"Catch-22"

I've been busy so this week's LOST blog is a little late, but better than never! I really liked this week's episode and can definitely feel the buildup to the end of the season. So without further ado...

STOP READING NOW TO AVOID SPOILERS!!!!!

I have liked the Desmond character since he was introduced and am always eager to learn more about his mysterious and seemingly very important back story. This week his back story didn't really seem to be going anywhere at first, but it's importance became much clearer as the episode neared it's conclusion. Incidentally, I couldn't help but think of how much the short-haired, clean-shaven Desmond looks like a young Dustin Hoffman (think Little Big Man). Anyway, I loved learning why Desmond calls everyone "brother." But more importantly, the purpose of this flashback and episode seems to be how Desmond's "flashes" are really a test of his faith and his need to face his fear. As he and the abbot discussed the story of Abraham and Issac, we are to draw a parallel to Desmond and Charlie. Desmond has so little faith that Charlie will avoid death without his help, that he feels he must intervene constantly. However, I think that what we, and Desmond, were supposed to learn, is that he must trust that Charlie will be able to save himself. Then again, the abbot had a picture on his desk of himself with the lady from the ring store in Desmond's last episode which could point back to the need for the universe to "course correct" when something has been tampered with on the fate time line.

But what of the island story? Is Penny really coming for Desmond? I think that we have our first connection to the final moments of the second season finale. The crashed helicopter pilot's pack contained a Portuguese copy of Joseph Heller's "Catch-22." As many will remember, the two men at the listening station at the end of season two spoke Portuguese. Coincidence? Not if you count the picture of Desmond and Penny between the pages of the book.

But why did the helicopter crash? I believe that there is just something about the island that draws people to it i.e. Desmond's boat, Eko's brother's plane, the real Henry Gale's balloon, and even Oceanic Flight 815. That being said, I don't believe that Desmond caused the crash of 815 due to his failure to enter the numbers and push the button on September 22, 2004. I think that there is more to it than that and we might just get a little more light shed on the topic before the end of this season.

And finally what does the title refer to? Is it just because the book is seen in the episode? I say no. Desmond was terribly concerned not to change anything he saw in the flashes because he was convinced that doing so would alter the course of events that were to come. By saving Charlie again, he altered things. Notwithstanding what I have already written about Desmond and Charlie, is it possible that Desmond saving Charlie resulted in the parachutist not being Penny? Much like Schrodinger's Cat, we have no idea who the parachutist is until the helmet is removed. Might it have been Penny had Charlie died? Was Desmond indeed supposed to sacrifice Charlie to be reunited with the love of his life? I guess we'll have to wait for more answers to clarify this conundrum, but I would like to think that the title referred to the choice that Desmond was forced to make.

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