One Of Us

“See you in a week.” Indeed. A spectacular episode, most definitely beginning the sprint to the season finale. And for all the clues and answers we get in “One Of Us,” what kept Jen and I dazzled was the performances, the writing, the pacing. Some episodes feel a little off, but tonight, “LOST” was in top form.

I’ll say it again, Elizabeth Mitchell deserves an Emmy. Or two. Even though she and Michael Emerson are late additions to the cast, they are hands down the strongest actors on the show. And while our old friends have been around too long to be consistent, tonight I’d say almost everyone was spot on. Jack and Sayid at loggerheads. Sawyer and Kate all a’tingle. (I’m no “shipper,” but Sawyer’s expression upon spotting Kate melted my cold, cold heart.) Claire and Charlie, Sun and Jin… Altogether, quite possibly the most perfect episode in a while.

Juliet’s confrontation with Ben in the kitchen stands out in my mind. Emerson does creepy well, but he does “rattled” pretty good, too. Jen went back to watch Rachel and little Julian in the park twice… and got weepy both times. And Juliet and Goodwin in bed? It’s official. Juliet is crazy cool, and smokin’ hot.

But oh yes, the clues. The clues! Through a handful of familiar scenes from seasons past — including a surprisingly effective return to the eye-popping season premiere — many blanks are filled in. Seeing The Flame in action was great, and the news coverage of Oceanic Flight 815’s disappearance helps shut down a few of the more elaborate theories. At least until “the sky turned purple,” Ben and friends have clearly not lacked for access to information.

It was also a relief to have much of the emphasis on pregnancy and children spelled out. From why Juliet was recruited to why Ethan kidnapped Claire to why dear Sun is apparently in danger, there’s something about the island that’s unfriendly to offspring. Even more intriguing, Ben’s assertion that cancer is non-existant on the Island, and Juliet’s very good question: “If you can cure cancer Ben, then why do you have it?”

We also get another hint at Jacob’s endless talents. He can cure cancer. And the way Ben questioned Juliet’s faith in him sounded like a little more than being a good employee.

And the twist at the end, revealing the “left behind” Juliet to be the intensely talented manipulator we always knew her to be? Incredible.

Notes and notions:

  • So does the pregnancy problem happen at conception or not? That was Juliet’s theory before finding out about Claire. But if Claire, who conceived before arriving on the island, developed symptoms, then Sun will too (which was strongly hinted at). What changed? And now I’m wondering… did Danielle give birth to Alex on the island, or before getting shipwrecked? (Presuming you believe her story at all.)
  • It’s interesting to track how Juliet deals, or doesn’t deal, with death. She specifically told Jack she’s not comfortable with it. And Goodwin had to comfort her when Sabine died. Then again, she didn’t seem too conflicted about killing Pickett. Or, perhaps, even losing Goodwin.
  • What is so special about the “last leg” of the journey to the island? If it requires a submarine, sedation, and restraints, it can’t just be deep sea currents. A submarine is a wonderful vessel for all kinds of sci-fi theories, and having finally watched “Donnie Darko” (after many fans linked it to “LOST” in Season 1), some of them actually make sense.
  • The mark on the tree by Ethan’s old drop point looks like the same symbol Juliet was branded with. What does it mean? Someone at The Fuselage suggests it may be a variant of Pisces, or http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/11/1110.html “>sal ammoniacus. Whatever it is, its use on the tree seemed pretty innocuous compared to being “marked.”
  • Location notes: The mysterious private airport in Miami was the Gannett printing facility in Kapolei, where The Honolulu Advertiser is printed. The Herarat Aviation (Herarat = Earhart?) lobby looked like the main branch of First Hawaiian Bank on Bishop Street. The submarine and pier are in the private ponds at Kualoa (where Jin visited his father in Season 2). Not sure where Rachel and Julian’s playground was, but I suspect it was Palolo again (where Jack stalked Sarah).
  • Links: “One Of Us” discussion on TheFuselage.com, Lost-Forum.com, and USA Today’s Pop Candy
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119 Responses to One Of Us

  1. FoKoF says:

    and Steven… keep your spoiler for you !!!!

