Spotlight: Lost – The Last Recruit

Ok, so this is a little late in coming because I’ve been fighting the urge to simply write…

WTF!!!

And leave it at that. I’ve made no secret of my feelings towards this final (thankfully) season of Lost and this episode is not an exception. So far this season the cast has simply traipsed about the island, going from the beach to the caves to temple to hydra island and back again, all with very little purpose. Meanwhile people are switching sides more times a day than your average CTU agent. First Sayid’s good, then he’s bad, now he indifferent, seriously… what the frak is going on?

Right, rant over, lets look at the episode.

Over in Alternaverse 

The episode opens with Ben and Locke going to the Hospital after Desmond ran him down at the end of the last episode. Once there they run into Jin and Sun who are checking in after Sun was shot in the restaurant. Sun recognises Locke, which means she is now one of the many characters to pierce the veil.

Next we have some posturing from Sawyer as he chats up Kate. Miles breaks it up as a call comes in and they head out to arrest Sayid.

Then we see Claire and Desmond at the law firm where Ilana works. Claire is on her way to sign some papers to have Aaron adopted, but Des side tracks her and introduces her to Ilana who was coincidentally trying to find her regarding Christian’s will.

Sayid returns to say goodbye to Nadia, only to be arrested by Sawyer and Miles.

Jack and David (his son) turn up at the law firm to meet with Ilana and, for the second time this episode a rather big song and dance is made about Jack and Claire being siblings. However the meet and greet is cut short as Jack is called back to the hospital to work on Locke.

Back in the Hospital Sun comes round from the surgery and she and the baby are just fine. Meanwhile Jack realises that he knows the man he’s about to operate on… it is of course John Locke.

On the Island

So we open with Jack and Locke answering the question “Why John Locke?” Smokey admits that he can only look like dead people and it seems only ones who’s bodies are on the island. That explains Jack’s Dad, Locke, Alex and Yemi, it does not explain Walt. The only explanation therefore I can give for Walt is that he can psychically project himself (even across time). This is not a stretch as the producers already admitted Walt is psychic.

Also, why Smokey is now trapped in Locke’s body is not explained as he seems to have been able to shift from one form to another previously.

Locke tells Jack that he is on their side and he wants to get them all off the island but it will only work if all the Candidates leave together.

Once Locke leaves Claire and Jack manage a little chat, the writers are very insistent that we remember that Jack and Claire are brother and sister as the point is hammered home several time during the episode. Is this because Jack will eventually have to kill Claire or is it because the Sheppard children are effectively interchangeable in the big scheme of things?

Claire thanks Jack for deciding to come with her and Locke. Jack admits he hasn’t yet made up his mind. “Yeah you have.” Claire replies. “You decided the moment you let him talk to you, just like the rest of us” Well if that’s all it takes Locke has spoken every damn person on the island, so they’re all screwed. The point about “Don’t let him talk to you” seems pretty important, although I fail to see how they plan to tie it in to anything. Anyway, the point is Jack is now with Smokey.

So Sawyer hatches a plan to get himself, Kate, Jack, Sun, Hurley and Frank off the island. Claire, Sayid and all the other extras are not invited. Also, he never mentions his best buddy Miles.

Next Zoey (Widmore’s #2) shows up and demands the return of Desmond. When Locke refuses she shows him what they will do if he doesn’t give them what they want by just missing Locke with explosive ordinance.

In response Locke sends Sawyer to get a boat which will take everyone over to Hydra Island. However Sawyer sees this an opportunity to escape. Letting Jack, Sun, Frank and Hurley know that they are making a break for it, Sawyer and Kate head for the boat. While Locke sends Sayid on a mission to kill Des.

Sayid has been promised that he will be able to see Nadia again if he does what Locke says. However Des guilt trips the assassin into doubting his master’s words. We don’t know if Sayid killed Des, but we can safely assume he didn’t.

With Locke distracted Jack makes his break, but Claire follows behind. When they arrive at the dock Claire pulls her rifle, not wishing to be abandoned again. Kate explains that they are leaving and refuses to go unless Claire comes. And so it is that the seven of them head off to Hydra Island.

Once they are out to sea Sawyer and Jack have a final set to, partly over Juliet’s death, partly over Jack not wanting to leave the island. Of course this reaction of wanting to stay makes Jack the most likely person to become Jacob’s replacement, which of course, in Lost terms, makes him the most unlikely. Anyway, Sawyer doesn’t like what he hears so he orders Jack off the boat and Jack leaves, but not before warning Sawyer that “this is a mistake, the island isn’t done with us yet”

Jack swims to shore where he is met by Smokey and Sawyer lands on the other island to be met by Zoey and plenty of guns. Sun and Jin have a touching reunion before Zoey receives the order to kill everyone. The gang are ordered onto their knees and are prepared to be shot. Of course, this never ends well for the executioners… Remember what Sawyer did to Tom? I can only assume next week will open with Sawyer and the team executing the rest of Widemore’s men…

Meanwhile, with Locke exposed on the beach, Zoey opens fire with mortars/missiles. Of course, all this does is kill the extras because Smokey can only be killed by Jacobs sword. Locke comforts Jack as they flee reminding him. “It’s ok, you’re with me now.”

The Alternaverse stuff was really just an attempt to bring everyone together, for what purpose I don't know, but I’m assuming that Desmond is a big part of it… He is certainly orchestrating part of it.  

The on-island run around was rather pointless. We know Widemore can’t execute seven of the main cast, most of whom are Candidates. We also know Smokey can only be killed with that sword and only by someone he hasn’t spoken to. The major reveals for the episode, mythology wise were that Smokey was in fact most of the “dead people” on the island. This was already pretty well known by this point (we worked it out in season 5).

All this “You’re with me now” nonsense seems a little convoluted, I’m sure it’ll all “make sense” in the end, but it seems to me that the rules only exist for it to “make sense” at the end and not for any other logical reason.

As for the title, The Last Recruit, this seems to refer to Jack going over to Locke’s side, but I couldn’t be sure that’s what it means. The next episode is called the Candidate, does this mean that someone will finally become the new Jacob? With only four episodes to go I am excited (and relieved) that the end is nigh, but it had better be damned good!

This has been My Two Cents, come back Sunday for a round up of what else has been on this week.