests, and after a moment he breathes a sigh of relief and he does. Jack says it looks like they made it, and Rose answers that yeah, they sure did.

Anyone else notice that the roles were reversed from the first time we witnessed this brief exchange back in season one?

The captain comes on the intercom and apologizes for the shakiness and promises a smooth ride from here on out. Bernard returns from the bathroom and tells Rose to remind him to hold it the next time. Jack can't help but smile at this. As Bernard sits he states that he almost died in that bathroom, and that now he knows how the laundry feels while it's in the dryer. She looks at him lovingly and says that she missed him. He reciprocates. They kiss, as Jack watches, again smiling. With a slight shake of his head he decides to get up and go to the bathroom himself.

Once there, he turns and looks at himself in the mirror. Something catches his eye and causes him to step closer, and look harder. There's something wrong, something he can't put his finger on. After a moment, he notices a small cut on his neck, just beneath his shirt collar. He grabs a piece of tissue and dabs his small wound with it.

He then makes his way back to his seat, only to find that somebody new is now sitting in his aisle.

Jack: Excuse me.

Desmond: Oh, I'm sorry, mate. Is this your seat? The stewardess said it was empty…

Jack: No, I'm at the window.

Desmond: Oh, right.

Desmond undoes his seatbelt and stands, allowing Jack to pass. They both settle back into their respective seats.

Desmond: So, mate. You mind if I sit here? It's just the fella next to me has been snorin' away ever since we took off from Sydney.

Jack: (scoffs) Yeah, no problem.

Desmond: Thanks, brother.

Just then it hits Jack, like déjà vu. The sensation that he's met this bloke before, he just can't put his finger on where. He continues to stare at Desmond as Des tries to read his book, unable to help himself. After a moment Desmond takes notice.

Desmond: Is something wrong?

Jack: No. No, you just… Do I know you from somewhere?

Desmond: (scoffs, and throwing up one hand in a bewildered gesture) I'm… I'm not sure.

Jack looks forward and shakes his head slightly in puzzlement before Desmond offers his hand.

Desmond: Desmond.

Jack: Jack.

They shake hands.

Desmond: Nice to meet you, Jack. Or to see you again.

Jack laughs and after a moment, looks out the window, unable to shake this feeling that something he can't quite put his finger on, is wrong.

The camera follows Jack's gaze out the window, down through the clouds, and into the depths of the ocean below. We pass through schools of fish, coral reefs on the ocean's floor, past some familiar looking houses as well as a swingset, and past a shark with a Dharma logo near it's tailfin, to find a four toed foot of a statue resting beneath the depths.



Back from commercial, we takes things up with the events of last year's finale; Jack dropping Jughead's core down the shaft, it not blowing up, the electromagnetic reaction, and Juliet being pulled down the shaft. The brief sequence ends with a bloody Juliet smashing the core with a rock resulting in a smash to white.

As the picture fades in its up close on a closed eye. After a moment it opens. It's Kate, and she's lying flat on her back. (Get your minds out of the gutter) As she begins to stir a shift in her weight causes her to almost fall from where she is perched, far up on a branch of a tall tree. She manages to catch herself at the last second and cries out in surprise as she dangles there. We hear things from her perspective. The sound of her own voice is muffled, as if she were underwater. She quickly gathers her bearings, looking down at the ground far below. She manages to right herself and climb back onto the branch. Once there, she tests her own voice, finding out what the deal is with her hearing. After rubbing her ears for a moment, she quickly climbs down to the ground. She looks around, but sees no one in the dark of night. Just jungle. She calls out "Hello", and as she does, her ears clear, causing her to swoon momentarily. She rubs her ears again and does her best to shake off the cobwebs. Again she calls out, but there is no answer, prompting her to start walking around in search of somebody else.

After a few moments, somebody grabs her from behind and takes her by surprise. She reacts by pushing this person to the ground with her on top. Miles throws his hands up and tells her it's okay. She backs off of him and asks what happened. Only, he still can't hear, and asks in return if her ears are ringing. She turns her head and takes notice of something, and runs towards it to confirm what she sees; It's the rear entrance of The Hatch. She tells Miles that they're back to which he loudly responds "Back where?" Instead of answering she runs off with Miles in tow to the crater that formerly was the Swan Station. She mutters under her breath, "no" as Miles asks if that's the construction site they were seemingly just at. She confirms that it's the Swan hatch after Desmond made it go kablooey. Miles guesses that they're no longer in 1977. As she looks up at him bent over with her hands on her knees, she takes notice of somebody lying on the ground nearby. Actually, more than one person.

