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: "Live Together, Die Alone (Part One)"

THANK GOD this isn't three hours again. Wait, it isn't, right?!

"Live together, die alone." It was noteworthy in Season 1, and it's still noteworthy now. It is the division between the rest of the survivors and Michael. Turning everyone in in return for his son. Grr. The group has seen through Michael's plan, and know they've been set up.

Hey Desmond. You've been MIA for like...the entire season. Nice of you to return with your own flashback episode. AND, with a boat! Alright, I'll forgive you.

LIBBY! I love you - I hate your flashback hair.

Desmond was in prison - did we find out why? We find out the true story of how he wound up on the island, which was in pursuit of getting the woman he loves out of the clutches of his father. And somehow he wound up here, on the island, where he was rescued by Inman. Inman blackmailed Sayid, AND is a DHARMA Initiative employee? This may be one of the more confusing connections we've seen thus far - especially because he was actually ON the island.

The power struggle continues: I said before that Locke and Eko finding the Pearl Station was going to have some deep ramifications on Locke's belief system. Despite Eko's attempts to tell him that they are serving a purpose, John needs to know. He's not willing to just instill faith in this operation any longer when everything is telling him he's wrong. The only way he'll know is if they don't push the buttons.

But this is a two part finale - there's a lot left to find out.

Reaction Time: "Three Minutes"

I am SO close to finishing this season. Thankfully. Finally.

We flash back to when Michael first reaches Walt through the computer in Swan, in "The 23rd Psalm", and then attacks Locke and locks him and Jack up in the closet in "The Hunting Party". We know what Michael's actions were for, where he's been, what he's been going through. Michael is more than willing to ruin the lives of the survivors to get Walt.
Again, we are left to wonder how the Others determine who is good and who isn't, and what their method is for determining that.

That's it. Let me go finish the finale now.

Reaction Time: "?"

Michael you rat bastard. You fucking shit. UGH. What the hell is going on there?!?

What's the deal with Claire's psychic being a fraud??

Ok, sorry, detracting from the important stuff. Another hatch has been found - Pearl Station. So that's now 4 we know of (where does the communication system in Pearl lead to?) . Jack has been (seemingly) been proven correct in assuming that Swan was a social experiment. Like I said before, people do not take well to being shown that their beliefs are wrong.

What confuses me is that Eko's brother Yemi says that Locke has lost his way, and needs to be lead back on the right path. In my mind, Locke has always held tight to his beliefs, and finding the Pearl Station would be a detraction from that. So does that mean Jack is right?

Or is that Eko, in reaffirming his belief in pushing the button, is trying to persuade Locke to continue to believe? Maybe he has been wavering because of what Henry Gale has said and done. There's too many ways to interpret it.

Hurley saying goodbye to Libby was totally heartbreaking. :(

Reaction Time: "Two for the Road"

I was dreading this episode, so much. After the sucker-punch of murdering Shannon (YES WRITERS I'M STILL PISSED), I wasn't ready for another death. Not even for Ana Lucia (and my dislike of Michelle Rodriguez), and especially not for Libby.

I never knew what the deal was with Libby. I heard her name mentioned during Comic Con and such, but never much info was revealed about her, which is I guess is the intrigue. And yeah, I'm intrigued too. I don't feel like her role is monumentally important, in the same way Charlie, Hurley, or any of the other survivors are. But she also wasn't Scott/Steve, a background character that we only see in glimpses. If that were the case, we wouldn't have seen any backstory - not even through Hurley in "Dave". That insight was important, but not dramatic. So what was the point? Her story is not done, but I don't think it has the mystery that some fans assume is does.

So Ana Lucia and Christian Shephard. Now we know why Christian came to Australia...or at least it seems we do. He was running away from Jack, but also he's looking for his...daughter? Does Jack know about this? And why Sarah? Some creepy obsession with his son's wife? Ewww.

Apparently dates are a death curse on this show. Bye Shannon, bye Libby, bye Ana Lucia (nice job bedding Sawyer, by the way - props). Although, seriously, I would have thought that the king of con-artists would see a trap a mile away.

What is the deal with the Others about people being good and bad?? How do they differentiate, how do they decide? What is their methods? Ugh, so frustrating.

AND WHOA WHAT THE CRAP MICHAEL?! He better be dead because I am pissed.

Reaction Time: "S.O.S."

The healing powers of electromagnetic energy...
A fixation on, well, "fixing" people from Bernard (and also from Jack, as criticized by Sarah in "The Hunting Party")...
And the return of Michael, sans Walt and looking more than a little worse for wear.

