Recon

Let's talk about LOST!   Recon.

Sawyer {Purple shirt} is making a pot of tea outside Claire's nest. He burns his left hand on the hot pot.
Inside Jin sleeps. Sawyer wakes up his buddy Jin. Jin is curious how long he's been out.
Sawyer- "A while. Figured you could use a rest."
Claire and Locke are out and about and said they'd be back by sun up.  Jin is worked up and says they have to leave before they get back. Sawyer informs him that he's with Locke and Jin informs him "That's not Locke."
Sawyer is aware of that but will go with "Whoever he is" because he says he can get them off "this damn island".
Jin can't leave because Sun could be here somewhere. Sawyer gives him is word that they won't leave without her.
They hear sounds and Sawyer realizes "They're back."
Jin uses his oar as a crutch. Locke returns with his flock and Sayid, Claire and Kate.

Sawyer and Kate share a moment of hello. Sawyer seems troubled. {But there's some weird eye contact made between our Losties}

{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}

Sawyer is in bed with Ava, who feels Jimmy is unbelievable. {She has red/auburn hair}

She reminds him he was supposed to meet "that guy" at nine and it's 8:42.  Sawyer rushes and grabs a briefcase that the lock breaks open and cash pours out of it.
Sawyer-"You weren't exactly supposed to see that."
Ava asks what Jimmy is doing with all that money. He explains it's for a potential investment. "We're going fifty-fifty. The guy wants to see the money up front. Don't worry it won't take long. I'll be right back. Me and you'll go for a round..."
Ava pulls a gun on Sawyer and tells him to step away from the case.
Ava-"Here's the thing, dimples. I can spot a con man. I'm married to one. So I know all about the pigeon drop. Oh what, that case just accidentally flew open? How stupid do you think I am."
Sawyer-"Pretty damn stupid actually."
Ava-"Excuse me?"

Sawyer-"This is a setup, lady. There's a van sitting right outside, the room is bugged, place is surrounded by cops. So now you wanna put that gun down and we'll work something out. They don't care about you, they want your husband. There's a tracer in the case, all you have to do is take it back to wherever your hubby's hiding out."
Ava-"You really expect me to believe that you're here with the police?   This place is surrounded? How come no-one came to save you?"
Sawyer doesn't need saving. He wants her to do the right thing and put the gun down but if she doesn't, all he has to do is say the magic word, and that door busts open.
Ava claims he's a lousy con man.
Sawyer says one word..."LaFleur."

Ava-"La what?"
The police kick in the door and save the day! {And/or Sawyer} Ava drops the gun and she's cuffed. In walks Jimmy's partner Miles.
Miles mentions Jim was cutting it a little close. Jim feels that's the only way to cut it.
Miles tosses him a police badge. Ava is surprised to see Jimmy is a cop.
Sawyer-"Surprise."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Claire is packing a bag; takes a knife, and tends to her "rat" baby hidden behind a light net. Kate comes in and asks, "Is this where you lived?"
Indeed it is.
Kate sees the "rat" baby, seems disgusted and wonders, "What is that?"
Claire gives her a dirty look and claims it's all she had.