She quickly runs over to one of them. It's Jack, and after a moment, he comes to. He asks what happened and where they are. Kate answers that they are at the hatch. This doesn't compute at first as he struggles to sit up. He looks at the hollowed out shell of what was once The Swan and asks if they wound up building it, to which Kate responds affirmatively. Jack shakes his head in frustration, but then the next moment he gets punted in the side of the head Randy Orton-style by Sawyer, causing him to tumble into the crater roughly. Kate rebukes James for this before climbing down after Jack.

Sawyer: YOU WERE WRONG! THAT'S THE DAMNED SWAN HATCH!

He then follows Kate down, taking the same path she did.

Sawyer: IT'S BLOWN UP! JUST LIKE WE LEFT IT before we started JUMPING THROUGH TIME!

Kate helps Jack to his feet and then stands between him and an obviously pissed off former con man.

Sawyer: You said we could stop it from ever being built! That our plane would never crash on this island!

Kate: STOP IT!

Sawyer: This ain't LAX! You put us RIGHT BACK where we started!

Jack kneels over with his hands on his knees.

Sawyer: Except Juliet's dead. (Jack stands up straight and groans with a sad look in his eyes.) She's dead you sonofabitch because you were wrong.

Jack: Sawyer, (Takes a few steps towards him) I'm sorry. I thought we were supposed to… I thought it would work.

Sawyer: Well, it DIDN'T!

Jack shakes his head again in silent apology.

Whoosh! (Except it wasn't quite the same sound. But for the narrative purpose, we'll just stick with what we know.)

Jack is walking through the aisles of flight 815, ostensibly back to the bathroom. Although, once he gets there, he finds another man waiting as well. He asks the man if he is in line, and US Marshall Mars responds that he's just waiting for his friend. The door then suddenly opens and Kate emerges, awkwardly bumping into Jack as she does so. She apologizes profusely, despite Jacks protestations that it's okay. They lock eyes for a moment, before the Marshall quickly hustles her back to their respective seats. As they walk away, Jack can't help but to not take his eyes off of her.

Back in their seats, the Marshall hands over a plate of airline lasagna over to his prisoner. As she starts to reach for the utensils, he quickly grabs them up and refuses to allow her to use them. She wonders what he thinks she's going to do, stab him and run? Just then somebody walking up the aisle brushes up against his shoulder as they pass, which causes the Marshall to tell the guy to watch where they're going. As he does this, Kate hides the handcuffs holding her wrists bound underneath the tray in front of her. Sawyer responds with a brief "Sorry, my bad" before moving on.

As Sawyer makes his way back to his seat, he finds a fellow passenger being annoyed by yet someone else. It's Hurley sitting his seat and being pestered by Dr. Leslie Arzt. Arzt tells Hurley that he loves those commercials, and that if he just does the Australian accent, he'll leave him alone. Hurley finally relents and does as requested, much to Arzt's delight. Sawyer looks on incredulously at this.

Arzt: (to Sawyer) You know who this is? This is the owner of Mr. Cluck's chicken! And he's, and he's sitting back here in coach with the rest of us yutzes, huh!

Arzt pats Hurley's shoulder backhandedly several times enthusiastically.

Sawyer: (not really caring) How ‘bout that?

Arzt: Hey, um. You mind me asking? How exactly did a guy like you get to own a major corporation?

Hurley: I won the lottery, and I like chicken. So I bought it.

This part of the conversation piques Sawyers sudden interest. Hurley shrugs, and given the answer, Arzt has no other further choice than to drop the subject and walk away as promised. After Arzt departs…

Sawyer: You know, you really shouldn't tell people you won the lottery.

Hurley: Yeah, why not?

Sawyer: ‘Cause they'll take advantage of you, that's why not.

Hurley: (Smiling) Thanks for the advice, dude. But it's not going to happen.

Sawyer: It's not, huh?

Hurley: Nope. Nothing bad ever happens to me. I'm the luckiest guy alive.

Hurley then places a set of earphones over his head with a content look on his face.

Whoosh!