Jack inviting Kate wasn't a method of strategic planning - he just wanted her away from Sawyer. It's like kids on a playground.

Rose knows Locke's secret. She understands his connection to the island, more than anyone else does. Whether or not she views this crash as an act of fate is another story, but she understands his feelings and doesn't try to dissuade him in his beliefs. She reaffirms them, as he does for.

Reaction Time: "Dave"

Yikes. In regards to revealing character backstories, this one was a pretty big deal. I know I've complained about some of them, because I feel they don't add to the island mystery, but this one actually felt important.

I assumed Hurley wound up in the institution for his paranoia for winning the Lottery...but I guess that, timewise, that would make absolutely no sense. Hurley got the numbers from Leonard while in the asylum, which is HOW he won the Lottery. Duh. But feeling guilt for believing he killed two people...damn. It would explain his massive paranoia states, like we saw in "Everybody Hates Hugo". And whoa, Libby was creepy at the end.

"Henry" continues to push the buttons of the survivors, drawing on the lead argument between the leaders - what is the purpose of the Hatch? Social experiment or actual purpose? "Henry" claims that he never inputted the code, never pushed the button - but Locke has no way of knowing if he's telling the truth or not. "Henry" has put doubt into Locke's mind, something that will surely send him into a tailspin. No one likes to be told their beliefs are wrong, and it can have huge effects on someone.

Reaction Time: "Lockdown"

"So, what's done is done." "That's right."

FATE VERSUS SCIENCE. Gah. I GET IT.

I'm not actually angry about it. It's the headache talking. It's more that I want PROGRESS from the story. I know this is set-up for Jack and Locke's split, for some dramatic episode (ie the finale), and that the build-up has to be gradual. I know that, and I want that. But I want it NOW. I want resolution so they will stop bickering.

So based on that map, there has to be what, 7 or 8 other DHARMA hatches on the island?? We have Swan, the one where the Tailies were, and the medical facility from "Maternity Leave".

And dear Henry Gale is full of shit. Who saw that coming? Just me? Just everyone? HE'S AN OTHER DUMBASSES (I'll get the medicine to stop talking soon, I swear).

Locke investigated Nadia's house. So she is alive - I thought Sayid said she was dead earlier in the series? I thought the US/Australian government people were just lying to him about her being in Los Angeles.

Reaction Time: "The Whole Truth"

Jin and Sun...gah, I love them. Despite their flaws, their past, their problems...love love love them. They have a genuine love. Their story with the pregnancy is not yet over - Sun's face shows there is more than we know to this story.

While Henry aggravates the power struggle between Jack and Locke, he takes control. They're the pawns in his game, unaware of their low-ranking positions...until it's too late. Smooth guys. Ego and power struggles are always the demise. People are inherently selfish, wrapped up in their own issues until they see the destruction around them.

(Sorry these are short analysis. I've never claimed myself a writer...but I am awake and watching, but also medicated. Stupid random stomach bug.)

Reaction Time: "Maternity Leave"

Thank you writers for addressing something that most of us had forgotten - what DID happen to Claire when she was kidnapped by the Others?!

The Others are a much more complex group than we previously had them pegged. Not just simple savages - they've got a full blown medical facility...a DHARMA Initiative facility?! Wait, whaat?!

(Oh Lord, why did they have to keep showing that stomach injection?!) Ok, so now the facility is abandoned (it hasn't been THAT long since she left), and the savageness is a disguise? Alright, now what the frak is going on??

No time to debate it, I suppose. Henry Gale is too busy stirring the pot of issues between Locke and Jack. We know what you're doing, smartass.

Reaction Time: "One of Them"

FINALLY some plot development!!!

The return of Rousseau! Henry Gale!!! Power struggle between Jack and Locke! The code wasn't inputted in time!! It's about damn time things got interesting around here!

Thank you. My entries were getting quite boring. I know we need character development and not every week has to have some big reveal, but c'mon. This is a fucked up island, and that's where all the mystery is...character development, especially when it seems like it has no relation to the over-arching plotlines is frustrating.

Alright, so the power struggle between Jack and Locke has reached a new apex - not only does it come to an actual confrontation, but to a fight between ideals. Jack refuses to let Locke punch in the numbers until he opens the vault. Jack reinforces his belief that nothing will happen if they don't punch in the numbers, while Locke runs to get them inputted. As the time runs out, the numbers start to flip over to red images - looking similar to hieroglyphics. Before all the numbers can change, Locke inputs the code and the engines die down. So that's our first hint that maybe this isn't completely a social experiment. Something WILL happen...but what? Dammit, writers, tell me!!!