  2. Tawl says:

    In the very last scene, Juliet looks at Sun and Jin, and then over to Clair and Charley, with knowing smiles at each (the women are pregnant).. and finally Juliet looks at someone else with a distressed frown… and this is when she pulls the knot tight on her tent poll with an “I got you now” look. Who was she looking at? My two picks are Sayid or Jack.. does anyone else have an idea?

    Also, after Ben gives Juliet the gas mask and moves away from her, Juliet’s lips move as if to say something under her breath (maybe “razzle dazzle” ). Anyone else notice that? I doubt it was a goof, since it would have been pretty obvious to the show’s editors. If you have TIVO, take a look.

  3. MontaukJimbo says:

    I Thought she pulled Knot tight after looking at Charlie,specifically.

    They had to Gas Sayid and Kate and maybe Jack and some ,other non-others…..Kate and Sayid are way too dangerous to try to handle by force.

    STEVEN: Jacob is “Mr. Big”as the one who is pulling strings, that the Others keep alluding to,

    Juliet has to apparently “Kill” someone(s) within these seven Days,”see you in a week”, there is the REAL Possibility that she will administer something to simulate Death in order to remove them from Losties Camp.
    Not Jack
    Not Kate
    Not Sayid
    Not Sawyer
    Not Hurley
    as they had shots at them in Others “Village”.
    My bet is one of the Pregnant Women.
    And Maybe a real Killing to Seperate them from Losties
    {{{{Charlie or Jin}}}}
    I know all this talk of People coming back from Dead is disruptive BUT, It wll happen, it has to some extent but,WE WILL see the Dead walk again.
    N+P may be toast unless we see an empty grave this week or next

  4. MontaukJimbo says:

    Oh, I forgot,
    Juliet may still have her gas Mask for a Gassing of our Losties,
    We get them all herded into one spot and SSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss………..ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz……

  5. NorCal Matt says:

    Ryan, Thanks for the positive feedback on my theory about Juliet adding Ana Lucia to Michael’s hit list. Why else would the producers show us Juliet and Goodwin in bed? Connections, connections, connections.

    Also, forgot to mention. At the end of the episode when Juliet is looking around the camp and (intense musical score here) tightens the rope, I think that is symbolic of what she wants to do with Charlie. The first time Charlie got hung by a rope it didn’t work. Juliet’s got unfinished business.

  6. Tawl says:

    MontaukJimbo and NorCal Matt ..

    I thought she would be after Charley’s hide too, since he killed Ethan. But if you replay that last scene, she smiles when looking at Charley and Clair, then she turns to look at someone else and tighens the knot hard. I think the Producers would have seperated Charley from Clair if he was the target of her rath.

    Possibilites..
    Sayid threatened to kill her
    Jack might be playing her, and she realizes it
    Sawyer hurt his girlfriend in his flashback, who was then befriended by Kate
    Hurley? No way!
    Who’s left?

  7. Dave says:

    I don’t want to discount the theories that Juliet is a “spy” for the Others, but let’s not discount the notion that she could be a “double agent” (interested in helping the Losties… or at least some of them) or a “rogue agent” (out only for herself).

    We have clearly seen that the Others are expert liars, don’t always trust one another, and are willing to die (or kill) for their cause if need be. So OF COURSE Juliet will play along with Ben when he says, “See you in a week.” Just like she believed he would send her home. But we have seen too much of her — and her combined dislike and distrust of Ben, along with some grudging respect/awe — for me to believe that she is simply subservient.

    That is why, to me, she is the most interesting character this year. Similarly, I though Ben (as Henry Gale) was the most interesting character last year: we never quite knew when he was honest and when he was dishonest. (Or when he was both simultaneously, like when he gave the map to the hot air balloon.)

  8. fuber says:

    Listeners of the “Official Lost Podcast” are aware that Damon and Carlton have specifically said several times that once someone is dead on the island… they are dead.
    They constantly joke about vampires too. I hate to break it to ya, but no one is coming back from the dead.

  9. Tawl says:

    Damon and Carlton have also specifically said that answers to Lost would not be explained by Time Travel, yet Desmond’s Flashback episode and Desmond’s ability to help Charley escape death all (without a doubt) involve a Time-Loop.

    Are Damon and Carlton being as truthful as Ben?