Hurley is back on the island with his back resting against a Dharma van, and a prone Sayid laying with his head resting on Hurley's left leg. Hugo loudly asks what just happened, as Jin emerges from the van saying that he's just found a flashlight as he checks his ears. Hurley tells Jin at the top of his voice who cares about the flashlight. Things just went from day to night! Jin answers that he thinks they just moved through time. Hugo asks how does he know that, to which Jin responds white flash, headache, can't hear, it all adds up. As Hurley rubs one of his ears he inquires if Jack and everyone else moved through time too, but Jin doesn't know. They took one of the other vans up to the worksite, but then he heard gunfire, Just then, Hurley hears raised voices and shushes Jin. He recognizes the voice as Sawyer. Jin orders Hurley to stay with Sayid as he runs off.

Back in the crater, Jack theorizes that the bomb must have gone off, but Sawyer argues that if it did, would any of them still be standing here? Jack answers that he doesn't know, and Sawyer is again still greatly pissed and fires off that Jack doesn't know shit from shinola. (I'm paraphrasing) Jin shows up and yells to Jack that Sayid needs help. Jack asks where he is, and Jin responds that Sayid is with Hurley, and that they are both back at the van, two minutes away, and that Sayid is still bleeding from being shot and that they don't know what to do. At this point, Kate's head turns, as she hears something coming from the rubble of The Swan crater behind where she stands. It's a wounded cry for help from literally out of nowhere. As Kate steps forward to investigate, Sawyer begins to lay into Jack anew verbally until Kate tells him to shut up. As she crouches down amidst the rubble, the cry can be heard again, this time by everyone. Sawyer bursts forth, shouting Juliet's name as he and Kate begin to shove the rubble aside. Jack runs forward as well as Juliet calls out James' name. Frantically, everyone begins to toss aside the remnants of what used to be the Swan in a frantic effort to find Juliet.

Meanwhile, Sayid is coughing up blood as Hurley does his best to comfort his friend. Hugo tells him that everything is going to be fine as he removes the compress covering the wound momentarily to check the bleeding. (Hugo's come a long way. He would have passed out at this sight in the early stages of season one) He looks up at Sayid with a woeful look on his face.

Sayid: When I die… (groans) What do you think will happen to me?

Hurley: Just… Just try not to talk, dude.

Sayid: I've tortured more people than I can remember. I've murdered… Wherever I'm going… It can't be very pleasant.

Hurley: Sayid! C'mon!

Sayid: …I deserve it.

Just then there is a rustling in the surrounding underbrush. Hurley is immediately startled, and calls out, thinking that it may be Jin returning. He gets to his feet and grabs a pistol sitting in the backseat of the van. As he struggles to load the weapon unsuccessfully he yells out loudly that he has a gun and he knows how to shoot it. Finally he just gives up and decides to use the weapon as a bluff, seeing as he can't get the freakin' thing to work. As he walks away from the van with the pistol held at arm's length in front of him, he turns in several directions, trying to find the source of discontent. Finally he stops, and cranes his head behind where he's facing.

He sees Jacob waving in his direction.

Jacob: Hello, Hugo. You got a minute?

Back from commercial, and back on the uncrashed 815, Sun admires the loving relationship between Rose and Bernard from several rows back on the plane. Jin, sitting next to her, takes notice of this and asks in Korean why she's staring at them. She responds in kind and answers that they just seems so happy. He nods momentarily, sniffs, and then orders her to button up her sweater. She quietly obliges.

Elsewhere on the plane, John Locke is busying himself reading the emergency pamphlet. A man sitting on the opposite side of the guy sitting between them that is fast asleep strikes up conversation.

Boone: It's a waste of time, man. This plane goes down in the ocean the way I hear it our chances of survival are exactly zero.

Locke: Actually, in calm seas, with a good pilot, we could survive a water landing. And uh, the fuel tanks are buoyant enough to keep us afloat until we got in the life rafts.

Boone shoots John Locke a look of mild respect.

Locke: What?

Boone: No, it's just impressive that you know that.

Locke nods in acknowledgement.

Boone: So what are you doing in Australia? Business or pleasure?

Locke: Pleasure. You?

Boone: I went down to get my sister out of a bad relationship but it turned out she didn't want to get out of. So, here I am.

Locke again nods in acknowledgment.

Boone: So what, you just went down there for vacation?