Another pre-crash cross: Sayid and Kate's father.

Henry Gale...yeah, right. I know better. Unfortunately that mystery is kind of ruined for me. But I like seeing the evolution of his character(s) - how he came to be associated with our crew, and what his purpose will turn out to be (I don't understand all of that yet).

Alright, moving on now that things are interesting again!!!

Reaction Time: "The Long Con"

The only noteworthy cross here is Kate's mother is Sawyer's waitress.

And poor Sawyer, conning Cassidy. That's going to bite him in the ass.

Reaction Time: "Fire + Water"

Fire + Water = Extinguished Fire = Smoke.

Do I graduate?

Honestly, nothing to say.

Reaction Time: "The Hunting Party"

HOLY CRAP IT'S THE OTHERS.

OMFG ALEX IS ALIVE.

That's it!! :)

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: "What Kate Did"

"Don't mistake coincidence for fate."

Mr. Eko, you've been watching the series along with me, haven't you? Reading my blog, are you?

Oh, Katie, Katie, Katie...Sawyer loves you. You kiss Jack. You love Sawyer. Jack loves you. Way to complicate matters. This is why I don't like you. You can't make up your mind, you can't let things be. You have to run, you have to complicate matters.

So Kate killed her step-father (who is apparently actually her birth father), and that's why her mom panicked when she came to visit her in the hospital in "Born to Run" (I didn't recognize Beth Broderick. I fail as a Sabrina the Teenage Witch fan - and this is delayed but OMFG Bernard is Principal Dewitt from Growing Pains?!). Rough story, for sure. Still doesn't excuse who she's become...(sorry writers - I'm not falling for redemption stories. You pissed me off hardcore with Shannon/Sayid).

Where did the horse come from? I know farm animals isn't completely shocking here (I remember them strangling a chicken in "The Other 48 Days"), but a horse is a pretty big thing to stay hidden. But eh, who knows.

Mr. Eko and Michael watch the DHARMA Initiative Orientation film, and Michael asks the question on my mind - the splices. They are quite noticeable - it's more than a single frame missing here and there. Why are they not to communicate with Others? Will there be ramifications for Michael's conversation with (supposedly) Walt? And is the "incident" referred to in the film THE Incident in the Season 5 finale?

"So, Rose's husband is white - didn't see that coming." THANK YOU FOR SAYING WHAT EVERYONE WAS THINKING.

Reaction Time: "Collision"

Ana Lucia - do not piss Sayid off. You may have been a cop; Sayid knows Iraqi torture methods. You just killed the woman he loves, he's allowed to be upset. He has every right to beat your scrawny ass. You get some redemption points from your backstory, but not enough.

Speaking of backstory - more family issues. Jin works for Sun's father. Jack worked under Christian. Boone for his mother. And Ana Lucia for her mother.

I love Mr. Eko. His quiet and pensive demeanor is epic.

This episode was another one that didn't continue the narrative of the island - instead it was focused on the characters. Showing who they are, how they got here, but nothing new was revealed (as far as I can tell) with regards to the main mysteries of the island. But we do have a new power struggle emerging: it's no longer just between Jack and Locke. Ana Lucia has arrived...

The show finally got me to cry. When Sayid picked up Shannon's body...when Jin, Michael, and Bernard reached the beach...bam. I shouldn't admit that. I should be trying to keep my dignity. But eh, whatevs.

Reaction Time: "The Other 48 Days"

"The children are fine - they're better off now."

So it's been 48 days. The tail enders had a much different journey that our buddies on the awesome side of the island. So these Others know what they're doing - they know how to infiltrate and attack the survivors camps without suspicion. Well, mostly. Nathan and Goodwin were creepy as freaking hell, but Goodwin offered up more insight - why is it that the Others want the children? What's with them and kids? First Claire and Aaron, and now this. Also, what was Goodwin about saying they only take "good people"?? What's the manner of differentiating and deciding?

We also know that the bunker they were camped in was another creation of the DHARMA Initiative. The hatch is Swan and studies the electromagnetism...what is this one's purpose??

Well, thanks for the back story as to how and why Ana Lucia is in charge. YOU STILL KILLED SHANNON, BITCH. Sorry, I'm going to be griping about that one for awhile. I have a strong dislike for Michelle Rodriguez, and her killing someone Sayid loved is some bullshit. I really didn't need to see that scene again. It just made my anger worse. And made me sad - I don't like seeing Sayid sad.