  10. SpilledMilkInc says:

    I don’t think Juliet is telling the whole truth about the pregnancy thing. Or just flat out lying. Remember in Claire’s flashback from when she was kidnapped, Alex was trying to wake her up and help her escape, and she said something like, “You’ve got to get out of here, they’re going to kill you!”

    tvscifi.com Says:
    April 14th, 2007 at 9:52 am
    ‘But then again, during one of the Podcasts the producers said the Others are even more evil than you think, so anything is possible.’

    I think there is definitely something wrong with Jack. He’s acting really strange and being totally intolerant to people who are sceptical about Juliet. You’d think he would know why people are acting like that since they were enemies before. It just seems really fishy to me.

  11. SpilledMilkInc says:

    # Kopytko Says:
    April 12th, 2007 at 8:54 pm

    “Not all woman die from pregnancy on the Island. Nothing would have happened to Claire without the Others manipulations. She would be just fine
    as well as the baby would. The Island chose Claire to gave the birth on It. I’m pretty sure that all that Others problems where because they are intruders on the Island and that all that Jacob Fucka altough powerful is not welcomed on it most definite. I really hope that Locke will cancel him.”

    —————————————————————————————-

    Yes! I am totally with you on this one. Locke is obviously “in tune” with the island and the others are obviously not. The island is the real protagonist here. It’s why the others had to create an EMP fence to keep the “smoke” monster out (which is electromagnetism, I am sure of it, – I will post my bit of research and theories on it if anyone is interested), the monster was not created by the others. It was created by the island, which is why it hasn’t killed Rousseau in all these years, even though she seemingly has no protection from it (and as a side note, she called it a “security system”).

    I think the others are not able to utilize this “box” (a variation of Pandora’s box, I think), but they think that Locke can. The island is not fond of Ben, and he is going to use Locke to get what he wants.

  12. MontaukJimbo says:

    I Don’t trust anything Just about ANYONE related to this Show Says about Plot/Future/Endings.
    In fact,I am willing to bet they themselves don’t know where story is headed and Change Course, whenever the do a re-Write-week to week .
    Yes ,I know it is
    In-The -Can already,
    But nothing is set in stone
    four Toed Stone that is.

  13. NuckinFuts says:

    Good Stuff – – Greg – – thanks for the encouragement – – weird theory I know – – but I must admit that I do remember at least one for sure kill by the “others” – – Goodwin killed that guy trapped in the pit by Ana Lucia – – other than that – – yeah- – not too many have been killed or so we think – – maybe French Woman’s team…but could have been other hostiles – – whoever the heck they are – –

    Don’t know who brought it up – – maybe Frank – – but Jack as ” A great leader, a great man, but because of this he is alone ” as his tatoo means and then if it says ” He walks among us but is not one of us ” – – sorta chilling when combined with the fact that he may have been brainwashed ( by his own instruction, I am assuming ) so that even he wouldn’t know who he was….then to come back to the island as a Lostie and be the Jacob figure is a wild theory – – but I don’t think I’m ready to go quite that far yet…I’d be more willing to go w/ the Arzt theory from before…reason….it would be hard to think that he would go to all of that trouble and risk to his life to do this and for what….of course you would have to assume he knew exactly how everything was going to turn out and that his dad and all of his flashbacks are bogus…doesn’t make since to me….but then again…..nothing on this show does and that’s why I love it….

    MY CURRENT THEORY OF EVERYTHING — Thanks to anyone who will read and respond – – 

    Comic Book – – in the first episodes we saw a comic and it had polar bears and a radio tower and doctors and ALIENS…Walt had picked it up from the crash but it was Hurley’s spanish comic…. since then we have seen in many flashbacks and backgrounds Easter eggs that point to some of these things ( Like in Desmonds when he meets Mr. Widmore and in the background is the Polar bear upside down on the picture ) Any news on this that should make some sense?

    Based on the fact that there were ALIENS in the comic….

