Reaction Time: "Live Together, Die Alone (Part Two)"

"Is it because you need to look down the barrel of a gun, and find out what you really believe, John?"

Yes, Desmond. That's exactly what needs to happen. He needs to know that everything he's believed in for so long isn't wrong.

The map of the island, complete with the other DHARMA stations as seen by Locke in "Lockdown", was a creation of Inman during his tenure inside the Pearl Station. Also, according to Inman, the purpose of pushing the button is to diffuse the electromagnetic energy before it builds up too much. We see that the communication system discovered by Locke and Eko in the Pearl Station in "?" leads to...nowhere. Another social experiment?

"I think I crashed your plane."

It's not enough proof for Locke at this point. He's been battling the demons of his beliefs for too long - he needs to know. Not even knowing that he saved Desmond's life the night he pounded on the hatch after Boone was injured in "Deus Ex Machina" is enough.

"I was wrong."

Enter fail-safe.

And begin Season 3.

Reaction Time: "The 23rd Psalm"

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; For thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

A deeply personal episode, not just for Mr. Eko. This Bible verse is the one tattooed on my back, a constant reminder of my grandmother. I loved Eko's and Charlie's reciting of the passage - it was a touching and deep moment in the show. It was a pure moment, set outside the mysteries and drama. It was a brother mourning his brother; something anyone can understand.

"The 23rd Psalm" answers the questions presented by "Deus Ex Machina". We now know where the Beechcraft came from, why it was loaded up with drugs, why it contained priests.

Eko has truly changed from the man in the flashbacks. He knows what his previous life cost him - he has truly become a religious man (as evidenced earlier by his self-imposed 40 days of silence after killing two of the Others in self-defense in "The Other 48 Days") and will not venture down the path that led him here again.

Reaction Time: "Deus Ex Machina"

"Don't tell me what I can't do...The island will send us a sign. All that's happening now is our faith is being tested - our commitment. But we will open it! The island will show us how!"

The only episode I'd ever seen before beginning this project. I still remember watching it at Sandy's house with all of her sisters, as we were trying to work on homework or something. But let's get real - we weren't working on anything. Even then we couldn't say no to TV, even if it was something we didn't actively watch.

I remember the yellow Beechcraft 18 stuck in the trees. I remember it plummeting to the ground with Boone inside. I remember Locke crying and pounding on the hatch and the light coming on. And I remember being absolutely intrigued. There's not a lot of shows that you can only watch one episode of and remember almost every detail.

Miss Swoosie Kurtz...I love and adore her. She's the first guest star on this show that I actively recognize and have massive respect for. I just wish it hadn't been in this role.

Alright, a lot of revelations about John Locke. A product of the foster system. His mother has schizophrenia. His father is a douche. A massive, massive douche. The entire scene where he's dealing with the realization that his father screwed him over, to when he's back at the hatch...the show knows how to bring a reaction out of me. Locke asked for a sign, and the island gave it to him - for a price.

You'd think I'd have more to say about this episode. After all, we now have a whole series of new queries regarding the Beechcraft and the drugs, not to mention the light in the hatch. But this episode is pure set-up for what's to come...it gave us a lot to ponder, but seemingly not much in the grand scheme of what we've seen before.

Oh, wait, I also forgot - there's more survivors?! Never mind, that's kind of a big deal.

"Dude, looks like someone steamrolled Harry Potter!"

Sorry, I had to include it.

Reaction Time: "All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues"

"You owe me $20,000!" "You'll get it."

This is the first episode I can watch on TV. Thank you XBOX and Netflix Streaming.

Huh, another episode focusing on Jack? Already?

I know enough about the series to know that this relationship between Jack and his father play a much larger role than these initial episodes let on. One of my questions from earlier was why did Jack have to follow his father to Australia - I'd say Jack ratting out his father and forcing him to lose his license would be a fairly good reason to run off to Australia. That doesn't quite answer my question, but it seems like a logical progression towards a complete answer.

Another point brought up in the previous episode - Rousseau mentioned that she had arrived on the island as part of a scientific expedition. I'm assuming this is a set-up for all the DHARMA stuff. As much as I've followed the recaps and such, DHARMA is the one concept that I really have no understanding of. I know they have to do with studying and researching the island, and it plays a huge role especially once time-travel enters the series, but I don't understand all the politics behind it (hence watching the show....).

More evidence of Locke's deep connection with the island...and I like that Boone brought up the reference of the red shirts in Star Trek being the ones who get killed. Foreshadowing? Yeah, I'd think so. Before watching the Season 5 finale, I'd only seen one episode of LOST before - "Deus Ex Machina". I know the role that metal hatch plays later.