Locke: Actually, I went on a walkabout.

Boone: (Intrigued) Really? Like, like Crocodile Dundee?

Locke: (scoffing) No, not exactly. But, but, uh, it was pretty intense. We… We spent ten days in the outback. And, uh, nothing but our packs and our knives. We slept under the stars and made our own fires. Hunted our own food.

Boone: (impressed) Wow! I wouldn't make it two days without my cell phone.

John Locke chuckles at this.

Boone: You're not pulling my leg, are you?

Locke: (Folding his arms) Why would I pull your leg?

Boone takes a swig of his drink as he smiles, which looks to be orange juice with ice, or possibly a screwdriver.

Boone: This thing goes down? I'm sticking with you.

Locke nods in appreciation, but cannot look him in the eye as he does so.

Whoosh!

In the foot of the statue, Unlocke picks up the bloody knife that Ben used to kill Jacob. He walks over and cuts out a piece of the tapestry that Jacob had woven, and uses it to clean the blade. Ben is standing on the other side of the room, staring at the fire that burned Jacob's body and looking like he's in shock. Unlocke tells Ben to stop staring at the fire. Jacob's gone. Ben asks why didn't he fight back, why did he just allow himself to be murdered. Unlocke reasons that perhaps he just knew he was beaten. He then instructs Ben to go outside and fetch Richard for him. Ben wants to what for, but Unlocke insists that's between him and Richard.



Outside the statue, it's nighttime. Sun and Lapidus stand at a distance and watch as Richard argues with both Bram and Ilana. Sun asks Frank who are they. Frank states that other than the fact that they were on the Ajira flight, all he knows is that they knocked him out and then dragged him to some cabin which they promptly burned, and then they brought him here along with the dead guy in the box. That, and that they say they are the good guys. Sun looks at him, silently asking his opinion. Frank quickly responds that he doesn't buy their story either.

Meanwhile, Bram starts to walk past Richard but Alpert isn't having any of it, quickly getting back in his way and insisting that no one goes in there unless specifically invited by Jacob. Ilana says that that's why they are there, because Jacob invited them. Richard fires back that asking him what's in the shadow of the damned statue doesn't put them in charge. Ilana asks who is. A moment later, Ben emerges. Richard wants to know what happened, and Ben lies as always, answering that everything is fine, and that John wants to speak with him. Ilana asks if Jacob is alright, and Ben quickly dismisses her by asking who she is. Richard demands that Ben answers her question, and again Ben lies, saying that of course Jacob's fine. He and John are both inside. And John wants to talk with him. Richard reads that last sentence back in the form of a question, and Ben answers affirmatively. Pissed, Richard grabs Ben roughly by the arm and begins to walk him down the beach as Ben protests that he doesn't understand what's going on and why Richard is doing this. Richard states that he's more than happy to talk to John, but before he does, he thinks that Ben should do so first. With that, Richard throws Ben down into the sand right next to the dead body of John Locke.

Back at what used to be the hatch, everyone is working together to toss aside all of the debris in an effort to get to Juliet. Sawyer shouts for her to hold on, and that they're coming. Once most of it is cleared away, Jack asks Jin for a flashlight, which is quickly handed over. Jack and Sawyer look down into the hole, but see nothing. Sawyer says if they can move this one last heavy beam, he thinks that he can fit down there. Miles hands Jin a long metal rod to use for leverage, and everyone chips in to try to move the big bastard. But for all their concerted effort, the beam will not budge. Sawyer proclaims it to be too heavy, and that they need something to pull it. He yells at Jin that in the van there's chains, so go get them, which he heads off to do.

Meanwhile Jacob and Hurley are taking a walk through the jungle. (Why do I suddenly have a freakin' John Fogarty tune in my head?) As Jacob leads, Hurley is quick behind him peppering him with questions.

Hurley: Where you going, dude? And what are you doing here? I mean, I meet you in a taxi, and you know everything about me, and you give me a plane ticket which just so happens gets me back on this island. How did you know that was going to happen? Hello?

They are now back at the van, and Jacob kneels alongside the prone Sayid.

Hurley: Can you hear me? Why aren't you answering my questions? Look, my friend Jin is going to be here any second so you'd better stop ignoring my…

Jacob: Your friend Jin won't be able to see me.

Hurley: Why not?