    Perhaps DHARMA was a cover for the military ( from several countries around the world – at least U.S. and RUSSIA so far ) who have for years at the highest levels been in contact w/ Aliens. Jacob in particular. Remember “Close Encounters Of the Third Kind” where aliens meet w/ humans and have test subjects aboard their craft who have lived for many years since abduction…and the military makes the mountain seem like it has been diseased…to keep it private….then an exchange takes place….but through telepathy the aliens contact certain humans to come to the mountain who they want to take w/ them on the next voyage…along w/ certain scientists….OK….

    The aliens make a deal w/ the governments of the world to have a place on the earth to be left alone and isolated…perhaps their resources are depleted and in return for the humans not destroying the earth by having a war with the aliens, the military agrees to let them have a place on Earth as long as the military is assured that they will be allowed to watch over the aliens and communicate w/ their own people who are there to observe the aliens. For years the military has been sending volunteer test subjects to the island who are told they were there to “save the world” and doing something good for their country ). They are there to report the goings on of the aliens or other strange occurrences under the umbrella of the military and the DHARMA project, but have no real idea about the overall reason. DHARMA people are the scientists that may or may not be military who have agreed to go to the island. Upon truce w/ the aliens, the military built the island and it’s hatch system as a place to study along side the aliens and learn from them. The aliens thought that humans were a good species, until eventually the leader – “Jacob” who is whole alien and whose telepathy abilities can see into peoples past / souls and possible futures are manifested into the smoke monster…think Firestarter / Carrie ( which would be a good reason Ben who is closest to Jacob would not like the idea of the book Carrie to be read ) sensed that most are flawed and not altruistic ( like our 815ers ) and decides that in order to save the human race from itself / and keep his place to live / he decides to make the species evolve they will have to eventually kill all the humans or mix races w/ them. The rare magnetic properties and other island forces are a bi-product of the alien presence/technology. The sonic fence is some alien technology originally lent / shared with the military / original Dharma folks who before the takeover were promised a safety zone against Jacobs gifts. Most all DHARMA and military are now dead b/c of the alien takeover. The military was promised the place inside the fence as a protection against Jacob for when his temper flares / he sleeps and unconsciously harms people. The current “Others” are the first alien hybrids…perhaps the “hostiles” that are mentioned are the humans w/ DHARMA and military who were on the island during the “incident” or “uprising”….who discovered Jacob’s plan and didn’t want to go along w/ his and the alien demands for control…remember the movie Coccoon where the pods had healing and life extending powers…sorta like the island…perhaps the island is actually an alien ship that has been cloaked in the sea….or if not the entire island then it is maybe under the waters there or something….perhaps hovering constantly over the island….they could be using a cloaking device explaining why it cannot be seen on radar and no one can find it from the outside world….It would also explain why the plane simply broke in two…almost as if it hit something…anyways…there was some strange picture in the comic with a floating landmass or something that I’ll go back and watch from that comic….

    This could make some sense as to why “Others” ( Alien Hybrids ) can’t get pregnant on the island…the first batch of hybrids worked, but since then ( after Ben was one of the first, perhaps Jacob’s eldest son ) something has changed…perhaps it was the introduction of the atmosphere, who knows at this point, but perhaps because “full humans” still can reproduce and because many of the hostiles were the best fertility people, then the alien hybrids must recruit new doctors and people from the outside world there to further the technology to make this happen…maybe they recruit because if Jacob and the “Others” aliens take the ship or move it the military will take it as a sign of aggression and break of the truce and start a war……..

    This hypothesis could help explain some mental telepathy type stuff going on…if Jacob has telepathy and abilities and his hybrid offspring have to some degree, then that to me would make some sense as to why Ben knows what he knows….it might also explain the interest in Walt…perhaps the “Others” wanted to find out if they thought Walt was some hybrid from an earlier or separate alien landing….that’s why the questions to Michael if he was sure he was the father……

    If Jacob’s power to use the smoke monster is a manifestation he controls he has complete control over the island and can see every one of the 815er’s…..my only guess as to why people must come to the island or to the help of the “Others” willingly as opposed to being forced to is that if they come by force they will not do what needs to be done correctly. Besides the need for human help for reproducing, Jacob and the “Others” use the 815ers as an example to the willing humans who find there way there either by accident or choice ( Jacob would know who would like to be included using his telepathy, thus the people taken from the crash who have not been killed ) as an example of what the human species will be if they were left alone….perhaps for some of our Losties he takes them when they have changed or he makes the circumstances change so that when they prove their ability to change that is when they die….he would not want the people observing to realize that it is in their power to control their destiny and that humans have the ability to make mistakes and then to change their ways…once they have repented their sins and quit being evil they are of no use to Jacob on this island any longer….in fact they are a threat…

