Above average. Another entertaining outing.
It is clear the writers have mastered this particular style of storytelling expertly. The show is well on its way to being the best example of complex arc based storytelling ever. The way the writers keep track of who knows who and what to the way the writers don't tip their hands to early and the way they time the reveals to where they will have the most impact. And I love how everything plausibly builds on everything else and the ease with which the characters' lives interconnect.
Last week, I was 95% certain Hawkins was Dan's mother. After this week, I'm a 100% certain. The way Dan was cut off in getting out her name. The fact that she was scribbling complex calculations on a chalkboard like Dan. The subtle hint with both having last names of famous physicists. I like how it is all, even this early, started falling into place where you can start to see the broad outlines of the season. Clearly, Desmond will now head to LA where he'll locate her and realize she is the same person who he met in episode 3.8 which will lead to its own series of revelations and insights. I can hardly wait for Desmond's reaction. It will also mean he'll inevitably cross paths with the Oceanix Six for the first time since they left Penny's boat in last year's finale.
Poor Desmond doesn't realize she is being placed in danger because of his quest to help the other survivors--although her life might be spared. Last week, I wondered why Ben hadn't killed Penny yet and then with this week's teaser it briefly had me thinking Desmond had gone for a doctor to treat a bullet wound she had suffered during an attempt on her life. I also wondered that the reason Sayid no longer works for Ben is because Ben had asked him to kill Penny and he refused to do so because of his relationship with Desmond. This also means that Penny, who had been safely tucked away, will be out in the open and an enticing target for Ben who has yet to fulfill his vow to kill her from last season's "The Shape of Things To Come".
Desmond remained on the Kahana promising to never set foot on the island again and again tonight it was mentioned so I'm thinking that the only way he would willingly go back is if her life was threatened and Ben promised to spare Penny if he returned to the island. Although it hasn't been brought up, it would seem not only the Six but Desmond and possibly Frank must return to the island.
I certainly never saw Widmore being an Other. The writers engaged in a bit of clever misdirection with him wearing the uniform of a dead soldier that read the name "Junes". I'm also thinking in hindsight that the young female Other is Mrs Hawkins. She was British and in her twenties which would be consistent with Hawkins' age. It puts a new spin on her holding a gun on Daniel. It also sheds new light on Daniels' interest in joining up with the freighter last season. Each of the four seemed to have their own reasons and agendas for participating and to learn his mother might be a part of the Others' certainly suggests a lot. I'm also wondering if she was the unseen caretaker in "Confirmed Dead" since they deliberately shot her only from the shoulders down.
And now it raises the question about what is the current state of the relationship between Widmore and Hawkins? She is helping Ben locate the island but Ben is Widmore's mortal enemy? And when and under what conditions did Hawkins and Widmore leave the island? Was it voluntarily? Was it by force? Why and when did they come to the island? How were they recruited? Were they involved in DHARMA? Was the notebook Dan is constantly referring to not his but his mother's research notes? Does Hawkins know her son was on the island and had been tapped by Widmore and knows this before Desmond tells her? Had Ben told her? Did Ben know Dan was her son when he came to the island last year? Beyond the threat of what is happening to the island evoking the reaction "God help us all" it might explain another reason for her interest in helping Ben find the island and stop what happened? I also wonder why Jacob via Christian told John to move the island if it was going to result in this calamity. And where is the island? The survivors are physically moving through time as opposed to the mental leaps Desmond experienced in episodes 3.8 and 4.5. The island also appears to be in the condition it was when at whatever point in time they jump into hence no campsite, the Hatch blown, then intact in a later jump, the drug plabe in the tree and then fallen down etc. So does the island just integrate into the time period or is it someplace else entirely. It obviously is no longer where it was since it vanished.
Richard refers to a leader. Is he referring to Jacob? We learn Richard was aware of Jacob as early as 1954. When did Widmore first meet Ben? Was it as a child or as an adult? What is the relationship between Hawkins and Ben? We also learn Dan is aware Miles can hear the dead. We learn there is an H-bomb on the island called "Jughead". Did the Others heed Dan's advice and bury it? If so, where? Interesting that it was there on this island all this time unbeknowst to the survivors. It will most likely come into play but I don't know how or when.
Juliet reveals she knows more than the survivors about Richard. I briefly thought John could just ask Juliet about another way off the island but Ben wouldn't have ever shared that with her given the fact he knew she wanted to return to Rachel. John has decided to keep the fact that the Six survived from the other survivors. John is clearly taking "his people" thing a bit too seriously. We learn there were Others before Tom, Bea et al as far back as 1954. We also learn that the object that was already John's was the compass(since the older John was given it it was already his) and John's visit in the 1954 instigated Richard's interest and visit to young John as chronicled in "Cabin Fever". The US military conducted H bomb tests on the island, using it as a proving ground, and was aware of its existence as far back as 1954. How did they locate it when others seem to have difficulty doing so. Is Charlotte dead?
Nice touch naming his son after Charlie.
I impatiently await the next chapter.