Intellectually, we knew the stakes were life and death. We knew not all of our cherished survivors would make it to the final act. Yet, knowing is one thing. Seeing and feeling the sudden and tragic loss of beloved characters is another thing entirely. The skeptic in me, the spoiler addict in me, saw it all coming. Yet still, I was devastated. I thought I’d stemmed the flood of tears, until Hurley, Kate, and even Jack broke down on screen. Jen was a wreck, literally speechless, and ended her evening with the final thud. Cling as we might to the flash-sideways as a possible escape hatch to happiness, and as warm and wonderful some of those off-island moments have been, it’s obvious tonight that our hearts were with the characters on the island. The ones we’ve followed for half a decade.
Sun and Jin were reunited only one episode back, and it was a moment that felt incomplete, rushed. We voiced fears that their days were numbered now that their characters’ primary objective had been met. But so soon? So beautifully cruel? I stopped breathing the moment we saw that Sun was trapped. I tried to muster at least an eye roll, but it was too late. I was a goner. Giacchino’s powerful “Life and Death” theme was perfectly cued, a bullet to the heart.
I half expected, hoped, and even rationalized that Jin would indeed leave Sun one last time. After all, don’t all “go on without me!” scenes end that way? And what of Ji-Yeon? But he chose to perish with her, the two of them indeed together forever, entombed in a submarine. The parallels to Charlie’s death were not accidental… and surprisingly powerful.
And Sayid! His heart to heart with Desmond did light a spark of goodness in him, as we’d hoped. But moments after he confirms that he did not kill our damp Scotsman, he makes his final move, his selfless act, giving up his life to a bomb blast so that others may live. He wasn’t, after all, what everyone said he was. Say what you will about how weakly his character had meandered through most of this season, I now can’t help but look back over his first days on the island. An Iraqi, a former member of the Republican Guard, a torturer, a born killer. That this Middle Eastern character dies by self-inflicted bomb in an act of heroism is… eerily poetic.
(Though the much ballyhooed ethnic diversity of “LOST” was certainly thinned tonight.)
And a brief salute to Frank, the hapless pilot, always ready with a one-liner as he was dragged hither and yon. We loved how his eyes twinkled as they returned to the plane, ready for the still seemingly impossible challenge of getting it airborne. Alas, he died but a passenger inside another metal tube. Last words: “Aw hell.”
Deaths aside, the most powerful scene tonight was the showdown between Jack and Sawyer. Jack, realizing that they were exactly where Unlocke wanted them, insists that the bomb won’t kill them unless they do something to allow it to do harm. It directly referenced the amazing scene on the Black Rock earlier this season, when Jack bet his life that the dynamite wouldn’t blow because he lit the fuse. They can’t kill themselves, but they can kill each other… as previous arrivals to the island no doubt did. But Sawyer couldn’t bring himself to trust Jack, especially given what happened the last time he believed Jack’s plan. I could wholly identify with both of them.
Yes, Sawyer pulled the wires, and his action did accelerate and ultimately lead to the C-4 sinking the sub. Why did that happen, when the fuse Jack lit went out? Well, Sawyer did survive the blast. It killed people, including other candidates, but it didn’t kill him.
Meanwhile, an endless debate is born: was Jack right? Had Sawyer not acted, would nothing have happened? It seems a heck of a gamble on Unlocke’s part, putting a timer on a bomb on a submarine (a very direct act), with the expectation that someone would discover it and set it off for him. Just how indirectly do his actions have to be to cause the death of a candidate without breaking the rules?
The one other top-shelf reveal in “The Candidate” seems to be the fact that Unlocke is The Bad Guy. Full stop. No more ambiguous hints and sympathetic overtures. After weeks of being merely menacing and threatening, this week he’s downright merciless, walking right into a hail of bullets and killing without breaking a sweat. And his plan all along was, indeed, to eliminate the candidates. He wanted them all together because they’d be easier to kill together. But he knows some survived, and he’soff to finish what he started.
Does this mean that Unlocke The Man in Black, the smoke monster, what have you — is actually the embodiment of a great and powerful evil? An evil from which the rest of the world must be protected? It would seem so. And given what Sayid said moments before he died, it sure looks like Jack is Jacob’s successor. He is The Candidate. He sure said that he’s not leaving the island enough times tonight. What else could his calling or purpose be at this point but to continue to confound Unlocke’s attempts to leave?