Locke-"All right everybody listen up. Come on in, gather round. I know that everyone is tired. It was a...long and traumatic night for all of us.  And you all have got a lot of questions, I know. And I will make myself available to answer them.  But right now we need to keep moving. We have to take advantage of the daylight."
Cindy speaks, "We want to know what happened to the people who stayed behind at the Temple.
Locke- "The black smoke killed them. {He sees Zack, hugging his teddy bear and Emma is upset and tells them-} Hey, I know that what happened back there was really scary. But it's over. You're with me now, and I promise that I'm gonna take care of you. Okay?"
{Claire took hold of Kate's hand during the speech, as if she was a little child who needed to hold on to mommy for a second and then she lets go, smiles and walks off.}
Locke-"All right, let's move out!"
Kate is puzzled by Claire's behavior.
Sawyer walks up to Kate, "Looks like you had a hell of a night."
She did.
Sawyer inquires about Jack, Hurley, and the rest of them, "They make it out of the temple all right?"
Kate saw them leaving on the way back.
Sawyer-"What about Miles?"
Kate-"I don't know what happened to him. So you're with Locke now?"
Sawyer looks her in the eye and says he ain't with anybody.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
James is on phone "Hello, is this Anthony Cooper?  Hi Mr. Cooper, this is Detective James Ford, L.A.P.D. Yeah we've discovered some unclaimed property that might belong to you. Can you verify you were in Alabama in 1976? Ah huh. OK, thanks. Sorry to have taken up your time." {Files, file boxes. Confidential Informants. Cold Cases}
He crosses a name off a list and calls the next number. "May I speak with Anthony Cooper?"
Nosy Miles walks over with two mugs of coffee.{A Hollywood mug for Jim} Jim hurries off the phone, telling the person on the other end he'll have to call them back.
Miles asks who Anthony Cooper is. Jim fluffs it off as an old buddy he ran into, who said he could hook him up with some Laker tickets.
Miles-"That's cool. What'd you... you see him in Palm Springs?"
Confused Jim asks, "What?"
Miles-"Palm Springs. Your trip last weekend?"
Jim-"Yeah, it's a blur. Too much sunshine, too many Mai Tai's."
Miles tells him to get it together because you got a date tonight.   Miles set him up with a friend of his who works with his dad at the museum. He thinks she's great.
Uninterested Jim wonders if she's so great why doesn't Miles go out with her. Apparently Miles has a girlfriend.
Miles asks,"What is your deal Jim, you wanna die alone?"
Jim-"All right, look. I go out with her, you gonna leave me alone?"
Miles-"Throw in one of those Laker tickets, Hell yes I will."
Jim-"Look I'm already pulling strings with this guy. It's just...uh I dunno if I can get another seat."
Miles-"You know you can tell me the truth, about anything. Are you lying to me,man?"
James-"Why the hell would I lie?"
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Locke leads Zack, Emma and the rest of the group through the jungle. He tells them a quarter mile ahead there's a clearing; that's where they'll make camp.  He also wants them to fill up on water because they might be there a couple of days.
Annoyed Sawyer doesn't like the "couple of days" remark. "I thought you said we were gettin off this rock."
Locke says they are, but Sawyer wants to know when. Locke, making sure to not concern the flock, suggests they talk about it in private.

Once in "private" in the jungle, Locke, who now seems a bit "off, points his finger at Sawyer and says, "I wish you hadn't interrupted me.
Sarcastic Sawyer apologizes, having forgotten his manners.
Locke sighs-"I forgive ya."
Sawyer asks how Locke how he knew to rescue everybody back at the temple from the smoke thing.
Locke confesses he didn't rescue them. "I'm the smoke thing."  There is silence for a few seconds.
Sawyer-"You tellin me you killed all those people?"
Locke-"I gave them the opportunity to leave peacefully and they didn't take it."
Sawyer-"Why not?"
Locke-"Because they're convinced that they're protecting the island from me when in fact all I wanna do leave. So it's either kill or be killed. And I don't wanna be killed."
Locke leads him to the shore.

James asks Locke if he's going on a boat ride.
Locke-"You are."
James-"Where?"
Locke-"Hydra Island."
You can see that James doesn't really want to go there. {Gives an 'Oh No' type look}
He asks Locke what's on Hydra Island.
Locke-"The plane. The Ajira flight. The same plane that brought your friends back. Unfortunately they didn't come alone. And I have reason to believe that some of the other passengers mean to do us all harm. So I want you to go over there do some recon."
James feels this sounds real safe.  But Locke's not worried about Sawyer and feels he will be fine.  Because Locke feels James is  the best liar I he ever met.
Locke instructs, "You tell them whatever you need to tell them to gain their trust... find out everything you can about them... and then get back here."
James-"Why exactly am I doing this again?"
Locke-"Why do you think, James? We get on that plane, we fly off this island, and we never look back. Come on."    They push the outrigger into the water.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}