Jacob: Because I died an hour ago.

Hurley: I'm sorry, dude. That sucks.

Jacob: Thanks.

Hurley: How'd you die?

Jacob: I was killed by an old friend who grew tired of my company.

Jacob and Hurley look one another in the eye.

Hurley: You want me to do something crazy again, don't you?

Jacob: No. I need you to save Sayid, Hugo.

Hurley: That's why Jin went to get Jack.

Jacob: Jin can't help him. You need to take Sayid to the temple. That's the only chance he's got. The rest of you will be safe there.

Hurley: The temple? I'm supposed to know what that is?

Jacob: Jin knows. Tell him to take you to the hole in the wall where he was with the French team. With that opening you can get into the temple. You still have the guitar case that I gave you?

Hurley: Yeah.

Jacob: Bring it.

Hurley: Who are you, dude?

Jacob: I'm Jacob.

Hurley's eyes widen a little. This little revelation is not lost on him. Just then, Jin burst forth from the jungle running at full speed. Hurley turns to see him call out his name and to request his help with getting Sayid into the van. When Hurley turns back to where Jacob was standing, he's gone. Jin yells at him again to help, and finally Hugo snaps to and helps load the almost dead Iraqi into the van.

The van is now moving at a fast pace through the jungle with Jin driving, while Hurley sits in the back looking over Sayid. While sitting in back he asks Jin that if he were to ask to be taken to a hole in a wall, where he was once with a French team, would he know what he was talking about? Jin answers affirmatively, much to Hugo's relief and slight disbelief.

Back at the hatch, Jin backs up the van to the edge of the crater. Jack and Miles run up to get the chains in place. Sawyer again calls down to Juliet and starts to try to wriggle through the narrow opening, clearly not wanting to wait. Kate grabs him and does her best to calm his nerves. Sawyer asks Kate if she hears Juliet making any more noise. Kate answers calmly that she knows that they are all there and se's probably just resting.

Meanwhile, Jin throws down a length of chain to Jack carefully. As Jack grabs the end of the chain Sawyer eyes him murderously and admits to Kate with a whisper that "if she dies, I'll kill him". Considering James' demeanor, Kate does not take this as an idle threat.

Whoosh!

Jack and Desmond are still sitting a seat apart on 815 when Cindy puts out a call on the intercom that while she doesn't wish to alarm anyone, if there's a doctor on board, would that person please hit the call button. Jack quickly answers. She approaches and asks if he's a doctor, which he answers affirmatively. She then asks him to come with her. As they walk down the aisle she expresses appreciation for his help, explaining along the way that a fellow passenger went into the bathroom a half hour ago and hasn't come out, and is not responding when they knock. They arrive and another member of the flight crew says that there's something wrong with the lock, it's jammed or something. Just then, another passenger offers his assistance. It's Sayid. And without another word (Well, he does say "excuse me") kicks the door in with one thrust of his leg. Jack rushes inside to find the occupant unconscious. Longtime fans of the show know who this individual is as soon as we see his hands, but they try to be coy, concealing his identity as Jack checks his wrist for a pulse and listens for any signs of breath. Of course, it's rock star junkie Charlie, and Jack reveals that he's not breathing.

Still on 815, Cindy hurries down the aisle with a medical kit in tow. Along the way, Sawyer stops her and asks "What's going on here, Earhart?" Cindy advises that everything is fine and that he should just stay in his seat, which is met with a response of "yeah, looks peachy."

As Jack continues to check for a pulse on a grey-faced and dead looking Charlie, he asks Sayid for his help. (Referring to him as "sir", seeing as they have not previously met in this timeframe) Sayid asks what can he do, and Jack answers by telling him to put a breathing bag over Charlie's nose and mouth. (What, I don't know that the hell that thing is called clinically.) As Sayid manipulates the thingamajig as per Jack's instructions the good doc quickly muses that it's not working because the airway is blocked by something. Jack quickly shoves the breathing device aside and manually reaches in Charlie's mouth with his fingers. When he can't reach whatever it is he turns to Cindy and asks for something sharp, like a razor. As Cindy searches frantically through the on board medical kit, Jack turns to his discarded jacket and says that he has a pen, which is questioned immediately by Sayid. (A pen? How is that sharp?) Cindy pipes up that there's nothing sharp present and Jack yells at her to find a freakin' pen already! As she scrambles to find one he curses underneath his breath (dammit!) and reaches into Charlie's mouth with his fingers anew. This time, he finds the obstruction and pulls it out; It's a tied off condom filled with heroin.

