Lost: Season 2, Episodes 23-24: Live Together, Die Alone

Hello readers (hopefully there's someone this can apply to),
I've been really busy pounding away on this Lost finale review (7+ pages!), so get comfy before reading it. Unfortunately I forgot to post my review for the Lost episode "?", that review is on my archive site, which can be read here. This is the last S2 review, I can't say if I'll finish S1's reviews by the time S3 starts, but I'll probably get a few in. Now without further ado.

Live Together, Die Alone
Original Airdate: May 24, 2006
Writers: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse
Director: Jack Bender

This season has gotten a lot of flack from viewers, some of whom are finding it hard to adjust to the show as the honeymoon phase of the show is over. Lost is a show of mystery and that works when the show is new and we're learning things for the first time. As the show progressed, some felt that the show was teasing us with answers that the creators didn't know, even though they can't really expect major answers this early in the series. It left episodes this season deemed by some as "nothing happened" episodes, when they were more often just broadening our concept of what we had already known. This episode couldn't possibly be called a "nothing happened" episode unless the critic is bashing the show for fun now, the type who trashes it all for the sake of consistency. Granted there are a ton more unanswered questions thrown onto the pile, whose size rivals those Pearl notebooks the hunting party found, but there are some answers. Lost has a difficult task in balancing the mystery with the payoff, and this episode pulls it off extremely well, leaving us more than satisfied, but frustrated as hell once those end credits roll. It seems to have appeased many of the harsher critics, as nearly all the responses I've heard from this episode are positive.

This season started with that explosive first look into the hatch, so for the narrative, this season had to end there too. It makes Desmond (the first "centric" episode of a character not on Flight 815) a prime candidate for the flashback treatment. Despite the fact that they have been there for two and a half weeks, the castaways know very little about the hatch. It makes sense to bring Desmond back so we can see what it was like living in that hatch for three years.

Desmond clearly knew where he was going when he bolted in "Orientation", but where was obviously up for speculation. Some assumed he went to another hatch, as that might've been part of the protocol in case of a system failure (although why he didn't just use the failsafe then appears more as a plot device than what he would've done.) It turns out that his destination was a boat, the same one that got him here. Only problem is that it got him no where.

While the electromagnetism is the likely culprit, Desmond alludes that they are trapped in a snow globe, a reference to "St. Elsewhere", where (SPOILER) all the events of the show took place inside an autistic kid's mind, one who played with a snow globe. The variation of that has been a popular theory, so much that Lost devoted a whole episode to debunk it in "Dave". (END ST. ELSEWHERE SPOILER) Unbeknownst to everyone else on the island, the world still exists. What that means for the future is unknown.

This episode confirms that the hatch is meant to contain a potent electromagnetic energy that emanates from the island. This energy must've somehow remained dormant until Dharma got there, because the world wasn't sucked into this island before then. Considering there is a fail-safe, meant to destroy the electromagnetic energy ultimately, that would mean that having someone there continually push the button served some practical purpose. It's never said where this energy goes after it is dispersed; perhaps it is harnessed and used for Dharma's benefit.

A lot of nitpicking has come out of the revelation that the plane crashed because Desmond had forgotten to push the button in time. Some say that there isn't enough magnetic material in a plane that would cause it to crash. Others pointed out that it didn't feel right that the magnet managed to bring the plane down, yet keep the hatch (along with the others) in tact besides some things that were knocked down. It does diminish the impact of the twist, but it does work in the narrative as it gives Desmond reason to turn against Locke’s plan.

One nit pick I'm surprised no one ever mentioned before is it seems awfully dangerous for a hatch built on top of a magnetic hot spot to have so many metallic objects. As the forks and things started flying toward Charlie and Eko, I thought it was practically guaranteed that one of them would get a fork stuck in them somewhere.

Since it turns out that the notebooks end up in the middle of an open field, what purpose does Dharma have with the volunteers filling them out? When they looked around The Pearl hatch, there was a camera seen. Perhaps that camera is documenting what they're doing and the feed goes into another hatch where the main Dharma scientists could watch.

As the events in the hatch prove to be center to the entire episode, it is fitting to use this time to tell us Desmond's history there, giving us a revealing look at some of the things we've wondered about this season. It was unexpected that Desmond has only been alone in the hatch since the castaways crashed on the island, as his mental state when Jack, Locke and Kate entered was unstable. However, the loneliness, the guilt over killing Kelvin, the frustration of being trapped in that hatch for the rest of his life and the fact that he couldn't sleep for more than 108 minutes straight broke him down.