James arrives is at the restaurant and looks around for his date. He makes a call to refresh his memory on what the girl looks like (again).   James is reminded she is a redhead, "How many redheads do you see?"
James scans the room and sees a redhead sitting at the bar.
Sawyer-"Roger that."
James is told to be nice to her.  He hangs up the call and asks the redhead, "Would you be Charlotte?"
In his chivalrous Southern charm he says it's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am.  They are sitting at a table and drinking wine.   James inquires about her being an Archaeologist.
Charlotte-"What's wrong with archeology?"
James-"Nothin'. I just figured you'd be stuck in a room somewhere dustin' off antiques."
Charlotte-"No, I actually get to travel quite a bit... To far off and romantic places..."
She claims to be exactly like Indiana Jones.  {Uh, is she a man?!}
Sawyer-"You got a whip?"
Charlotte-"Maybe..."  They laugh.
Charlotte asks why he became a cop.
James-"You ever seen Bullitt? The Steve McQueen flick?"
She hasn't seen it so he won't bore her with an explanation.
Charlotte wants a favor, "...don't treat me like all the other girls that ask you. Tell me the truth."    James sighs. "Well... I guess I... got to a point in my life where I was either going to become a criminal or a cop. So I chose cop."
Charlotte stares smiles looks into his eyes
James-"What?"
Charlotte-"You know what."

They are in James' bed! Charlotte claims it wasn't bad considering they didn't have that whip.
James-"Bring it next time."   He offers her some water. While he gets up for the water she asks to borrow a t-shirt.  James tells her to help herself; top drawer on the right. With James out of the room Charlotte rummages through the drawer,{yet it doesn't seem like she's looking for a shirt. Hmmmm} and finds a blue binder titled SAWYER. It contains photos, negatives, details and a newspaper clip of James' parents' death.
James walks in on her and freaks out! "What did you see?"
Charlotte-"Nothing. Just this, you know, that picture fell out and I was just trying to put it back..."
She insists she didn't see anything. James-"Get the hell out."
Charlotte-"James, just let me explain!"
James-"Get out!"  Charlotte gathers her things and leaves.

At the Hydra station James looks at the cages he and Kate were held and is moved with memory. He  holds the dress.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Kate asks Sayid, who doesn't look too well, if he believes Locke; if he can get them off the Island.
Sayid-"Yes, I believe him."
Kate-"Sayid, are you alright?"
Sayid-"No."
Claire attacks Kate to the ground and tries to stab her neck.   Sayid just sits there, unaffected by the cat fight even though Kate calls out for his help.
Locke literally pulls Claire off and tosses her to the side. {Like she was a little child or a doll}
Locke-"What are you doing?"
Claire is fired up, "She took him! She took Aaron!"
Locke-"Claire, you had disappeared! Kate couldn't find you! She did what she had to do!"
Claire-"She took Aaron! She can't just do this!"
Locke slaps Claire!   Kate and Claire are stunned.
He scolds her, "This is completely inappropriate. Alright? Now... you go over there. I'll deal with you in a minute. Go."
He asks Kate if she's alright.
Kate-"No, I'm not alright."
Locke walks over to talk with Claire.

On Hydra island, Sawyer finds the huge Ajira plane.

He uses his detective skills to assess a few things and follows a path that is really drag marks in the sand to grouping of dead bodies.   A woman {wearing glasses}comes running out of the jungle.  James yells for her to stop but ends up tackling and pointing a gun at her. "Don't move!"
The woman begs him to not hurt her.
Sawyer-"Who the hell are you?"
The woman-"I'm the only one left."
 {Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Liam is at the counter of the police station trying to get the officer behind it to help him, "Excuse me. Sir? I asked you about my brother..."
The officer told him to wait a minute.  James walks by and Liam immediately turns to him, "Hey! Uh... I'm looking for my brother.   He was arrested at the airport on a drug charge...."
James-"Sorry, not my department."

Miles meets up with Jim and wants him to go with  him.  Jim follows Sunshine/Miles to the locker room where Miles pushes Jim against them.  Angry Miles asks Jim if there's something he wants to tell him.
Jim-"What?!"
Miles-"Is there something you wanna tell me?!"
Jim-"Look, she opened the wrong drawer." 
Miles-"What the hell are you talking about? I wanna know what you were doing in Australia when you told me you were in Palm Springs.   I ran your credit card.  I know you went to Sydney.   Oceanic, round trip. You took flight 815 back two days ago."
Jim wonders what the hell is he doin' runnin' his credit card. Miles knows he lied. He thought they were supposed to trust each other.  "So, Jim... what were you doing in Australia?"