Charlie instantly comes to, coughing as he does as Sayid takes the object in hand and inspects it. Jack advises Charlie to just relax and breathe, as the fallen rock star looks around and takes in his surroundings. Charlie asks if he's alive, and Jack with much relief on his face answers affirmatively. Charlie responds with a less than enthusiastic "terrific".

Whoosh!

Back on the island, half of the team works to wrap the chain around the beam keeping them from going after Juliet, while Jin wraps the other end around the back bumper of the van. Once everything is in place Jin jumps into the driver's seat and punches it. The first try is met with resistance, but with another effort, the beam moves out of the way. Sawyer calls for a flashlight, and once he has one in hand, he heads down into the rubble.

Down in the wreckage, he tosses things aside in an effort to get to his one true love. And it doesn't take him too long to find her. She's in a bad way, bloodied, and unconscious. He shoves aside further debris in an effort to get to her, and caresses her face once he gets there, and urges her to wake up. And she does.



Juliet: Hi.

Sawyer: Hey.

Juliet grabs at his hand that had been at her face while her other reaches up for his head blindly as she looks around in confusion.

Juliet: Where? Where are we?

Sawyer: Don't worry about that. You're fine. I'll get you out of here, okay?

As Sawyer begins to work to free Juliet from the clutter that still covers and pins most of her body to where she lay, a matter of fact resolute look comes across her face.

Juliet: It didn't work. We're still on the island.

Sawyer's eyes plead with her to just stick with him as he continues to speak.

Sawyer: It's okay. It's okay. I just gotta get this loose enough to get you out. Okay?

Juliet: (frantic) No, I hit the bomb and you're still here!

Sawyer: You what? You hit the bomb? Why?

As they caress one another's face lovingly…

Juliet: (whispering) I wanted you to be able to go home. (Crying) I wanted make it so that you never came to this damn island.

Sawyer: (doing his best to comfort her) Easy.

Juliet: It didn't work!

Sawyer: Shh! Don't you worry about that. You're going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here and we're all going to go home together, you hear me?

Above, Kate calls down for Sawyer to respond, but gets no answer. The camera pans back to Jack checking on the severely wounded Sayid in the van as Hurley, Miles, and Jin watch on.

Jack: Even if I could get the bullet out, the bleeding won't stop. There's nothing that I can do for him.

Hurley: There's something that I can do. There's a temple. If we can get Sayid there, we can save him.

Miles: And you know this how?

Hurley: This guy Jacob told me just before we got here.

Jack: Who's Jacob?

Hurley: Does it matter? Can you fix Sayid, Jack?

Jack: No.

Hurley: Then you're going to have to let me do it.

Jack takes a leap of faith that his friend knows of which he speaks, and nods.

Back at the beach, Ben is still sitting in the sand and staring in disbelief at the dead body of the one true John Locke. Richard approaches and kneels down, telling Ben that he cannot stop them (Jacob's people) unless Ben starts talking and informs him of what happened in the foot of the statue and what happened to Jacob. Richard says that the two of them have known one another for thirty years, so he's asking as a friend. Ben tells Richard if he really wants to know, why doesn't he go inside and find out for himself? Based on the look in his eye's, Richard finds this response disturbing. Just then, Bram comes walking up with a purpose, grabs Ben by the shoulder and hauls him to his feet. He insists that they're going on, and Ben is coming with them.

In the statue, Unlocke waits for Richard, but is nonplussed when Ben returns without him. He does know however that Ben is not alone, as he asks who is it that's following him. Bram and his team enter warily, brandishing their rifles, and Bram demands to know where's Jacob. Unlocke states matter of factly that Jacob is dead. This is met with the sound of rifles cocking.

Bram: Who are you?

Unlocke: (With a wave of his hand) Don't worry about me. Let's talk about you. I'm assuming that you are, what, Jacob's bodyguards? And that you came all the way to this island to protect him? I have good news. Jacob burned up, right there in that fire. Therefore there's nothing left for you to protect. You can go. (smiles) You're free.