    I only come here and I respect everyone’s opinion that I have read….and do not go to spoiler sites — have the producers ever mentioned anything to do w/ Aliens or said that they play no part? Thanks to all – – I love reading everyone’s thoughts here – –

    Feel free to poke holes – – no hard feelings here – –

  14. MontaukJimbo says:

    F’N’NutZ-
    I respect your Thoughts,
    I see no holes, This Therory weaves many of my thoughts…ie. Military,and Village People(Aliens) Caring little or nothing for Outsiders, unless they are BreedingStock, or of use.
    Think About it
    Ben and Juliet seem to look upon the 815ers as lab animals,or pets from a lower species and not worthy of making real deals with…
    …..can you make a binding agreement with a cat or dog,monkey???
    I like Jacob as the UberAlien….and I think It is Mr. Odd Science Leslie Arntz………
    Who Faked his death in a “Magic Disappearing act” BOOOOM!

  15. NorCal Matt says:

    Nuckin, if the Lost producers ever mention, elude, or bring aliens into the show I will immediately stop watching, throw all of my DVDs away and deny that I ever watched the show to begin with. Not that I have a problem with aliens, but after three years of investing my TV-watching life to this show I, along with many other Lost fans, would be utterly disappointed and let down.
    Anyway, just my two cents. Nothing against your theory though. I just hope you’re wrong. 🙂

  16. MontaukJimbo says:

    NorCal-
    I felt the same way as St. Elsewhere ended,
    And have not watched a TV Hospital/Medical Show since.
    As a Nurse, it insulted and abused my trust.
    In Lost’s case , I will accept Aliens…But It better be extremeely well done.
    I can handle ..Crash landed Stranded Aliens,who are Trapped on Island,Earth and only Slightly Advanced of us… Kinda like “The Aliens, with Roy Thinness …a Quinn Martin Production”

    altho they were Invading us.., And they would able to Technically Manipulate the World of the 815ers and their real Life World

    But if it is well developed and well written and slowly introduced …E.T.s would/could work, I only want itto be well done……
    Ben rejecting “Carrie” would be an Alien Oppinion, as if, “That’s Silly” how unbelieveable”.
    Peace and Good Watching Tonite.

  17. K says:

    Maybe whatever is causing women dying from pregnancy didn’t start happening until somewhat recently. This would explain why Ben was born on the island, and Alex, if in fact she was born on the island. Maybe ‘the purge” has something to do with it?

  18. Tawl says:

    The “Alien” theory would explain 10 puzzles

    1. The Four-Toed statue
    2. Ben’s amazing strength when he fought Sawyer in the Bear Cage (and with a tumor in his spine, even!)
    3. Juliets amazing strength and quick reactions after she was attacked by Kate in the game room, delivering a sandwich
    4. The Smoke Monster
    5. Why the Others know so much about the Losties (like Sawyer killing the wrong man)
    6. The sonic fence
    7. The magical healing properties on the Island
    8. The whispers in the forest
    9. The injections used by the Others
    10. The origin of the Numbers

  19. Aliens,
    Who have been here a long …long time but cannot Leave, or communicate with “Other” home world.
    I do kinda like that if their “Time loopTravel” ability is limited to say; a 50 year cycle and a limited in interactions they themselves can perform. that would explain many things, mainly them altering Losties lives to manipulate potential outcomes and future possibilities for them to return home.
    Kinda like, “Final Countdown”, although they were not Aliens ,two people were thrown into past on an “Island” near Pearl Harbor 12/7/1941 and were able to alter outcomes and have a hand in the building of the Nimitz and their own “Future Echo / Time Travel” experience. But they could not interact with them selves directly only effecting situations around the
    couple that they had been during their journey back in time.
    Paradox Paradox
    in as such….
    “‘I always lie’ is a paradox because if it is true it must be false”
    Our Ben is classic example of such a Paradoxical theme.

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