But before we do that, let's backtrack to his life before the incident. With Kelvin, there is a potential storyline there. Cuse and Lindelof confirmed that Joe Inman, the CIA Agent who introduced Sayid to torture in "One of Them", is Kelvin, and not Kelvin's twin brother. So since they are the same person, how did Kelvin go from working for the government to working on the island for Dharma? His story appears similar to Desmond's, who also served his country, but fell out due to disgraces. However, how are they going to tell this story? With Clancy Brown, it would be a waste to have him only pop up in two episodes, so hopefully we'll see him next season.

He says that he joined Dharma after he was discharged from the service. Those following "The Lost Experience", the multimedia game designed to give us deeper insight into Hanso, know that Dharma was supposedly dissolved in 1987. With Kelvin in the Gulf in 1991, it doesn't add up. Did Dharma go underground, making up a bogus story that they have shut down the initiative so they could do morally questionable experiments off the radar?

There's also Radzinsky, Kelvin's former partner who killed himself. It's possible that there is a lot more to this guy than Kelvin's recollection. Kate reads in one of the notebooks that a person at the station is named "S.R." Could Radzinsky be that person? Some suspect that he never actually died. Radzinsky had a big influence on Kelvin, so it may be worth exploring in the future.

Considering Kelvin's history manipulating people (getting Sayid to torture his commanding officer despite the fact that he knew English himself), it isn't hard to believe that he was ultimately out to leave Desmond behind on the island. If we're to believe that Kelvin really had no clue that not pushing the button meant an electromagnetic disaster, it fits very well with the current storyline. Because Desmond was out chasing after Kelvin, he was unable to push the button in time, causing an incident.

It is this memory followed by the memory of Locke banging his fists against the lock door that convinces Desmond that it is all very real. Both men were at rock bottom, Desmond was so overwhelmed by loneliness and hopelessness that he was ready to read "Our Mutual Friend", the last thing he wanted to read and kill himself (it probably would've been a long time before that could happen. I haven't read the book, but I've seen that it is huge!) Locke was devastated that somehow the island, the thing that brought his life purpose, felt it necessary to take the life of a young man. The light Desmond shone, while Locke took it as some sign (which he later dismissed) was misread. Out of their moments of weakness, they connected, and it saved both of them.

This episode is the next logical step in the tragedy of John Locke. He has been conned his whole life by almost everyone he's ever known. As the season progressed, he felt that the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to the island conning him as well. It is made worse with the guilt he feels for getting Boone involved, an event that lead to his demise. For the first time in his life he decided that he wasn't going to be the victim of another con. Unfortunately, the one time he exerts himself is the same time he is dead wrong.

Desmond’s arrival is at a key point in Locke’s arc. Although he is without faith, the button is still a major piece on his mind, and the fact that Eko has picked up Locke’s faith and run with it to the other extreme hasn’t rubbed him right. While Eko and Locke duke it out in a battle of philosophies, Desmond appears more as a reference point, someone to show us how far Locke has gone.

While Locke is now on the extreme side of reason, Eko is on the other, as a fanatical believer in faith. This adds to his epiphany in "23rd Psalm". Some figured he should've been killed after realizing his purpose, but the last few weeks have shown us that Eko's beliefs can be very dangerous. Attempting to blow up the blast door with two sticks of dynamite (a bit of a foolish endeavor), almost got him and Charlie engulfed in that fireball. The conflict between logic and reason is a crucial piece of Lost's story, and this episode detailed this pivotal step rather well.

As things culminate in the hatch, the confrontation with The Others is another big step, albeit a one with more nuance. The Others’ story is far from over, and it would be a bit rushed to jump that far at this point. It was inevitable that the rest of the hunting party would learn of Michael’s deception and Jack’s knowledge of it. It’s definitely understandable that they would want some justice for Ana-Lucia and Libby, but unfortunately, Jack was right in making them continue. It's unlikely that when they get out of this (not likely that they'd be killed) that the Kate and Sawyer will forget it.

Jack's plan was the best they could do. If the rest of them knew, it would likely cause problems getting them to go in the first place. The Others knew they were coming, and if the hunting party stayed, it could've been even worse than what happened. Although Jack and Sayid's plan was for Sayid to scout the island, find The Other's camp, and join the hunting party for a counterattack, it wouldn't be hard to believe that a military man like Sayid wouldn't think of a contingency plan. In the epilogue, one of the Portuguese guys says that his losing round is "all part of the plan". Perhaps they planned if they couldn't reunite, that they would get captured, allowing them access to all kinds of Other answers they need to combat them.

Sayid's trip to The Other's camp amplifies this illusion The Others have, including a fake hatch (dubbed "The Door" by fans) and huts, all of which we saw in "Three Minutes". Now why is this hatch there if it leads to nowhere? Could this be one of the unlabeled hatches on the blast door map (or the one that was crossed out?) Why would Dharma build a hatch that was just a front? Is this part of a psychological experiment? Or was there something there before, and the rocks merely show that it has been entirely sealed off?