Insulted Jim feels that's none of his damn business.
Now Miles is insulted. "You know what? You're right. Because I'm not your partner anymore."  Miles walks away and Jim punches the mirror his reflection is in.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Sawyer gives very thirsty Zoe water from his canteen.  He introduces himself.
Zoe- "I'm Zoe. I can't believe there's anybody left alive. I thought I knew everybody on the plane."
James admits he didn't come on this plane.  Curious Zoe asks what plane he came on.
Sawyer-"Long story. What the hell happened here?   What killed all those people?"
Zoe-"I... we... we crashed here. And we were all just waiting for someone to rescue us. I was out collecting wood when I heard... screaming."
Sawyer-"Screaming?"
Zoe-"When I came back... they were... they were all dead. I spent the last two days dragging their bodies up here. I didn't feel it was right to leave them out there in the sun. Are you alone?"
Sawyer-"No. There's a group of people back on the main island. I can take you back there."
Zoe-"Thank God."
Sawyer-"Trust me...God's got nothing to do with it."

Kate sits alone in the middle the trees... Locke (Note his two differnt eye colors) appears and apologizes to her.  "I have to take responsibility for Claire's behavior. I was the one who told her the Others had her baby."
Kate wonders why he would tell her that.  
Locke-"Have you ever had an enemy?   Someone that you needed to hate?  Very powerful, isn't it? Claire was devastated without Aaron. She needed something to... something to keep her going.  So, I gave her something to hate. And then... when you told her the truth... all those feelings, all that anger that she'd been holding on to for so long... it had to go somewhere.
Kate-"Very insightful... coming from a dead man."
Locke-"Well, nobody's perfect. I'm sorry that this happened.  And I'm sure that, if you give her time, everything will be alright. I promised before that I would keep everyone safe. And that means you too, Kate."
Kate asks where  Sawyer went.  Locke smiles, holds out his hand to help her up and says, "I'll show you."
Kate doesn't take his hand and stands up on her own.

Sawyer and Zoe walk along the beach on Hydra Island. Sawyer asks her if she thinks that thing'll still fly.
Zoe doesn't know; it'll take a bit of work and someone who knows how, how to do it. "I... I take it you haven't come across the pilot?" Sawyer respectfully replies,"No ma'am."
Zoe-" How many people did you say were with you?"
Sawyer-"Couple dozen."
Zoe-"Did they all come on the same plane as you?"
Sawyer-"Some. Not all."
Zoe-"When did you crash?"
Sawyer-"A long time ago."
Zoe-"Do you all have guns?"   {Sawyer gets suspicious.}
Zoe feels  whoever killed all those people back there might come back. Sawyer admits they got plenty of guns.  They arrive at the outrigger and start to push it into the water.   Sawyer asks where she was headed. "Your flight. Where were you goin'?"
Zoe-"Oh. Uh... Guam."
Sawyer-"What's in Guam?"
Zoe-"My boyfriend."
Sawyer pulls his gun on Zoe and tells her, "You're good, sweetheart, but you ain't that good."   She wonders what he's talking about.
Sawyer-"Who are you?"
Zoe whistles {the magic whistle} and a few armed guys come out  of the jungle demanding Sawyer put his weapon down. "Drop it, now!"
Sawyer hands his gun to Zoe, "Is your name even Zoe?"
Zoe-"Is yours Sawyer?"
The armed men surround Sawyer and command him to his knees.
Sawyer nonchalantly says-"Alright, alright... you got me. Take me to your leader." {Aliens. Hmmm}

Locke sits {cross legged}on the beach and shows Kate, "That Island over there... that's where I sent Sawyer." 
Kate-"You could have just told me that you sent him to the Island where we were locked in cages, you didn't have to bring me down here."
Locke-"Sure, but then I wouldn't have gotten to talk to you. You referred to me as a dead man. I am not a dead man. I know what you're feeling, Kate.   I know what you're going through."
Kate asks him how he knows that.   Locke shares a little story with her; getting a bit emotional during it.
"Because... my mother was crazy.   A long time ago, before I... looked like this {you mean old?!}... I had a mother, just like everyone. She was a very disturbed woman.    And, as a result of that, had some growing pains.  Problems that I'm still trying to work my way through.   Problems that could have been avoided had things been different.
Kate wonders why he's telling her this.
Locke-"Because now... Aaron... has a crazy mother too."