Desmond, though, remains key to the end game. And that’s something that Widmore seems to have known all along. And it’s Widmore’s role that remains a mystery to me. After all, the C-4 that blew up the submarine came from a booby trap on the plane, one that does seem to have been set by Widmore. If Widmore wanted to destroy the plane, he could’ve done so already. So, couldn’t he have helped Unlocke exterminate the candidates, had they all climbed aboard and turned the key?
Then again, Widmore did try to lock the candidates up in cages, telling them it was for their own good. If it’s as simple as that, though, what is Widmore up to?
As for the flash-sideways, more wonderful moments, to be sure. Just this week, they were greatly overshadowed by the island timeline.
I like that Jack knows himself well enough to see how strange it is that he’s compelled to learn why Locke doesn’t want an operation. Helen asks why it isn’t enough that he saved his life, and Jack says, “Because it’s not.” Seeing the once intimidating Anthony Cooper reduced to an invalid was a surprise. Discovering that it was Locke who caused his father’s paralysis, as well as his own, in a plane crash was cool twist. Locke had his crossover moment, mumbling “push the button” and “I wish you believed me.” And then Jack makes a connection, telling him the same. Their chat in the hospital hallway, when Jack tells Locke to let go even when he can’t let go himself, was great.
What of the music box from Christian? “Catch a Falling Star” has followed Claire around from the beginning. Will Christian be revealed, so very late in the season, as someone else who knew or saw “the truth”?
Two more Tuesday nights. Then, the two and a half hour (yes, they announced the extra 30 minutes tonight) series finale on May 23. There’s not much “LOST” left. I have to say, even if on a purely visceral level, “The Candidate” is the first episode of this last season to feel like I expected this last season to feel like. It shocked me. It angered me. It hurt me. I expect nothing less over the final hours of the best show on TV.
- Is it shocking to kill off several main characters in one episode? Yes. Is it unexpected? No. And stepping back a bit, I’m glad they hit us late and hard, rather than killing off one character every few episodes. Back in the early seasons, there was a “Survivor” like element as we bet on who would be the next to buy the farm. The deathwatch mindset kind of trivialized things. Sure, more characters will be lost over the next few hours, but in this last act, that comes with the territory.
- Flash-sideways Jack is increasingly likable. Standing there, looking dashing in his scrubs as Helen thanked him for saving Locke’s life, he seemed almost ready for a guest appearance on “Gray’s Anatomy.”
- All season long, the writers go out of their way to say, “We don’t know whether Sun or Jin is the candidate.” With both killed off, it looks like we’ll never know.
- Kate, meanwhile, hears twice that she’s not a candidate and not needed. The more that’s emphasized, the more it feels like she’s being set up to be a spoiler.
- Neat “mirror moment” with the music box, when we see both Claire and Jack reflected.
- Sawyer’s nickname for geeky Widmore thug: Dougboy. Jen had been calling him Pugsley.
- Locations: The hospital and care home were both the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific in Liliha. Bernard’s dental office was Kahala Dental Care in the Kahala Office Tower (adjacent to Kahala Mall).
What did you think? Please comment below! Or, you can also e-mail us at lost@hawaiiup.com or leave a brief message on the LOSTLine at (815) 310-0808.
I wanted to throw this post in here to get people’s comments. I think it was lost in an earlier thread.
I’m not sure if it was discussed after Ab Aeterno, but I find Jin and Richard’s characters to have alot of parallels.
In the flash sideways, Jin wants to go to the new world with his love to make a new life.
Both didn’t speak English, but Island Jin learned, as did Richard.
Both Richard and Sideways Jin committed murder to save the ones they love. (Killing Mikhael)
I wonder if Jin will be the new Richard.
@ Lorne – It would have to be Jacob (or Jacob’s replacement) to decide it so.
btw – I am reading Stephen King’s “Under the Dome” and page 285 has a LOST reference. (I think somebody else has mentioned this before but I am posting it again in case anyone missed it).
See You All Everybody later tonight!
