"What They Died For"

I've said it so many times this season, but I have to say it again: I can't believe LOST is almost over!  It really boggles my mind that this season has gone by so quickly yet maintained the typical pace that LOST has managed these last few years.  Sometimes things felt rushed and sometimes things seemed very belabored, but by and large, the story has managed forward momentum.  I know that sometimes watching on TV and waiting a week or two between episodes has seemed bad at times, but rewatching the previous seasons on DVD has almost always redeemed any slow parts of the series.  At times, I have been critical of LOST but what kind of fan would I be without gripes or nits to pick from time to time?  When I sat down to write this post a few minutes ago, I hadn't intended to start this way or go on this long, but I guess this is me eulogizing my favorite show.  I know that there's still one seriously super-sized episode left, but I couldn't help but feel a little sad as I watched the post-episode promo for the finale on Sunday.  It has been quite a ride and although a part of me would love more LOST, I realize that all good things must come to an end.  I respect what the producers of the show have done even if I haven't always been pleased with the way they brought us to where we are now, a mere two and a half hours from the final credits.  Even though I was a late comer to watching the show (I saw the first two seasons on DVD) I have been a devoted fan since I had my mind blown by the Season 1 Locke-centric episode "Walkabout."  It was then that I knew that LOST was something different altogether.  But I digress...the truly sad goodbye will come on Sunday night. 

STOP READING NOW TO AVOID SPOILERS!!!!!

A week after the most divisive episode in the history of the series, I was very curious about the follow-up.  For the record, I enjoyed "Across the Sea" even if it was perplexing at times.  If nothing else, it was essential for tonight's episode.  I was very glad to see Desmond again even if it was only in the sideways world.  I really thought he was about to run Locke down again so I totally shocked when he got out of his car and beat the crap out of Ben...just like old times!  Ben even had a flash of Desmond beating the crap out of him at the marina in "Dead Is Dead."  But Desmond wasn't done yet!  He turned himself in to Sawyer who put him in a jail cell with Sayid (very glad to see him again!) in a cell next to Kate.  I didn't realize they keep men and women in the same holding area but whatever.  Desmond still wasn't finished gathering up sideways Losties thanks to a deal he made with Ana Lucia who released them to Hurley while she was transporting them to county lockup.  I loved Hurley's line asking if Ana Lucia was coming with them.  His meeting with Libby had an even more profound effect than I had thought!  It appears that the climactic meeting of everyone in the sideways world will be at the benefit concert at Miles' dad's museum.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the sideways world, Locke got religion.  He became a the man of faith that we all know and love when Ben told him what Desmond said while beating the crap out Dr. Linus.  So Locke has decided that it is indeed time to fix his legs.  Speaking of Ben, he got invited to dinner at his favorite student Alex's house with her mother.  It goes without saying that it was nice to see Danielle again especially all dressed up like a normal person as opposed to a crazy Island hermit.  After dinner, it almost seemed like there was a love connection between Ben and Danielle.  I could be reading that wrong but it sure seemed like something to me.  I still have no idea what will happen when all the sideways characters get together in the finale, but a fair number of them are setup for the meeting and I'm sure the rest will be drawn together by Desmond during the epic finale on Sunday.

Back on the Island, Jack, Sawyer, Hurley and Kate were understandably upset by the deaths of Sayid, Sun and Jin but action Jack knew what to do.  After sewing up Kate's wound (mirroring Jack's post-crash surgery in the "Pilot"), Jack began leading the survivors in search of Desmond.  Sawyer stopped Jack along the way to ask about the bomb on the sub.  I really felt for Sawyer and his feeling of guilt and responsibility for Sayid, Sun and Jin's deaths.  Jack really stepped up and said some very comforting things to Sawyer and I liked Jack for doing it.  Not long after, Hurley saw the boy Jacob and followed him to find the full grown Jacob who told him that the end was near and that he needed to see the survivors.

Meanwhile, Ben, Richard and Miles were still on a quest to get C4 to destroy the Ajira plane.  However, they were ambushed at Ben's old Dharma house by Charles Widmore and Zoe.  Unfortunately for everyone, Locke was not far behind.  Widmore and Zoe hid, Miles ran and Ben and Richard attempted to confront Locke.  Suddenly Richard was attacked by the Smoke Monster and seems to be dead and gone.  I'm not totally sure we've seen the last of him, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he was gone for good considering how characters are dropping like flies now!  If he's gone I must say Richard, we hardly knew ye.  Please give Frank our condolences if you see him in the afterlife of secondary characters.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Just when I thought Ben had turned over a new leaf, he double crossed Widmore and Zoe.  After quickly dispatching of Zoe, Locke offered to spare Penny's life if Widmore told him how and why he returned to the Island.  I was surprised to learn that Jacob told Widmore to return with Desmond.  As Widmore was telling Locke about the importance of Desmond, Ben shot and killed him.  This is just getting ridiculous!  Ben asked Locke who else needed to be killed which disturbed me.  But then again, he could be pulling a long con on Locke.  At least I hope he is!

Back at Jacob's campfire, the remaining candidates questioned Jacob about his motives.  Apparently Jacob brought them all to the Island because they had lonely lives and they needed the Island as much as the Island needed them.  And Kate was crossed off the list in the cave because she had Aaron and wasn't alone anymore.  But she was still a candidate and she could have the job if she wanted it.  After last week, I really didn't care for Jacob and although he made some good points in his explanation, he still came off as pretty selfish.  He said that he was letting his replacement choose because he never got the chance to decide if he wanted to be guardian of the Island.  Of course, Jack stepped forward to be Jacob's replacement.  It felt right even though I haven't always been on Team Jack.  Jacob turned water into wine or something for Jack to drink and told him where the heart of the Island was.  Jack drank and became like Jacob.

Finally, Ben and Locke trekked to the well where Desmond was supposed to be but apparently, besides not killing him, Sayid also left a rope for Desmond to escape.  According to Locke, Desmond is the fail safe in the case that all the candidates are killed.  I have a feeling that Locke plans to throw Desmond into the light to make him a Smoke Monster but his unique resistance to electromagnetism will backfire on Locke and probably destroy him.

This penultimate episode was a pretty standard setup for the finale to come but I loved all the moving parts and placements of the characters.  With a two and a half hour finale though, I wonder if our game pieces won't be shuffled around more before the final acts.  I wonder how many, if any, of our Losties will survive the finale.  Only time will tell but I am on board and ready to roll with whatever they throw our way on Sunday.  I'd like to hope for something mindblowing but will settle for a good episode of a great show.