Prisoner Sawyer is escorted to the docked submarine.   He notes workers erecting a sonic fence.
Zoe commands Sawyer to get in because he's waiting for him.    Sawyer makes his way down the hatch.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
James arrives home {Apt 245. Very sparsely decorated and a very bachelor like environment. Left hand bandaged.} and prepares a frozen dinner-Country fried beef patties.    He sits down to watch an episode of "Little House on the Prairie".   He smiles while he watches.
Little Laura tells her father that she wouldn't know what she would do if anything ever happened to him and her mother.  Her father tells her, "Anyway nothing is gonna happen to us.  Not today, anyway.  It's the way you live this life. Each day one  at a time.  Now if you spend your whole life worrying about something that's gonna happen before you know it your life's over. You spend an awful lot of  it just worrying.  {children's laughter is heard} Hey you hear that?  That's what life's all about.  Laughing and loving each other. And  knowing that people aren't really gone when they die.  We have all the good memories to sustain us
 until you see them again."     Laura shares it's hard not being afraid and her Pa understands that.  This touches James.

James brings a peace offering to Charlotte's apartment.{Beer and a sunflower}
Charlotte opens the door, "You've got to be joking."     Jim asks if he can come in and she refuses him.
"You don't get to kick me out at three o'clock in the morning and then come around the next day with puppy dog eyes and a sad sunflower. Look, I don't know if you're just lonely, or guilty, or completely mad... but, you know what? I don't care. You blew it."
Charlotte closes the door and Sawyer, realizing he behaved wrong,  leaves the sunflower in front of the door and walks away.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Zoe leads Sawyer through the sub and curious Sawyer pulls at a double padlocked door. "What do you got in here?"    
Zoe-"None of your business. Keep moving."
Zoe knocks on a door and Zoe announces, "He's here, sir."
Sawyer enters the room and Widmore asks Zoe "Would you leave us please?"   Of course she will.
Widmore offers his hand to Sawyer to shake,"Hello, Mr. Ford. My name is Charles Widmore."
Sawyer does not take his hand.
Widmore-"Do you know who I am?"
Sawyer-"Of course I do. You're the fella that sent a freighter to the Island loaded with guys to kill us all."
Widmore-"It's sad, really... how little you actually know."
Sawyer-"Well, I know you murdered all them people out there and dropped 'em in a ditch..."
Widmore-" We didn't murder those people. But I don't expect you to believe that."
Sawyer-"Good, I don't."
Widmore-" So, why don't you tell me what brought you over to this island."
Sawyer-"John Locke sent me."
Widmore-"John Locke's dead."
Sawyer-"I think we both know the guy I'm talking about's not really Locke. So here's the deal, Chief... I'll go back over there and tell him the coast's clear. That I didn't find anybody. Then I'll bring the old man right to your doorstep... then you can kill him."
In return James wants the people he comes back with; the people on his boat don't get touched. "Not even a hair on their head."     And Widmore will give them safe passage off the Island.
Widmore-"How do I know I can trust you"
Sawyer-"Same way I know I can trust you. So, do we have an agreement?"
They shake hands, sealing their accord.

Puzzled, sad and armed Kate is walking through the jungle. Claire appears and apologizes to her. Claire says she knows everything Kate did was because she cared about her and Aaron. "And thank you for taking care of him."    Claire hugs Kate and it takes Kate a few seconds to reciprocate the hug. Claire cries; Kate tells her it's okay.