Namaste
It’s been a while since I’ve responded and called in…
but I figure it’s about time I make my thoughts known again…
last few eps have been pretty straight forward…
no need to theorize or comment really…
but I think tonight I might have to comment.
I think I’m already going through LOST withdrawls…
BERNARD! Woo-Hoo!
Why the hell doesn’t Kate remember that she could climb out the top of the cage?
Eh, maybe she’s trying to forget those episodes too….
WOW-ZER!
I can hear the cries of despair from the Sun/Jin fans worldwide….
WHAT??????????????????????
OMG
Way to kill off all the minorities in one episode.
@Athens….
My thoughts EXACTLY!
Again, WOW-ZER!
hfc hfc hfc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cried. 🙁
Ah, watch out Miles!
I certainly did not see any of that coming.
Hooray for Sayid, but what exactly did he say to Jack?
still crying
unbelievable
@ Carol, me too!
This episode was like Charlie’s death x 1000
:'(
Yes, please, what did he say to Jack? I could not understand it.
With each new episode of Lost it seems like it’s leading up to something big next episode, and somehow the next episode feels the same way, but MAYBE, just MAYBE this episode will be the final build up to something major. The preview seems to indicate that we’ll get some answers behind the two sides, so I can’t wait.
Saddest episode yet this season. Can’t stop the tears.
Wow, not only did we lose Sayid, but Sun & Jin as well. I guess we’ll never know which Kwon was a possible candidate, though it doesn’t seem to matter now. Once Sun got stuck, it was clear Jin wouldn’t leave her.
Sayid’s death didn’t have much affect on me, but I have to say the loss of Sun and Jin had an emotional impact, both during their deaths and also when the survivors grieved on the beach.
One question comes to mind. When Sayid took the bomb, did he finally earn his redemption? Perhaps we’ll see some eveidence of it in the flash sideways if he has.
Talk about a heartstring puller. This episode was it. I went from elated to see Sayid redeemed to totally crushed and crying over Jin and Sun’s fate. And just when I stopped crying, the reaction of the other original survivors to Jin and Sun started me up again. I’m so mad at Sawyer. I can’t put together anymore logical thoughts now.
He said something like ” Desmond is in a well. Find him. You’re the one.”
OMG. Too much to digest now, but we got Sayid back—if only to make a sacrifice! and for that I’m grateful—he was my absolute favorite character on the show.
that was by far the saddest episode EVER! I cant believe it
It looks like next week will be chock-full-o-goodies!
WOW… so not okay with this. Sayid was my favorite in Season 1, and I thought his “living dead” story arc was actually going somewhere this season. As for Jin and Sun, if they had to end such a beloved story, then it should have been far more poignant and interesting to have it be relevant to the plot (a la Juliet) rather than as simply collateral damage in Flocke’s plan.
I am incredibly upset with the writers.
Jack’s actions (on Island) left me kind baffled. Deciding to “help” at every turn but in the end just being completely manipulated by MiL. He really is the new Locke; faithful yet weak,, indecisive and careless
Another question. How and when did Sayid change from zombie Sayid into hero Sayid? Your thoughts, please.
Sayid said “There’s a well on the main island, half of mile south of the camp we just left, Desmond’s inside it, Locke wants him dead. Which means you’re going to need him, understand me?” Jack said “And why are you telling me this?”. Sayid – “Because it’s going to be you Jack”.
Doesn’t make any sense to me. How about any of you?
going to sleep on it, or try to, see YAE tomorrow
So what about frank? Is he dead? At this point I care more about frank than Jin, sun and sayid combined.
@john fischer—
my guess is we never saw what Des told Sayid. And that is when the change started to happen. I noticed it subtly at the end of that episode, and a bit at the beginning of this episode when he was with Jack. I’m elated that Sayid was redeemed. So happy he was a hero again.
@John Fisher – I believe it was staring at Desmond down in the well and being unable to shoot him.
I was pleased with that part at least, that the evil didn’t consume him at the end, and that Sayid was able to redeem himself before dying… by dying.
personally I was really glad that Sayid finnaly came out of his coma
Even though I was spoiled about the deaths, I did not expect them to happen as they did. It was hard, especially with the Kwons. Moreover, I think it is important that Kate’s being crossed off the wall was mentioned by several characters tonight> I really wonder what did Kate do to get kicked out of the candidate pool?