Henry appears to be a high-ranking member of The Others, if not, "Him" himself. What is so great about Michael Emerson's portrayal of Henry is that he can play meek victim or menacing aggressor easily, which makes this possibility believable. It makes sense considering they were so interested in getting Henry back. If he isn't "Him", his capture wasn't a failure, but all a part of the master plan. If this master plan involved not having the button pushed is unknown, because we don't know if that would benefit The Others. All we saw was a burst of ultra violet light and a deafening sound. Some thought the expression on Henry's face was anger, perhaps that could be a clue.

It makes sense that they would let Hurley go to tell the Fuselagers what happened. Hurley has always been likable, both for characters and fans, so he would be an effective messenger. He was the only member of the hunting party who didn't bring a gun and we never saw him getting hit by the nerve tranquilizer.

What The Others want with Jack, Kate and Sawyer is a big question mark. Killing them would leave a rather potent message for the Fuselagers, but why lug them to the pier? Do they hope to convert them to their side? Is there some experiment suited for them? Or is Henry ready for a little payback? The love triangle isn't a likely reason, but should provide an interesting dynamic for season three.

Henry claims once again that "[they]'re the good guys" to Michael, but it is still unclear what that exactly means. Again, this is a situation where we will have to wait until we see things from their point of view and learn what their motivations are. Up to now we've only seen how the castaways view them, with a justifiable sense of fear and anger.

While The Others didn't stab Michael in the back by blowing up the boat or anything, they could easily send them to another place where other people will be waiting to re abduct them. Perhaps they made good on their promise, and Michael is on his way to rescue. How that plays out would be interesting. Michael would want to keep a low profile, but it wouldn't seem likely as Flight 815 would be a major news story, and someone would put the pieces together that Michael was on that flight, and I don't think Michael could pass the "My son and I were the only survivors" bit. It might be interesting if he attempted to rescue the other castaways in an act of redemption.

Anyway it's cut, Michael's status in the tribe is ruined. While Ana-Lucia suffered as an outcast, Shannon's death was clearly an accident. It would be near impossible for Michael to reintegrate himself with the knowledge of what he did. There are killers amongst them, but none have deliberately killed another castaway. Michael could be posed to have some type of redeeming arc for him where he may help Penelope, turning himself in once the castaways have been rescued or dying heroically in the process.

If this is the last we’ll see of Walt and Michael, it is a bit anticlimactic. Obviously the writers can’t stop Malcolm David Kelly from going through puberty and that hinders his role on the show since only two months have passed on the island. When he was abducted, I had originally assumed that they would write in his rapid growth as a result of something The Others did to him. It appears that isn’t going to happen. Perhaps Walt’s special abilities were nothing more than a MacGuffin. However, they could still tell elements of Walt’s story without the actor, as it has been the case all season long. Henry says that Walt was more than The Others could handle. We don’t need to see them to learn what he meant by that.

Sometimes Lost appears to be messing with us. Case in point, the four-toed statue on the other side of the island Sayid spots. I automatically thought of The Simpsons. However, after some time, it's clear that the writers are showing us that there is a lot more history to this island than some scientists who came here in the 70s and 80s. The history goes way back. Perhaps thousands of years, since some have compared the statue's foot to The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the ancient wonders that crumbled. Perhaps The Others could be descendants of ancient people who lived on the island, who rebelled against Dharma and convinced some to join their ranks.

Widmore, the mysterious company that worked on the Battlesea Power Station in "Fire + Water" and manufactured Sun's pregnancy test, is hoisted into the spotlight. It turns out that Desmond fell in love with Penelope, Charles Widmore's daughter. They don't explain why he doesn't approve of this relationship, but it could be a matter of class, like Jin & Sun, or what Desmond did to get him in prison.

Another literary work is prominently shown, Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend", the last book Desmond intends to read (based on an assertion John Irving made). Dickens is a good choice to reference because he, like Lost's writers, released his stories in installments rather than one big piece. This lead to criticism that he was making it up as he went along. Now stop me if that sounds familiar among critics of Lost this season!

Through the episode's flashbacks Penelope and Widmore talk to Desmond's inability to confront his problems. While the race around the world is a grand romantic gesture, it would probably be braver of him to face Widmore and settle it. Perhaps his willingness to "blow up the damn" is ultimately his redemption and an argument for his not surviving the discharge.