James returns to the main Island.  Locke is there to find out how it went.  James realizes Locke didn't send him over there to find passengers from that plane and Locke confirms that.
James-" Well in case you're interested, they're all dead."
Locke-"Well that's terrible. What happened?"
James-"I don't know."
Locke-"Well what do you know, James?"
James- "I know there's a man over there on that island that ain't gonna let us get on that plane without a fight. Came over on a sub. Name's Widmore."
Locke-"Charles Widmore?"
James-"Well, I guess y'all know each other. He ain't alone. Counted at least six armed com padres with him, not to mention whatever crew's on that sub.    There's a locked room on there, something they're hiding. And they're setting up pylons, like the ones in New Otherton. You know, ones that keep out that smoke thing."
Locke-"Now what did you tell them about me?"
James-"I told 'em I'd tell you the coast was clear and bring you back with me...walk you right into their trap. That way they could kill you. Which means they'll be caught with their pants down when we change our plan of attack."
Locke-"I appreciate your loyalty, James."
James-" You said you were gonna get me off this Island. Deal's a deal."
Locke agrees.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Sawyer pulls up as Miles is leaving a building.   He waves and makes Miles get into the car.  James hands him  a blue binder labeled "Sawyer".
Miles asks "Who's Sawyer?"
James shares his story. "When I was nine years old my father shot my mother, then he killed himself. Sawyer was the reason why.  He was a grifter...con man.  I've been hunting him down since the day I left the academy.   I chased down a lead in Australia, got a name - Anthony Cooper.    I ran the name,  I got a list of Anthony Coopers and I've been calling them.     And when I find the right one...I'm gonna kill him"
James didn't tell Miles any of this because he knew he's try to talk him out of it.  Police sirens are heard and a blue car slams into James' car.

A hooded woman is on the run!   She runs down an  ally. James and the cops are after her.   James hides and cuts her off, throwing her against a gate.  He reveals her identity and seems pleased, "Son of a bitch."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Distant Kate pokes a stick around in the campfire.   Sawyer asks her what's for dinner.
Kate-"Rabbit...I think."   Good, Sawyer's starving.
Kate asks what he's doing running errands for Locke.    Sawyer aint running errands for nobody.  Kate shares Locke sent him over to the other island, "Did you find the plane?"
Sawyer-"Yeah. That aint the only thing over there. Guy named Widmore set up camp on the beach. Got a whole team with him; guys with guns. There here for Locke."
Kate-"So what are you gonna do?"
Sawyer-"I'm gonna let them fight it out.  And while they got their hands full of each other...You and me are gettin the hell off this island."
Kate smiles-"Even if we could get on that plane whose gonna fly it?"
Sawyer-"We aint taking the plane, Freckles. We're taking the sub."

Re-Con is a GREAT episode.
This is a set up! Of course it is. Everything is set up!
The mad capers of Jim. A man of some power and/or authority using his position to go after the person responsible for his parents deaths and wanting to kill him. Sawyer plays one side against the other and will most likely get them all wrapped up in each other and that will leave him with the opportunity to go ahead and make his move; just like in The Long Con. It's interesting, even with Locke's confession about his being the "smoke thing" Sawyer isn't afraid or turned off by Locke's reveal because yet again...it's every man for himself.  Or is it one in the same?

With the bits about a case and cops being brought up again, I am brought back to my thoughts about the "Island residents" being in a "prison" or "asylum" and this magical adventure is part of their rehabilitation. Who knows, it may all be for fun too.  But for as many times as I come back to feeling like so many of the centrics come back to Locke and Jack, {we could be seeing the struggles of a single person} what if this potential rehabilitation is due to schizophrenia and/or split personality.  It's just a thought.

Out whiting the opponent to gain your edge. But I think all involved here {even if it's about a singular person}, although recruiting an army or support, still have their own agenda to the end game.