Thoughts on the show:
I’ll call in with these tidbits as well….
but…
1. Who didn’t see the Sayid reversal coming…
BUT… I think this means, he will in some way be saved/redeemed in the 815 timeline as well.
2. I am 100% convinced the Kwon on the wall is in fact the daughter.
3. They really are being cruel with deaths this season…
Sayid… BOOM dead. Frank SMACK dead…
and when they’d usually take 5 minutes to watch someone struggle to save someone…
Jack bugs out real quick and poor Jin and Sun are RIPed.
It seemed fast for some reason…
I guess the entire episode seemed fast.
I guess that seems incredibly strange since Richard Alpert got an episode with a 10 minute long lingering shot scene, which I loved…but that’s the point…
4. Evil John Locke…. LOOOOOVE IIIIIIIIIT
I truely cannot wait for the big reveal next episode whatever it turns out to be.
5. 815 Locke…stuborn? kind of like Jack from the island timeline? I especially like the dream locke was having about the button…
starting to bleed over?
Maybe…
6. So with 4 episodes left….
where do we go from here?
I mean…. what is there left to say…to tell…. to….anything…
It seems like each episode is building momentum for the next one…and the next one comes and it just building more momentum…
and so next episode here I am hoping once again it’s epic…
and I really REALLY hope this next one has a big payoff…
oh and ps…
if Kate is peachy keen next week and can shoot and run and fight..
I’m calling shenannigans!
Oh yeah.. what about FRANK??
@John Fischer I think Sayid changed when he came in contact with Desmond and decided to choose good. Letting Desmond live seemed to spur him into new purpose and he did seem to come alive again at that point. Although Flocke seemed so focused on his plan that he didn’t recognize that he’d lost Sayid. I find that interesting.
@LReene – you have great ears! Thanks.
Well, I’ve never cried this much watching a TV show before that is for sure. That was heartbreaking, and since I knew it was coming (I am 100% spoilt) I guess those not in the know must be feeling worse than me atm. Can’t begin to fathom what that is like.
D&C said Water was an important theme in LOST. We’ve seen it time and time again and tonite we revisited one of the most heroic, touching and tragic deaths in the LOST universe, that of Charlie Pace. But losing 2 Kwons at once, going like they did and having YiJeon’s image in my mind was almost too much. LOST is coming to an end, it’s here, it’s real and my heart breaks a little with every passing min in each episode.
RIP Jin and Sun. Your love saved you, I know it.
RIP Sayid who has proven even those who have fallen may rise again
RIP Lapidus, the Island got you in the end
I have never thought of the alt!universe to be a sort of “epilogue” being narrated to us in advance but I cannot but hope that these characters stories, whatever they may be, will not end in that God forsaken Island but will somehow go on in a happier place.
Given the no-longer-subtle signs we are getting in the alt!unuverse that these 2 realities are closer than initially apparent I think we have reason to hope. I loved the explanation for Locke’s paralysis and how that ties into the Island storyline. The Anthony Cooper moment was touching, Locke’s unconscious chatter will surely make a Miss Karen from The ODI “happy” (I mean, until the last few minutes of the episode) and it’s nice to see this Jack being so….un-Jack like. Best character transformation hands down.
*sighs* My eyes burn from tear-salt. How in the world are we gonna live on without this show in our lives?
so sad 🙁
great episode though
Oh and….
all week people kept saying “this one is gonna make you cry”…
but… man I really felt nothing…
is that awkward or silly of me?
After they come ashore and Kate asks about Sun and Jin…
I though “doesn’t anyone give a damn about Frank?”
And in all honesty, while I love my Losties.. I also thought “where are miles, ben, and richard?”
I’m shocked Jin decided to orphan his daughter. I understand not wanting to leave your wife again, but she was already a goner. did either of them even think about ji yeon during it?
@Jesse
Yes, for me how rushed those final parts were (dead Sayid, dead (?) Frank, dead Kwons) diminished a lot of the resonance most Lost deaths have. Not enough time to absorb and mourn.
First time Lost has reduced me to tears… I feel like I need a hug and a stiff drink.