Episode 409

Ok, so I have to be honnest, I LOVED this new episode of LOST!!! It's so nice to have the show back on again, and tonights episode did not dissapoint (unilke the last episode).

Here's my thoughts on the episode, as always, also posed on the google group.

-As the LOSTies are playing the game of risk (which I guessed, btw), you couldn't have missed the reference to Australia and how its "the key to the whole game." I can't believe that that's just referring to the game. It probably has some veiled meaning/connection to the actual country and why the LOSTies came from their before crashing.

- In the first flash forward, we see Ben's jacket (in the desert, which is interesting, yeah?) with the name Halowax on it. Edgar Halowax is the guy in the orientation videos. Interesting connection, yeah?

- Also, I think Ben used the transportation device we've yet to see to get to the desert, the same one used to transport the polar bear to Tunisia we saw earlier in the season.

- When I saw the missile hit Claire's house, I wasn't convinced she was dead...at least not yet. If she does die, I think it'll come later, possibly next season. Jury's still out on whether she'll actually die, or just be prevented from leaving the island w/ Aaron.

- The date Ben arrives in Tunisia is October 24, 2005, over one year after the plane crash. Interesting that he has to double check what the date is. This is either a reference to time travel, or a time envelope that surrounds the island. Something like that, I'm still not sure on the details (though very intrigued)

- The name Ben gives to the hotel clerk is Moriarty, probably an allusion to Moriarty, the arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. The LOST writers are VERY well read!

- I think its interesting to watch the story of Sayid unfold...he finds Nadia, marries her, then she gets killed, and that's what initially intices him to kill for Ben. Though again, Ben is the master manipluator and is really pulling the strings there.

- So I'm confused: was it Ben or Widmore who staged the fake crash of Oceanic flight 815? I originally thought it was Widmore, then Ben, and now it seems to be Ben again. Though I do realize that Ben is a liar, so he may not be telling the truth here. I'll need to re-watch the episode where the captian talks to the LOSTies about it.

- As much as I'm sad that Alex gets killed (she's about the most innocent person on the island), I have to say I get mild satisfaction that Ben, the master manipulator, loses control and his manipulation doesn't hold up. He was betting on the shooter to give up, but he calls Ben's bluff instead.

- Which leads to another interesting point/comment, when Ben remarks that "he changed the rules." I wonder what the rules are. We later find out that Charles Widmore is the "he" that changed them, but why can he do that? Does he have some form of control on the island, even though he can't find it?

- With the black smoke, first, that's the nastiest we've seen it so far. It was huge, and it was mad. Second, did Ben actually call it in the sense of being in control of it, or did he do something to anger it or motivate it to attack those guys? Ben always wants to appear in control, but I'm wondering if maybe he's not perfectly in control. I dunno

- Also interesting that Sawyer cares so much for the other LOSTies. He goes after Claire, he sticks up for Hurley. Its quite a switch. It'd be interesting to see if it could be traced back to him killing Locke's father; if getting that emotional baggage taken care of has freed him up to care for those around him. Either way, he's definatly a leader now.

-Why can't Ben kill Widmore? Is it because he wants to kill Penny first? Is it part of "the rules?" So many new questions!

I loved this episode! There were answers and new information, as well as new questions. The perfect balance of the two that keeps me both satisfied and wanting more!