Although the story was dropped upon us in this episode, I completely bought into the Desmond/Penelope love story. Penelope’s name could reference The Odyssey. Homer's Penelope fought off 108 suitors while Odysseus was away. That type of loyalty and love appears to be the same with Desmond’s Penelope. Before his run, Penelope mentions that a person could find anyone with enough means to do so. Considering what the listening station must cost, it must be a sizable means (although couldn't she spring for a heated station?)

Unfortunately for Libby, she was just a few hours away from seeing her old sailboat again. It is interesting how Libby was indirectly responsible for getting Desmond on the island. If she was a recruiter as many have theorized, the idea that they've sent people to the island before our castaways wouldn't be too far fetched and it would add depth to the whole Dharma story. Perhaps she was hired by Widmore to get him out of the way. Since Libby is dead and can't have a "centric" episode of her own, the writers have decided to tell her story via the flashbacks of other characters. This is an intriguing experiment and this role is the first step.

There are plenty of things worth noting in Libby's scene (except that awful wig). Libby, or at least her husband, had money, enough to own a boat. What is curious is that her husband's name is David. Could this be "Dave", Hurley's imaginary friend? It's not quite clear when "Dave's" flashbacks are placed chronologically, but it could still work. The initial conclusion there is that Libby is somewhat obsessed with Hurley, and took "Dave" as her husband because he meant something to Hurley. On the other hand, maybe Hurley's imaginary friend has some real-life basis. A side note, why is it that whenever anyone dies from disease, they never mention what sickness caused it? David is the latest example, assuming he's a real person.

As the episode ends, our castaways are further split up than they were in "Exodus II". Eko, Locke and Desmond are in the hatch, and all three's fates are up for debate all summer long; Sayid, Jin and Sun are on the boat scouting; The Others have Jack, Kate and Sawyer; Michael and Walt are on that boat; poor Hurley is alone in the jungle navigating his way back to the Fuselage camp; and the rest are sitting on the beach wondering what the bright light was. Season three could start just like its predecessor, but hopefully we won't have to wait until a third of the way in before everyone gets together.

For the people in the hatch, Locke seems to be the most likely person to survive the discharge. He still has a lot of potential as a character, plus we still don't know what happened to his legs. Eko has been the breakout character of the Tailies, and it would be a waste to lose him after just one year. Desmond may be the most likely, but if we're going to see more of Penelope looking for the island, he probably should survive.

There is something unsettling about Charlie forgetting about Eko, Locke and Desmond. It may be understandable that everyone else wouldn't know what happened, but why wouldn't Charlie go back to the hatch (or what's left of it) to see who's OK? Obviously some time has past since the discharge, since it's nighttime when he finally gets to kiss Claire.

Some suspect Charlie is still holding some residual anger towards Locke, as he seemed a little too cheery telling him that Desmond came back. Perhaps he was just getting a kick out of seeing Locke, who had earlier publicly embarrassed him, lose his composure. The blast in the hatch appeared to have temporarily impaired Charlie's hearing, so that could possibly be a plot point for his character.

This listening station serves as a major plot twist (I think most of us during this scene had a similar expression as Penelope's when she got that call). It ultimately debunks the "they're in purgatory" theory (and for those who insist that they can travel between worlds…stop) by taking us off the island for the first time in almost 49 hours of TV (besides flashbacks). Where are they that makes it an ideal location for a listening station? Is this the station where Sam Toomey and Leonard heard the numbers transmission?

The man on the phone with Penelope (who was not Matthew Fox with a prosthetic nose) tells her that they may have found "it", not "him". This could be interpreted as Penelope was looking for the island. With all the theories springing about Widmore and Hanso, a connection or a potential rivalry, seems very certain. Obviously, Hanso invested a lot into this island, and locating it would be beneficial to Penelope for some reason. On the other hand, she could be using her considerable means to locate Desmond's location (another interpretation of "it").

The only problem I could see stemming from this cliffhanger is the possibility that, in season three, there may be too much of a shift in the storytelling from the island to off (the flashbacks are a different beast and can stay). Penelope looking for the island would be best played as a few guest shots through the season than a major subplot that would detract from the island.

I read somewhere that the Harry Potter books serve as an inspiration for how they construct their season (and for those who think they are above a "children's book", get off your high horse). Like the novels, each season of Lost (they hope) will introduce a major element to the mythology as a relatively self-contained experience that also sheds light on the overall mysteries of the story. In this case, season two was about the hatch, which revealed a lot about the history of the island, while dropping hints to things we'll discover later. I'll go more in depth if I decide to do a season in review for Lost, which may be possible after a few days (this has been the longest review, ever!) As for what season three's overarching story, it's likely it'll be about The Others, who we learned an awful lot about this season. Although some may still complain that "nothing happened" this season, I doubt many of them won't find themselves in front of a TV when season three begins in the fall.

Score: 9/10