Things to note...Questions to ask...
* Eye color changes.
* Emily Locke is a redhead. Charlotte and Ava are redheads.
* Sun up. Sundown.
* Claire's place looks like a nest but also has the shape of a hive.
* Magic word-LaFleur.
* Appear. Disappear.
* Water. Watership Down. Oar. Boat ride. Sub.
* Police. Cop. Security. Guard. Judge.(Judgment).
* Clock stays on 8:42.
* Liam is looking for druggie baby napper brother in Ford's police station.
* What is locked in Widmore's double locked door? Anthony Cooper? The Man from Tallahassee
* Cages. Jail cells. Bars. Gate.
* Crazy. Mad. Disturbed.
* Scared. Afraid. Angry. Devastated. Fear. Guilt. Alone.
* What is real...NOT!
* Brothers.
* Hollywood. A place where fantasy is executed on film/stage.
* What is up with a "partner" running credit to check up on the other partner? That's just bullshit!
* We see the word HOTEL but experience the backside of it.
* Mini sonic fence...really?!
* "Well, well, it looks like Johnny Locke's got himself a nemesis." -Sawyer in The Long Con.
* Charlotte on the "Island" was in Cultural anthropology and apparently excels in linguistics. Here she is an Archaeologist.
* People aren't really gone when they die...you will see them again.
* What the heck is with getting to have sex with the wife of/or the perpetrator?!

Vocabulary and Research...
* A Wrinkle in Time: Children travel to Camazotz to rescue Meg's scientist father. IT is the bodiless telepathic brain that dominates the planet of Camazotz.   IT controls all the people and makes them do the same things together in mechanistic synchronization; as if they were robots.  IT speaks through The Man With Red Eyes and later through Charles Wallace; and is functionally part of the interstellar cloud of evil called the Black Thing.
* Bullitt is a 1968 movie based on the novel titled Mute Witness (1963) by Robert L. Fish (aka Robert L. Pike).  Famous for a car chase; faked his death.
* Lancelot-Lamar murders his wife. He ends up in a mental institution where he experiences a blurring of reality.
* Black bead bracelet:  James' bracelet caught my attention.  Does it have any relevance to the journey?  I don't know. Sawyer looks hot wearing it!    Bracelets/Power bead bracelets are sometimes used for spiritual and ritual purposes {Mala beads}, salvation, protection, healing, friendship and even sobriety type of recovery.
* Refresh your memory on these additional past episodes: The Long Con  and Confidence Man.



Something I can't ignore is James' comment to Zoe about God not having anything to do with this.   Is this a hint to a "human hand"  being directly involved in the "Island" experience and it not being rooted in supernatural or mythological causes?   Indeed it could.

There was much in this episode that connected directly to "John Locke".   Even  bits from Sawyer's story crossed over.   Here I saw a still angry and hurt Locke.  It is obvious he is still working things out from his hurtful past and things he may be holding on to.  I was concerned when I saw some of his deep pains surface and now wonder if Locke will break or will he come out of this whole.   His redhead mother was crazy and in Santa Rosa. Go back and check out Deus Ex Machina.
But we can't ignore that we learned in The Man From Tallahassee that John Locke was so depressed he was on "Disability".  Could John be he own worst enemy?

I still want to know what is the purpose of the "smoke thing" {it wasn't called a monster here} part of the person.   How, why and what makes it present itself in that form?

I felt as if Locke took on a strict parent role here.  He was tender to the children when he needed to be and then he was an intense disciplinarian to the children/people when he felt they needed it.  This kind of bothers me because we've not seen this layer of personality before.

The Lostie's are carrying pain from things that hurt them and shaped them from childhood.  They've grown up with the torment of those emotions and lack of faith in people. Are they trying to heal all of that childhood pain?
All they ever wanted is to be needed, cared for and loved.   They long for family.

Maybe deep down there's a part of "James" that knows as far as he and Kate are concerned they are connected.
Remember what he states in The Long Con... "You run. I con. Tiger don't change their stripes."
The con lives on!

Love to all who are "LOST"™


(Video abc/LOST)

Disclaimer: I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! The things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either! You all know I hate spoilers! And I stand clear of reading certain sites as to not take me off my own course of research. The one thing I don't need to do here is rehash all of the obvious clues from an episode, we all know what they are. Understood? Good! Let the fun begin! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues later, but need to be noted when they first show up and things I find that will be of importance! It will get very exciting as we progress into the story.