Bram doesn't take this bit of news very good, as he shoots at Unlocke, and seemingly hits him in the right shoulder. As his fellows join in on firing on him as Bram shouts "kill him" Unlocke ducks behind a convenient pillar and seemingly disappears as Ben ducks for cover. They all make to surround Unlocke, but once they are in position, he's nowhere to be found. As they all puzzle over this mystery, Bram reaches down and picks up a smashed bullet he spots on the ground. And then, a familiar howl, followed by the clickety-clackety sounds we all know so well. It is coming from a doorway nearby, and Bram and his men all train their weapons upon it. Not that it will do them much good as Smokey emerges into the room. A couple of the men instantly realize this themselves and try to flee, but they are quickly grabbed up and dispatched. One man stands his ground and fires his gun at Smokey, no good. He and a couple others are grabbed up as well and meet bad ends. Ben watches as Bram thinks quickly on his feet and empties a bag of ash around his feet in a circle as another of his men gets bounced off of the ceiling. Once Smokey goes after Bram, he is protected by the ring of ash, which holds the monster momentarily at bay. Not good enough though, as Smokey smashes through the ceiling, causing a great big chunk to fall and hit the floor. One of the remnants breaks off and bounces off of Bram, knocking out of his circle of protection. At that point, he's screwed, as Smokey picks him up and impales him on a block of wood. And just as quickly as all these gun toting dudes were dispatched, with a departing howl, Smokey's gone.

Ben gets up from his hiding point and looks around, surveying the damage. He takes in all the dead bodies lying around as he does his best to get the hell out of dodge. But just as he's at the steps to leave, he stops. Somehow, he sense a presence behind him. He turns slowly to see Unlocke standing there.

Unlocke: I'm sorry you had to see me like that.

Yeah, called it last year. RAWK!!!

Back at the remnants of the hatch, Kate calls down to Sawyer, asking if Juliet is okay. HE yells back that he's working on it.

Down in the hole (Why do I suddenly have an Alice In Chains song stuck in my head) Sawyer struggles to free Juliet from the last of the big debris pinning her in place. He finally manages to do so, and grabs her up.

Sawyer: Holding Juliet close) Don't worry.

Juliet: We should get coffee sometime.

Sawyer takes this as a side effect of her condition. She must be in shock after all.

Sawyer: I've got to get you out of here.

Juliet: (smiling) We could go dutch.

Again, Sawyer doesn't know how to take this other than she's speaking gibberish. He looks at her lovingly and does his best to comfort her.

Sawyer: Juliet. It's me.

Juliet: James, kiss me.

Sawyer: You got it, blondie. (yeah, okay. Cheesy as hell)

He does as asked, despite the fact that she's a bloody mess. After they kiss, James sighs, in recognition of the fact that most likely, it will be the last kiss that they shall ever share.

Juliet: I have to tell you something. It's really, really important.

James lovingly stokes her hair.

Sawyer: You tell me. You tell me.

But before she can, she slips away.

Sawyer cradles her head against her face and weeps.

Jack, Miles, Hurley and Jin are all present at the precipice of the hatch crater as Sawyer carries Juliet's dead body from the wreckage. James shoots daggers of blame at Jack, and proclaims "you did this".

And then, we're back on the uncrashed flight 815 as it's about to land. Life goes on as it was seemingly supposed to be. Charlie is fitted with ziptie handcuffs and as he is marched past Jack he tells him "it wasn't supposed to happen." And that he should've let him die. Cindy tells Jack not to take it personally, for some people just don't know how to say thanks. Jack nods and sighs.

As he makes his way back to his seat, he finds that Desmond is no longer there. He looks around for him, but he's nowhere to be seen. He asks Rose if she knows where he went, but she explains that both her and her husband were asleep.

We are left with a final montage of the passengers of 815 as they safely land in Los Angeles, and ultimately debark. It's chocked full of really good small moments, such as Sayid longingly looking at a picture of Nadia, or Locke and Boone shaking hands, or Jack getting a passing hateful stare from Charlie, or Kate in fear of the cops that come on board, not for her but for Charlie. The final touch is Jack nodding to Locke just as he's being helped into his wheelchair.

* * *

And that's it for the first hour of the season premiere, and this installment of Get LOST as well. However, Dustin James will have the recap for the second hour, and Rick Tym will have analysis for both hours of the premiere, so keep an eye out for it.
Until next time,
Stay LOST!
-BP

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