FYI - making homemade soup while trying to blog AND keep track of what's occurring on the show is not exactly an easy task.

Reaction Time: "Abandoned"

Oh dude, seriously, they slept together?! That sand can not be comfortable!

Ugh, this is just awkward. Look, I get it. You don't have much hope of escaping, you've pretty much established a life on the island. But in my mind, you've got more important worries. You know, like escaping. Staying alive. Helping Claire with the baby, or in the garden, or down in the Hatch. NOT GETTING BUSY ON THE BEACH.

Oh boy. So Jack was the doctor in charge of resuscitating Shannon's father in "Man of Science, Man of Faith"...he was the one who crashed into Sarah's car...yikes. Karma. Fate. How many of those words do we want to toss around?

I know I wanted Shannon dead since...the beginning, but that was sad.

And my main gripe - THEY GIVE SHANNON A HEART AND THEN THEY FREAKING KILL HER?! I'm more pissed about what its going to do to Sayid than I am about her actually dying.

I think it was a cheap shot - give a character some redemption, some redeeming qualities, AND THEN WE'LL KILL THEM.

I don't even remember what else happened...oh yeah, Ana Lucia is a crotchety bitch. Libby is pretty cool. That's about it, right?

Reaction Time: "Adrift", "Orientation", "Everybody Hates Hugo", "...And Found"

Sunday morning, and we are back (excuse me Peter for taking a break last night - yeeeesh).

So now we've gone from two basic plotlines to several...awesome. Let's make this harder to write about! Thanks writers! *wink*

Fine, let's give this another go...

ADRIFT - S2E02

Well, now we know where the "rafters" are...well, two of them. Walt is still MIA from the Others abduction, and Jin is...somewhere. Ideally, not dead.

Outside of Sawyer and Michael's boat trip of love, I didn't really see the point of this episode, especially the rehashing the events of the Hatch through Kate's point of view. She didn't exactly offer up anything new - all she did was show she's alive and knows how to crawl. Way to be helpful, woman.

I have to debate whether or not I want subtitles on for when Desmond is on the screen. Utterly adorable accent, but Lord it can get hard to decode.

ORIENTATION - S2E03

I asked before who is right - Jack or Locke? Is this all founded on fate or coincidence?

Locke is winning obviously. At least in my mind. There's too many coincidences thus far to make this all an effort of chance. Jack and Desmond's prior meeting, in which he basically convinced Jack to have faith in Sarah's recovery in "Man of Science, Man of Faith"...nope.

So how does this affect how we view the island?

KATEY SEGAL! And now I have another new favorite guest star. Leap of faith, yeah, I get it.

Again we are divided between our two leaders. The science says this computer is just a social experiment. Nothing will happen if you don't input the code. The faith says you have to do it - you can't take the chance. As such, we are formally introduced to the DHARMA initiative. That orientation video doesn't give much explanation as to what is the purpose behind the initiative, other than its goal for scientific research. I get that they are there for it's magnetic attraction, but there has to be more to it. It's not enough of an explanation yet - not for such a seemingly large operation.

EVERYBODY HATES HUGO - S2E04

BERNARD!!! That's why we bring back Rose in this episode after a long absence. Faith people - faith.

So what's the deal with this new group of tail survivors? You'd think they'd be living much like our ragtag group, but clearly they're in, like, a hostage situation under Ana Lucia. Crazy bitch. I want to know what the situation is there - what happened to the other survivors? Why are they living in a metal box? Why are they so hesitant to trust the fuselage survivors? What the frak is going on?!

Gah, it's so nice to hear Jin speak English!! His personality, especially in the flashbacks, is so utterly charming that it was refreshing to see it put to good use in English.

I'm glad Rose was there to be the one to talk Hurley out of his actions. His rationale was logical, given his past experiences and mob mentality, but absolutely insane in terms of the residual effects it would have had. He got some closure from his past - not quite yet from the numbers, but it's progress.

(Side note: Shannon still has a heart! And cares for the dog!)

...AND FOUND - S2E05

Ha! Jin is a smartass!! Thank you Jin - figures the guy who can't speak English would be the one to finally show up Ana Lucia. Much appreciation, friend. And nice punch to Mr. Eko. Impressive. You got your ass kicked by him, but still, props.

Why the fuck is Ana Lucia in charge? Biggest bitch contest becomes the leader? That must be it.

We have now seen the mysterious Others - or at least their dirty legs and feet. The teddy bear - I can't see that belonging to Walt. Who the fuck are these people?!